Friday, July 04, 2008
Southern Afternoon Tea
Lemon Mint in my garden
According to a study in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, two to three tablespoons of citrus juice added to green tea stabilizes the antioxidants, allowing for up to five times the availability for digestion.
In honor of this new knowledge, and on this hot summer family-fun-filled day (or, viewing Wanted, like me...), I present our family recipe for Southern Afternoon Tea. This is served at every family reunion and at every great aunt's house when we visit. I'm sure the researchers didn't take into account 2 cups of sugar, but, you can't have unsweet tea down here, y'all.
Southern Afternoon Tea
7 regular tea bags
1 qt water
2 c sugar
2 6oz cans frozen orange juice
2 6oz cans frozen lemonade
water to make one gallon
sprigs of fresh mint
Put tea bags in quart of water, bring to a boil and then take off heat. Let steep for about 5 minutes. Take out tea bags. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add orange juice and lemonade. Stir until mixed. Add enough water to make one gallon. Serve over ice and add mint.
Happy Independence Day!
Labels: recipes
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Book Club Food: There's a Slight Chance...
Looks like I'm falling behind on these, but it's been a hot, uninspiring summer. Not entirely unlike our latest book, There's a (Slight) Chance I Might be Going to Hell by Laurie Notaro. We thought, hey, it's summer. Let's read a chicklit beach book since we're all running in and out of town and our newest member is getting married. It will be a lark!
Frankly, I'm not going to give the summary much time here, other than to say that the main character moves away from her friends into a tiny, "perfect" small town built on money from the sewer pipe industry and, finding that she is shunned as all newcomers are in tiny towns, decides to run for Sewer Pipe Queen with the sponsorship of a formerly worshiped but later run out of town beauty queen. You will enjoy this book if the following apply to you:
a) You are a Laurie Notaro junkie and it doesn't matter what she writes.
b) You enjoy SciFi Original movies, like Mansquito and Raptor Island featuring Lorenzo Lamas.
c) You are the kind of woman that enjoys both beauty pageants and bodily humor jokes, primarily the latter.
d) You thought the XFiles would be way better if every case revolved around fake dog poo.
e) You think being thrown into a pool is hilarious. An empty pool.
f) You sympathize with people that are, in general, unsympathetic.
My thought is, if you enjoyed a previous Notaro book, by all means, go read it again. Not that this book is entirely without merit. The middle to latter part where the main characters work towards redemption and self-discovery, solving a decades-old mystery and becoming friends is quite lovely. Unfortunately that part ends abruptly and ridiculously.
Anyway, if you are somehow still inclined to read it, here is our menu from the meeting which, as you can imagine, spent as little time discussing the book as possible if only to keep me from turning purple. The main food item mentioned in the book was a variety of organic donuts. But, we picked a theme of American Summer Food.
Our Menu
Turkey burgers (mixed with Worcestershire, Lipton's Golden Onion Mix, and parsley)
Cheese and crackers
Spinach dip and baguette
Feta cheese and Grape Tomato Salad
Corn and Black Bean Salad
Summer Berry Icebox Pie
Honey Margaritas
Frankly, I'm not going to give the summary much time here, other than to say that the main character moves away from her friends into a tiny, "perfect" small town built on money from the sewer pipe industry and, finding that she is shunned as all newcomers are in tiny towns, decides to run for Sewer Pipe Queen with the sponsorship of a formerly worshiped but later run out of town beauty queen. You will enjoy this book if the following apply to you:
a) You are a Laurie Notaro junkie and it doesn't matter what she writes.
b) You enjoy SciFi Original movies, like Mansquito and Raptor Island featuring Lorenzo Lamas.
c) You are the kind of woman that enjoys both beauty pageants and bodily humor jokes, primarily the latter.
d) You thought the XFiles would be way better if every case revolved around fake dog poo.
e) You think being thrown into a pool is hilarious. An empty pool.
f) You sympathize with people that are, in general, unsympathetic.
My thought is, if you enjoyed a previous Notaro book, by all means, go read it again. Not that this book is entirely without merit. The middle to latter part where the main characters work towards redemption and self-discovery, solving a decades-old mystery and becoming friends is quite lovely. Unfortunately that part ends abruptly and ridiculously.
Anyway, if you are somehow still inclined to read it, here is our menu from the meeting which, as you can imagine, spent as little time discussing the book as possible if only to keep me from turning purple. The main food item mentioned in the book was a variety of organic donuts. But, we picked a theme of American Summer Food.
Our Menu
Turkey burgers (mixed with Worcestershire, Lipton's Golden Onion Mix, and parsley)
Cheese and crackers
Spinach dip and baguette
Feta cheese and Grape Tomato Salad
Corn and Black Bean Salad
Summer Berry Icebox Pie
Honey Margaritas
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Grain of Sand
You know how, when you're particularly tired, your mind gets stuck on a particular word and works it over and over and over without reason, like it just enjoys the nonsensical sound? It's like an irritant stuck in an oyster, only with the end result being your questionable sanity rather than a pearl. If only. I would be a rich woman.
Today's word: Banoffi Pie... Banoffi Pie... Banoffi Pie!
Thanks a lot, Keckler.
Today's word: Banoffi Pie... Banoffi Pie... Banoffi Pie!
Thanks a lot, Keckler.
Labels: recipes
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The Rule of Slaw
In keeping with the oh-so-helpful nature of my previous post, I present our next lesson for the day, courtesy of the staff cafeteria.
Dear Mayo Cafe,
I realize that you are just a food service-owned cafeteria, and may not know that there is an irrefutable law of cooking which cannot be broken. Despite your heinous crime in regards to the Grill Special™ today, I am willing to overlook this error, as long as you adhere to my tutelage.
Observe:
+ 
= cole slaw
Now, the sauce itself doesn't so much matter, as long as it contains some kind of oil, some kind of vinegar, and some kind of -naise. So, we will regard the sauce as a stand-in. Note that it is the sauce, not the cabbage, that is exchangeable.
Observe again:
+ 
¹ coleslaw
+ 
¹ coleslaw
+ 
¹ coleslaw
+ 
¹ coleslaw
+ 
¹ coleslaw
And, finally, please note that this is also true...
+ 
¹ coleslaw
In summary: Just because something is green and paired with slaw sauce, that doesn't make it cole slaw.
Love,
Sarah
Warning: Despite my assertions, Mr. Winkle may, in a future calendar, try to tell you that he is in fact Cole Slaw. Do not believe him.
Warning #2: Despite my assertions, Mohinder Suresh may, in a future episode, try to tell you that he is in fact not green. Do not believe him.
Dear Mayo Cafe,
I realize that you are just a food service-owned cafeteria, and may not know that there is an irrefutable law of cooking which cannot be broken. Despite your heinous crime in regards to the Grill Special™ today, I am willing to overlook this error, as long as you adhere to my tutelage.
Observe:
+ = cole slawNow, the sauce itself doesn't so much matter, as long as it contains some kind of oil, some kind of vinegar, and some kind of -naise. So, we will regard the sauce as a stand-in. Note that it is the sauce, not the cabbage, that is exchangeable.
Observe again:
+ ¹ coleslaw+ ¹ coleslaw+ ¹ coleslaw+ ¹ coleslaw+ ¹ coleslawAnd, finally, please note that this is also true...
+ ¹ coleslawIn summary: Just because something is green and paired with slaw sauce, that doesn't make it cole slaw.
Love,
Sarah
Warning: Despite my assertions, Mr. Winkle may, in a future calendar, try to tell you that he is in fact Cole Slaw. Do not believe him.
Warning #2: Despite my assertions, Mohinder Suresh may, in a future episode, try to tell you that he is in fact not green. Do not believe him.
Labels: recipes
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Book Club Food: Me Talk Pretty One Day
Seeing as how David Sedaris is a satirist, I can only imagine him stumbling across this entry and finding something incredibly disturbing about how a woman actually went through his entire book and wrote down all the food he mentioned. It's especially ridiculous given how much food he mentions, some offhanded, some as a meal, some as a joke, etc. etc. I must admit, I could barely keep up, and still there are some I didn't note.
Meanwhile, I want to disclaimer this by saying, no, I am not crazy. I think. Anyway, David, I expect to hear about this the next time you're on Letterman!
Normally I'd give a plot summary on the books we read, but this is a collection of short stories. The general theme is Not Fitting In. It's his impressions on growing up as a transplanted gay New Yorker in North Carolina, coming of age while pretending his way through art school, and settling down in France with his American boyfriend without knowing a word of French. Ok, he knew a word. "Bottleneck." That kind of sums it up right there.
It was on the bestseller list forever, and probably still is (I'm not looking), so you probably have a general idea about it. I'd say more and quote some and list my favorite stories, but bajillions of people have already done that, and...plus... I just don't want to be That Lady That Found All The Food In The Book And Also Quoted Stuff.
So there.
One disclaimer, I am just listing the real food--not mummified litchi nuts or aspirin sauce. Although, is performance art considered real food? Hm.
Food in Me Talk Pretty One Day
BBQ chicken, potato chips, Coke
cookies
vodka martini
grapefruit soda
hamburger
white wine & cutlets
jumbo shrimp & stuffed mushrooms
pineapple
fudge, gingerbread cabin, ice cream, Peeps, whipped topping, sausages, frosting
Mountain Dew, grits, hushpuppies
prime rib
spanikopita
Jawbreakers and bite-sized candy bars
Boiled Beef Arkansas
hot dog, eggs, chicken back
Gatorade, beer, "piping hot" coffee
patty melt
macaroni
hot dog
chocolate milk & hashbrowns
brie
apple pie
lamb chops
5-alarm chilli
steak
chocolate
sandwiches
French Fries, carrots, chicken legs, corn on the cob, & green beans
melons, tomatoes
cornbread & gingersnaps
iced tea
candy, ice cream, bbq ribs, baked potato, sirloin
nachos, chicken wings
pizza with canned veggies on top
scotch
hot tea
*whew*
Our Menu
Cornbread
Carolina Blond BBQ Sandwiches
Fried green tomatoes
Cole slaw
Macaroni & cheese
Salad
Apple pie
Hard lemonade
Recipes
Carolina Blond BBQ Sandwiches
(based on 1996 Cooking Light recipe)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced onions or dried onions
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) skinned, shredded roasted chicken breast
6 toasted buns
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in chicken, and cook until roasted chicken is thoroughly heated.
Note: This recipe is quite forgiving. I added a little mustard to it, dashed in the pepper, added garlic salt, and generally adjusted ingredients to my taste. It's very difficult to ruin!
Fried Green Tomatoes
Meanwhile, I want to disclaimer this by saying, no, I am not crazy. I think. Anyway, David, I expect to hear about this the next time you're on Letterman!
Normally I'd give a plot summary on the books we read, but this is a collection of short stories. The general theme is Not Fitting In. It's his impressions on growing up as a transplanted gay New Yorker in North Carolina, coming of age while pretending his way through art school, and settling down in France with his American boyfriend without knowing a word of French. Ok, he knew a word. "Bottleneck." That kind of sums it up right there.
It was on the bestseller list forever, and probably still is (I'm not looking), so you probably have a general idea about it. I'd say more and quote some and list my favorite stories, but bajillions of people have already done that, and...plus... I just don't want to be That Lady That Found All The Food In The Book And Also Quoted Stuff.
So there.
One disclaimer, I am just listing the real food--not mummified litchi nuts or aspirin sauce. Although, is performance art considered real food? Hm.
Food in Me Talk Pretty One Day
BBQ chicken, potato chips, Coke
cookies
vodka martini
grapefruit soda
hamburger
white wine & cutlets
jumbo shrimp & stuffed mushrooms
pineapple
fudge, gingerbread cabin, ice cream, Peeps, whipped topping, sausages, frosting
Mountain Dew, grits, hushpuppies
prime rib
spanikopita
Jawbreakers and bite-sized candy bars
Boiled Beef Arkansas
hot dog, eggs, chicken back
Gatorade, beer, "piping hot" coffee
patty melt
macaroni
hot dog
chocolate milk & hashbrowns
brie
apple pie
lamb chops
5-alarm chilli
steak
chocolate
sandwiches
French Fries, carrots, chicken legs, corn on the cob, & green beans
melons, tomatoes
cornbread & gingersnaps
iced tea
candy, ice cream, bbq ribs, baked potato, sirloin
nachos, chicken wings
pizza with canned veggies on top
scotch
hot tea
*whew*
Our Menu
Cornbread
Carolina Blond BBQ Sandwiches
Fried green tomatoes
Cole slaw
Macaroni & cheese
Salad
Apple pie
Hard lemonade
Recipes
Carolina Blond BBQ Sandwiches
(based on 1996 Cooking Light recipe)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced onions or dried onions
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) skinned, shredded roasted chicken breast
6 toasted buns
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in chicken, and cook until roasted chicken is thoroughly heated.
Note: This recipe is quite forgiving. I added a little mustard to it, dashed in the pepper, added garlic salt, and generally adjusted ingredients to my taste. It's very difficult to ruin!
Fried Green Tomatoes
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
PF Chang's Recipe Theft Continues
Another trip to PF Chang's produced another recipe search for the fabulous Key Lime Pie Martini. I haven't tried this at home yet, so I'm not sure of the proportions with half and half and whipped cream, but the article below was the only place I could find the true recipe and I thought it merited reposting. Literally, it is just like having a slice of Key Lime Pie without the puddingness and with more bite. It's best as an after dinner drink, although it wasn't too bad with our requisite this story. Vanilla is one of the "43" flavors in the liquor, but the other spicier and citrusy flavors make it less cloyingly sweet, as vanilla tends to be.
PF Chang's Key Lime Pie Martini
1.5 ounces Licor 43
1/2 ounces Key Lime West Juice
half and half
whipped cream
crushed graham crackers
PF Chang's Key Lime Pie Martini
1.5 ounces Licor 43
1/2 ounces Key Lime West Juice
half and half
whipped cream
crushed graham crackers
Labels: recipes
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Book Club Food: The Birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (every time I type that, I type my own name and then have to backspace to fix it) is a fairly popular book club book as is, so I probably don't need to sell it too hard. Essentially, it's the coming of age story of a girl in the height of the Venetian Golden Age, during the reign of the de Medecis, the French invasion, and the evil priest Savanarola. Lucretzia has an unusual understanding of art for a girl of her time, and of course there is a not-terribly-shocking reason why that we find out later.
(What follows are my personal feelings on it, and your mileage may vary.)
In short, the best part about this book was the very detailed, thorough description of Venice, art, and family life. Dunant is certainly in love with that time and setting, and it shows. It nearly balances out my intense dislike of books written from the precocious, preternaturally brilliant, anachronistically liberal mind of a teenage girl, but not quite. Lucretzia, like most 14/15 year old girls, is cruisin' for a bruisin' thanks to her bullheadedness, and she gets it in spades, some deserved, some not. The problem is, she's in the middle of a very deadly time, and mostly I found myself wanting to shake her silly and tell her to get a grip.
The vivid details of The Birth of Venus apply even to the lurid, seamier side, and that is some relief from the sugary-to-angsty adolescence of its speaker. Its discussion of slavery, sexuality (homo- and hetero-), diseases, and dismemberment is more than frank. Once she grew up a little, I found the book a little easier to stomach, but unfortunately there are also several distractingly abrupt character personality changes (not all hers) that serve to wrap up the storyline. Charming and convenient, but inexplicable and unlikely.
Further, there are a few hints at even more non-coincidental tie-ins of other famous names towards the end, but I'm not sure if my fevered mind was just hoping they really meant something. Saying that, I think the end could have used a little more polishing; it's already nearly 400 pages, and details were certainly not sparing in other parts, so I found the whimsical suggestions without follow-through a bit annoying.
To finish, it's a very womany book club book, replete with a discussion guide in the back, so if that's your thing, enjoy. Her next book is about a Venetian courtesan of the same era, so if you like the setting but not the characters, that might serve you better.
Now on to what really matters: THE FOOD.
Food Mentioned in The Birth of Venus:
(grouped if it was a meal)
Roast meat & spiced gravies
Boiled capon, roast pheasant, trout, pastas, saffron pudding, creme brulee, & wine
Roasted peacock's tongues, turtle dove, chamois deer, boiled capon, chicken, veal, whole roasted kid; fish pie with oranges, nutmegs, saffron and dates
Milk puddings
Sweet meats and sugared almonds
Bread and pork jelly
Fragrant white wine and pigeons
Figs, pomegranites, walnuts, and herbs
Spiced wine
Bread and quince preserves
Roasted chestnuts
Cold meats, pork jelly, fresh roasted pike stuffed with raisins
Fried zucchini flowers
Our Menu
The problem here is that the food is fairly medieval. Nobody was about to go rip out a few peacock tongues or boil up some pork jelly, so we just went with Italian.
Bruschetta
Baked Ziti
Salad with Italian dressing and fruits
Breadsticks
Tiramisu
Venetian Sunset (sparkling white wine, pineapple juice, cherry juice, crushed ice)
Red and white wine
(What follows are my personal feelings on it, and your mileage may vary.)
In short, the best part about this book was the very detailed, thorough description of Venice, art, and family life. Dunant is certainly in love with that time and setting, and it shows. It nearly balances out my intense dislike of books written from the precocious, preternaturally brilliant, anachronistically liberal mind of a teenage girl, but not quite. Lucretzia, like most 14/15 year old girls, is cruisin' for a bruisin' thanks to her bullheadedness, and she gets it in spades, some deserved, some not. The problem is, she's in the middle of a very deadly time, and mostly I found myself wanting to shake her silly and tell her to get a grip.
The vivid details of The Birth of Venus apply even to the lurid, seamier side, and that is some relief from the sugary-to-angsty adolescence of its speaker. Its discussion of slavery, sexuality (homo- and hetero-), diseases, and dismemberment is more than frank. Once she grew up a little, I found the book a little easier to stomach, but unfortunately there are also several distractingly abrupt character personality changes (not all hers) that serve to wrap up the storyline. Charming and convenient, but inexplicable and unlikely.
Further, there are a few hints at even more non-coincidental tie-ins of other famous names towards the end, but I'm not sure if my fevered mind was just hoping they really meant something. Saying that, I think the end could have used a little more polishing; it's already nearly 400 pages, and details were certainly not sparing in other parts, so I found the whimsical suggestions without follow-through a bit annoying.
To finish, it's a very womany book club book, replete with a discussion guide in the back, so if that's your thing, enjoy. Her next book is about a Venetian courtesan of the same era, so if you like the setting but not the characters, that might serve you better.
Now on to what really matters: THE FOOD.
Food Mentioned in The Birth of Venus:
(grouped if it was a meal)
Roast meat & spiced gravies
Boiled capon, roast pheasant, trout, pastas, saffron pudding, creme brulee, & wine
Roasted peacock's tongues, turtle dove, chamois deer, boiled capon, chicken, veal, whole roasted kid; fish pie with oranges, nutmegs, saffron and dates
Milk puddings
Sweet meats and sugared almonds
Bread and pork jelly
Fragrant white wine and pigeons
Figs, pomegranites, walnuts, and herbs
Spiced wine
Bread and quince preserves
Roasted chestnuts
Cold meats, pork jelly, fresh roasted pike stuffed with raisins
Fried zucchini flowers
Our Menu
The problem here is that the food is fairly medieval. Nobody was about to go rip out a few peacock tongues or boil up some pork jelly, so we just went with Italian.
Bruschetta
Baked Ziti
Salad with Italian dressing and fruits
Breadsticks
Tiramisu
Venetian Sunset (sparkling white wine, pineapple juice, cherry juice, crushed ice)
Red and white wine
Monday, March 19, 2007
Another Good Thing...
If you needed more reasons to believe that the Guinness Chocolate Cake is the best in the world, here's another one:
If you happen to be hauling said cake into work in a cake carrier (bought at Target for 4 dollars) (take THAT, JoAnn Fabrics and your 15 dollar carrier) (YEAH, BABY) and also happen to have your purse and workbag on one arm and very heavy gift bag for your assistant's birthday on the other arm, and at one point reach out to knock on the door to be let into the office, fumbling the cake carrier and therefore watching it flip over and over and land on its head onto the sidewalk while you go, "NOOOOOOOOOO" in slow motion... rest assured, the cake will be the one thing to survive this event unscathed due to its protective and also delicious chocolate shell.
Or so I hear.
If you happen to be hauling said cake into work in a cake carrier (bought at Target for 4 dollars) (take THAT, JoAnn Fabrics and your 15 dollar carrier) (YEAH, BABY) and also happen to have your purse and workbag on one arm and very heavy gift bag for your assistant's birthday on the other arm, and at one point reach out to knock on the door to be let into the office, fumbling the cake carrier and therefore watching it flip over and over and land on its head onto the sidewalk while you go, "NOOOOOOOOOO" in slow motion... rest assured, the cake will be the one thing to survive this event unscathed due to its protective and also delicious chocolate shell.
Or so I hear.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Holiday Ginger Cookies
So, a while back I set off on a quest to find My Christmas Cookie, trying various recipes (Thai Coconut Snowballs! Cocoa "Snowflakes"!), running through baking products (>4 lbs of sugar), grilling my friends for suggestions (rum balls x 10), etc. I learned a few things about cookies...
* Except in extraordinary cases or hidden jams/candies, most cookies taste exactly the same. They're either chocolatey dough or non-chocolatey dough.
* In most cases, rolling a cookie in something before or after cooking it does absolutely nothing for the cookie. It does, however, add a lot of time to your task and leave your palms coated in dough.
* Most signature holiday cookies are only made once a year because they are excruciating to make and still mainly just taste like a cookie. Seriously, shaping the cookie like a teaspoon does not make it taste better and you really don't get extra points for being a cookie martyr.
* Just because you're required to roll it into a little ball doesn't mean it will flatten out, no matter what the picture implies.
* There is no such thing as a "1 inch ball". What does that even mean? 1" diameter? 1" circumference? Who knows.
* You will never, ever make as many cookies as the recipe says you will at the size it says you need to make. 5 dozen? Try 3 dozen. And when you're making batches to divide as gifts, that's a significant difference.
Anyway, I was pretty disgruntled about the whole Christmas Cookie Experience, when I ran across a ginger cookie recipe that turned out to be everything it promised. I tweaked it a little, and voila. It's simple and turns out plenty of pretty, sparkly, slightly crackled cookies. I won't say how many though, because of course it varies every single time, depending on how big or small you make that "1 inch ball."
Ginger Cookies
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1/8 cup softened margarine
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
sugar for rolling
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the sugar and margarine with a mixer until well blended and add in molasses and egg. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients and add gradually while blending or stirring. Then divide the mix in half or thirds, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (makes it easier to roll).
Roll the hardened dough into balls and then roll in the sugar. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the cookies every couple of inches. Bake for 12 minutes or til browned, cool on a wire rack.
Final note: I covered the baking sheet with aluminum foil, then cooking spray. That way after a batch cooked, I could just slide the foil off and slide the next batch on. Otherwise you'll need at least 3 cookie sheets.
* Except in extraordinary cases or hidden jams/candies, most cookies taste exactly the same. They're either chocolatey dough or non-chocolatey dough.
* In most cases, rolling a cookie in something before or after cooking it does absolutely nothing for the cookie. It does, however, add a lot of time to your task and leave your palms coated in dough.
* Most signature holiday cookies are only made once a year because they are excruciating to make and still mainly just taste like a cookie. Seriously, shaping the cookie like a teaspoon does not make it taste better and you really don't get extra points for being a cookie martyr.
* Just because you're required to roll it into a little ball doesn't mean it will flatten out, no matter what the picture implies.
* There is no such thing as a "1 inch ball". What does that even mean? 1" diameter? 1" circumference? Who knows.
* You will never, ever make as many cookies as the recipe says you will at the size it says you need to make. 5 dozen? Try 3 dozen. And when you're making batches to divide as gifts, that's a significant difference.
Anyway, I was pretty disgruntled about the whole Christmas Cookie Experience, when I ran across a ginger cookie recipe that turned out to be everything it promised. I tweaked it a little, and voila. It's simple and turns out plenty of pretty, sparkly, slightly crackled cookies. I won't say how many though, because of course it varies every single time, depending on how big or small you make that "1 inch ball."
Ginger Cookies
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1/8 cup softened margarine
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
sugar for rolling
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the sugar and margarine with a mixer until well blended and add in molasses and egg. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients and add gradually while blending or stirring. Then divide the mix in half or thirds, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (makes it easier to roll).
Roll the hardened dough into balls and then roll in the sugar. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the cookies every couple of inches. Bake for 12 minutes or til browned, cool on a wire rack.
Final note: I covered the baking sheet with aluminum foil, then cooking spray. That way after a batch cooked, I could just slide the foil off and slide the next batch on. Otherwise you'll need at least 3 cookie sheets.
Labels: recipes
Thursday, December 07, 2006
3 Pictures
I forgot to add this picture of the Chocolate Guinness Cake to the recipe entry...
mmmm! One final note on the cake, when the chocolate cover hardens, you need a pretty sharp knife to cut a piece all the way through and not crack the shell. Whatever you do, don't slide the knife under the slice towards your bare finger. Chocolate is slightly difficult to clean out of a gaping wound. Not that I would know from personal experience.
Next picture... For some inexplicable reason, the tiny courtyard in front of my apartment has been plagued with mushrooms. Everytime there is any bit of moisture--rain, fog, whatever--exactly 2 days later, I have at least one new stinkhorn. If you've never had one, it smells a little like ammonia and a little like rotting flesh. But I can't just have any stinkhorn growing out there, like the usual Octopus Stinkhorn that looks like silly string gone bad, it has to be one I'd never heard of... Ravenel's Stinkhorn. Look at this lovely thing:
Obscene, no? You should read the legend on how it came to be--I can't find where I first read it; however, the Latin name for this plant is phallus ravenelii. Pretty much sums it up. Of course, if you don't get these buggers right away, the spongey stalk deflates, the gooey top turns black and tarry, and it falls over and pollinates everything in sight. Given that, I get to start my day off by yanking up each new visitor with the newspaper wrapper, hoping I don't sink my fingers down into a hidden, unhatched "egg" (see below).
So fresh and oozing with yuckiness! One day recently I pulled up over 40. Nobody else I've seen at the complex has these. I love nature.
Last picture--a more cute, non-yucky visitor!
Awh! We noticed this little guy hanging around by the hotel parking lot next to Mayo. Since he came right over to me to say hello, I was convinced he'd either run away or had been dropped off. With winter coming, myriad birds of prey on the property, and a busy street next to his covey, I thought I'd try and "rescue" him. However, after a couple hours of my assistant Robin and I running around with a beach towel and minnow net after him--through the courtyard, under the cars (NO, BUN, NOT UNDER THE BEATLE), etc.--followed by a day of near paralysis (clearly, I had not done enough plies in my childhood to last me a lifetime, as I previously thought), he let us know he was not having any of that rescuing business.
We did have several lovely conversations, though, during which I sat on the grass and he bathed 2 feet away (SO cute), and I suggested he rethink his plans not to move in with me and Lex and what lovely buds they would be, seeing as how they were both the color of a caramel macchiato. He, on the other hand, thought his thatch of sawgrass was just fine and was enjoying the 99 cent Wendy's salads the ladies were leaving him. Robin thought we should name him Ajoe (for the journal), but by the time we had returned from Thanksgiving break, he'd moved on. I hope. *sigh*
mmmm! One final note on the cake, when the chocolate cover hardens, you need a pretty sharp knife to cut a piece all the way through and not crack the shell. Whatever you do, don't slide the knife under the slice towards your bare finger. Chocolate is slightly difficult to clean out of a gaping wound. Not that I would know from personal experience.
Next picture... For some inexplicable reason, the tiny courtyard in front of my apartment has been plagued with mushrooms. Everytime there is any bit of moisture--rain, fog, whatever--exactly 2 days later, I have at least one new stinkhorn. If you've never had one, it smells a little like ammonia and a little like rotting flesh. But I can't just have any stinkhorn growing out there, like the usual Octopus Stinkhorn that looks like silly string gone bad, it has to be one I'd never heard of... Ravenel's Stinkhorn. Look at this lovely thing:
Obscene, no? You should read the legend on how it came to be--I can't find where I first read it; however, the Latin name for this plant is phallus ravenelii. Pretty much sums it up. Of course, if you don't get these buggers right away, the spongey stalk deflates, the gooey top turns black and tarry, and it falls over and pollinates everything in sight. Given that, I get to start my day off by yanking up each new visitor with the newspaper wrapper, hoping I don't sink my fingers down into a hidden, unhatched "egg" (see below).
So fresh and oozing with yuckiness! One day recently I pulled up over 40. Nobody else I've seen at the complex has these. I love nature.
Last picture--a more cute, non-yucky visitor!
Awh! We noticed this little guy hanging around by the hotel parking lot next to Mayo. Since he came right over to me to say hello, I was convinced he'd either run away or had been dropped off. With winter coming, myriad birds of prey on the property, and a busy street next to his covey, I thought I'd try and "rescue" him. However, after a couple hours of my assistant Robin and I running around with a beach towel and minnow net after him--through the courtyard, under the cars (NO, BUN, NOT UNDER THE BEATLE), etc.--followed by a day of near paralysis (clearly, I had not done enough plies in my childhood to last me a lifetime, as I previously thought), he let us know he was not having any of that rescuing business.
We did have several lovely conversations, though, during which I sat on the grass and he bathed 2 feet away (SO cute), and I suggested he rethink his plans not to move in with me and Lex and what lovely buds they would be, seeing as how they were both the color of a caramel macchiato. He, on the other hand, thought his thatch of sawgrass was just fine and was enjoying the 99 cent Wendy's salads the ladies were leaving him. Robin thought we should name him Ajoe (for the journal), but by the time we had returned from Thanksgiving break, he'd moved on. I hope. *sigh*
Labels: chocolate, garden, recipes
Monday, November 20, 2006
Adventures in Chocolate
This post is cursed, because I've now retyped it entirely, twice, and this is my third time. Dear Blogger, please don't eat my post, kthx.
About the cake... I once heard that chocolate and Guinness were good partners, and I recently set out to create the ultimate Guinness Chocolate Cake. I tracked down 4 recipes--American, Irish, and Australian--and took the best of each to make my cake in order to distract myself from the heinous episode of Lost that was on TV. Not that that narrows it down for you, since they're all heinous this season. Heinously boring.
Annnyway, here it is. The bite of the stout really brings out the cocoa and makes it seem much darker than it is, without the thick heaviness of Devil's Food. It's quite a light cake, and has been well received. The good news for you is, I've made this 5 times now and road tested it, so it is perfected. See below for the "exciting" story.
Chocolate Guinness Cake
About the cake... I once heard that chocolate and Guinness were good partners, and I recently set out to create the ultimate Guinness Chocolate Cake. I tracked down 4 recipes--American, Irish, and Australian--and took the best of each to make my cake in order to distract myself from the heinous episode of Lost that was on TV. Not that that narrows it down for you, since they're all heinous this season. Heinously boring.
Annnyway, here it is. The bite of the stout really brings out the cocoa and makes it seem much darker than it is, without the thick heaviness of Devil's Food. It's quite a light cake, and has been well received. The good news for you is, I've made this 5 times now and road tested it, so it is perfected. See below for the "exciting" story.
Chocolate Guinness Cake
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
10 ounces Guinness stout
3/4 cup natural cocoa
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Icing
6 ounces dark chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the sugars and butter until thick. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the cocoa and Guinness, letting them sit to let the foam subside and then whisking again. In another bowl, mix or sift together the flour and baking soda. Then, slowly add alternating amounts of the stout/cocoa and flour/soda into the large bowl, mixing thoroughly each time until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour into a greased cake pan and bake for 40 minutes.
Prior to icing, cool until just warm. Melt together the butter and chocolate in either a double boiler or a bowl sitting on a small pot of simmering water. Stir in the cream at the end and mix thoroughly. Spoon the icing over the cake until covered completely. Place the cake in the fridge, uncovered, until the icing hardens.
Cooking Notes
About the icing: I prefer dark chocolate and think the hard chocolate shell really adds to it. But, I am a chocoholic. I also saw several other icings used online including cream cheese.
About the cake pan: I used 3 different pans during my trials-- a 9" springform, a regular round cake pan, and a fancy Bundt pan. The fancy Bundt didn't work quite as well because the cake is fairly light and soft and didn't come out as easily as with the flat pans. I also used parchment paper in the bottom of the springform pan and that made removal simpler.
Things I Did not Learn the Hard Way...maybe
*TIP: Use a bowl big enough for the butter/sugar, as you'll be adding all ingredients into that one. Unless your idea of a good time is a shirt covered in Guinness and cocoa, in which case you should use a small bowl.
*TIP: Convert all measurements to one scale. Don't use metrics and American unless you want to give yourself a headache mid-cake.
*TIP: If you only have one measuring spoon, ensure that it is in fact a teaspoon rather than a tablespoon so that your baking soda content is not 5 times the required content, ruining cakes 2 and 3 and requiring an emergency trip to the grocery store for certain ingredient refills followed by hurriedly making cakes 4 and 5 with the kind and understanding assistance of the birthday haver that you may happen to be making the cake FOR because you are now frazzled and have been standing on your feet for 3 hours.
*Seriously, do not mess with the baking soda and flour ratio.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Easy Thanksgiving Menu
I'm in charge of wrangling all the recipes and cooks for Thanksgiving, and I just put the list together based on previous years' recipes and some new ones we ran across recently. We use a few things from restaurants and the grocery store, just to make it simpler and avoid a little of the Holiday Crazy. If you're still looking for ideas, heeeeere it is...
Duncan Thanksgiving Menu:
The Meal:
The Perfect Turkey & Mural of Flavor, Gravy
Southern Cornbread Stuffing
Butternut Squash Soup
Mashed Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Golden Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Sour Cream
Greens (Bubbalou's Restaurant)
Corn on the Cob (Bubbalou's Restaurant)
Canned Cranberries
Green Bean Casserole
Dessert:
Cranberry Crisp
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Pumpkin Pie (Sara Lee)
Drinks:
Cranberry Bellinis (instead of peaches, use cranberries)
Chai Tea
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Book Club Food: The Year of Magical Thinking
A quick summary:
The Year of Magical Thinking begins moments before the sudden death of John Dunne, Joan Didion's husband, and she takes the readers through her year of grief, self-analysis, and adjustment, all the while following her adult daughter Quintana in and out of hospitals as she fights a series of serious illnesses. Ever analytical, Didion delves into medical studies, psychology theories, and literary accounts, all on the topic of grief, in an effort to understand her inner and outer state.
Yet even at her most philosophical, she veers into memory "vortexes" to a time when John and Joan were young, when Quintana was little, when things were better and there was time left to live. In her belief that she could have saved him, that he will walk in the door at any moment, she counts back time, at first from the death pronouncement, then a few days, then weeks, then years, finally realizing that not only was he gone the second she found him, but that he had expected it for years, anticipating it even days before.
The book leaves her stepping into the second stage of grief, and in that way seems unresolved, a feeling that does not always sit well with readers but is an obvious conclusion to those who have dealt with such an intimate loss. So much of the book focuses on their past, their vacations and houses, it seems more revealing of their marriage and friendship, rather than her grief itself. She dreamily relates their times together, leaving you with quite an admiration of John and the successful relationship between two writers.
The options:
Food is mentioned quite prevalently throughout the book. Between their restaurants, family meals, parties, holidays, and weddings, I amassed quite a list. I might have missed a few things, but here is every item I found....
Food in The Year of Magical Thinking
(I also include drinks.)
Scotch
Tossed salad
Shrimp Quesadillas
Chicken with Black Beans
Endive salad
Ham
Scallion and Ginger Congee
Watercress Sandwiches
Lemonade
Champagne
Wedding Cake
Souffles
Creme Caramel
Huevos Ranceros
Mahimahi
Lettuce vinagrette
The menu:
Penne with Vodka Sauce
Scallion and Ginger Congee*
Tossed salad*
Italian bread
Tiramisu
Creme Caramel*
The Year of Magical Thinking begins moments before the sudden death of John Dunne, Joan Didion's husband, and she takes the readers through her year of grief, self-analysis, and adjustment, all the while following her adult daughter Quintana in and out of hospitals as she fights a series of serious illnesses. Ever analytical, Didion delves into medical studies, psychology theories, and literary accounts, all on the topic of grief, in an effort to understand her inner and outer state.
Yet even at her most philosophical, she veers into memory "vortexes" to a time when John and Joan were young, when Quintana was little, when things were better and there was time left to live. In her belief that she could have saved him, that he will walk in the door at any moment, she counts back time, at first from the death pronouncement, then a few days, then weeks, then years, finally realizing that not only was he gone the second she found him, but that he had expected it for years, anticipating it even days before.
The book leaves her stepping into the second stage of grief, and in that way seems unresolved, a feeling that does not always sit well with readers but is an obvious conclusion to those who have dealt with such an intimate loss. So much of the book focuses on their past, their vacations and houses, it seems more revealing of their marriage and friendship, rather than her grief itself. She dreamily relates their times together, leaving you with quite an admiration of John and the successful relationship between two writers.
The options:
Food is mentioned quite prevalently throughout the book. Between their restaurants, family meals, parties, holidays, and weddings, I amassed quite a list. I might have missed a few things, but here is every item I found....
Food in The Year of Magical Thinking
(I also include drinks.)
Scotch
Tossed salad
Shrimp Quesadillas
Chicken with Black Beans
Endive salad
Ham
Scallion and Ginger Congee
Watercress Sandwiches
Lemonade
Champagne
Wedding Cake
Souffles
Creme Caramel
Huevos Ranceros
Mahimahi
Lettuce vinagrette
The menu:
Penne with Vodka Sauce
Scallion and Ginger Congee*
Tossed salad*
Italian bread
Tiramisu
Creme Caramel*
The recipes:
Scallion & Ginger Congee
1 cup rice
8 cups water
2 scallions, diced
2 tablespoons diced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon concentrated chicken stock
3 tablespoons mirin
In a large pot, bring the water and rice to a boil, reduce to medium. Keep boiling for 30 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock to add flavor, reduce to simmer and cover. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes.
In a small pan, sautee the scallions and ginger in 2 tablespoons of the mirin until the scallions are clear and ginger softens a bit (a few minutes). Add the mixture into the rice along with the final tablespoon of mirin. If the porridge is too thick for you, you can add water to suit.
Note: I couldn't find an exact recipe for this, so I created one based on reading several congee recipes. Congee is simply this: rice porridge. Whatever you add to it is your own flair. It is recommended for those who are sick or have weak constitutions in its blandest state, but it can also be a base for stir fry.
Creme Caramel
3 cups heavy cream
1.5 tablespoons vanilla (or 1 bean)
1/2 cups sugar
1 envelope Knox gelatin
honey
Mixing the cream, vanilla, and sugar in a pan, bring slowly to a simmer on medium. Stir constantly as cream easily burns. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin. In six individual small bowls or ramekins, drizzle enough honey to cover the bottom. Spoon in mixture, cover, and refrigerate for several hours. To serve, dip the bottom of the bowl in hot water and run a knife around the top edges to loosen from sides. Flip quickly onto a plate and tap until it releases. Drizzle with more honey if desired and garnish with fresh fruit.
Note: It might sound fancy and unfamiliar, but it's better known to us in its Spanish incarnation as flan. She mentions torching the top, which would make it creme brulee rather than caramel. Brulee is typically not presented standing on its own, while caramel is, and has slightly different consistency. Also, I found that what people hate most about flan is not its creamy, gelatinous texture as you might assume, but the egginess. Knowing that, I chose a purely whole cream recipe. I can't imagine the calorie count is worse than a recipe with 4 eggs, and these are served individually. Even with my explaining the recipe, the group couldn't get over it not tasting like eggs! Finally, I put about 5/8ths an envelope of gelatin in the mix, based on a related recipe, but it did not quite hold together well enough, so I would recommend using the entire envelope.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Book Club Food: Introduction
One of the toughest parts of a book club is figuring out what food to make. Since January, a few friends and I have been getting together every month-or-so (flexibility has helped it keep going) and we will readily admit that eating is our favorite part. After all, you can't guarantee you'll like the book (we usually don't), but at least with good cooks in the group, you know the food will be good.
Sometimes food is an integral part of a book, and sometimes it's barely mentioned. We try to fix at least one dish from the book. Barring that, we either try to match the ethnic theme, use a featured ingredient, or figure out a clever drink name.
One thing is for sure, none of us have a lot of time to spend figuring the menu out, as I know is true for a lot of book clubs. If you had time to do that, you wouldn't need a book club to encourage you to read more, right?
And even though there are plenty of sites out there talking about their books, providing group questions, etc. (we've tried to stay off the beaten path but don't seem to be succeeding), there aren't a lot of people talking about what they served. So, for each book, I will try to post the foods mentioned in each book, followed by what we served and some good recipes. Maybe it will save you some time. Also, recipes are welcome!
Sometimes food is an integral part of a book, and sometimes it's barely mentioned. We try to fix at least one dish from the book. Barring that, we either try to match the ethnic theme, use a featured ingredient, or figure out a clever drink name.
One thing is for sure, none of us have a lot of time to spend figuring the menu out, as I know is true for a lot of book clubs. If you had time to do that, you wouldn't need a book club to encourage you to read more, right?
And even though there are plenty of sites out there talking about their books, providing group questions, etc. (we've tried to stay off the beaten path but don't seem to be succeeding), there aren't a lot of people talking about what they served. So, for each book, I will try to post the foods mentioned in each book, followed by what we served and some good recipes. Maybe it will save you some time. Also, recipes are welcome!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
The Lemon Scallops Code
Recently, Adam and I set forth on a great mission, and that is, to recreate the wonderfulness that is PF Chang's Lemon Scallops. Everything I've tried there so far is pretty darned good, but nothing tops the Lemon Scallops. We searched the web and found nearly every other recipe on their menu (the Lettuce Wraps are apparently very popular, and it is definitely a good one). This site, in particular, has a bunch of them. But, the one thing we couldn't find was our precious Lemon Scallops. After much research, we worked up this recipe and declared it a success. Enjoy!
Faux PF Chang's Lemon Scallops
my precioussssssss
1 lb scallops
Sesame oil
Potato starch
1 egg
2 large lemons
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 green onions
1 t chopped garlic
cornstarch
cold water
Preparing the scallops:
Note #1: PF Chang's uses kind of medium to small scallops, between a quarter and half dollar size. We used giant scallops and discovered that, at that size, you really have to tear them in half first so they don't brown before they're cooked inside.
Note #2: We couldn't find potato starch that day, so I dipped them in the egg, floured them in cornstarch, and pan fried them in heated olive oil until they were browned on both sides. (Important: Do not toss a scallop into the oil while distracted, leading to a splatter burn which causes you to jerk your hand back quickly, covering your black shirt in cornstarch. Not that I did that. Ahem.) However, you should be able to find potato starch at either a natural food store (because a it's gluten free starch substitute) or an Asian food market. It browns slower than cornstarch.
This is most likely the way they do it at PFC's, as researched on several Chinese food preparation sites...
Heat the sesame oil in a wok or pan to 180 degrees.
Dip the scallops in egg and roll in the potato starch until covered.
Drop into the oil and fry until slightly brown.
Drain and keep warm.
Preparing the sauce
Juice 1 and a half lemons, straining for seeds, into a saucepan. Cut the other half into quarters and slice one quarter into very thin slices and add to the juice. Stir in the water, sugar, and garlic, and turn on medium heat. Slice the green onions thinly for the white part and larger for the green part, and toss into the mix. Turn up the heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts boiling. Dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in 1/2 cup cold water and pour into the boiling sauce. Stirring, bring it back to a boil. If the sauce isn't thick enough for you, repeat the cornstarch and cold water, adding a little and allowing it to boil until it reaches the right consistency. Don't allow the mixture to sit without stirring, as it will burn. Once it's thickened, add in the scallops and stir until they're covered in the sauce. Remove it from the heat and serve.
It would also work to prepare the sauce first, then turn it all the way on low and keep that warm while you do the scallops, but if you haven't fried with oil much, you won't want to be worrying about the sauce already being done and possibly burning while you're wiping the starch off your black shirt, the burner, the floor, and several cabinets. Not that I did that.
Ahem.
Anyway, this serves 2-3 people. Also, at the restaurant, all meals are served with a large bowl of white or brown rice.
P.S. If you're looking for the recipe, think it's great, and want to add it to a copycat recipe site, please don't submit it yourself. Just send me the link and I'll be glad to pass it on to them. Thanks.
Faux PF Chang's Lemon Scallops
my precioussssssss
1 lb scallops
Sesame oil
Potato starch
1 egg
2 large lemons
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
2 green onions
1 t chopped garlic
cornstarch
cold water
Preparing the scallops:
Note #1: PF Chang's uses kind of medium to small scallops, between a quarter and half dollar size. We used giant scallops and discovered that, at that size, you really have to tear them in half first so they don't brown before they're cooked inside.
Note #2: We couldn't find potato starch that day, so I dipped them in the egg, floured them in cornstarch, and pan fried them in heated olive oil until they were browned on both sides. (Important: Do not toss a scallop into the oil while distracted, leading to a splatter burn which causes you to jerk your hand back quickly, covering your black shirt in cornstarch. Not that I did that. Ahem.) However, you should be able to find potato starch at either a natural food store (because a it's gluten free starch substitute) or an Asian food market. It browns slower than cornstarch.
This is most likely the way they do it at PFC's, as researched on several Chinese food preparation sites...
Heat the sesame oil in a wok or pan to 180 degrees.
Dip the scallops in egg and roll in the potato starch until covered.
Drop into the oil and fry until slightly brown.
Drain and keep warm.
Preparing the sauce
Juice 1 and a half lemons, straining for seeds, into a saucepan. Cut the other half into quarters and slice one quarter into very thin slices and add to the juice. Stir in the water, sugar, and garlic, and turn on medium heat. Slice the green onions thinly for the white part and larger for the green part, and toss into the mix. Turn up the heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts boiling. Dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in 1/2 cup cold water and pour into the boiling sauce. Stirring, bring it back to a boil. If the sauce isn't thick enough for you, repeat the cornstarch and cold water, adding a little and allowing it to boil until it reaches the right consistency. Don't allow the mixture to sit without stirring, as it will burn. Once it's thickened, add in the scallops and stir until they're covered in the sauce. Remove it from the heat and serve.
It would also work to prepare the sauce first, then turn it all the way on low and keep that warm while you do the scallops, but if you haven't fried with oil much, you won't want to be worrying about the sauce already being done and possibly burning while you're wiping the starch off your black shirt, the burner, the floor, and several cabinets. Not that I did that.
Ahem.
Anyway, this serves 2-3 people. Also, at the restaurant, all meals are served with a large bowl of white or brown rice.
P.S. If you're looking for the recipe, think it's great, and want to add it to a copycat recipe site, please don't submit it yourself. Just send me the link and I'll be glad to pass it on to them. Thanks.
Labels: recipes
