Thursday, August 31, 2006

Another Ode...this one, to my Mixer.
(you have to search the archives to find the first ode..)



About 6 years ago, My parents bought me a Kitchen Aid KSM-5.. (for the kitchen professional, in case you are wondering..)

The thing was so beautiful, so powerful and heavy duty, yet the power and speed switch kept breaking off. After I returned 3 different mixers…yes, THREE, all for the same faulty switch, I was ready for mixer #4 to work magically. I was a little hesitant to bring home yet another ‘lame’ Kitchen Aid, so I let the folks at Williams-Sonoma talk me into another mixer that they carried at the time. It was being discontinued and was on sale at half the price. When I saw it, my first reaction was similar to when my dad used to take me to buy new running shoes. He would always pick out the monochrome grey Brooks’ with the 5 inch foam padded heel, when all I really wanted was to look cool in the florescent Nike shoes…..like the ones over there, Dad. He would always tell me, ‘Sara, it doesn’t matter what they look like. You have to go with how they feel.’ I admit, and to this day I agree…the uglier the running shoes, the more comfortable. Now, why IS that?
---anyway, back to the mixer.

So, when I saw the Kenmore Mixer for the first time, I admit, my reaction was less than thrilled. I mean, here the Kitchen Aids come in every color of the rainbow, (and now even in Pastels)..with matching rubber spatulas, bowls and the like..and the mixer that was being pushed on me..for half the cost, was the most boring and industrial looking machine…and a monochrome grey one at that!
I was a hesitant, given that it was UGLY for one, and also because I had only previously associated the ‘Kenmore’ brand with the Stereo. I had no idea that they made mixers…so, it all seemed a little fishy to me.

Does it play music?

I was somehow convinced to try out this mixer and I have to say, for the last six years, it has successfully pumped out a number of huge batches of cake batter, many cookies, etc, etc…and all of them with such grace and such power!

Tra La La…..

Oh Kenmore, you make me want to sing… Posted by Picasa

Friday, August 18, 2006

Prenuptial Ghetto Dinners…

I admit, sometimes T is asked by folks what kind of elaborate dinners I prepare for him, given that I am a chef of sorts, and soon, I will be his Wife, and all. Lately, and actually, a lot of the time, I am finished cooking/baking for the day when I leave work, so the last thing that I want to do when I get home, is get cooking in the kitchen. This is a bit of a drawback of my work, because I really do love to cook, I just find that time is limited after work, to squeeze in my myriad of other interests, which these days is mostly consumed by all things WEDDING.

Last night, for the first time, I think my eyes and brain were going to pop forth. I sat looking at my computer for hours, trying to get the dinner seating chart just so, and all of a sudden, the computer screen started flickering and moving from side to side, ever so slightly. Scary thing, the computer is and was fine; it was my eyes that were having the problem. Hmm, a good stopping point perhaps??

Now that we are settled, I look forward to using all of our wonderful All Clad, our new and sharp knives, our silverware, wine decanters, glasses and plates. (and that ice cream maker!) For now though, while the wedding date grows nearer, and the ‘to do’ list is still ever so present, here is a little sample of what my so called “elaborate” dinners consist of…



A Nice Cold One, Smoked Turkey Slices on Whole Wheat Cider Bread, with Grainy Mustard and Trader Joe's Canned Marinated Bean Salad


Dig In!!! Posted by Picasa

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Noyau* Cream..



*Noyau translates to 'Fruit Stone'

Did you know that Cyanide is found in the pits of most stone fruits?? Almond extract is also made from Apricot Pits, which are actually a relative of the Almond. As for the Cyanide, not to be alarmed.. Heat kills its toxic properties, and leaves a nice almondy flavor behind…

So, with the abundance of Cherries around this summer, I decided to use the whole fruit. After pitting the cherries, I rinsed the pits free of most of the slimy cherry pulp. I then put them into a Ziploc bag and sealed it.

Now, for the fun part.

Getting my aggressions out.

With a hefty meat cleaver, I pounded the c**p out of the pits, until they broke open and the inner stones were revealed. Of course, I blew open a few Ziploc bags and pits went flying far and wide, but in the end, I was left with many busted cherries and the lovely scent of bitter almond.

To extract as much of this flavor as I could, I added 1 cup of the crushed ‘Noyau’ (fruit stone) to a Quart of Cream, and I brought the cream to a boil. I then let it steep overnight, chilled, of course. (steep less for a less bitter flavor)

The next day, I add this cream either to a prepared Ice Cream Base, which consists of Milk, Yolks and Sugar, or substitute it for the cream in a Crème Brulee, or in a Panna Cotta. I have yet to try the Brulees, but so far, in my experiments, it has made a great gelato as well as a good Panna Cotta, served with a chilled Peach and Muscat Soup. Posted by Picasa

Friday, August 04, 2006

My Own Private Gym.



On more than a few occasions, I have been asked the question, “you are a pastry chef? (their eyes shift, scanning me up and down)…how do you stay so trim?” My standby answer has always been, “well, I usually get “sweeted out” around 9am, I don’t have time to take a break, let alone to eat lunch…and I usually go running after work.”
Lately, I have been exhausted after work, and then it dawned on me. When I go into work in the morning, I am essentially stepping into my own private gym of sorts. Here is a typical day, in my ‘gym.’

Arrive at crack of dawn, almost. Survey the dessert damage from the night before and make my prep list.

Test a few biscotti, a truffle, a gingersnap and couple crackers…for freshness, of course.

Lift 4 heavy rubber mats and flip onto floor of kitchen.

Make a coffee. Drink three sips.

Lift and carry a pile of 8 large sheet pans, downstairs to the pasta and cracker production area.

Work the triceps and biceps further by rolling trays and trays of crackers..

Work the Quads by running up and down the stairs to check on crackers in the oven.

Roll more crackers.

Drink a few sips, of lukewarm coffee.

Run up and down the stairs, carrying heavy trays, around 30 more times in the course of the next few hours. Oh baby, Feel the burn.

Work the Quads and Glutes by Squatting down by the oven to prepare the lemon tart and crème brulees (the oven is lower to the ground)

Work the arms further by pushing a fruit puree or two through a fine mesh sieve. (this really burns!)

Run down the stairs to grab something, run back up. (do this a few more times)

Walk back and forth from the ovens -to the walk in fridge -to the dish pit, about 100 times…

Drink a few more sips, of cool coffee.

Lift 50 pound bag of flour and empty contents into bucket.

Roll bread dough. Again, work those triceps.

Lift bread rolls to proofing location, then again into and out of the oven.

Squat and Pull heavy pan of Chocolate Cakes out of oven..lifting from the legs, of course.

Drink a few sips, of the now cold and stale coffee. Mmm, delish.

Carry heavy pan of hot cakes, to far end of kitchen….

Lift heavy boxes of produce and place in walk in fridge.


Repeat 5 days a week.

Now, If only my private gym had spa services… Posted by Picasa