Spork or Foon?

Whisk Wednesdays: Bisque de Langoustines

Don't you hate it when you order lobster bisque restaurants cheat you out of the lobster (bastards!) and you barely get anything in there besides some soup and a few measly bits of lobster floating around?

When I was still an (active) actress, I was working at a restaurant where they would sometimes serve Lobster Bisque as a soup special. Now, the waitstaff usually was allowed to have unlimited soup at no cost (I think. If not, I'm sorry Steve and Tony!  I'll mail you a check!). But not the lobster bisque. Oh no. We couldn't even TOUCH the sacred stuff.

Well, now I know how to make it. So there.   

I must say, however, the best lobster bisque I have ever had is at David Burke and Donatella on the Upper East Side.  It is a very shi shi restaurant (that actually has a limo parked outside for anyone who wants to smoke in the winter months), with the most amazing dessert I have ever tasted, ie -Cheesecake lollipops that look like Chupa-Chups and taste exactly like bubblegum. It's crazy.

There was a big chunk of lobster in the toureen, with a lightly fried lobster cigar layed ever so perfectly on top of the bowl so that it hovered over the edges. The server then spooned the delicious lobster bisque into the toureen and it was now yours for the taking.

My lobster bisque was nowhere near as good as that.

First of all, I got shrimp, mainly due to the lack of car that has been wreacking havoc on my cooking schedule and making my life impossible (do I say enough that I can't wait until I move back to NYC so that I may never have to drive again and so everything is at my fingertips?) and I could not walk to the fish monger (it's really M. Slavin, a fantastic fish store, but I like the word "monger") to get lobster tail. Secondly, no cognac (again, no car, no liquor store).  I'm sure that made a huge difference.  For some reason, my bisque was kind of bitter. It cooked up beautifully.  The consistency was perfect.  Learning how to make the mousseline was excellent (and a definite way to impress your friends!) and very informative (and simple!).  But why was it bitter??? I don't get it! Could it have been the wine?  That's the only thing I could figure. 

Ah, well. Let's just say that this hasn't been my week when it comes to cooking. But I don't want to compain, it's all good, because I'm learning something new everyday! I guess my galettes weren't as ugly as I thought (ok, they were, but they tasted great)! I'll end up making that DB cake just yet!  I joined Operation Baking Gals and am sending a little baking love to the troops! I'm getting my car, my dog, and my boyfriend back on Friday and I'll be back and better than ever!  With a helper!

Oh, I made a bread with melted brie cheese and garlic to go with this.  I could have eating 40 of these. I just had two bites and then I threw the rest out.  I have to watch the calories with all of this food.

Just take some good, rustic bread, put it in the oven for a few minutes under broil, rub some garlic on it after it is a bit toasty, add the brie, pop it back under the broiler for ten minutes and Viola` (I will use that word in every French post I write because I love being cliche`) - delicious bread!

Check out the rest of the Whisk Wednesdays Group here!

I suck.

This was to be my first month with the Daring Bakers crew. I was SO EXCITED FOR THIS RECIPE. A Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream. It really is a gorgeous cake. 

This was a bit of a stressful summer for me.  My boyfriend left me all alone in DC to go take a fantastic internship in NY.  My parents in NY have been watching my gorgeous little Australian Shepherd, Remy, because my days can often be very long  at work and I cannot get back to doggie day care in time to pick her up. My car is also residing in NY because I HATE driving from NY to DC in the summer. I just can't wait to move back.

Because of my crazy summer (especially July) I waited until last minute to try to make this cake. I was going to make it this weekend. I was SO EXCITED. Seriously. But I went (walked) to the supermarket and saw that the most important compenent (in my mind), the hazelnuts, cost a fortune. A. Fortune.  To get the necessary amount of hazelnuts in the recipe, I would have had to pay $30. THIRTY DOLLARS.   Needless to say, that wasn't going to happen.  But, since I was sans car, I couldn't go anywhere else where I could find more affordable hazelnuts (affordable hazelnut? Is that an oxymoron?).  I wanted to substitute almonds, but I didn't know if it would work- so I did some research- but didn't make it back to the grocery store (I didn't want to walk... it's a far walk).

I will try this cake, but it will be late. I hope to make it this weeked. I am SORRY DB! Please don't kick me out :(

Check out the responsible bloggers at the DB website!

TWD: Summer Fruit @*&!$#%^

This is the third time I have typed this post. Everytime I try to save it or publish it, Typepad deletes my text. I am cursing up a storm inside my head.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Michelle from Colorado Springs chose a Summer Fruit Galette. We are going to take a little trip inside my head for this one.

Don't be scared.

Saturday, July 26th- 2 pm

Hey! I am not going to wait until last minute to do this!  I'm going to Harris Teeter now and baking tonight! I want to make a trio of galettes! A trio, I say!

Head to the produce section. Brown Sugar Strawberries for $2.00 a pint?? I'm in!  Kumquats... I've always wanted to work with kumquats. Candied kumquat galette, maybe? I think those are not in season... maybe a winter fruit galette? No, no, no.  Rambutans? No... still scary. Mangosteens! $10 a pint?!?! Not so much. Oooh! Look at those interesting hybrid fruits!  Plumicot! Dragon Plum (this is seriously the most delicious fruit ever. If you can find one, try it. It is so sweet and juicy and delicious). Some crazy peach that looks like it has the face of a bulldog! I'll try it!  Nectarine. Eh.. kind of boring, but it fits. MANGOS! YUM! KIWIS! The most delicious kiwi I have ever had! (when I tried it later. Seriously, I can still taste it.) Pineapple!  Tropical fruit galette! Where is the coconut milk?

Here was the gameplan. 

• Summer Crazy Stone Fruit Galette with Apricot Preserves with Custard
• Summer Tropical Fruit Galette with Apricot Preserves and Coconut Custard
• Summer Strawberry Galette with drizzled Nutella and Powdered Sugar (I love Nutella)

Saturday, July 26th, 6 pm

Breathe. Make the dough. Don't be too heavy handed. Don't press pulse for too long! Patience! Hey, this dough is the best I have ever made! Not wet like usual! Freeze. Take out of the freezer, beat with rolling pin. Ahhh, this feels good.  Roll it out! ARGH! Too soft. Freeze again. Take it out. Roll it out 7*(#@! Too hot in this kitchen! Freeze it again. Roll it out. I don't care anymore. Fill it up. This is going to be so good! I'm going to make some bite sized galettes to eat!  It's my cheat day! I worked out for a long time today! I can't wait to eat this.  Sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle. Put it in the oven. Smells so good! 

Beep, beep! It's ready!

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY???? Why do you look all melty? I had such a vision! I still have to taste... What's this? Looks grotesque... but tastes delicious?  How can that be? I'll eat it!

Sigh. Try again.

Monday, July 28th- 9 pm

This is more like it. Last minute.  Make the dough. WHY SO WET?!?! Sigh. Freeze it up.  (Read above for the SAME EXACT EXPERIENCE IN ROLLING IT OUT!)

Make some cookies for Susan of Doughmesstic and her great idea to put our baking skills to good use and send some sweets to the troops!  Check out Operation Baking GALS! 

Hey! These cookies look great! Maybe I'm in the zone. Maybe this galette will come out well!  Put it in the oven and....

%%*^(*!#@#?!?@!

Maybe next time.

Check out TWD for some REAL galettes!

If Only It Were This Easy

It's a short commercial, but if you don't have the attention span,  fast forward to :19 to see how those crazy little Keebler Elves get the chocolate into the middle of the cookie.

I wish someone had told me that before my hands were covered in peanut butter and chocolate in a 90 degree kitchen in the end of July.

These are the best cookies EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Peanut butter.

Chocolate.

Peanut butter stuffed with chocolate.

Peanut butter stuffed with chocolate rolled in cinnamon sugar and roasted peanuts.

Somehow, my cookies looked like ravioli.  But I don't care.

My prayers have been answered.

*UPDATE* My boyfriend saw this post (he is still in NYC at his internship. Lucky SOB. I can't wait to move back) and yelled-  MINI MIDDLES!

Huh?

Apparently, these look like the Mini Middles which were originally Magic Middles made by those Keebler Elves in the days of my childhood (AKA- The 1980s). I have no idea what they are, but my boyfriend wants me to make this until I figure out the recipe. All he can tell me is that it tastes like yellow cake, but it's cookie-like.

"They taste kind of vanilla-ey".

Vanilla-ey. Got it. Thanks.

From Baking Bites

Chocolate-Filled Double Delight Peanut Butter Cookies
PB Cookie Dough
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth, national brand)

Filling and Topping
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy, national brand)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp confectioners’/powdered sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped chocolate (semisweet/bittersweet)

Make the cookie dough. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg, followed by the vanilla and peanut butter.
Gradually add in dry ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined.
Spoon dough onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper, shape into a roll about 3-inches in diameter and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Prepare topping and filling. In small bowl, mix chopped peanuts, granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
In another small bowl, stir peanut butter, cocoa powder, sugars and chopped chocolate until smooth. If mixture is very wet (this may be the case if it is very hot outside), add an additional tsp or two of confectioners’ sugar. Shape mixture 20 small (1/2 inch) balls and place each on a sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove cookie dough from fridge. Cut the log lengthwise in half, then make 10 horizontal cuts to slice the dough into a total of 20 even pieces. Each piece should be a semi-circle in shape.
Flatten each piece of dough and place a peanut butter ball into it. Shape each cookie dough piece around the filling, making sure to cover the ball completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.
Roll each ball in peanut-sugar mixture and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between balls. Use a flat-bottomed drinking glass to flatten the cookies down to 1/4-inch thickness.
Bake for 9 - 11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 20 large cookies

Whisk Wednesdays: Velouté Agnès Sorel (Cream of Chicken Soup)

I love trying to pronounce these names:Vehlooote Agnis Sorrul.  That's how I say it.  The French would poo poo me right away. When in Paris during college, I was trying to communicate with the local barrista.  He spoke French (obviously), I, English (same).  But we both spoke Italian.  So we tried to communicate in Italian.  We would have had better luck speaking in our own languages.  The Italians are strong on the r's (pronounced eh-re), the French  swallow their r's.

I'm sure that was super interesting to you.

I'm loving learning about these soups. I used to fear warm liquids as a youngster. No more, I say! There is something so warm and comforting about a thick, hot soup going right down on a cold, rainy day.  Now, it's around 90-100 degrees here, so I'm done with that.  My next step: Cold Soup. Gazpacho really freaks me out, but I am oddly drawn to a great gazpacho recipe I found online.  We'll see.

This soup was deliciously creamy.  Rich. And pasty white. My pictures aren't so good.  The soup, on the other hand, was.  I'm not going to lie, however. I totally cheated. I had to add a roux so that my soup would thicken. To be honest, I was very distracted the whole time I was cooking, on top of the fact that I had cut down the recipe to one serving.  Do you know how hard it is to measure 1/6 of 2 egg yolks?  I'm sure there is an easy way, but I couldn't wrap my distracted mind around it at the time.  Eek.  And then I julienned carrots to add into the soup. Yeah. Not really included in the recipe this time around.  I was going to throw them in for some color. I did. It did not taste good. BUT I took them out and VIOLA`! (pronounced Vie-oh-la).  Good as new!

I need a new camera and a new "set".  Hopefully, one day, my pics will look like Shari's!  Aur Reservoir!

YUCK to the carrots!

Carb Salad? I'm In.

Image courtesy of Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

I love carbs. I eat salads when denying myself my love of carbs, which is often.  But bread salad?  ZING! It's like my heart pleasing my brain.

Via NYT

Adapted from “The Zuni Cafe Cookbook,” by Judy Rodgers (W.W. Norton, 2002)

Time: one hour, plus one hour’s marinating

• About 10 ounces day-old, chewy peasant style bread, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• About 3 1/2 pounds very ripe tomatoes, plus 1 tomato for garnish
• About 1/3 cup finely shredded fresh basil, parsley or cilantro leaves, more for garnish
• 1 shallot, finely diced, or 1/3 cup finely diced red onion, more for garnish
• 1 small cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (peel if skin is thick).

1. Toast or broil bread and rub lightly on one side with garlic; reserve garlic. In a bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

2. Core tomatoes. Slice top and bottom off each tomato and reserve. Cut tomatoes in half from top to bottom, then cut crosswise in 1/4- inch-thick slices. Scrape all juices into vinaigrette. Take reserved top and bottom slices and coarsely chop. Scrape into a strainer, salt lightly and set over vinaigrette. Press and smash tomatoes in strainer with a spoon and leave to drain.

3. Take a flat-bottomed bowl or dish, at least 3 inches deep and with a capacity of at least 1 1/2 quarts. Rub with reserved garlic, then discard garlic. Line bottom of dish with a layer of bread, cutting to fit dish if needed. Cover with a double layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle with some herbs, shallot and cucumber.

4. Whisk vinaigrette with tomato juices, then drizzle a few tablespoons over salad. Cover with more bread, then press with a spoon to encourage tomatoes to release juices. Repeat with remaining ingredients, finishing with a layer of tomatoes and reserving some of each ingredient for garnish.

5. Cover dish with parchment or plastic, then take a plate or flat-bottomed dish that will just fit inside salad. Place on top, press firmly, then add a weight to keep dish compressed (such as a large can of tomatoes). Set aside at room temperature for about an hour.

6. Salad should be oozing and moist. If salad seems dry, drizzle remaining vinaigrette over top. Taste juices; if they seem underseasoned, correct with more oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

7. To serve, slide a knife around edge of salad, then place a serving dish over top and carefully flip both dishes over to turn salad out onto serving dish. If salad does not release, rap dish firmly on counter. Chop remaining tomato. Garnish salad with tomato, herbs, shallot and cucumber, and serve cut into wedges or in large spoonfuls.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This Gives Finger Food a New Meaning

Via Serious Eats:  Houseware designers Fred & Friends created the Finger Food ring so nibbles can rest peacefully on your finger.

I can't tell if these are brilliant or awkward.

Source

TWD: The World's Most Expensive Cherry Cobbler

Cherries.  Such glorious little things.  Sour varieties. Sweet varieties. Gloopy, syrupy, Maraschino varieties. Stain your fingers red delicious.  Spit out the pits in sheer glory delicious. But cherries, I must say, can no longer be my friend. And to commiserate the end of our friendship, I have written you a haiku to end our relationship.

Cherries were my friend(s).

So lovely and delicious.

Now six bucks a pound.

OK, so cherries at my supermarket were actually SEVEN dollars a pound, but seven was one too many syllables.

Seven. Dollars. A. Pound. I hate global warming, inflation, recessions, and missing out on fruit seasonality.

This week, Amanda from Like Sprinkles on a Cupcake chose Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler (check her site out for the recipe). I made a mini cobbler so as not to break the bank.  My supermarket did not have rhubarb. I was actually really excited to work with rhubarb. Being from NY, I had never even heard of rhubarb until a few months ago. Then I thought it was swiss chard (which, I saw on the message boards, that someone was given swiss chard when she asked for rhubarb so I guess I'm not the only one). Nevertheless, I will have to wait until next summer to try it out.  By that time, I'll be back in NY. Maybe rhubarb and I just aren't meant to be.

What's funny is that my supermarket (Harris Teeter) did not have rhubarb, but it did have rambutan.  What is rambutan, you ask? I don't know.  But it scares me.

The packaging said it tastes like a cross between a cherry and a grape. To me, it looks like a cross between a Fraggle and Predator.

Hold me.

So I used peaches. I've been loving peaches anyways, so this sounded great. And I made some of Dorie's Honey Peach Ice Cream to go with it. So amazingly creamy and delicious.  The flavor is so soft and sweet -- very delicate. A perfect pairing with the juicy, ripe peaches, and the sweet cherries.

And can I just say I love this cobbler crust? No? Well, I'm going to say it anyways.

I love the whole wheat, I love the ginger, I love the crunch, I love the flavor.  And it didn't cost me seven dollars a pound.  This cobbler crust is my new best friend.

Cherries- out. Cobbler crust- in. 

Cherries, it was good while it lasted.

Check out the rest of the TWDers here!

Yum yum in my tum tum!

annnnnnd that title post makes me about 3 years old again.

BUT I received a Yum Yum award from Caitlin over at Engineer Baker!  I was so honored!  Is it bad to say that it totally made my day? Then it took me a week to get it posted and out, so I kind of feel like a bad person. But here it is!

Now, I actually was tempted for a minute to give this award back to Caitlin, as her blog is hysterical and her food delicious (looking). But she seems to be a bit bogged down in the "tagging" aspect of blogging, so I'll lay off. But seriously, read her website. You'll be glad you did.

So, I present this award to the following blogs:

The Crepes of Wrath by Sydney .  First of all, this blog name is brilliant. We all probably pined for hours, days even (ok, minutes) on a catchy name for our blog.  And this is a winner.  But not only is the name fantastic, but she has a perfect combination of sweet and savory recipes, and stunning pictures to boot. I have many recipes that I am dying to try from her site, most importantly, her hostess cupcake cake that she made via Baking Bites and her Vietnamese Carmelized Pork.  And then I will swim in that cake.

Clumbsy Cookie Her blog is phenomenal, her culinary creations delectable (I just wanted to use a lot of big words in that last sentence). First of all, she made COOKIE CHIPS, which are a bit like an inside out cookie. Chocolate on the outside. Cookie dough for the chips. Brills. But to top it all off... Shikai Maki Cookies, which I'm sure caught all of your eyes on Tastespotting recently. Nuff Said.

The Repressed Pastry Chef by Em.  Her photos are absolutely gorgeous.  I want to jump in and eat everything she makes. From bagels (or oops bread) to cupcakes to cornbread, Em wakes up the repressed pastry chef in all of us!

Grandma's Kitchen Table by Kayte. Not only is Kayte a wonderful cook and blogger, she is probably the nicest person I have never met.  She is a great addition to the blogging world, because she is warm, friendly, and will always lend a helping hand in any way she can! She has gorgeous photos of her family and reminds us why we love doing this in the first place... and it's not to fill our stomachs. OK, yes it is. But, a better reason that we love to bake and cook is to make those we love happy as well -- to share the wealth, if you will. And I love her stories of her trips to the liquor store for ingredients in former baking weeks. Can someone please pick another flambee` something so we can read more about these trips? They are hysterical!

Congrats to all of the recipients- pass it along to your favorite bloggers!