How to make roasted red pepper hummus!

Actually, making hummus is not quite as hands-free and disgusting as all that, but it's surely worth the extra effort!

All a good classic hummus consists of is chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice, with salt and pepper as desired. It's not terribly difficult to make if you've got a blender (or a mortar and pestle for that matter), and it beats anything you'll buy at the store. The wonderful thing about hummus' simple flavor, is that you can basically tweak it to have whatever flavor you're craving (I'm not so sure about the idea of sweet hummus though...). Anyway, I picked up these tasty little red peppers at the farmers market and thought that a great way to use them would be to roast'em up and throw them in with some hummus!
I'm not big on exact measurements when it comes to savory cooking, and I think that hummus is something that one should tweak to tickle their fancy, so I haven't provided any measurements...BUT here are the ingredients I used:

Chickpeas
Tahini
Olive oil
Fresh garlic
Black garlic
Roasted/caramelized sweet red peppers (throw in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper at 400 F until brown/black at edges)
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Paprika

I was really aiming for a caramelized flavor, and the red peppers and black garlic certainly helped to bring that out. If you can't get black garlic, then some nicely roasted fresh garlic will certainly suffice! Enjoy. :)

Pickling Season!

According to the Star Tribune, pickling and canning has seen a resurgence in popularity. This is due to a variety of factors. It is a way to eat local produce, even in the dead of winter. A good method of preservation for an overly-bountiful garden harvest. A way of connecting to the grandmother you never knew all that well. Tastiness.


For me, canning is all of these things and more...As hyperbolic as that may seem. In a world where societal structures and bureaucracy have become oppressively complicated while corruption and terror seem to run rampant, canning is the embodiment of nostalgia for a prior, simpler age. Of course it is commonplace for those beyond middle-age to lament the state of the world, of society, of 'these kids today;' but more frequently I seem to be hearing similar despair voiced by members of my own generation. The pace of life has sped up. The machinery has become to complex. Post-post modern society (particularly in the developed world) has gotten tangled in its own gears, smoking and hissing; carrying on with a horrible grinding of metal. The extreme bipartisan politics in America and the current financial collapse. The devaluing of creativity and ideas in place of consumerism and materialism. These are all matters of concern cited by my fellow generation Y-ers. The world today just seems far more complex and frightening than that of our grandparents.

And so, feeling a twinge of insecurity and helplessness in the face of a world in turmoil, I have begun the yearly pickling ritual. If nothing else I can glimpse a vision of an idealized simpler past amongst the cucumber slices and brine.

Meat

CADE (Part 2): The Good Slaughter: A Proud Meat Cutter Shares His Processing Floor from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.

Winter Treats and Wanderings in Great Britain

My apologies for the extended lack of postings! The past six months of my life have been dominated by academics and assorted personal problems, and I just could not find the time to update. Needless to day, in the midst of all the chaos, I actually did manage to find time to eat, so I've got a bit of a back log.

After the insanity of last semester, I decided that I needed more, and so planned a trip to the UK and Scandinavia over winter break.

The journey began in Southampton, where I was reminded of the true meaning of love with the best homemade full English breakfast the UK has ever seen. (See my prior post for details of what this consists of).

Stuart and I then made our way to Horsham, where Stuart's mother entirely outdid herself, and prepared a Hogwarts-scale Christmas dinner with all the English classics.

The centerpiece of the meal was a free range turkey from the local butcher. Beautifully cooked and absolutely splendid with gravy, roast potatoes, parsnips, and carrots. It was great to be able to have turkey both for Thanksgiving and for Christmas!

Desert is where things got really classically English, however. Homemade minced pies with vegetarian mincemeat. Mincemeat generally consists of dried fruit, spices, and brandy. Stuart's mother used Grand Marnier which embellished wonderfully upon the fruity flavor of the pies. These were a mere appetizer to the Christmas pudding that followed.

The Christmas pudding was, like the mince pies, replete with dried fruit and nuts. Soaked in brandy and warmed by a quick flambe, this was a gorgeously rich winter desert. It was only made better by the addition of clotted cream, custard, and brandy butter.



My sister Becca flew over to join us in time for Boxing Day, and soon we were off to Wales with Stuart and friends! Wales is a truly beautiful place: Rolling green hills, castles, and pristine beaches. We were privileged enough to be able to explore the countryside; visiting the Holy Wells of Gumfreston, scaling the walls of Carew Castle, and gallivanting off to Tenby.
Of course all of these adventures made us hungry, and Will's mother was kind enough to feed us! The one bit of Welsh cuisine that is unforgettable is the cheese. In particular, a cheese from Snowdonia called Red Devil. This cheese is so sharp and spicey that it makes your mouth itch and your cheeks sweat...A truly welcome experience given the monotony of Wisconsin's mild cheddars.
After our sojourn to Wales, we headed off to London for New Years. After a night of revelry with Four Tet and Nathan Fake, Becca got to have her first ever full English breakfast. (Photo courtesy of Becca herself).

"It is an awesome feeling." She said. When asked how it compared to American diner food she responded, "It's much more of a unified vision of breakfast than American diner food. The variety is more subtle and dependent on location and chef rather than the elements themselves." In terms of its healing properties, she replied that, "It's excellent for recovery after a long night out...the lack of options is great...it's like 'yes, this is what will heal you!'"

Again, I really cannot comprehend why English cuisine has such a bad rap. Sure, some of it is a bit heavy, but isn't that what one craves for their physical fortitude winter? As an objective newcomer to English food, Becca offered her opinion, "I was surprised by how different than American food it is...It really is its own distinct cuisine. There are flavors you don't find at all in American cuisine. More emphasis on the savory, which is a good thing."

Taste of Madison

The Taste of Madison is an event that showcases around 100 food and beverage restaurants. These businesses line the Capitol Square with stands and carts and spend two days advertising by selling their best food and drink to eager eaters. Everything costs around 1-5 dollars, which could easily be seen as a ripoff, given the meager sample size of some of the dishes, however the mere convenience of having so much variety gathered in one place definitely makes up for this flaw.

I can't recall everything that I ate, but here are some of the foods my friends and I sampled:

Watermelon Pork Taco from The Piece Out Gourmet
No one was impressed by this taco. It was largely flavorless, watery, and unseasoned. There was no hint of porcine flavor, roasted or otherwise, and might as well have consisted of boiled chicken from a prison cafeteria. Its only redeeming feature was the lightly refreshing flavor from the watermelon, and even that was largely unappealing given the chilly fall weather that day.

Eggplant Fries with Paprika Aioli from Lombardino's
These were undeniably delicious. The outside was crispy and delightfully savory while the inside melted in my mouth. Amazingly even after being deep fried the eggplant did not lose its rich flavor, so that even without the aioli dip these fries were pure decadence.




Cupcakes from Daisy Café and Cupcakery
Just look at them. Sweet, moist, beautiful cupcakes. The red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting was heavenly. As much as I love frosting, it was nice to have a cupcake where it acted to emphasize the cake rather than drown it in butter and cream. The chocolate cupcake with blueberry frosting was good as well, although the chocolate rather overpowered any hint of berry flavor. All in all, fabulous cakes.

Fried Cheese Curds from Daddy Rocks
The Wisconsin classic. These weren't the best cheese curds I've ever eaten: They were a bit too greasy and not quite crispy enough on the outside, but all the same, how could deep fried cheese ever be bad? Buttery battered melting cheese...All that was missing was a Spotted Cow for the true taste of Wisconsin.


Macaroni and Cheese from the Old Fashioned

Words cannot describe how delicious this macaroni and cheese was. Buttery, cheesy, creamy heaven with a hint of nutmeg and other spices. Not only was the sauce flavored to perfection, but as my friend Mike noted, the pasta was not overcooked as one would anticipate, but was instead al dente, a perfect canvas for such a beautifully orchestrated sauce.

Coconut Cream Pie from Elegant Foods
We wanted to finish the evening on a sweet note, so we headed over to Elegant Foods, where Mike said that he'd had 'the best cherry pie he'd ever eaten in his life.' Alas, by the time we got there they had run out of cherry pie, so we settled on the coconut cream pie. We were not disappointed. The pie crust simply sagged under a delightful mess of coconut custard and shredded coconut, toasted and raw. It was delicious, bursting with coconut flavor and with a silky smooth texture that made me consider having a second slice. The fact that it was made with natural ingredients, the same as I would bake with myself, somehow served as a comfort after consuming such a calorific slice...

As you can see, The Taste is a great way to sample what Madison area restaurants have to offer. I went home full and happy, my appetite whetted for more than just a taste of some of these menus.

Ginger Peachy

Hello hello!

I am back in Madison, after a quick trip to the UK. There will be a post regarding that soon, but for now, here's a quick post with another easy custard tart recipe! It's basically the same recipe as the earlier recipe for strawberry and earl grey custard tart, but with peaches and ginger custard.

I also tried out a different crust, which is absolutely perfect: Buttery, crumbly and firm.


Follow the recipe above, and allow dough to cool before pouring in custard. The custard recipe is as follows:

3 cups whole milk
1 3 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1/3 tsp salt
3/4 cup of sugar
4 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
3 large eggs
6 tbsp unsalted butter




1. Grate about 1 inch of ginger.
2. Heat milk together with ginger, both grated and whole in a pan on the stove to before boiling point.
3. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and eggs until smooth.
4. Remove whole ginger and pour about 1 cup of hot (NOT BOILING) milk into the egg mixture. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and has thickened slightly.
5. Pour the egg/milk mixture slowly into the heated milk. Whisking constantly, bring the mixture to the boiling point.
5. Once the mixture has thickened to the consistency of custard remove from heat and quickly strain it through a sieve into a bowl (you can skip this if you don't have a sieve.)
6. Add the butter in chunks to the warm custard and cream until combined.
7. Put custard in the refrigerator to cool, covering it so that the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the custard. (This prevents a skin from forming.)

Once the custard is cool, pour it into the tart crust and let it settle in the fridge. In the mean time,attend to the peaches:

4-5 Ripe peaches, thinly sliced
1 tbs apricot preserves
water

1. Slice peaches, removing skin if desired.
2. Toss peaches with apricot preserves diluted with a little water, so that the are evenly coated. This will prevent them from drying out.
3. Arrange peaches on top of custard and replace in refrigerator to cool.

Enjoy!

Cheese Truck

It's been a while since I wrote. I'm back on the East Coast now, enjoying a well earned lack of vacation. New Haven has all kinds of delicious food options. I've already tasted some fabulous "famous" hummus from a small Middle Eastern shop on Orange St, sampled the rolls at Sushi on Chapel (I was not impressed,) and slurped down some noodles at my old favorite York Street Noodle House. Today, however, my coworker buddy Oliver and I decided to try something a little more homey.

Anyone who lives in New Haven knows that there are a plethora of food carts and trucks that roam around the city serving practically any cuisine imaginable. One of my favorites has been The Cupcake Truck, but there are innumerable options. When I heard that the restaurant Caseus had joined the fleet, I was ecstatic.

Caseus is a restaurant for cheese lovers. To eat there is to experience the euphoria of an endorphin high induced by the consumption of excess quantities of rich, decadent, luxurious cheese, meats, and breads. It is impossible to eat at Caseus and feel dissatisfied. With this, and the influence of Wisconsin's cheese-obsessed culture in mind, it seemed evident that a Caseus grilled cheese truck was the equivalent of heaven on wheels.

Oliver, feeling similarly (probably due to his Wisconsin roots,) suggested we try some grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. We both got ham and cheese sandwiches, mine with a side of mustard and sour pickles. I was happy to eat a gooey grilled cheese, and my inner glutton delighted at the amount of butter used to fry the sandwich, but I was forced to agree with Oliver, who concluded that the sandwiches were really something that could be made at home. In short, rather unremarkable.

I'm sure a few of you are thinking 'It's a grilled cheese sandwich! What were you expecting!?' but in comparison to the cheese sandwich I ate at the restaurant Caseus, this was really rather bland. On the other hand, it was good cheese and quality ham on artisan bread, so in all it was an above average grilled cheese. It probably didn't help that it was a hot sandwich on a hot day, either.

In all, the Caseus cheese truck experience was mildly disappointing, but still delicious. It is also
nice that they sell birch beer, my favorite soda! I would definitely recommend this as a place to grab a simple, largely non-gourmet, tasty lunch.

红茶菌 Чайный гриб 紅茶キノコ Kombucha

I first had Synergy brand kombucha from my sister's grocery store
in Chicago. She recommended it to me with enthusiasm, extolling upon its unique and refreshing flavor. As soon as I lifted the bottle to my lips and caught a whiff of vinegar, I was in love.

Since childhood I've habitually sneaked sips of vinegar from the collection of red wine, white wine, rice, and balsamic vinegar that my parents keep in their kitchen. While other people would wrinkle their noses up at the sour taste of pure vinegar it seems wholly natural to me to treat it as more than just a condiment.

As a young Latin student I discovered that I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Ancient Roman soldiers drank vinegar as cheap wine, supposedly even offering it to Jesus as refreshment while he hung on the cross.

For those of you who don't know, kombucha is fermented tea. It is made by plunking a kombucha culture, or mushroom into a batch of sweetened tea. The culture consists of acetic acid bacteria and yeast which feed on the sugar, fermenting the beverage over a period of days or weeks. Supposedly it dates back to the Qin Dynasty in China (~200 BCE,) however its written record only stretches as far back as 19th century Russia.

Whatever its beginnings, kombucha has now become a trend among health foodies. Proponents claim health benefits from cancer curing to increased energy, but there is no scientific evidence to support these ideas. With the support unverified health claims companies are able to make bank at $3-5 a bottle.

Being a college student, there was no way I was going to spent that much on a single beverage, no matter how much I liked it. The solution was clear: I had to start brewing kombucha myself. There are a multitude of starter kits available for sale online, but most of them were out of my price range.

Fortunately my friend's mother is an avid kombucha brewer, and was lovely enough to give me a culture! Initially I was unsure of what tea would be best, so I started with a simple oolong. That was good, but I wanted a more complex flavor, so I went to Madison's local tea shop to ask for a recommendation. I came away with a few ounces of Chinese black plum tea, and was not disappointed.

The subtle flower/fruity flavor of the tea is not lost in the fermentation process, and the result is a refreshing, tangy beverage ideal for invigorating springtime weather. Supposed health benefits aside, I would highly recommend this drink to everyone.

If you want more information on how to brew kombucha yourself, leave a comment!


Kombucha

Perfect Pancakes

When I was a kid, every Sunday morning my dad would make my sister and I pancakes. There was something comforting and exciting about the ritual. Almost more thrilling than the finished product was the process itself. The pile of fluffy flour and baking powder turned into a mini-volcano as my dad cracked an egg over it, then it became an island in a sea of milk, and finally a delicious pancake in my belly.

Though my dad didn't usually use a recipe, the one he was following was from the 1953 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

And here it is!

"Favorite Pancakes
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tbs sugar
1 egg
1 cup of milk (more if necessary)
2 tbs salad oil or melted shortening or bacon fat

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Combine egg, milk, and salad oil; add to dry ingredients stirring just till flour is moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.)
Bake on hot griddle. Makes about 12 dollar-size or either 4-inch pancakes."

When I make this recipe, I don't bother sifting the dry ingredients. I just combine everything at once. If the batter is too thin, add more flour, if it's too thick, add more milk. Pancakes aren't an exact science, so don't stress out about your measurements. If your griddle is hot enough, you shouldn't even need to grease it prior to cooking.


These pancakes are great with a variety of toppings at any time of day! Enjoy!

A Jolly Good Food Tour

It's been a while since my last post. I've been too busy with school and life to keep tabs on my cooking. I did, however have some decadent culinary experiences while I was in England over spring break.

When most people talk about traveling to England, one of the things that inevitably comes out of their mouth is, "...And the food was just awful." Wrong. English food is not awful. The fact is that these poor shlubs have only ever experienced awful English food. There is something very hobbit-like and unpretentious about British cuisine: Comfort food without the frills.

This is the tale of one day's epic culinary adventures.

My boyfriend and friends and I had a late night, but we dragged ourselves out of bed before noon to go to Brighton while it was still sunny outside. Before hitting the road, we stopped off for some breakfast at The Comodor in downtown Horsham. We were not disappointed. For about £5 we each ordered a full English breakfast.


...And the snooty waitress delivered us each the perfect platter of greasy salty bliss. Savory sausage, salty bacon, eggs sunny-side up, roast tomato and mushrooms, and fresh crispy toast in a bed of baked beans. What could be better?

I know a lot of my American friends would respond, "That, without the baked beans." But seriously, there is nothing like a little sweetness to balance out all that salt. Think of it as a mild version of dipping sausage in maple syrup. Yum.

So, thoroughly satisfied, we drove to Brighton. As we moseyed around town one of out fellow travelers suggested we stop by Angel Food Bakery. Best. Cupcakes. Ever. Well, I only got to try three kinds, but they were epically delicious. I had the pleasure of trying a devils food cupcake with coffee frosting, a chocolate cupcake with orange chocolate frosting, and a banana cupcake. The banana cupcake was the best: Moist banana cake with about an inch of cream-cheese frosting on top, but everything I had was the epitome of what a cupcake should be.

Don't those just look delicious?

Anyway after a day's shopping in The Lanes we decided it would be appropriate, given Brighton's seaside location, to finish the day off with some fish and chips. We stopped off at a tiny shop on King Street that touted its establishment of over 40 years. I ordered a cod and chips with an addition of a pickled egg, to cut through the grease.


I really didn't think I'd be able to get through it all, but there was an actual fish under all the breading, so I couldn't let it go to waste. We enjoyed our meal, and full and exhausted headed back to Horsham for a good night's sleep.