A while back, one of my co-workers was selling “stuff” (wrapping paper, candles, cookie dough and I can’t recall what else) for her child’s school; this got me thinking how different fund raising was back when I was in elementary school. Back them we had two fundraisers, a chicken dinner and a spaghetti dinner, but, I sighed to myself, that was when lunchroom ladies really cooked. That simple thought opened a floodgate of fond memories based in the cafeteria at Padgett Elementary School in the early seventies.
Talk about a sensory memory, I immediately began to recall that tantalizing scent wafting down the hallways, there was nothing else like it, if this smell was in the air that meant just one thing - we were having those big, fluffy, buttery yeast rolls that. In terms of lunchroom currency, those yeast rolls were gold. The other kids would trade you anything on their tray to get an extra roll. My roll, however, was never up for barter. Are you kidding, after smelling it for two hours before lunch, the last thing I was going to do was let it get away from me! It was every man (or should I say kid) for themselves on yeast roll day.
The lunchroom magic didn’t end there. Joy, oh, joy, there was the occasional pizza day. My family lived too far out of town to have pizza delivered; pizza at any time was treat. Besides, way back then in Polk County, Florida who had ever seen a rectangular piece of pizza? That was an absolute novelty of the school lunchroom.
Even when specially assigned schools buses took kids out into the world for adventures in learning, the school cafeteria followed us. I have it on good authority these days when kids go on field trips the bus takes them to the mall so they can descend upon Chick-Fil-A en masse. That wasn’t an option for my school for two reasons, no mall and no Chick-Fil-A. With all due respect to Chick-Fil-A we had something better. Our lunchroom ladies made bag lunches for field trips. Each student was presented with a handmade lunch, tucked into a brown bag and if we were really lucky, maybe, just maybe there would be a peanut butter ball inside. Oh sweet mystery of life, peanut butter balls, was there anything better in the world at that moment? I think not.
There were even every day wonders behind the scenes in the cafeteria. From the serving line, if you looked just beyond the counter on certain days there were fields of chocolate. From my mini me perspective, those full sheet pans of yellow cake slathered with chocolate frosting seemed to go on for miles. It was like a football field of cake cued up to feed those hungry young mouths.
I had to laugh recently when reading news stories about chocolate milk being banned in schools. There was no banning it back then, it was even an option. Call me a rebel, or maybe you should call my mom the rebel, because she put Nestle Quik in a plastic baggie or empty prescription bottle so I could add it to my lily white milk myself.
Personal favorite food treats and indulgences aside, most of all I remember Mrs. Bailey, my favorite lunchroom lady. She was tall, with fair skin and dark brown hair (all tucked carefully into a hairnet). She was always smiling. It has puzzled me for years why, out of all the people and all the events that transpire during the course of one’s elementary school career, is the memory of this one sweet lunchroom lady is so strong. I can still see her in my mind’s eye with absolute clarity. Feeding a school full of hungry children day in and day out was no easy feat, but her countenance was ever serene, ever welcoming.
Hindsight being both omnipotent and crystal clear, I have to say it was that glimpse of feeding people on a larger scale, the communal table and seeing someone working at that and clearly loving it so much that has made Mrs. Bailey stay with me all these years. In some way, those seeds of the cook I would become and the hostess I would hope to be were planted lo those many years ago at Padgett Elementary School. It’s not all reading, writing and ‘rithmetic, folks. There’s so much more to be learned.
Mrs. Bailey, if you’re still out there (and I sincerely hope that you are), thanks for the memories. And the peanut butter balls.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Book Learnin’ With Hospitality to a “Tea”
The Tallahassee Democrat news brief was headlined “Cookbook Workshop.” This, of course, piqued my interest, so I read on “Acclaimed author and North Florida native Janis Owens (“The Cracker Kitchen”) instructs, gives advice, makes recommendations and prepares some tasty home-cooking for participants in a cookbook workshop June 4 at Writer’s Cottage in Tallahassee.” Hmmm, that might be fun and immediately signed myself up. Fun, as it turns out, was an understatement.
I knew I was in for something special when, as instructed by the hostess, I drove beyond the dead end of the dead end street, passed the unpainted fence and found myself in what could only be described as an enchanted forest. Two cottages appeared in a clearing surrounded by whimsical gardens, beautiful footpaths and more shades of green than I had ever seen in one place. There were no sounds of traffic or every day life, just a soothing silence all around. I meandered up the path, trying to take it all in while pondering which cottage was my destination. Was this how Alice felt when she tumbled through the looking glass? There were no Mad Hatters or Cheshire cats in sight, but I suddenly heard a friendly voice calling out “hello” and turned to find the sister of our hostess coming to guide me. Stepping into the Writer’s Cottage was like stepping back into time, a piece of old Florida right before my very eyes, complete with a divine smell wafting in from the kitchen. My guide graciously introduced me to the author, we shook hands and she immediately offered me a glass of tea. Yes, the author herself was there personally extending her welcome, with the house wine of the south, no less. (Her mama would be proud. Or, as we’re fond of saying where I come from, her mama raised her right).
We settled in with our iced tea and shared stories as other attendees began to arrive. I don’t know exactly what it was I expected from the workshop, I can only say this was one of the most enlightening, rewarding, intriguing food related events I have ever attended (and ya’ll know how I am about cooking classes and such!)
Once everyone was situated our hostess, her sister and Janis began plating and serving an absolutely beautiful lunch. I was expecting a couple of simple recipes to be demonstrated and sampled, but what I got was a feast. There was a lovely salad on the plate, but the scene stealer was a generous portion of shrimp and grits that was most assuredly something to write home about. I was torn between eating all of my lunch and saving room for a slice of the Sweet Potato Cream Pie I could see out of the corner of my left eye (a delicious distraction, to say the least). I compromised by eating every bite of my shrimp and grits and leaving some of the salad (what self respecting southerner could leave a morsel of anything covered in bacon on the plate?)
Plates were cleared and Janis continued to regal us with tales of the history of “The Cracker Kitchen,” family stories, the writers’ life both at home and on the road, public response to her cookbook in all areas of the country and much, much more. She willingly answered myriad questions about the creative process, the publishing business, fiction writing vs. cookbook writing and endless other details that were of interest individually and collectively.
Over dessert (I was wise in saving room for the Sweet Potato Cream Pie; if you have a non sweet potato eating loved one in your midst, this, my friends and fellow cooks, will most certainly convert them) Janis graciously signed books, gave away a door prize and encouraged all in attendance to search their hearts and minds for any lingering questions.
The four hours of the workshop felt like minutes. The information was invaluable, the stories unforgettable, the people lovely and the food, the food was otherworldly.
Enchanted? Indeed.
I knew I was in for something special when, as instructed by the hostess, I drove beyond the dead end of the dead end street, passed the unpainted fence and found myself in what could only be described as an enchanted forest. Two cottages appeared in a clearing surrounded by whimsical gardens, beautiful footpaths and more shades of green than I had ever seen in one place. There were no sounds of traffic or every day life, just a soothing silence all around. I meandered up the path, trying to take it all in while pondering which cottage was my destination. Was this how Alice felt when she tumbled through the looking glass? There were no Mad Hatters or Cheshire cats in sight, but I suddenly heard a friendly voice calling out “hello” and turned to find the sister of our hostess coming to guide me. Stepping into the Writer’s Cottage was like stepping back into time, a piece of old Florida right before my very eyes, complete with a divine smell wafting in from the kitchen. My guide graciously introduced me to the author, we shook hands and she immediately offered me a glass of tea. Yes, the author herself was there personally extending her welcome, with the house wine of the south, no less. (Her mama would be proud. Or, as we’re fond of saying where I come from, her mama raised her right).
We settled in with our iced tea and shared stories as other attendees began to arrive. I don’t know exactly what it was I expected from the workshop, I can only say this was one of the most enlightening, rewarding, intriguing food related events I have ever attended (and ya’ll know how I am about cooking classes and such!)
Once everyone was situated our hostess, her sister and Janis began plating and serving an absolutely beautiful lunch. I was expecting a couple of simple recipes to be demonstrated and sampled, but what I got was a feast. There was a lovely salad on the plate, but the scene stealer was a generous portion of shrimp and grits that was most assuredly something to write home about. I was torn between eating all of my lunch and saving room for a slice of the Sweet Potato Cream Pie I could see out of the corner of my left eye (a delicious distraction, to say the least). I compromised by eating every bite of my shrimp and grits and leaving some of the salad (what self respecting southerner could leave a morsel of anything covered in bacon on the plate?)
Plates were cleared and Janis continued to regal us with tales of the history of “The Cracker Kitchen,” family stories, the writers’ life both at home and on the road, public response to her cookbook in all areas of the country and much, much more. She willingly answered myriad questions about the creative process, the publishing business, fiction writing vs. cookbook writing and endless other details that were of interest individually and collectively.
Over dessert (I was wise in saving room for the Sweet Potato Cream Pie; if you have a non sweet potato eating loved one in your midst, this, my friends and fellow cooks, will most certainly convert them) Janis graciously signed books, gave away a door prize and encouraged all in attendance to search their hearts and minds for any lingering questions.
The four hours of the workshop felt like minutes. The information was invaluable, the stories unforgettable, the people lovely and the food, the food was otherworldly.
Enchanted? Indeed.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Cake In Yet Another Form
You've heard quite a bit about cake from me recently, cake in many forms for that matter. Birthday cake, cupcakes, cake pops; today I give you cake in yet another form.
I'm thinking the world would be a better place if this were the makeup we wore every day...just saying...
I'm thinking the world would be a better place if this were the makeup we wore every day...just saying...
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Cooking With Angela/Cooking With Abandon (Same Thing!)
My dear friend Angela (gifted graphic artist and phenomenal cook) made a piece of art for me for my birthday this year inscribed with the message “Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all,” quoting Harriet Van Horne.
Now, knowing Angela’s borrowed philosophy (to which I can personally assure you, she has made a 110% commitment), hang on for the ride while I tell you about the meal we created and shared just a couple of Saturdays ago.
A while back we were having this conversation about food (that’s no surprise, most of our conversations are about food and even the conversations that don’t start about food, somehow, always end up in the kitchen.) Angela was describing in loving detail the liberties she takes with the traditional fettuccini alfredo format. (It involves half & half in lieu of heavy cream, a hint of garlic and a mountain of cheeses beyond the classic Parmigiano-Reggiano). My immediate response was, wow, that would be great with the Barefoot Contessa’s Parmesan Chicken (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-chicken-recipe/index.html ). Then Angela, added “you know, my cheesy garlicky (or is garlicky cheesy) bread would be awesome with that. We really should get together and make this meal.” Yep, looks like we had ourselves a menu and ya’ll know how I feel about that kind of invitation (http://kitchen-loulou.blogspot.com/2010/07/jarrod-me.html ).
With a designated Saturday marked our respective calendars we were all but counting the days until we would cook and feast. I happened to have a package of Basil Fettuccini on had that I’d purchased on a whim at a culinary shop in a neighboring town; I’d been saving it, but I didn’t know for what until we started planning this menu. When our chosen Saturday finally rolled around we cranked up the 70s station on Music Choice and decided it was time to cook. With French rolling pin in hand, my sweet husband pounded the boneless skinless chicken breasts to the requisite ¼” with unparalleled enthusiasm. He cheerfully turned them over to me for and retired the rolling pin for the evening. I commenced prepping for the Parmesan Chicken with Angela worked her magic with the bread (Angela, if you’re reading this, would you be so kind as to enlighten folks as to exactly what all went into that topping for the baguette. I believe I recall cream cheese, butter, pub cheese, minced garlic and possibly/probably some other cheeses. The aroma from this mixture before it even went onto the bread and into the oven was positively intoxicating. People, seriously, you want to try this at home, trust me.)
You know how some nights everything is just perfect? This was one of those nights. The weather had been gloriously perfect all day so hubby opened up to the door to the deck so we could enjoy the breeze while we cooked. Angela put the bread aside while we got going on the longer cooking items. She commandeered the left hand side of the stove and I took over the right (and all of the countertop space within my reach!) She whisked up magic right there in my kitchen while I dipped, dredged and fried the Parmesan Chicken to crispy golden perfect. We cooked and sang with equal enthusiasm (everything from Barry Manilow to ZZ Top), though, truth be told, we both cook way better than we sing. At some point in the mix Angela put that crusty, cheese laden baguette into the oven to get it bubbly & brown. It took about two minutes for the amazing smell of the combined cheeses, garlic and bread to waft throughout the house. Angela measured nothing; she cooked with love and abandon, intuitively knowing when her dishes needed a little tweaking and when they were just right.
I don’t know how we did it, but without really trying, we had everything ready to serve at the same time (I know, when you try to orchestrate this, it never works, but, like I said, this was one of those perfect nights). The weather was so inviting we spontaneously took ourselves outside for dinner on the deck. The smells, the sounds, the shared ritual culminated in one of the best meals, for that matter, one of the best evenings, I’ve ever had.
As we sat around on the deck, after second helpings with empty plates in hand, I exclaimed “oh, man, I was going to take pictures and I got so caught up in the food that I completely forgot.” Angela said “take a picture of these empty plates, that says it all!”
See what cooking with Angela and abandon gets you?
Now, knowing Angela’s borrowed philosophy (to which I can personally assure you, she has made a 110% commitment), hang on for the ride while I tell you about the meal we created and shared just a couple of Saturdays ago.
A while back we were having this conversation about food (that’s no surprise, most of our conversations are about food and even the conversations that don’t start about food, somehow, always end up in the kitchen.) Angela was describing in loving detail the liberties she takes with the traditional fettuccini alfredo format. (It involves half & half in lieu of heavy cream, a hint of garlic and a mountain of cheeses beyond the classic Parmigiano-Reggiano). My immediate response was, wow, that would be great with the Barefoot Contessa’s Parmesan Chicken (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-chicken-recipe/index.html ). Then Angela, added “you know, my cheesy garlicky (or is garlicky cheesy) bread would be awesome with that. We really should get together and make this meal.” Yep, looks like we had ourselves a menu and ya’ll know how I feel about that kind of invitation (http://kitchen-loulou.blogspot.com/2010/07/jarrod-me.html ).
With a designated Saturday marked our respective calendars we were all but counting the days until we would cook and feast. I happened to have a package of Basil Fettuccini on had that I’d purchased on a whim at a culinary shop in a neighboring town; I’d been saving it, but I didn’t know for what until we started planning this menu. When our chosen Saturday finally rolled around we cranked up the 70s station on Music Choice and decided it was time to cook. With French rolling pin in hand, my sweet husband pounded the boneless skinless chicken breasts to the requisite ¼” with unparalleled enthusiasm. He cheerfully turned them over to me for and retired the rolling pin for the evening. I commenced prepping for the Parmesan Chicken with Angela worked her magic with the bread (Angela, if you’re reading this, would you be so kind as to enlighten folks as to exactly what all went into that topping for the baguette. I believe I recall cream cheese, butter, pub cheese, minced garlic and possibly/probably some other cheeses. The aroma from this mixture before it even went onto the bread and into the oven was positively intoxicating. People, seriously, you want to try this at home, trust me.)
You know how some nights everything is just perfect? This was one of those nights. The weather had been gloriously perfect all day so hubby opened up to the door to the deck so we could enjoy the breeze while we cooked. Angela put the bread aside while we got going on the longer cooking items. She commandeered the left hand side of the stove and I took over the right (and all of the countertop space within my reach!) She whisked up magic right there in my kitchen while I dipped, dredged and fried the Parmesan Chicken to crispy golden perfect. We cooked and sang with equal enthusiasm (everything from Barry Manilow to ZZ Top), though, truth be told, we both cook way better than we sing. At some point in the mix Angela put that crusty, cheese laden baguette into the oven to get it bubbly & brown. It took about two minutes for the amazing smell of the combined cheeses, garlic and bread to waft throughout the house. Angela measured nothing; she cooked with love and abandon, intuitively knowing when her dishes needed a little tweaking and when they were just right.
I don’t know how we did it, but without really trying, we had everything ready to serve at the same time (I know, when you try to orchestrate this, it never works, but, like I said, this was one of those perfect nights). The weather was so inviting we spontaneously took ourselves outside for dinner on the deck. The smells, the sounds, the shared ritual culminated in one of the best meals, for that matter, one of the best evenings, I’ve ever had.
As we sat around on the deck, after second helpings with empty plates in hand, I exclaimed “oh, man, I was going to take pictures and I got so caught up in the food that I completely forgot.” Angela said “take a picture of these empty plates, that says it all!”
See what cooking with Angela and abandon gets you?
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Adventures In Cake Pops
Fully armed with Bakerella’s book, class notes from my cousin Lisa (thanks, Cousin!) and a hefty bag of supplies from the craft store, I took the plunge into Cake Pop making last week. Friends and fellow cooks, let me assure you, this is a happy, happy place.
There are many online resources, such as Bakerella (www.bakerella.com ), who are far better equipped at tutoring you on the technical aspects of cake pop construction, flavor profiles and decorating potential than moiself. I would, however, like to share a couple of pictures and a few pieces of wisdom I picked up along the way:
1) True confession, the craft store is not my natural habitat. There, I’ve said it. I just don’t have the talent or skills needed to conquer the craft store. The lone exception is the cake/candy making/decorating aisle. When I go to my local craft store for such supplies, I made a hard left as soon as I clear the cash register and make a beeline for “my” aisle. I gather my necessary items and take myself directly to the register as expeditiously as possible. I only tell you this so if you, too, aren’t familiar with such inventory, beware of glitter Styrofoam. Seriously, it’s lurking out there and I never saw it coming. Obviously, on this visit, I had to deviate from my normal craft store route to pick up a piece of Styrofoam in which to stick the completed cake pops. I was unwrapping my Styrofoam as I was walking from my family into my kitchen, when I pulled back the plastic outer wrap there was a veritable blizzard of glitter on my family room floor, on me, on my kitchen floor, everywhere…seriously, it was like this stuff had wings. My point, and I did have one before I started rambling, is cake pop making will go a lot faster if you don’t have to take a time out to Swiffer two rooms (and yourself) before you commence impaling and dipping the cake balls.
2)Definitely take the expert advice that suggests making your cake, then the cake balls in advance. I let mine chill in the refrigerator over night, thus they were well set and I was rested & ready to dip. We were ready for each other.
3)One container of white cake sparkles didn’t go nearly as far as I thought it would. Load up on supplies; you’ll want to be generous with your cake pop flair.
4)Confetti sprinkles (labeled for ice cream in my grocery store) are too big and too heavy for cake pops; keep the scale of the cake pop in mind when choosing decor.
5)Sadly, it is, in fact, possible to have too much candy coating. I know, I wouldn’t have believed it either if I hadn’t seen it for myself. Take heed the expert advice that suggests you patiently allow the excess coating to return to the bowl. Trust me; your patience will be rewarded.
6)Don’t get carried away and get so wrapped up dipping your cake pops that you completely forget you are supposed to even have Styrofoam (as noted in item #1) and end up with two cake pops that appear to have little cake pop flat top haircuts because you had to stand them on their heads on wax paper while you retrieved the evil glitter Styrofoam (two mistakes I’ve vowed not to repeat.)
All of this said, check out these pictures. At the risk of sounding immodest, how cute are these?! I decided for the sake of simplicity (and by simplicity, I mean my sanity), I would use just one color candy melts for this round, but I have more options at the ready for round two.
Come on, take the plunge, the frosting is fine!
There are many online resources, such as Bakerella (www.bakerella.com ), who are far better equipped at tutoring you on the technical aspects of cake pop construction, flavor profiles and decorating potential than moiself. I would, however, like to share a couple of pictures and a few pieces of wisdom I picked up along the way:
1) True confession, the craft store is not my natural habitat. There, I’ve said it. I just don’t have the talent or skills needed to conquer the craft store. The lone exception is the cake/candy making/decorating aisle. When I go to my local craft store for such supplies, I made a hard left as soon as I clear the cash register and make a beeline for “my” aisle. I gather my necessary items and take myself directly to the register as expeditiously as possible. I only tell you this so if you, too, aren’t familiar with such inventory, beware of glitter Styrofoam. Seriously, it’s lurking out there and I never saw it coming. Obviously, on this visit, I had to deviate from my normal craft store route to pick up a piece of Styrofoam in which to stick the completed cake pops. I was unwrapping my Styrofoam as I was walking from my family into my kitchen, when I pulled back the plastic outer wrap there was a veritable blizzard of glitter on my family room floor, on me, on my kitchen floor, everywhere…seriously, it was like this stuff had wings. My point, and I did have one before I started rambling, is cake pop making will go a lot faster if you don’t have to take a time out to Swiffer two rooms (and yourself) before you commence impaling and dipping the cake balls.
2)Definitely take the expert advice that suggests making your cake, then the cake balls in advance. I let mine chill in the refrigerator over night, thus they were well set and I was rested & ready to dip. We were ready for each other.
3)One container of white cake sparkles didn’t go nearly as far as I thought it would. Load up on supplies; you’ll want to be generous with your cake pop flair.
4)Confetti sprinkles (labeled for ice cream in my grocery store) are too big and too heavy for cake pops; keep the scale of the cake pop in mind when choosing decor.
5)Sadly, it is, in fact, possible to have too much candy coating. I know, I wouldn’t have believed it either if I hadn’t seen it for myself. Take heed the expert advice that suggests you patiently allow the excess coating to return to the bowl. Trust me; your patience will be rewarded.
6)Don’t get carried away and get so wrapped up dipping your cake pops that you completely forget you are supposed to even have Styrofoam (as noted in item #1) and end up with two cake pops that appear to have little cake pop flat top haircuts because you had to stand them on their heads on wax paper while you retrieved the evil glitter Styrofoam (two mistakes I’ve vowed not to repeat.)
All of this said, check out these pictures. At the risk of sounding immodest, how cute are these?! I decided for the sake of simplicity (and by simplicity, I mean my sanity), I would use just one color candy melts for this round, but I have more options at the ready for round two.
Come on, take the plunge, the frosting is fine!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Frosting, Fun For All
You’ve probably gotten the idea by now that I love cooking classes. Never mind that I’ve been cooking practically my entire life, I love cooking classes. There’s always something new to learn, a tip to be gleaned, a technique to be tweaked or a favorite ingredient to be used in a new and different way.
With this in mind, I signed up for a cupcake decorating class held recently at my favorite grocery store. Two perfect food groups (cake and frosting) in one class, what’s not to love? Each student was given 8 cupcakes; 3 white, 3 chocolate and 2 red velvet. Frosting choices for the evening were butter cream, ganache and cream cheese. The two chef instructors discussed the characteristics of the different frostings, demonstrated a variety of cake decorating tips and frosting techniques and they even taught us how to slice a strawberry fan. With the tutorial complete, the seriously sugary fun began. The chefs presented a veritable buffet of toppings/decorating options: raspberries, strawberries, crushed pistachios, toasted coconut, jimmies, nonpareils, candy corn, red hots…the list goes on. Then we commenced to frost, decorate and embellish at will. We were, to coin a phrase, like kids in a candy store. At best, we each had eight delicious, decadently decorated cupcakes to take home; at worst, we got to eat the mistakes. Talk about a win-win.
This reminded me of my buddy Jarrod (remember him? http://kitchen-loulou.blogspot.com/2010/07/jarrod-me.html). After Jarrod issued that sweet edict “I want to cook with you” we had his family over for dinner and we did indeed cook together. The highpoint of the evening was dessert. I baked two dozen cupcakes earlier in the day and prepared a batch of butter cream frosting. When Jarrod and his family arrived I set out small bowls of sprinkles, miniature chocolate chips and sugar sparkles. While my sweet husband was grilling the entrée, Jarrod, his brother Jason, his mom and I had ourselves a cupcake decorating party. Jarrod and Jason let their imaginations run wild and piled on as must frosting and flair as those cupcakes could hold (and then some!) Did they look like cupcakes you’d see in a bakery window? Absolutely not, they were far superior to anything store bought. You could see the joy those kids had taken in creating their edible masterpieces. One bite and you could taste the love, every grin and giggle we shared that night flavored each cupcake like none I’d eaten before or since.
I think the key is the frosting, it’s just plain fun. Don’t get me wrong, I like cake, too, but really, it’s mostly just a vehicle for the frosting. The good part about people who don’t care for frosting (I know, it’s inconceivable, but they’re out there) is if you sit next to them at party, they’ll eat their cake, but you can have their frosting. Remember this the next you go to a birthday party and scope out the room for the person scraping their frosting aside and just eating the cake. You’d really be doing them something of a public service, preventing them from wasting food and all. A noble lot, us frosting lovers.
However, I digress (I know, ya’ll are shocked). Fast forward three weeks after my cupcake class my dear cousin Lisa took a cake pops class at a craft store in her home town. I’d read about cake pops countless times, been intrigued by them and had every intention of trying them, I just hadn’t quite gotten around to it yet. Once Cousin conquered her class, I was more inspired than ever. We spent the next three days emailing and talking about cake pops. Really, three days and I’m not finished asking questions; Cousin is sending me her tip sheet from the class. If you haven’t met cake pops yet, they’re basically crumbled cake & frosting formed into balls, perched on a lollipop stick, dipped in melted candy coating and decorated in myriad ways, your own imagination is the only limitation with these little gems.
In a haze of butter cream and cake crumbs, it occurred to me that we shouldn’t limit this kind of fun to kids or classes, why not make it part of your next dinner party, barbeque or game night? Make your own cupcakes or pick up some undecorated from your supermarket bakery, same with the frosting. Visit the baking aisle, the candy aisle and the produce department for topping options. Stop by your local craft store or culinary shop for even more specialized toppings and treats. Your friends and family will love it, I promise. Frosting really is fun for all.
With this in mind, I signed up for a cupcake decorating class held recently at my favorite grocery store. Two perfect food groups (cake and frosting) in one class, what’s not to love? Each student was given 8 cupcakes; 3 white, 3 chocolate and 2 red velvet. Frosting choices for the evening were butter cream, ganache and cream cheese. The two chef instructors discussed the characteristics of the different frostings, demonstrated a variety of cake decorating tips and frosting techniques and they even taught us how to slice a strawberry fan. With the tutorial complete, the seriously sugary fun began. The chefs presented a veritable buffet of toppings/decorating options: raspberries, strawberries, crushed pistachios, toasted coconut, jimmies, nonpareils, candy corn, red hots…the list goes on. Then we commenced to frost, decorate and embellish at will. We were, to coin a phrase, like kids in a candy store. At best, we each had eight delicious, decadently decorated cupcakes to take home; at worst, we got to eat the mistakes. Talk about a win-win.
This reminded me of my buddy Jarrod (remember him? http://kitchen-loulou.blogspot.com/2010/07/jarrod-me.html). After Jarrod issued that sweet edict “I want to cook with you” we had his family over for dinner and we did indeed cook together. The highpoint of the evening was dessert. I baked two dozen cupcakes earlier in the day and prepared a batch of butter cream frosting. When Jarrod and his family arrived I set out small bowls of sprinkles, miniature chocolate chips and sugar sparkles. While my sweet husband was grilling the entrée, Jarrod, his brother Jason, his mom and I had ourselves a cupcake decorating party. Jarrod and Jason let their imaginations run wild and piled on as must frosting and flair as those cupcakes could hold (and then some!) Did they look like cupcakes you’d see in a bakery window? Absolutely not, they were far superior to anything store bought. You could see the joy those kids had taken in creating their edible masterpieces. One bite and you could taste the love, every grin and giggle we shared that night flavored each cupcake like none I’d eaten before or since.
I think the key is the frosting, it’s just plain fun. Don’t get me wrong, I like cake, too, but really, it’s mostly just a vehicle for the frosting. The good part about people who don’t care for frosting (I know, it’s inconceivable, but they’re out there) is if you sit next to them at party, they’ll eat their cake, but you can have their frosting. Remember this the next you go to a birthday party and scope out the room for the person scraping their frosting aside and just eating the cake. You’d really be doing them something of a public service, preventing them from wasting food and all. A noble lot, us frosting lovers.
However, I digress (I know, ya’ll are shocked). Fast forward three weeks after my cupcake class my dear cousin Lisa took a cake pops class at a craft store in her home town. I’d read about cake pops countless times, been intrigued by them and had every intention of trying them, I just hadn’t quite gotten around to it yet. Once Cousin conquered her class, I was more inspired than ever. We spent the next three days emailing and talking about cake pops. Really, three days and I’m not finished asking questions; Cousin is sending me her tip sheet from the class. If you haven’t met cake pops yet, they’re basically crumbled cake & frosting formed into balls, perched on a lollipop stick, dipped in melted candy coating and decorated in myriad ways, your own imagination is the only limitation with these little gems.
In a haze of butter cream and cake crumbs, it occurred to me that we shouldn’t limit this kind of fun to kids or classes, why not make it part of your next dinner party, barbeque or game night? Make your own cupcakes or pick up some undecorated from your supermarket bakery, same with the frosting. Visit the baking aisle, the candy aisle and the produce department for topping options. Stop by your local craft store or culinary shop for even more specialized toppings and treats. Your friends and family will love it, I promise. Frosting really is fun for all.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
So many recipes, so little time
I never cease to be amazed by people who say they make the same four or five meals over and over and over again. I am equally perplexed by people who say they can never think of what to cook. My friends, I have the exact opposite problem. There never seems to be enough hours in the day or days in the week to try all the recipes I want to try and to experiment with all the recipes already in my repertoire.
At this very moment, and in no particular order, I want to make:
• French Onion Soup. We love French onion soup in our house, but have never made it ourselves. Online recipe searching turned up many recipes with an extensive ingredients list including several items for which I would have no other use. Any recommendations on a recipe that provides amazing depth of flavor without having to buy out the liquor store to achieve that flavor would be greatly appreciated.
• Meatballs. I’m totally intrigued by the idea and have been know to crave them periodically, but have never made them. I was deeply scarred by several encounters with really bad (read: spongy and bland) meatballs in the 80s and haven’t yet fully recovered. This could very well explain my hesitancy in tackling them myself.
• Chocolate truffles…no explanation/justification necessary
• The Barefoot Contessa’s lemon cake (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-cake-recipe/index.html). I came across this recipe in a magazine many years ago and was immediately intrigued. A few years later I was delighted to learn the author of this recipe would be debuting a show on Food Network. The rest, as they say, is history.
• Lobster stuffed beef tenderloin, a recipe found in “Dining by Fireflies,” a cookbook from the Junior League of Charlotte. Two luxury ingredients rolled into one perfect entrée. I am certain it would be a showstopper and a crowd pleaser if I could just get around to making it.
• Chocolate strawberry tuxedos (we learned the technique on our recent cruise, now we have to attempt this stunt without a net or, in this case, without Chef Darcy on standby).
• Shrimp Scampi that tastes exactly like it does at Carrabba’s. Any ideas/inspiration/inside information would be appreciated beyond measure. This one truly confounds me, it seems to have all the standard scampi ingredients, but the taste is not like anything else I’ve ever had that called itself Scampi.
• Alton Brown’s Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Chops (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/slow-cooker-pepper-pork-chops-recipe/index.html). These are unbelievable and it’s been a couple of years since I’ve made this recipe (for no other reason than what the title of this post suggests.) When you try this, and you must, be kind to yourself and spin the leftovers into a Shepherd’s Pie. Trust me; you’ll be so very glad that you did.
Fellow foodies and cooks, this is just the short list of what’s on my mind at the moment, ask me again tomorrow and you may get a dozen different ideas. Have I said, so many recipes, so little time?
Is it just me? What about you guys? What are you craving/daydreaming about/contemplating for your next kitchen adventure? Do share; after all, that’s half the fun of cooking.
At this very moment, and in no particular order, I want to make:
• French Onion Soup. We love French onion soup in our house, but have never made it ourselves. Online recipe searching turned up many recipes with an extensive ingredients list including several items for which I would have no other use. Any recommendations on a recipe that provides amazing depth of flavor without having to buy out the liquor store to achieve that flavor would be greatly appreciated.
• Meatballs. I’m totally intrigued by the idea and have been know to crave them periodically, but have never made them. I was deeply scarred by several encounters with really bad (read: spongy and bland) meatballs in the 80s and haven’t yet fully recovered. This could very well explain my hesitancy in tackling them myself.
• Chocolate truffles…no explanation/justification necessary
• The Barefoot Contessa’s lemon cake (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-cake-recipe/index.html). I came across this recipe in a magazine many years ago and was immediately intrigued. A few years later I was delighted to learn the author of this recipe would be debuting a show on Food Network. The rest, as they say, is history.
• Lobster stuffed beef tenderloin, a recipe found in “Dining by Fireflies,” a cookbook from the Junior League of Charlotte. Two luxury ingredients rolled into one perfect entrée. I am certain it would be a showstopper and a crowd pleaser if I could just get around to making it.
• Chocolate strawberry tuxedos (we learned the technique on our recent cruise, now we have to attempt this stunt without a net or, in this case, without Chef Darcy on standby).
• Shrimp Scampi that tastes exactly like it does at Carrabba’s. Any ideas/inspiration/inside information would be appreciated beyond measure. This one truly confounds me, it seems to have all the standard scampi ingredients, but the taste is not like anything else I’ve ever had that called itself Scampi.
• Alton Brown’s Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Chops (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/slow-cooker-pepper-pork-chops-recipe/index.html). These are unbelievable and it’s been a couple of years since I’ve made this recipe (for no other reason than what the title of this post suggests.) When you try this, and you must, be kind to yourself and spin the leftovers into a Shepherd’s Pie. Trust me; you’ll be so very glad that you did.
Fellow foodies and cooks, this is just the short list of what’s on my mind at the moment, ask me again tomorrow and you may get a dozen different ideas. Have I said, so many recipes, so little time?
Is it just me? What about you guys? What are you craving/daydreaming about/contemplating for your next kitchen adventure? Do share; after all, that’s half the fun of cooking.
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