Panzanella
vs.
Emeril vs. Dave
Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am going to be off for the rest of the week. Next week I hope to return with videos and more informative articles. If you have any suggestions on things you would like to see on this page please email at nicky[at]deglazing.com.
Have a great weekend and see you next week!
I saw this article over at MSN.com. This article really intrigued me. As a kid, I was an avid watcher of infomercials on Sunday morning. I know that sounds funny, but it is true. I grew up in a very rural area without cable, if you couldn’t tell. I never thought of buying any of the products. I did find the hokey gimmicks amusing to watch. The funniest thing is finding out how many friends and family members had purchased something from one of these shows. I know people who own the famous Showtime Rotisserie and Thigh Master. The best thing about infomercials is all the promises they make. You too can have skinny thighs and a spray painted bald head.(Remember Ron Popeil and the Hair in a Can Spray!)
This article was particularly interesting because it was mostly about kitchen gadgets. So before you buy the Vidalia Chop Wizard you may want to read this article and find out if the product does everything it promises.
Here’s the article if you want to check it out - http://tech.msn.com/products/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3501692&page=1
One of the most interesting things I have learned in the kitchen is about leavening agents. I know most people probably don’t give much thought to leavening agents. I know some of the basics of baking are scary to some people. Yeast freaks a lot of people out.(It is a little touchy, but once you start working with it, you realize it really isn’t that complex.) The truth is leavening agents are magical to some degree, helping baked goods to be light and airy. I was blown away when I first found out the leaveners do not actually create new air bubbles in doughs, just help to expand the existing ones. One of the best books I own has some great information on this process - Cookwise by Shirley Corriher. There is a great story in the book about her first finding this out and realizing why her cakes never came out very good. Anyone who bakes consistently realizes the importance of incorporating air into the butter mixture (with 7 - 8 minutes of whipping, often times) for cakes. Shirley realized after doing some research for another article she was writing that she never did this step and that was why her cakes were not that great! I love stories like that, see you can always learn something in the kitchen.
Yeast is interesting and very important to baking. Yeast is a one-celled organism that feeds simple sugar (that’s why you always use honey or sugar to activate yeast). As the dough rest, the yeast eats the sugar around it and in the process gives off gas and grows. The yeast continues to grow dividing to reproduce. Water temperature is important when working with yeast. Water above 140° or so will kill yeast. Cold water only affects the yeast in the initial activation phase. The yeast will not activate in water that is too cold.
So what about chemical leaveners? Baking powder and baking soda also produce gases that help to leaven cakes and baked goods. When heated these chemicals break down and give off gas. Adding an acid to baking soda helps it to give of gas faster and gets rid of the unpleasant taste. Baking powder works much the same way, as it contains baking soda. It also contains an acid in just the right amount to use up the baking soda. There is also some cornstarch used to keep the baking soda and acid dry and separated.
This month’s issue of Portland - Maine’s City Magazine has an informative article on some great restaurants in the state. I really enjoyed reading through the article and hearing about some of the interesting places we have to eat. I particularly liked the author including a mix of higher end expensive places with fun and interesting places that are more economical. They also have a great piece on six chefs to watch in the state including two James Beard award winners (for Northeast’s Best Chef) - Sam Hayward from Fore Street in Portland and Melissa Kelly from Primo in Rockland.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the places and their website addresses in case you want to go and check them out, keep in mind not all places have websites.
Cinque Terre - serves Italian food and is located on Wharf Street in Portland (keep your eye out for a segment on them on Food Network, April 15) http://www.cinqueterremaine.com/
Becky’s Diner - serving traditional American diner fare on Commerical Street in Portland, you can check them out at www.beckysdiner.com
Pepperclub - is a great place to go if you are looking for vegetarian fare while you are visiting Maine. They are located at 78 Middle Street in Portland’s Old Port.
David’s - is a place for those more inclined to meat eating. They serve lots of seafood and meat dishes, although they do have a couple of vegetarian options on their menus. You can check them out on the web at http://www.davidsrestaurant.com/index.html
And that’s just a few of the great restaurants highlighted in this month’s Portland - Maine’s City Magazine.
I am one of those people who craves certain things when the seasons change. Well, I guess it’s around certain holidays too. With Easter fast approaching I just had to make a carrot cake this weekend. And I am so glad I did. This carrot cake is delicious and incredibly moist. The spices are kept to a minimum and that makes it easier to enjoy them. There are no overpowering flavors, each flavor balances nicely with the others. I really enjoyed the addition of cranberries instead of raisins, but feel free to use either. The cream cheese icing is a classic. I just love cream cheese. I suggest having a big pot of tea on hand to enjoy with this treat. Without further ado, here is Bill’s Big Carrot Cake from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking cookbook.
For the Cake
For the Frosting
Getting Ready - Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter three 9×2 inch round cakes pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess. Put two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.
To Make the Cake - Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
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 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 in the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean; the cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
To Make the Frosting - Working with the stand mixer, preferably fitted with paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you would like coconut in the filling ,scoop out about half of the frosting and stir in the coconut into this portion.
To Assemble the Cake - Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset cake spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with second layer, this time placing the cake top side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.
ENJOY!
Okay, so stick with me here. I know you are thinking, what the heck? Ground beef is just what it says, ground beef. Well, as usual the people over at Epicurious have a much more detailed explanation that you may want to take into consideration the next time you are having hamburgers for dinner. Wow such a simple food, yet so complex…
“ground beef
Also referred to as hamburger , ground beef is simply beef that has been ground or finely chopped. The price of ground beef is determined by the cut of meat from which it was made and the amount of fat incorporated into the mix. High-fat mixtures are less costly but will shrink more when cooked. The least expensive product is sold as regular ground beef or regular hamburger. It’s usually made with trimmings of the less expensive cuts such as brisket and shank, and can contain up to 30 percent fat. The moderately priced ground chuck is the next level of ground beef. Because it contains enough fat (about 15 to 20 percent) to give it flavor and make it juicy, yet not enough to cause excess shrinkage, ground chuck is the best meat for hamburgers. The leanest (around 11 percent fat) and most expensive of the ground meats are ground round and ground sirloin. Though they’re great for calorie watchers, they become quite dry when cooked beyond medium-rare. Ground beef is sold fresh and frozen, prepackaged in bulk (usually 1 to 5 pounds) or in preformed patties. It may also be ground to order. The way it is used determines how the beef should be ground. In general, the finer the beef is ground, the more compact it will be when cooked. For instance, firm-textured combinations such as MEATLOAF or MEATBALLS should be made with beef that has been ground at least 2 or 3 times. For hamburgers, however, where a light, juicy texture is preferable, the beef should be coarsely ground. Ground beef should be lightly wrapped before storing in the coldest section of the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To freeze, shape into individual patties or a large, flat disk and wrap with freezer-proof packaging. It can be frozen up to 6 months. See also beef; hamburger.
based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst”
What’s the first thing you think of when getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day? I think for many people it is corned beef. So what is corned beef exactly? The source for all food definitions, Epicurious has the answer.
“corned beef
Beef (usually brisket, but also round) cured in a seasoned brine. Sometimes the brine is pumped through the arterial system. The term “corned” beef comes from the English use of the word “corn,” meaning any small particle (such as a grain of salt). Two types of corned beef are available, depending on the butcher and the region. Old-fashioned corned beef is grayish-pink in color and very salty; the newer style has less salt and is a bright rosy red. Much corned beef is now being made without nitrites, which are reputed to be carcinogenic.”
based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst
For a recipe for corned beef, check out Sara Moulton’s corned beef over at http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_9629,00.html?rsrc=search. Want to try something a little more adventurous with your corned beef, check out this recipe for Sauerkraut Corned Beef Dip at http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26107,00.html?rsrc=search.
Hot peppers are found in a ton a varieties, shapes and sizes these days. Probably the most readily available and widely used variety is the jalapeno (shown above). We all know a little about hot peppers, but here are a few things you may not have known. The active ingredient in hot peppers is capsaicin, a chemical repellent found in all hot peppers. The capsaicin is found in mostly in the seed and ribs of the pepper. One of the quickest ways to lower the level of heat in any dish with ***chillis is to remove the membrane and seeds. Chillis are actually hollow fruits (this from Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking). The amount of a capsaicin is actually not only effected by the type of chilli, but on the conditions in which it is grown and on how ripe the chilli is.
Four things affect the strength of the capsaicin in your dish. The first is, of course, the type of chilli you purchase. (The best way to tell how hot your chilli is in comparison with others is to look at the Scoville index) The second and third factors also seem quite obvious, the amount of chilli you add and whether or not your peppers had the seeds and membranes intact. The four factor is the amount of time the chilli is in contact with the other ingredients.
Okay, so you know how to control the heat level, but what do you do if your mouth is on fire from eating a chilli. Harold McGee suggests getting an something ice-cold into your mouth or eating some crackers or a spoonful of sugar. “Cold liquid or ice cools the receptors down below the temperature at which they are activated, and the rough food distracts the nerves with a different kind of signal.” (On Food and Cooking, page 420)
So, that’s a little information on chillis. Hope this helps you the next time you are faced with a really hot chilli.
***I am using the spelling that many food science writers use for chillis.(I know the extra l looks a little funny 
)
Yesterday, I did a little piece on a few of the Food TV stars fan and anti-fan sites. This is part two of that feature. If you know of any other fan or anti-fan sites for the cooks below, please leave a comment to share with others.
Rachael Ray - Well, the controversy of Rachael Ray is very evident in the blogosphere. The biggest fan site of them all is Everything Rachel Ray at http://rachaelrayblog.blogspot.com/. There is also a huge community of anti-fans for Rachael at the Rachel Ray sux community page - http://community.livejournal.com/rachael_ray_sux.
Emeril Lagasse - Emeril has a whole group of fan sites over at Yahoo, here’s the link http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Cultures___ Community/Food_and_Drink/Chefs/Lagasse,_Emeril
There are a few sites that say they don’t like Emeril, but I didn’t really find a well organized one.
Tyler Florence - Tyler’s biggest fan site is probably the myspace crowd over at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=115086916, well, unless you consider his own blog, ha ha. Tyler doesn’t really have a solid anti-fan club, but there are plenty of negative stores about him in the sphere. Here’s one of the funnier ones - http://www.eatdrinkonewoman.com/2006/05/tyler_florence_food_network_fa.php
Ina Garten - The Barefoot Contessa doesn’t have a large fan site, but she does have one over at http://community.livejournal.com/barefoot_ina. As for Ina detractors there are a few. The thing I find most interesting about her detractors is they have nothing to say about her food really, it seems much more personal. There aren’t any real anti-fan sites for her out there, just comments here or there.
Ever wonder what corn syrup is? You see it in all kinds of different packaged products and often used in making desserts.(Think Pecan Pie) So why is corn syrup used so much? Epicurious has the answers.
“corn syrup
A thick, sweet syrup created by processing cornstarch with acids or enzymes. Corn syrup comes in light or dark forms. Light corn syrup has been clarified to remove all color and cloudiness; dark corn syrup, which has caramel flavor and coloring added to it, has a deeper color and stronger flavor. Because it inhibits crystallization, corn syrup is particularly popular as an ingredient in frosting, candy, jams and jellies. It’s also used as a pancake syrup, either maple-flavored or plain.
based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst”
