Mousse, French for foam, is a prepared dish that is whipped to incorporate air bubbles. The final product is light and fluffy, though some are creamy and thick. Mousses may be savory or sweet and they been around a long time – since the 1700s.

What about the chocolate?
Though there have been a few chocolate whipped “foams” in history, most people credit the 19th-century painter (and cook) Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec for the chocolate version. Perhaps, because it was highly popularized during that time. He gave it the name mayonnaise de chocolat. Fortunately, that name didn’t stick.

The basic chocolate mousse consists of whipped egg whites or whipped cream and melted chocolate. However, there is a vast variety of recipes that include things like coffee, mint, spices, liqueurs, and even chocolate chips.

No matter how you make it, use a fine quality chocolate to achieve the best flavor. It’s also good to note that the higher percentage of cocoa solids the denser your final product will be.

Here is the classic Betty Crocker recipe. It has never failed me.

Chocolate Mousse

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken up (or 1 cup chips)
• 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Beat egg yolks in a bowl with a mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in the sugar. Set aside. Heat the 1 cup whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Gradually whisk in half of the hot whipping cream into egg yolk mixture. Then stir it all back into hot cream in the saucepan. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, but do not boil. Stir in chocolate until melted. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, just until chilled. Beat the 1-1/2 cups whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Spoon into serving bowls. Keep refrigerated.

image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Two palatschinken: one with sugar and cinnamon, the other with Nutella

March 22nd is National Bavarian Crepes Day. This is another tasty holiday with an indeterminable origin.

A Bavarian crepe from Bavaria is called a palatschinke. Not a true crepe but a crepe-like thin pancake common in Central and Eastern Europe. The main difference between this variation and the classic French crepe is that the batter is use right away rather than letting it rest before using. Though typically sweet there are savory versions.

But this was not called National Palatschinke Day, so this lead me to believe that it is a crepe filled or topped with a Bavarian cream. Several recipes also include adding a fruit jam or pie filling.

Bavarian cream with fruit sauce

Bavarian cream is a pastry cream thickened with gelatin rather than cornstarch which is then lightened with whipped cream just before it sets up.

~Bavarian Crepe Recipe~

Start with the Bavarian Cream

• 1 vanilla bean
• 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 1-1/4 cups freshly whipped cream

Split the vanilla bean in two and place in a pan with cream. Slowly bring up to a boil. Then remove from the heat and let sit about an hour. Remove the bean and scrape out seeds. Add the seeds back into the cream; discard the pod. Now, sprinkle the gelatin over the milk. Set aside. Whisk sugar and egg yolks together. Warm up the cream mixture. Whisk cream into eggs a little at a time. Now, place the egg-cream mixture over a pan of simmering water. Stir until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the milk-gelatin mixture. Cool to room temperature. Fold in whipped cream.

Crepe Batter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3 eggs
• salt
• oil

Make the crepes: whisk together flour, water, eggs and a dash of salt until smooth. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Rub an oiled paper towel along the inside of an 8-inch nonstick saucepan. Heat saucepan. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the pan. Swirl batter around to cover surface. Cook over medium heat until firm, about 20 -30 seconds. Flip crepe with fingers or spatula. Cook for about 5 seconds on other side. Remove from pan and stack on a plate.

Assemble

• fruit jam or pie filling, optional
• crepes
• Bavarian cream
• chocolate sauce, optional

Add a little jam or pie filling down the center of a crepe. Add some Bavarian cream. Roll up crepe. Top with chocolate sauce if desired.

Sources:

• images courtesy of Wikipedia: crepe, Bavarian cream
• Wikipedia: Palatschinke

A pie is defined as any baked food with a filling in a pastry-lined pan. It may have a top pastry crust, but it is not necessary. There are savory pies like cottage pie, and there are sweet pies like shoofly pie. Filling vary greatly from meat to fruit to custard an beyond.

Pie Trivia:

• Pies have been around since 9500 BC (Egyptian Neolithic period or New Stone Age).
• In 1644, Oliver Cromwell banned eating of pie declaring it a pagan form of pleasure. For 16 years, people had to sneak their pie until the ban was lifted by Restoration leaders in 1660.
• It was once against the law to serve ice cream on cherry pie in Kansas.
• Boston Cream Pie is a cake, not a pie.
• Cheesecake is a pie, not a cake.
• January 23rd is also National Rhubarb Pie Day.
• March 2nd is National Banana Cream Pie Day.
• May 8th is National Coconut Cream Pie Day.
• May 13th is National Apple Pie Day.
• February is Great American Pies Month.

How can you celebrate today?

• Make a pie (Check out the National Pie Champions)
• Eat a pie
• Play a pie naming game. Each person has to name a type of pie. If someone can’t name a pie. They’re out. Keep going until the pie-naming champion remains.
• Join the American Pie Council.

What is your favorite pie?

How about getting ready to celebrate with pie gear from Zazzle?

Pie & Pi T-shirts

Pinkie Pie Poster

I love pie (black lettering) tee shirts

Funny Pie Tee Shirts

Inspire Math Geek T-shirt

A hoagie is a sandwich served in a long roll and filled with various meats, cheeses, vegetables, seasonings, and sauce. It is know by many names including submarine, sub, hero, poor boy, torpedo, grinder, and zep.

But what about the term hoagie?

The term hoagie comes from Philadelphia that’s all anyone can seem to agree upon. There are several stories about origin of the name.

According to the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, in 1953 Italians working at the World War I era shipyard, known as Hog Island, started producing a “Hog Island Sandwich.” The name was shortened to Hoggies, and eventually to hoagie.

The Philadelphia Almanac and Citizen’s Manual states that the sandwich got its name from street vendors called “hokey-pokey men” in the early twentieth century.

Other origin stories include “hog” for pig, and slang terms, and, well the list goes on.

According to Wikipedia the following things should be included for an authentic hoagie:

• bread needs to be crusty on the outside and soft on the inside
• often the roll’s insides will be removed to make room for the fillings
• they should have more than one deli meat
• the traditional dressing is olive oil with herbs and seasonings

No matter where you live, have a hoagie today!

Hoagie products from Zazzle!

Go download me a hoagie off the internet t shirt

I Love Hoagies ( Food ) Shirt

I Love Hoagies ( Food ) T-shirts

Eat Sleep HOAGIES Bumper Sticker

I Love Hoagies Mesh Hats

(Eric) Jeremy: A Tribute in Cloth Tee Shirt

Image courtesy of BillyTFried at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Peanuts have been used in stews and sauces in Africa since the 15th century. The Chinese created creamy peanut sauces for centuries.

In 1890, a St. Louis physician convinced George A. Bayle Jr. to make and sell a peanut paste as a protein substitute for people with poor teeth. Bayle sold this peanut paste out of barrels. In 1895, the Kellogg brothers patented a process for making peanut butter with steamed peanuts (not roasted peanuts).

Krema Products Company in Columbus, Ohio began selling peanut butter in 1908 and it is the second oldest peanut butter company still in operation today. The first is the Australian Sanitarium Health Food Company.

Try this Peanutty concoction.

Peanutty Chicken Piccata
From PeanutButterLovers.com

6 ounces spinach, trimmed, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons chicken broth
2 4-ounce chicken breasts, boned
4 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup fat free egg substitute
2 teaspoons butter
4 tablespoons peanuts
4 tablespoons white wine
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 baked potatoes
Mix chicken broth into hot spinach. Set aside.

Flatten chicken breasts, coat with flour; shake off excess. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Dip each chicken breast in egg substitute and saut 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Keep warm. Discard oil.

Melt butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add peanuts. Cook and stir until lightly browned. Add wine, cook 1 minute. Add chicken, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Arrange spinach on serving plate. Top with chicken breast and sauce. Serve with baked potato.

Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 807 calories, 55g protein, 32g total fat (8g saturated fat), 72g carbohydrates, 9g dietary fiber, 108mg cholesterol, 563mg sodium. Daily Value: 55% folic acid, 80% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 25% calcium, 45% iron.

What’s the best way to eat peanut butter?

A popover is a light, hollow roll made from an egg batter. It is the American version of England’s Yorkshire pudding. The name comes from the batter swelling and popping over the pan. You could make regular popovers and fill them with fresh raspberry or try Raspberry Butter.

Popovers with Raspberry Butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
rasbperry butter, below

Preheat oven to 425F.
Spray popover pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place pan on center rack of oven; heat for 2 minutes.
Whisk together flour, salt, eggs, milk and melted butter until it looks like heavy cream (1 to 2 minutes).
Cut chilled butter into 6 even pieces.
Place 1 piece of butter in each cup and place pan back in oven until butter is bubbly (about 1 minute).
Fill each cup half full with batter and bake 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 325F and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Raspberry Butter
1/4 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Mix all the ingredients unil well combined. Refrigerator unil serving time.

Try these pans for your popovers.