No food comments for this post, just some musings for my Bryn Mawr family as they enter Finals Week.
To my sister class, light blue
You're almost there! You know the drill and you can make it! If you're finishing a thesis, congratulations! If you're starting a thesis next semester, best of luck and remember to budget your time. Ten minutes of work every day adds up really fast.
To my second sister class, red
My junior year was my busiest, I'm sure yours is no different. I am rooting for you every step of the way! Call on me if you need anything and keep your chin up. You will weather the storm.
To my daughter class, dark blue
This is only your third time taking exams, and while you may have the routine down, if you're anything like me you are still struggling to adapt to the high anxiety levels this time of year. Don't forget that you're still learning how to be a Mawrter in some ways, and that you aren't expected to have your life in order yet. Remind yourself to be patient, and practice those test-taking/essay-writing skills as best you can. This is the time when they really solidify.
To my last darling freshmen, green
I'm sure you're terrified by your first exams, I know I was. Breathe, focus, and try your best to relax. You know what you're doing. You CAN make it through. Budget your time and ask when you need help or are confused, it's never too late. Ignore the upperclasswomen freaking out, and don't let yourself be intimidated by your classmates' anxiety. You are a capable student and are ten times smarter than you think you are. You will make it.
A special note to my Hell Family, Tiina, Nga, Alex, Emily, Dixie, and Eileen,
Remember, the Anass used to be:
Anassa Kata
Kalo, kale
Ia, Ia, Ia, Nike
Great Queen, descend
I invoke you, fair one
Hail, hail, hail, Victory
She will guide you through and give you strength.
P.S. Go to the Silent Rave in Canaday if they're having one this year. It's awesome.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Four Failures and a Success
The Failure
I have attempted to make fudge four times in the past month. All four attempts have failed. I tried three maple fudge recipes and one chocolate recipe: the first recipe resulted in maple candy, not maple-flavored fudge. The second recipe was too soft, but had a great mouthfeel and flavor. The third (chocolate) was grainy and barely chocolate flavored. The final batch of maple fudge was so grainy it almost hurt to eat. Not one of them was juuuust right. I have exhausted every fudge troubleshooting website I can find; none of them have been helpful. Every time I change some part of my recipe or technique a different part of the process gets messed up. And no, I don't want to use marshmallow fluff. Nor mini marshmallows, nor condensed milk. Is old-fashioned fudge really such a difficult thing to ask for?
Apparently.
I WILL get this right one day. Just watch. Even if I have to beg for a marble slab, I WILL make perfect fudge one day. Stay tuned. But not too closely, 'cause this may take awhile.
The Success
There's this wonderful group called Philly Food Swap that's organized by some local bloggers. I found out about them by reading Food In Jars by Marisa McClellan: I saw her post on the first Philly Food Swap, got excited, and signed up for the Winter Philly Food Swap, which was yesterday. Approximately 35 people, displaying homemade food goods, crowded into the PA Horticultural Society Library to mingle and sample each others' food.
I had a BLAST! I met some great people, got a little stressed out making enough macaroons for the event, and came home with an enormous variety of delicious, locally made treats.
I came back with:
Rhubarb Liqueur (going to be FABULOUS with seltzer)
Lime and Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Meyer Lemon Curd (!!!!!)
Caramel Apple Butter
Maple & Coconut Peanut Butter (for Brother Bear, since I'm allergic to peanuts)
Pumpkin Seed Caramels (oh thank you, thank you, whomever was listening to my prayers)
Spiced Cranberry Pomegranate Syrup (martini, anyone?)
Dilly Pickles
Hot Sauce
Chocolate Whiskey Cake
Candied Bacon Fudge
Red Wheat Cinnamon Buns and
Homemade Vanilla and Vanilla Bean Marshmallows.
WHY did no one tell me that homemade marshmallows are THE BEST THING EVER OH MY GOD I MIGHT DIE AND I HAVE SO MANY OF THEM I AM SO EXCITED!
Yeah, I had a good time. Met some great people, tasted some great food, and brought home more for the future. I missed out on things like a homemade chai mix (with a little bit of fennel - divine!), sticky fig jam that would have made Mama Bear swoon, and some truly snazzy professional-looking cupcakes from Cupcake Friday Project, but there's always the next swap! I can't wait to go again.
P.S. Sorry, no pictures, the camera's acting up again.
P.P.S. Suddenly boys? What is this?
I have attempted to make fudge four times in the past month. All four attempts have failed. I tried three maple fudge recipes and one chocolate recipe: the first recipe resulted in maple candy, not maple-flavored fudge. The second recipe was too soft, but had a great mouthfeel and flavor. The third (chocolate) was grainy and barely chocolate flavored. The final batch of maple fudge was so grainy it almost hurt to eat. Not one of them was juuuust right. I have exhausted every fudge troubleshooting website I can find; none of them have been helpful. Every time I change some part of my recipe or technique a different part of the process gets messed up. And no, I don't want to use marshmallow fluff. Nor mini marshmallows, nor condensed milk. Is old-fashioned fudge really such a difficult thing to ask for?
Apparently.
I WILL get this right one day. Just watch. Even if I have to beg for a marble slab, I WILL make perfect fudge one day. Stay tuned. But not too closely, 'cause this may take awhile.
The Success
There's this wonderful group called Philly Food Swap that's organized by some local bloggers. I found out about them by reading Food In Jars by Marisa McClellan: I saw her post on the first Philly Food Swap, got excited, and signed up for the Winter Philly Food Swap, which was yesterday. Approximately 35 people, displaying homemade food goods, crowded into the PA Horticultural Society Library to mingle and sample each others' food.
I had a BLAST! I met some great people, got a little stressed out making enough macaroons for the event, and came home with an enormous variety of delicious, locally made treats.
I came back with:
Rhubarb Liqueur (going to be FABULOUS with seltzer)
Lime and Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Meyer Lemon Curd (!!!!!)
Caramel Apple Butter
Maple & Coconut Peanut Butter (for Brother Bear, since I'm allergic to peanuts)
Pumpkin Seed Caramels (oh thank you, thank you, whomever was listening to my prayers)
Spiced Cranberry Pomegranate Syrup (martini, anyone?)
Dilly Pickles
Hot Sauce
Chocolate Whiskey Cake
Candied Bacon Fudge
Red Wheat Cinnamon Buns and
Homemade Vanilla and Vanilla Bean Marshmallows.
WHY did no one tell me that homemade marshmallows are THE BEST THING EVER OH MY GOD I MIGHT DIE AND I HAVE SO MANY OF THEM I AM SO EXCITED!
Yeah, I had a good time. Met some great people, tasted some great food, and brought home more for the future. I missed out on things like a homemade chai mix (with a little bit of fennel - divine!), sticky fig jam that would have made Mama Bear swoon, and some truly snazzy professional-looking cupcakes from Cupcake Friday Project, but there's always the next swap! I can't wait to go again.
P.S. Sorry, no pictures, the camera's acting up again.
P.P.S. Suddenly boys? What is this?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Mascarpone Holiday
Sorry about the lack of updates! Lots more coming soon.
I have a patience problem when it comes to cooking. I like to be active; to stir, mix, fuss and otherwise bother whatever recipe is at hand. This is great when I'm doing something like shortbread, which can take the abuse. It's terrible when I'm working with a food that requires a much more relaxed, hands-off strategy, like soft cheese. Cheese, as I have discovered, is easy. Heat milk in some form from some animal, add an acid, and then let it sit. Don't touch it when it's resting, don't mess with it until it's done, don't even stir it more than necessary to keep it from scorching. This goes against everything that I think I need to do in the kitchen to get a recipe to work. It's also why my biscuits always come out flat. It's why I check the candy thermometer eight times a minute, and why I hover over my current project like a mother hen. I obsess. I worry. I over-think.
And my cheese STILL comes out this wonderful. This stuff practically makes itself if you turn your back long enough. (Actually, that's how crème fraîche a.k.a. soured cream is made. Heat up cream. Add buttermilk. Let sit out for about 48 hours. Ta da! Awesomeness!)
I've been experimenting with home cheese making ever since my birthday, when I was given this book:
I started with yogurt, then moved on to ricotta and was quite successful. I made it twice, actually. Came out with some awesome ricotta gnocchi that I will make again, I promise.
When we hit the holiday season, I wanted to try something a little more challenging. I had spotted a recipe for a pumpkin roll with ginger buttercream in Ina Garten's book Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. It required mascarpone cheese.
Mascarpone cheese is a main component of tiramisu, a decadent Italian dessert made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee and a fluffy cream mixture. Literally translated, it means "pick me up". If you alter the word a little, you can even change it into an innuendo, "get me up". Thank you Suzi from Citta della Pieve for that Italian lesson.
Before I get to the recipe, we should go over the materials necessary for successful mascarpone.
First, a double boiler. See this post if you don't have a double boiler.
Second, cheesecloth or butter muslin. Cheesecloth is woven more loosely than butter muslin, so you'll need more layers. I used four for this project. If you can't find either cheesecloth or butter muslin, I've heard you can use a few layers of coffee filters (I'd go with unbleached) as a substitute.
Third, a calibrated candy thermometer, analog or digital as per your preference. Calibrating a candy thermometer is simple: boil a small amount of water in a sauce pan and take a reading from the thermometer. Remember that non-instant read thermometers need a little time to come up to temperature. The thermometer should read 212° F (or 100° C if you use metric). A tiny bit of variation (up to about .5 of a degree) is acceptable. Any discrepancy of more than a degree should be noted for future use. I don't recommend using a meat thermometer for this job, although it technically might work.
Remember, patience!
Mascarpone Cheese
1 quart heavy cream
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Note: some recipes call for lemon juice, but I prefer white vinegar because it imparts less flavor. Practically any acid will work: tartaric acid, lemon juice, cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, etc. The amounts necessary to curdle the milk will vary with acidity, however.
In a double boiler, heat the heavy cream to 190° F, stirring occasionally and being careful that the water in the lower pan doesn't touch the bottom of the top pan. Whisking or stirring constantly (but gently) add the vinegar and stir until the cream begins to curdle and is thick, about a minute or two. The cream should still be very smooth. Immediately remove the top pan from the double boiler and allow the cheese to cool undisturbed (aka DON'T STIR) until the cheese is approximately as thick as yogurt or sour cream, about 15 minutes. Ladle or gently pour the cream into a strainer lined with cheese cloth, set over a bowl. Cover and let strain in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Discard the liquid at the bottom, stir the cheese, and use however you desire.
Because marscapone is so creamy and the curds are so small, it blends well with sweeteners and as such is used mostly for dessert. Just yesterday I mixed mascarpone cheese with some confectioner's sugar and dipped strawberries in it for dessert. Absolutely fantastic.
This stuff is just perfect. If you add enough sugar and beat it long enough, the result is this spectacular combination of whipped cream and icing, perfect for icing cakes or dipping fruit. It doesn't deflate like whipped cream and it has more flavor than regular icing. You could also make it more savory and use as a dipping sauce, although the flavor is so mild I wouldn't recommend using it as a substitute for sour cream or crème fraîche. It won't hold up to heat, either, but it's still quite versatile.
Happy cheesemaking!
Edit: My computer corrected 'mascarpone' to 'mascapone' for no good reason I can find. Spelling errors have since been fixed.
I have a patience problem when it comes to cooking. I like to be active; to stir, mix, fuss and otherwise bother whatever recipe is at hand. This is great when I'm doing something like shortbread, which can take the abuse. It's terrible when I'm working with a food that requires a much more relaxed, hands-off strategy, like soft cheese. Cheese, as I have discovered, is easy. Heat milk in some form from some animal, add an acid, and then let it sit. Don't touch it when it's resting, don't mess with it until it's done, don't even stir it more than necessary to keep it from scorching. This goes against everything that I think I need to do in the kitchen to get a recipe to work. It's also why my biscuits always come out flat. It's why I check the candy thermometer eight times a minute, and why I hover over my current project like a mother hen. I obsess. I worry. I over-think.
And my cheese STILL comes out this wonderful. This stuff practically makes itself if you turn your back long enough. (Actually, that's how crème fraîche a.k.a. soured cream is made. Heat up cream. Add buttermilk. Let sit out for about 48 hours. Ta da! Awesomeness!)
I've been experimenting with home cheese making ever since my birthday, when I was given this book:
 |
| Hello,beautiful. Why yes, we can be friends. |
I started with yogurt, then moved on to ricotta and was quite successful. I made it twice, actually. Came out with some awesome ricotta gnocchi that I will make again, I promise.
When we hit the holiday season, I wanted to try something a little more challenging. I had spotted a recipe for a pumpkin roll with ginger buttercream in Ina Garten's book Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. It required mascarpone cheese.
Mascarpone cheese is a main component of tiramisu, a decadent Italian dessert made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee and a fluffy cream mixture. Literally translated, it means "pick me up". If you alter the word a little, you can even change it into an innuendo, "get me up". Thank you Suzi from Citta della Pieve for that Italian lesson.
Before I get to the recipe, we should go over the materials necessary for successful mascarpone.
First, a double boiler. See this post if you don't have a double boiler.
Second, cheesecloth or butter muslin. Cheesecloth is woven more loosely than butter muslin, so you'll need more layers. I used four for this project. If you can't find either cheesecloth or butter muslin, I've heard you can use a few layers of coffee filters (I'd go with unbleached) as a substitute.
 |
| The Set Up: four layers of cheesecloth draped in a strainer, suspended above a catch-bowl. |
Third, a calibrated candy thermometer, analog or digital as per your preference. Calibrating a candy thermometer is simple: boil a small amount of water in a sauce pan and take a reading from the thermometer. Remember that non-instant read thermometers need a little time to come up to temperature. The thermometer should read 212° F (or 100° C if you use metric). A tiny bit of variation (up to about .5 of a degree) is acceptable. Any discrepancy of more than a degree should be noted for future use. I don't recommend using a meat thermometer for this job, although it technically might work.
Remember, patience!
Mascarpone Cheese
1 quart heavy cream
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Note: some recipes call for lemon juice, but I prefer white vinegar because it imparts less flavor. Practically any acid will work: tartaric acid, lemon juice, cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, etc. The amounts necessary to curdle the milk will vary with acidity, however.
In a double boiler, heat the heavy cream to 190° F, stirring occasionally and being careful that the water in the lower pan doesn't touch the bottom of the top pan. Whisking or stirring constantly (but gently) add the vinegar and stir until the cream begins to curdle and is thick, about a minute or two. The cream should still be very smooth. Immediately remove the top pan from the double boiler and allow the cheese to cool undisturbed (aka DON'T STIR) until the cheese is approximately as thick as yogurt or sour cream, about 15 minutes. Ladle or gently pour the cream into a strainer lined with cheese cloth, set over a bowl. Cover and let strain in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. Discard the liquid at the bottom, stir the cheese, and use however you desire.
Because marscapone is so creamy and the curds are so small, it blends well with sweeteners and as such is used mostly for dessert. Just yesterday I mixed mascarpone cheese with some confectioner's sugar and dipped strawberries in it for dessert. Absolutely fantastic.
This stuff is just perfect. If you add enough sugar and beat it long enough, the result is this spectacular combination of whipped cream and icing, perfect for icing cakes or dipping fruit. It doesn't deflate like whipped cream and it has more flavor than regular icing. You could also make it more savory and use as a dipping sauce, although the flavor is so mild I wouldn't recommend using it as a substitute for sour cream or crème fraîche. It won't hold up to heat, either, but it's still quite versatile.
Happy cheesemaking!
Edit: My computer corrected 'mascarpone' to 'mascapone' for no good reason I can find. Spelling errors have since been fixed.
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