Another blog bites the dust. Such is life. not for any horrible reason, or really any reason at all. I just wasn't writing, so i"m putting the blog out of its misery. or my misery.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
"A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen" Masaharu Morimoto
Part two of the gifts that change the way I cook. And eat, come to think of it!
I can’t correctly carve a turkey – or any other fowl – for love nor money. When I’m done, the board looks like some feral animal stole a cooked turkey and went to town. And yet I recall Christmas dinners where dad had not just white meat sliced and in perfect order on the serving plate, but dark meat as well. Given a big enough turkey, you can carve slices off a thigh. And he did. And it was a thing of beauty.
I have tried carving watching a video of how to do it. I’ve tried with a step-by-step magazine open right in front of me. I think I even tried one year after talking to dad on the phone whilst the turkey was resting under foil. Nothing worked, and dad had a theory: my knives suck.
I figured that was a real possibility, as most of my knives were a sort of mish-mash of different things I’d picked up here and there. Here being Canadian Tire, there being Wal-Mart. And sometimes I’d grab something from a garage sale, or something a friend was getting rid of.
So I went to Home Hardware and bought a knife. And it helped. I did manage to get one or two nice looking slices, but that was it. And that was only after I’d take the breast off the bird altogether and sliced it that way. Very frustrating! Little did I know that all that was about to change.
Last year, at Christmas, The Boy bought me an entire set (minus a cleaver, which I have no use for) of Paderno knives, all housed in a bamboo butcher’s block. And The Man took them to a knife shop and had them sharpened. I’d never had that done before. The most I’d ever done was sharpen them at home with a weird curved device that was supposed to sharpen knives “more efficient that a professional”. Poor grammar aside, they should have said more efficiently and less effectively.
These knives have changed my life; I am purposely seeking out recipes that require lots of chopping, slicing and dicing. Soup, stew, Jambalaya, Shrimp Étoufée…if I get to use my new knives I am happy. I even went so far as to buy a Henkel knife ….wallet? Holder? Whatever the case thing is that lets your knives travel with you. I NEEDED it because I cook at the apartment with The Boy, but I also get to cook at the house with The Man. Not willing to risk hurting my knives, so they now have a proper travelling kit. Ok, maybe wanted it is more appropriate than needed. Still, it’s a great thing to have.
Have I carved a turkey yet? Nope, but I have a frozen roasting chicken that The Boy bought from the farm he gets eggs from. That thing might as well be a turkey, it is so big. And not from being force fed, or fed with growth hormones either. It pecked its way around a regular farmyard living a normal life. I figure if I’m going to be an omnivore I’d rather source my meat from something other than a factory farm. All I need now is someone to share a cow with me. And maybe a pig or two!
I can’t correctly carve a turkey – or any other fowl – for love nor money. When I’m done, the board looks like some feral animal stole a cooked turkey and went to town. And yet I recall Christmas dinners where dad had not just white meat sliced and in perfect order on the serving plate, but dark meat as well. Given a big enough turkey, you can carve slices off a thigh. And he did. And it was a thing of beauty.
I have tried carving watching a video of how to do it. I’ve tried with a step-by-step magazine open right in front of me. I think I even tried one year after talking to dad on the phone whilst the turkey was resting under foil. Nothing worked, and dad had a theory: my knives suck.
I figured that was a real possibility, as most of my knives were a sort of mish-mash of different things I’d picked up here and there. Here being Canadian Tire, there being Wal-Mart. And sometimes I’d grab something from a garage sale, or something a friend was getting rid of.
So I went to Home Hardware and bought a knife. And it helped. I did manage to get one or two nice looking slices, but that was it. And that was only after I’d take the breast off the bird altogether and sliced it that way. Very frustrating! Little did I know that all that was about to change.
Last year, at Christmas, The Boy bought me an entire set (minus a cleaver, which I have no use for) of Paderno knives, all housed in a bamboo butcher’s block. And The Man took them to a knife shop and had them sharpened. I’d never had that done before. The most I’d ever done was sharpen them at home with a weird curved device that was supposed to sharpen knives “more efficient that a professional”. Poor grammar aside, they should have said more efficiently and less effectively.
These knives have changed my life; I am purposely seeking out recipes that require lots of chopping, slicing and dicing. Soup, stew, Jambalaya, Shrimp Étoufée…if I get to use my new knives I am happy. I even went so far as to buy a Henkel knife ….wallet? Holder? Whatever the case thing is that lets your knives travel with you. I NEEDED it because I cook at the apartment with The Boy, but I also get to cook at the house with The Man. Not willing to risk hurting my knives, so they now have a proper travelling kit. Ok, maybe wanted it is more appropriate than needed. Still, it’s a great thing to have.
Have I carved a turkey yet? Nope, but I have a frozen roasting chicken that The Boy bought from the farm he gets eggs from. That thing might as well be a turkey, it is so big. And not from being force fed, or fed with growth hormones either. It pecked its way around a regular farmyard living a normal life. I figure if I’m going to be an omnivore I’d rather source my meat from something other than a factory farm. All I need now is someone to share a cow with me. And maybe a pig or two!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The Gratest Gift
Yes, I know, every gift our kids give us is perfect, wonderful, the best gift ever. But we all know the truth: kids are kids, and sometimes gifts just get…dusty.
Both kids have done exceedingly astoundingly well at times. The Girl once bought me a dress: not only does it fit, I really like it. It is something I would have chosen myself. Our styles are quite different, so I was pretty impressed. I don’t have that ability to look outside of what appeals to me and see what would work for someone else, but she has it in spades.
Today, however, I am going to talk to you about the first of two gifts – received years apart – from The Boy that changed my life.
Years ago – more than five, at least – he bought me a really good quality parmesan cheese grater. For reasons I no longer understand, at that time I didn’t buy actual Parmesan. It was either (I am having a hard time saying this, let alone believing I did this), the Kraft green cardboard container of grated something, or if I had the money a small tub of grated something. And this was despite baking for a deli, and having access to not just Parmesan but Asiago, Pecorino Romano and various other hard grating cheeses.
Having freshly grated good quality parmesan on good pasta was like being introduced to an entirely new type of food. It wasn’t merely pasta with poor quality cheese and then pasta with good quality cheese it was more the change that happens when you are older and you have your first home made Mac’n Cheese after a life time noodles from a box with powdered cheese.
The sharpness brought out flavours in the sauce I had made that I’d never noticed before. Its saltiness balanced the sweetness of the tomatoes. I think I even heard the pasta sing a little bit when the cheese floated onto it.
I still have that grater. And that baby is going with me when I get married: The Boy will have to get one of his own. In fact I think I will add to my parmesan grating tools. The grater I have makes quite fine shreds, which I love, but I’d like to be able to have something that grates a bit bigger. And a hard cheese shaver, to make those paper thin slices of parmesan that appear on really excellent quality Caesar Salads.
Now I’m off to buy ingredients for Serious Eats’ Mac n Cheese with black beans and chipotle.
Both kids have done exceedingly astoundingly well at times. The Girl once bought me a dress: not only does it fit, I really like it. It is something I would have chosen myself. Our styles are quite different, so I was pretty impressed. I don’t have that ability to look outside of what appeals to me and see what would work for someone else, but she has it in spades.
Today, however, I am going to talk to you about the first of two gifts – received years apart – from The Boy that changed my life.
Years ago – more than five, at least – he bought me a really good quality parmesan cheese grater. For reasons I no longer understand, at that time I didn’t buy actual Parmesan. It was either (I am having a hard time saying this, let alone believing I did this), the Kraft green cardboard container of grated something, or if I had the money a small tub of grated something. And this was despite baking for a deli, and having access to not just Parmesan but Asiago, Pecorino Romano and various other hard grating cheeses.
Having freshly grated good quality parmesan on good pasta was like being introduced to an entirely new type of food. It wasn’t merely pasta with poor quality cheese and then pasta with good quality cheese it was more the change that happens when you are older and you have your first home made Mac’n Cheese after a life time noodles from a box with powdered cheese.
The sharpness brought out flavours in the sauce I had made that I’d never noticed before. Its saltiness balanced the sweetness of the tomatoes. I think I even heard the pasta sing a little bit when the cheese floated onto it.
I still have that grater. And that baby is going with me when I get married: The Boy will have to get one of his own. In fact I think I will add to my parmesan grating tools. The grater I have makes quite fine shreds, which I love, but I’d like to be able to have something that grates a bit bigger. And a hard cheese shaver, to make those paper thin slices of parmesan that appear on really excellent quality Caesar Salads.
Now I’m off to buy ingredients for Serious Eats’ Mac n Cheese with black beans and chipotle.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Well, at least we ate together.
A bunch of us all had supper together on the weekend, and as it wasn't ready when he got there, The Boy ended up helping. He's quite the cook, as it happens. Anyway; he mentioned that he would like to have a supper where he and I cook together. Woot! Cooking, and with my baby. Two wonderful things in one.
A co-worker gave me some chemical-free smoked sausage, and I had a lot of fantastic stock from the remains of the previously mentioned family supper (The Boy bought four roaster chickens from some Hutterites. And let me tell you, they are truly roasters. They looked like small turkeys), so Jambalaya seemed like a good call.
I bought the shrimp and chicken and tomatoes (tomatoes because we were making creole, not cajun jambalaya) and various other things on the way home. And when I got home...The Boy was asleep. Drat.
I said I'd get the mise-en-place done, and then get him. I got a vague grunt in reply. When I was ready to start the cooking, I went and talked to him again. And again, he gave me a vague grunt. At least, I think it was him, as all I could see was a lumpy duvet. Not even a little shock of hair was showing.
I ended up making the meal on my own. Well, partly. I cooked on my own but I had intelligent and lively companionship as The Man was over for supper. He even ran next door for a package of buns when it became apparent the meal was going to be a wee bit hotter than I thought it would be! Too hot for me, in the end, but fine for both Man and Boy. Here's what it looked like, more or less:
The recipe:
1.5 pounds cubed chicken. I used thighs, for better flavour but breast meat would be fine.
1 pound uncooked, peeled deveinded shrimp
1 pound sliced smoked sausage. Andouille, Chorizo, Kilebasa, what ever you like to eat, and can deal with heat-wise.
3 cups stock. I used chicken, but I know some people use water. If you've bought unshelled shrimp and have all day long you could make stock from the shells once they're off. Or...just go buy stock. There are some good choices out there.
2 tins (7.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 onion, medium dice
1 stalk celery, medium dice
1 green pepper, medium dice
3 cloves garlic, fine dice
thyme, cayenne pepper, paprika, 1 tsp each.
2 Bay leaves
salt and pepper
1 cup rice
oil for browning
Brown the sliced sausage in the oil. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving oil and scrapings behind. Brown the chicken, with some salt and pepper and more oil if needed. Remove that too. Cook the onion, pepper and celery for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, cook an additional minute. Add the stock, tomatoes, rice, spices, meat and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for thirty minutes.
Add the shrimp, and let it poach until it is pink through, about ten minutes. SErve it up! I also added (to my regret) a pinch of pepper flakes. So if you want it too spicy for me but ok for most people do that too.
I still have some lovely stock left over, but with a storm on the way, I see a soupy weekend in my future!
A co-worker gave me some chemical-free smoked sausage, and I had a lot of fantastic stock from the remains of the previously mentioned family supper (The Boy bought four roaster chickens from some Hutterites. And let me tell you, they are truly roasters. They looked like small turkeys), so Jambalaya seemed like a good call.
I bought the shrimp and chicken and tomatoes (tomatoes because we were making creole, not cajun jambalaya) and various other things on the way home. And when I got home...The Boy was asleep. Drat.
I said I'd get the mise-en-place done, and then get him. I got a vague grunt in reply. When I was ready to start the cooking, I went and talked to him again. And again, he gave me a vague grunt. At least, I think it was him, as all I could see was a lumpy duvet. Not even a little shock of hair was showing.
I ended up making the meal on my own. Well, partly. I cooked on my own but I had intelligent and lively companionship as The Man was over for supper. He even ran next door for a package of buns when it became apparent the meal was going to be a wee bit hotter than I thought it would be! Too hot for me, in the end, but fine for both Man and Boy. Here's what it looked like, more or less:
The recipe:
1.5 pounds cubed chicken. I used thighs, for better flavour but breast meat would be fine.
1 pound uncooked, peeled deveinded shrimp
1 pound sliced smoked sausage. Andouille, Chorizo, Kilebasa, what ever you like to eat, and can deal with heat-wise.
3 cups stock. I used chicken, but I know some people use water. If you've bought unshelled shrimp and have all day long you could make stock from the shells once they're off. Or...just go buy stock. There are some good choices out there.
2 tins (7.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 onion, medium dice
1 stalk celery, medium dice
1 green pepper, medium dice
3 cloves garlic, fine dice
thyme, cayenne pepper, paprika, 1 tsp each.
2 Bay leaves
salt and pepper
1 cup rice
oil for browning
Brown the sliced sausage in the oil. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving oil and scrapings behind. Brown the chicken, with some salt and pepper and more oil if needed. Remove that too. Cook the onion, pepper and celery for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, cook an additional minute. Add the stock, tomatoes, rice, spices, meat and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for thirty minutes.
Add the shrimp, and let it poach until it is pink through, about ten minutes. SErve it up! I also added (to my regret) a pinch of pepper flakes. So if you want it too spicy for me but ok for most people do that too.
I still have some lovely stock left over, but with a storm on the way, I see a soupy weekend in my future!
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