December 2005 Archives

This is a seed cluster from Vere: dark chocolate with poppy, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. It could go either way, interesting and nutty or just kind of weird. But definitely worth a try.

Fiber, good fats, antioxidants: Vere chocolate has taken the news that dark chocolate can be beneficial to your health and run with it. They use sustainably-grown, pesticide-free ingredients and as little natural sugar as possible to emphasize the dark chocolate flavor. I can think of two people who might enjoy this: one friend who finds most desserts too sweet and my father, who is a sweet tooth who was diagnosed with a sweet tooth's challenge: diabetes. I liked it, too.

Oh, and their web site just opened to take orders, just in time for Christmas or Chanukah orders (by December 21).

Chocolate doesn't need a ton of sugar to be satisfying. In fact, I tried a Galler dark chocolate with walnuts that I really loved: The deep, earthy, slightly bitter nuts echoed the flavors of the chocolate. So good.

I've realized that "drinking chocolate" is a lot like a milkshake: They allow you to consume huge quantities of chocolate or ice cream, respectively, without even realizing you're doing it. They're like one of those girl drinks you get in a bar, where before you know it you're totally wasted. I can nibble on a dark chocolate bar, one square at a time, for a week. Or I can chop it all up, melt it down with some water and milk, and drink it in one sitting.

And the recipes I've tried have ruined the more wholesome types of hot chocolate for me. The most recent recipe I tried was from Chocolove: Chop up one of their 3.2-ounce bars (they recommend 65 percent dark), combine it with 3/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons milk, then bring it to a boil and let it froth up. Serve in two demitasse cups.

I've tried a lot of mint cocoas this year, too, and the Williams-Sonoma and Schokinag were very good. But I think Michael Chiarello had the best idea: adding peppermint schnapps. So a couple of dark chocolate bars, some demitasse cups, some candy can stirrers and a bottle of peppermint schnapps. Let it snow.

I had sticky toffee pudding during my one little trip to London a few years ago. This year I was determined to have it again for the holidays. I found a place online, the English Pudding Company and found that the Amish Market is supposed to carry it. But they didn’t, so I’ve been planning to order one online. Dean and Deluca sells the same one on their site.

But then I bought the December issue of Bon Appetit, and they have a recipe for sticky toffee pudding. It’s very similar to the date cake with a broiled caramel topping my mom’s mother used to make (and I made once, with great success). So why order it if it’s so easy to make? But I never got around to making it either. I still have time, but I figured I’d share the recipe, and the order info, so you’d have time to do it, too.

This is the recipe from Bon Appetit, but there are some variations on the Epicurious web site, too.

Make the sauce by combining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 6 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons light corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil for about 8 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups.

To make the cake, combine 2 cups chopped dates and 1 cup hot water in a saucepan and simmer about 5 minutes, until dates are soft. Cool, then stir in 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (in my grandma's recipe, you soak the dates in hot water). Sift 1 3/4 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and salt together (I do it onto wax paper, which makes it easier to get into the bowl of the stand mixer later), then beat a cup of brown sugar with 3/4 cup softened butter in a large bowl to blend well. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, then 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then dates (with liquid). Bake in a 13 x 9 inch pan lined with foil, then greased and floured, in a 350 oven for 30 minutes (or until a tester comes out clean). Then poke the cake full of holes with a toothpick and pour a cup of the caramel sauce over the top; bake until the topping bubbles, about 5 more minutes. Let cool to lukewarm, then serve with the rest of the sauce, reheated.

Mark Bittman, last Wednesday morning, convinced me that I must have a cast-iron pan. As a new mom in the age of parental neurosis (it’s a miracle any of my generation is still around, what with the stomach sleeping and solid foods at three months), I dread making August a scrambled egg, because it means either making it in my regular pots and losing half the egg as it sticks to the surface or using my nonstick skillet, which (rumor has it) can release chemical fumes. Apparently a well-seasoned cast-iron pan is as good as nonstick.

All along I’ve been thinking I need a cast-iron pan, if only to make good cornbread with crusty edges. I guess I never realized its versatility. It’s nonstick, but it browns. It holds heat evenly and for a long time, which I knew (I’ve been using mine as the top part of a MacGyvered sandwich press).

Apparently Lodge has the market cornered and sells pre-seasoned pans (and they’re relatively cheap - around $20).

I love giving magazines subscriptions as gifts. There's something out there for just about every interest (August is entering a phase where the 14 different dog magazines have him mesmerized for a relatively long time - about 30 seconds). It's easy to shop for them. And if the magazine's right on, the recipient gets a delicious anticipation when he or she checks the mail (except right after the magazine arrives).

I learned how to cook, from almost no knowledge, by reading Cooking Light. I remember going to Barnes and Noble and grabbing a bunch of magazines off the rack and critiquing them all until I had narrowed them down to that title. Accessible, healthy, clear, with recipes at different skill levels and from all over the world. I liked the column that taught a new skill, with recipes, each month, and the column that explored a new cuisine. The fast recipe feature was also useful. A couple of the dessert recipes were duds, but most of the savory entries turned out well and had a lot of flavor. My first supper club met through the Cooking Light web site. It's been years since I've subscribed to this magazine, but I still think it's a good one for anyone who doesn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen but would like to do more cooking, especially if it's to eat healthier.

I love giving magazines subscriptions as gifts. There's something out there for just about every interest (August is entering a phase where the 14 different dog magazines have him mesmerized for a relatively long time - about 30 seconds). It's easy to shop for them. And if the magazine's right on, the recipient gets a delicious anticipation when he or she checks the mail (except right after the magazine arrives).

I learned how to cook, from almost no knowledge, by reading Cooking Light. I remember going to Barnes and Noble and grabbing a bunch of magazines off the rack and critiquing them all until I had narrowed them down to that title. Accessible, healthy, clear, with recipes at different skill levels and from all over the world. I liked the column that taught a new skill, with recipes, each month, and the column that explored a new cuisine. The fast recipe feature was also useful. A couple of the dessert recipes were duds, but most of the savory entries turned out well and had a lot of flavor. My first supper club met through the Cooking Light web site. It's been years since I've subscribed to this magazine, but I still think it's a good one for anyone who doesn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen but would like to do more cooking, especially if it's to eat healthier.

I know that O Olive Oil with Meyer Lemon is old news, but I finally had the opportunity to try it and it has inspired me. I have a olive-oil cake that I'm dying to make with it, but that's only one of endless ideas. I found out this Thanksgiving that it's great on vegetables. Fish is a given. I've heard of a pie crust recipe made with oil that you pat into the plate and I'm thinking it might be a good addition to that. Bean salads. Bruscetta or just as a dipping oil. Drizzled over tuna for a salad nicoise. Toss with couscous or roasted potatoes.

But move over green bean casserole - I used this on our green beans for Thanksgiving this year, and at least half the people who ate them said something to me about them (even Todd, who hates green beans). It was a recipe from Epicurious for green beans with pine nuts, parsley and lemon zest. First trim 1 1/2 pounds (I would halve the recipe next time) fresh green beans and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Blanch for 5 minutes, then drain and toss with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, the zest of one lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil (I used the lemon olive oil) and salt and pepper to taste. I did this in the pan where I blanched the beans then, because we like our beans more tender than crisp, I put the lid back on and let them sort of steam with the carryover heat. They ended up perfect.

I also ordered a gift box from O with their new blood orange olive oil, ginger rice wine vinegar and soy vinegar, but they sent the wrong box so I haven't had the chance to try it yet. Really smooth with the returns/sending a new package, though.

Food gifts are the perfect things to tuck into a stocking for Christmas morning, and jars of spices could be a nice surprise for the right recipient. Some spices are so beautiful they wouldn't need to be wrapped. A glass vial of vanilla beans from Penzey's wouldn't even need a bow; neither would a packet of nutmeg, cinnamon sticks and star anise. Or you could go with a theme, like hot cocoa, and include a jar of natural cocoa powder (my preference for drinking cocoa, although others prefer dutched, which Penzey's also carries), vanilla sugar and Vietnamese cassia cinnamon, crystallized ginger or cayenne pepper for an extra kick. Their vanilla extracts include a whole vanilla bean in the bottle, which could be the centerpiece for a set of extracts that also includes almond, orange and lemon.

A vial of saffron would be another pretty surprise, or a jar of Hungarian paprika with a recipe for goulash enclosed (Todd had a fantastic goulash that was almost chalky with paprika at Cafe Sabarsky last weekend). A selection of chile powders and peppers, a peppercorn mix and fleur de sel, or some garam masala and rogan josh seasoning are other options.

These stemless wineglasses, from Reidel's O series, are everywhere lately, and they're so cool-looking I had to mention them. This photo is from Sur La Table's web site.

They also sell cute little tapas plates that set on top of wineglasses, which might be a fun addition. A pair of Reidel O glasses, some tapas plates, maybe some marcona almonds or really nice canned tuna or anchovies.

My father-in-law is a big eater. But I think even he was cowed by the 4 1/2 pound loaf of bread I sent to him from Zingerman's. The folks there claim bigger bread is better, and their bread is pretty hearty, with a thick, strong crust that stands up well to freezing. I just imagine it's so much fun to get this big, beautiful wheel of bread in the mail.

It'd be even better with one of Zingerman's olive oils. They break their selection down into light and elegant, buttery and smooth, assertive but smooth, and, my favorite, rustic and fruity. I liked the San Vito I bought; it made great mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving: Just cover six big, peeled russets that have been cut in thirds in cold water and cook for 40 minutes, then save 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water and drain the rest. Put potatoes back in hot pot to get rid of excess moisture, then mash, adding 6 tablespoons of flavorful olive oil, salt, pepper and as much of the cooking water as you need to get the right texture.

A sweet alternative to their olive oils would be a loaf of their bread with one of their varietal honeys. The most interesting ones were sold out when I placed my order, but maybe they'll get some of them back in stock in time. Meanwhile I bought some tupelo honey but haven't sampled it yet.

I've been in love with Zingerman's since Todd bought me an Italian-food gift box from them a couple years back, but in planning to write gift suggestions from the site I've realized my experience with them has been hit or miss. I loved the pasta, Zingerman's balsamic vinegar, vodka sauce, bread and olive oil I received, but he also ordered me a package of drinking chocolate that contained cornstarch and ended up the consistency of pudding and a subscription to the newsletter, which I only received once (I'm sure they'd rectify the error if I contacted them; once they sent the wrong type of vinegar and promptly sent out the right one, letting me keep their mistake). The stollen was tempting but ultimately $30 seemed like too much to pay. The chocolate-stuffed figs weren't figgy enough, the big tin of oatmeal was more like Cream of Wheat, without that heartier, fuller texture I wanted. So choose with caution.

Or leave the choosing to the folks at Zingerman's. One of my fantasy gifts (fantasy because prices go up to $600 for four shipments) is a subscription to the Z Club. They send a big box of rare, seasonal or exclusive food with lots of information about its origins and how to use it. Decadent.

Pretty little cakes are the perfect thing to package up, maybe with some coffee or tea, to give to a coworker or friend. Todd gave me a mini-bundt pan one year, and it's an easy way to make any quick bread recipe pretty cute. A couple years ago I made lemon-rosemary cakes out of Woman's Day. This time I made orange-scented cranberry-pecan cakes. The quick breads with fruit or nuts in them don't turn out quite as neat in the mini bundts, but they didn't look too bad. I made one fruit-and-nut-free for August, too.

The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, but I had dried, so I used 1 cup and soaked them in orange liquer overnight. Then I sifted together 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the zest of one orange. Tossed the drained, patted-dry cranberries and 1/2 cup pecans with a couple tablespoons of the flour mixture. Then mixed 1/4 cup softened butter with 1 cup sugar and 1 egg. Stirred in 3/4 cup orange juice, then the remaining flour mixture. Made one bundt for August, then stirred the nuts and cranberries into the rest. Baked in 350 degree oven for half an hour.

Pretty little cakes are the perfect thing to package up, maybe with some coffee or tea, to give to a coworker or friend. Todd gave me a mini-bundt pan one year, and it's an easy way to make any quick bread recipe pretty cute. A couple years ago I made lemon-rosemary cakes out of Woman's Day. This time I made orange-scented cranberry-pecan cakes. The quick breads with fruit or nuts in them don't turn out quite as neat in the mini bundts, but they didn't look too bad. I made one fruit-and-nut-free for August, too.

The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, but I had dried, so I used 1 cup and soaked them in orange liquer overnight. Then I sifted together 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the zest of one orange. Tossed the drained, patted-dry cranberries and 1/2 cup pecans with a couple tablespoons of the flour mixture. Then mixed 1/4 cup softened butter with 1 cup sugar and 1 egg. Stirred in 3/4 cup orange juice, then the remaining flour mixture. Made one bundt for August, then stirred the nuts and cranberries into the rest. Baked in 350 degree oven for half an hour.

I never thought I was much of a tea drinker until Todd brought home some loose tea from London. I don't know; it just tastes more complex, smells deeper and fuller. It could be the more visceral experience of brewing loose tea has me fooled, but I like it. And then Adagio offered samples of some of their teas. I chose decaf teas in flavors that true tea drinkers would probably avoid, but Adagio pulls it off really well, using quality teas as a base for their flavored tea. The citron tea had an earthy, green tea base (and made great iced tea), and the spice and vanilla flavors were black teas with real ingredients, such as bits of cinnamon stick and dried citrus peel.

Especially for the holidays they have some yummy-sounding flavors: candy cane (a black tea with pieces of peppermint candy in it; the above photo is this tea, from their web site), gingerbread, pumpkin spice, chestnut (with roasted chestnuts in a black tea), candy apple and cranberry. They also offer a one-cup tea infuser called IngenuiTea. It's a clear-plastic cup in which you combine enough tea and hot water for one person. When the tea reaches your preferred strength (which you can see easily because the infuser is clear), place the contraption over a cup and just the brewed tea dispenses. I like this better than those tea balls because it's easier to get the tea out at the end. It's pretty utilitarian, though, so if you want something pretty they have a nice selection of teapots, too.

Just add a couple varieties of tea (and maybe some tea cakes) and you have a really nice gift for someone who enjoys a cuppa.