A Dose of Frosting..

Cardamom-scented Carrot Cupcake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:20:00 +0000

This is a cardamom scented carrot cake with citrus cream cheese frosting and candied carrots. It’s the result of my love for cardamom, candied ginger and Dorie Greenspan’s Bill’s Big Carrot Cake. Dorie’s recipe is perfect as it is; it embodies everything I love about carrot cake – dense and moist with a light crumb, sweet, fragrant with cinnamon and chock-full of raisins, nuts, coconuts and carrots in every bite. But there are multiple truths, and the classic pairing of carrots, cardamom and ginger in this cake brought the party in my mouth up a notch. The citrus cream cheese frosting complements the cake beautifully. And the candied carrots, they are just so darn cute!

For the cupcakes

1 cup all purpose flour 

1 t baking powder 

1 t baking soda 

2 t ground cardamom

1 T minced candied ginger

¾ t salt 

1 ½ cups grated carrots (about 5 carrots)

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans 

½ cup shredded coconut (sweetened)

1 cups sugar

½ cup olive oil

2 large eggs

¼ cup raisins (dark or golden), soaked in 2 T rum + 2 T water overnight

For the frosting: 

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 

1 stick ( 8 T) unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 lb or 3¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 

2 T fresh orange juice

zest of 1 orange 

Getting ready

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your muffin pans with cupcake liners.

To make the cupcakes

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins (drained). Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cup 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the tins and cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. Makes about 24 cupcakes.

To make the frosting

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Beat in the orange juice and zest. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. (Good read: Cream Cheese Frosting 101 by Joy the Baker.)

Pears Poached in Red Wine with Creme Anglaise

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:32:00 +0000

At the Food Justice Conference in Oakland last November, a participant from Las Cruces, NM argued that it is more local for her to obtain her produce from Juarez, Mexico than from Albuquerque, NM. Pondering over that while showering that evening, I realized that we are faced with a long list of predicaments when it comes to eating these days. (And yes, TMI, but I do most of my thinking in the shower; and most of my epiphanies come to me while in the shower. I've solved world hunger at least 7 times already. Problem is, I forget by the time I dry off.)

Anyway, when I pick up a box of 1% milk at the grocery store, I immediately go through a checklist in my mind— Is it USDA organic? And if it is USDA organic, is it “100% organic”, “organic” or “made with organic ingredients”. How local is the product? Am I supporting a family owned farm/cooperative? Is the farm sustainable? CAFO what? Was it fed with grains that came from an heirloom and not a Monsanto genetically engineered seed? Is there a similar product that has a higher ANDI score? The list goes on.

I remember this episode of Portlandia called “Is it Local?" A pair of local food champions go to a restaurant and ask all kinds of questions about the chicken in the menu. Despite the wait staff’s more-than-satisfactory answer, they postpone having lunch to visit the farm of origin. It is hilarious and ridiculous, but contains a bit of truth.

Crinkle and Amaretti Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:16:00 +0000

Crinkle cookies are my childhood favorite cookies. I remember going to the 3rd closest “sari-sari store” (convenience store) from our house in Manila to buy them for 2 pesos (7 cents). There are two cookies packaged in a clear plastic with a white cardboard bottom, presenting these snowy-dark-chocolate-cookies ever so beautifully. I remember running home, straight to the room I share with the women of the house (my sister, an aunt and my grandmother), locking the door and enjoying every bit and morsel of it – crusty on the outside and chewy-chocolatey inside. My over eagerness to eat them always bring me to a coughing fit as I inhale a mouthful of powdered sugar, which I did not want since it calls for attention, which means I might get some spanking -- sweets are not allowed in the house since they are “junk food and bad for you”. Worst, I might have to share my cookies. Eventually, I came up with a solution— I lick off the powdered sugar before devouring the cookies, haha!

Repost: Thanksgiving 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:36:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's festive yet not as hectic as Christmas; it's predictable, since it always on a Thursday, thus I know I can actually rest after two days of cooking and baking; and it comes during my favorite time of year, autumn.

Every year, I have 6 people over for Thanksgiving, to complete a group of 8, including me and Bill. These are friends who, like myself, have no family in Atlanta and we have each other for family.

Thanksgiving preparation starts on Sunday before. I shop for the ingredients and order in my meat and turkey for pickup Wednesday. Wednesday night is when I make the pies, soak the cornmeal for the cornbread and brine the turkey & crown roast. Some of the Thanksgiving guests spends the night to help make the pies. I usually prepare a light dinner, but this year, Nikita took care of dinner and she prepared an authentic "Chinese Hot Pot" for us, yummy!!

Pan-seared Duck with Orange Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:55:00 +0000

Pan-seared duck breasts with orange sauce, roasted butternut squash puree and steamed haricot verts

"Seared duck breast isn't the first thing that jumps to mind when we think of fast food. For us, duck is often thought of as a fancy restaurant dish; for the French, it is something that can be seared, sauced and served in under 30 minutes on a weeknight, which explains why there are so many simple duck dishes in every home cook's recipe box." - around my french table, Dorie Greenspan

Chocolate Truffles

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:05:00 +0000

I got a marble slab a couple of months ago with the intent of teaching myself to temper chocolate. It did look easy on youtube and in the books, but boy, it turned out to be more difficult, much more difficult than what I expected so I ended up rolling most of the truffles in different flavorings. Regardless, they turned out really yummy!

Panfried Spanish Mackarel, Scented Rice and Sauteed Baby Bokchoy

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Food excites me. My senses heighten with anything food-related… the sounds of hustle and bustle in the market... The look of pleasure in people’s faces when they savor their food... the smell of seaweed in the ocean after a storm... a cherimoya’s perfect balance of sweetness and acidity or the slight give on the flesh of a fresh tuna. So when Carlton asked me to share recipes in our newsletter, I didn’t know where to start. But after pondering on it, I decided to share a meal that sustained me at least once a day when I was growing up-- a plate of boiled rice scented with lemongrass, pan-fried fish and sautéed greens.

Bill in the Kitchen: PIZZA

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:46:00 +0000

Bill loves pizza. Not only does he chase the best pizzas in Georgia (and where ever he travels), he makes a mean pizza as well. I think that was his minor at Georgia Tech, he-he.

I suck at making pizza, I think it's because I don't really care for them. Yup, there I said it! If the food gods ask me if they can banish pizza forever, I would say, "Yes, please!" in a heart beat. Weird, huh? One thing I know about pizza; this pizza dough recipe by Peter Reinhart is the bomb!

Today's Bill's birthday, so we are having pizza :) Happy birthday Bill! I love you much!!

Texas Red-Braised Beef Short Ribs

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:04:00 +0000

Confession: I have been sleeping with the Lee Brothers these past two weeks-- I mean The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. Their adventures and stories of growing up in the South is very entertaining. I have prepared since, their different versions of grits, the bird’s head biscuit, and have a couple of jars of the Pickled Peaches in my pantry. By the way, the bird's head biscuit-- the best biscuit I ever had! And that’s saying a lot since I live in the South and have had my ample share of biscuits

Today, I am making their Texas Red-Braised Beef Short Ribs, which is mole-based. I am in the process of developing my personal mole recipe, after sampling the tastiest Guatamalan Tamale Negro from a hole in the wall Mexican Tienda in Buford Highway. I love this tamale so much; I had been driving 16 miles per way every Saturday to get my fix.

Porchetta

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:51:00 +0000

P-o-r-c-h-e-t-t-a – everything about it is wonderful – moist, tender, flavorful meat, melt in your mouth fatty goodness and crispy skin, hog heaven! This months' Bon Appetit magazine named Porchetta as the dish of the year. From New York, to Austin, to San Francisco and Seattle, everybody is reveling about it. It’s reminiscent of the lechon in the Philippines that Anthony Bourdain ranked #1 in the Hierarchy of Pork or the Sagra della Porchetta in Austin.

Lamb Tagine

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:49:00 +0000

Two summers ago, much to Bill’s protest, I convinced myself that I absolutely, totally need to have a tagine. I told Bill that I need it since I am going to cook a lot of Moroccan food soon (I got the idea after a friend gave me a belly dancing CD.. huh??). Off I go to Le Creuset, and came home with a very happy Dijon Tagine. Fast forward two years later, my tagine is still unused (not even out from the box), next to my salt block I used once about two years ago for plating sushi and my brand-spanking new marble slab I plan to use “very soon” when I temper some chocolate.

Cookies -- Chocolate Chip, World Peace and Ricotta

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:39:00 +0000

No smell can be more heavenly than cookies baking, and I truly believe, for a long time now, that angels smell like cookies. It's comforting and friendly -- like an unseen presence telling you that everything will be okay. These days, it reminds me more of my Dad. He had a way of comforting me, of letting me know that everything will be okay. I miss my Dad very much, and it pains me so much that I can’t just pick up the phone to talk to him anymore. I wish he is sitting in my kitchen right now while I bake cookies, listening to my stupid rant, smiling, telling me I'm full of shit, but nonetheless, reassuring me everything will be alright. I will miss him everyday, for the rest of my life. He is my angel, and I bet, he smell like cookies.

Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Red Onion Marmalade and Mashed Rutabaga

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:04:00 +0000

I love the growing awareness of the importance of food in relation to culture, communities and their personal lives… the awesomeness of Community Shared Agriculture (CSA), seasonal eating, local produce and farm-to-table eating and what it does to the local economy and the well-being of people. I tell you, if you want to see happy people and family very early in the weekends, visit one of your local farmers market! You would think that the world was taken over by a mob of morning persons! Caffeinated or not, they seem genuinely happy.

Veal Chops with Cherry-Port Reduction and Saffron Polenta

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:28:00 +0000

I learned from a really early age from my grandmother (my Dad's mom) to save rendered fat-- drippings from bacon, turkey, beef, pork, chorizo's/sausages and of course, duck. My family is very frugal (not cheap) that they would save anything worth saving. My Papa, God bless his soul, used them as substitute for Vicks(tm) and rubbed us with rendered grease when we have colds or fever when we were little. It used to drive my mother crazy since we would be smelling of chorizo or adobo, *LOL*!

Olive Oil Cake with Candied Oranges and Cardamom Scented Syrup

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:25:00 +0000

Today, I crave for Olive Oil Cake. Today, I make Olive Oil Cake.

I was first introduced to Olive Oil Cake while visiting New York City. I had a slice of Maialino's Torta di Olio d' Oliva-- moist, dense yellow cake, not at all sweet with that distinct taste of olive oil in every morsel, served with a dallop of mascarpone cream. It sounds fantantic, right? It's even better than that!

Risotto with Organic Baby Shiitake & Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:52:00 +0000

I have been craving Risotto the past few weeks, but I can't find the time to cook, what with life being extra hectic recently. This weekend has been my easiest for the past three months, so I went to the market today with one mission-- find something for risotto -- and found these adorable organic baby shiitake. I grabbed a bunch of asparagus, headed home and told Bill we are making Risotto and we are cooking in tandem - I cook and he takes pictures.

Roasted Leg of Lamb

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:51:00 +0000

Roasted Leg of Lamb

I met Biljana through my friend Yusuke. I was having some friends over for a game night, and Yusuke asked me if he could bring some friends with him, one of them being Biljana, whom he described as hailing from Macedonia (which was funny since Biljana had been living in the States for almost 2 decades by then). Biljana and I hit it off that night, exchanged numbers, planned to go for a walk the following Sunday, and just like that, we were friends. It's like a match made in heaven.

Chinese Style Pulled Pork Turnover

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:50:00 +0000

Chinese Style Pulled Pork Turnover

I went to bed last night thinking of the happenings in Atlanta this week -- Meat Week and Chinese New Year. No surprise that I woke up craving for pulled pork and Chinese food. Thus I decided to act on my East meets West craving-- bringing in the best of both worlds - PORK.

Sauteed Bean Thread Noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:22:00 +0000

Sauteed Bean Thread Noodles, also known as Cellophane/Vermicelli/Glass Noodles
(Filipino Guinisang Pancit Sotanghon) cooked in a Filipino Wok

Most non-Filipinos I know who have had Filipino food think of pancit, adobo and lumpia as THE Filipino food. Actually, there's more to the repertoire.

White and Devil's Food Mini Cakes and Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:08:00 +0000

White (Mini) Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, White and Devil's Food Cupcakes

I started taking cakes and cupcakes orders again. It's a "win-win" sitch (gosh, I hate corporate jargons!) -- I get to make cupcakes, which is one of my favorite thing to do in this world, hone my baking, share beautiful food with the world and earn extra money. So when Mar, from Etch and Market -- a contemporary catering team of husband and wife here in Atlanta, a fellow food lover, asked me to make their son's first birthday party cake/cupcakes, I was more than happy to oblige.

Chunky Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:07:00 +0000

It's a Snow Day in Atlanta! We have at least 4-5 inches of snow, the most I have seen since I moved here seven (7) years ago. It's no surprise that I am craving chili-- chunky chili-- soup of chunky bits of beef, beans and tomatoes, with hints of smoky paprika, cumin and mexican oregano melding with the mild heat from the ancho chile.. mm-mm-mmm! I better get started :)

Coconut Cream filled Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:55:00 +0000

I made these cupcakes for a house party/fund raising I hosted with my friend Patton, a magnificent dancer and the Artistic Director of Beacon Dance, for the organization I work for. It was a sure hit!

Three Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:46:00 +0000

Three Squash Soup

I love this soup. It is reminiscent of those cold rainy days when I was growing up in the Philippines. It’s my version of my Mom’s Squash Soup she calls “Dinuyduy” which literally translates to ‘mashed’ in her Ethnic Ilocos Sur tongue. She makes it with a beautifully-ripened golden calabaza squash that she sautés with browned garlic and fried pork belly pieces before she adds water and reduces until thick, that she then garnishes with bitter melon leaves. Spoon this over some steamed rice and man, I would not care at all if it rains all day long and a half.

Nikita's Five-course Birthday Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:32:00 +0000

Poaching the Sea Bass on Beurre Monte

I met Nikita while visiting BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta through a Social Networking Group about five (5) years ago. We were both new in Atlanta and trying to mee

Sauteed Bitter Melons (Guinisang Ampalaya)

noreply@blogger.com (Cecille Ericta) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:25:00 +0000

I was browsing the produce at the Marietta Farmers Market the other day when one of the vendors asked me if I am "Filipino". I was surprised as to how he singled me out as Filipino (turned out he lived in the Philippines when he was with the army) but even more surprised when he brought out some beautiful and newly harvested bitter melons -- I didn't think twice about buying the whole lot.. it's one of my favorite vegetable.
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