IDEAS IN FOOD

Bundle Up

2013-05-24T08:57:27-04:00

I never liked thin spindly asparagus. They were thin, spindly and easy to overcook. When we needed to serve asparagus and all that was available where blades of grass my hand was played. I needed a way to cook them well. Then I thought about my issue, the thickness. Since we had prosciutto on hand we could take the asparagus and bundle them together into one large spear. They would cook more evenly. Really, they would give me more wiggle room not to mess them up on the grill. The prosciutto is an added benefit of fatty, salty meatiness. We cooked the bundles on the Egg, and then let them rest on a platter to carry over cooking. The prosciutto browned. The outer asparagus charred. The inner spears steamed. The variety of textures and flavors proved the bundles were a delicious way to prepare the spindly spears. Now I am looking at what else we can bundle up in the kitchen.

Years Past

May 24, 2012

May 24, 2005

Chive Blossoms

2013-05-23T14:53:00-04:00

...make me happy. They are beautiful, flavorful and easy to grow. They are so pretty and delicate when you snip them into individual blooms. The sight of them always brings a smile to my lips. Chive blossoms have an intense onion flavor, they actually taste as good as they look. This year we are going to play around with dehydrating the flowers because we can never seem to use them all up. I'm thinking that dried chive blossoms might add an interesting dimension to roasted nuts and seeds. Or we could fold them into a coarse dried chili paste from our favorite pickle shop to sprinkle on salads and cooked proteins. They also might be fun to fry and grind with sea salt and roasted sesame seeds, an amped up version of gomasio. The possibilities are endless.

Years Past

May 23, 2012

May 23, 2005

stRawberries and Lovage

2013-05-22T18:12:02-04:00

We have always enjoyed the flavor of strawberries and celery. Using lovage upped the flavor. We utilized the rotary evaporator to concentrate the flavors while keeping them bright and clean. This approach to ripe fruits and aromatics has expanded how we cook.

Years Past

May 22, 2012

May 22, 2005

Purple

2013-05-21T19:43:13-04:00

Sometimes the ingredient is for the cook. It stands out. When you clean the asparagus a striking green peeks through. When you apply heat the color transforms. A show for only the cook to enjoy. This transformation has you focus on the cooking process. It has you pay attention. It demands attention. And it gets you to cook a little better.

Years Past

May 21, 2012

May 21, 2005

American Tortillas

2013-05-20T16:41:46-04:00

We have re-thought the tortilla before. Today we were inspired by the many BBQ inspired tacos we have seen. The ubiquitous white bread that is served with BBQ became the ideal building block for our vision. We only had Martin's Whole Wheat Potato Bread on hand. We made do. We rolled the sliced bread out and then used a cutter to shape it. We buttered one side of the bread. This allowed us to toast the outside of the tortilla and butter griddle the interior. The finished American Tortilla is a great vehicle for bringing flavors to the mouth. We followed our train of thought and started with BBQ.

Years Past

May 20, 2005

Sizzling Nuts

2013-05-19T17:44:31-04:00

We start the nuts in cold oil and bring them to a simmer. When the nuts just begin to brown we remove them from the heat and allow them to carry over in the cooling pot. We strain off the oil when the nuts are just shy of foxy brown and toss them with lime pickle powder, a seasonal and now basically unobtainable wonder from the Cultured Pickle Shop. Alternatively seasoning the warm nuts with another spice blend would also be delicious. And the leftover almond flavored oil is perfect for dressing vegetables, making sauces or gently poaching meats and fish.

Years Past

May 19, 2012

May 19, 2005

Spaccatelli

2013-05-18T18:02:57-04:00

Shapes and textures spark the creative process. Paying attention to them enables us to connect ideas.

Years Past

May 18, 2012

May 18, 2006

May 18, 2005

True Brews

2013-05-17T23:38:42-04:00

True Brews, How to Craft Fermented Cider, Beer, Wine, Sake, Soda, Mead, Kefir, and Kombucha at Home, by Emma Christensen was a book we just couldn't resist. Fermentation is one of our passions and a book that focuses on beverages was a no-brainer. We've played around on own with kefir, kombucha, ginger beer, and various other beverages with good results. That said, even with our library of fermentation books, we tend to fly by the seat of our pants. This book looked like it would be fun and informative, an easy read that would also give us some solid information to work with.

True Brews did not disappoint. The writing has a straightforward tone. It is easy going and approachable while communicating all of the pertinent information. Emma Christensen covers a wide range of recipes from gluten free pale ale to cloudy cherry sake. The recipes span the globe and I was especially intrigued by the wide range of flavors. There is a Mexican Pineapple cider known as tepache and a blueberry-lavender mead. Every chapter begins with a master recipe for the brewing technique followed by variations. There are interviews with brewers and precise recipes to extrapolate from. It's a great book and we are so happy to have found it. We encourage anyone with an interest in home brewing to check it out. It's the perfect summer read for those of us obsessed with food and drink.

Yeas Past

May 17, 2012

May 17, 2005