gingerbread: fail

*sigh*


like a lot of other people, i was really excited and quickly disappointed by "babycakes" cookbook. great photos, crazy celebrity endorsement, fantastic-sounding recipes... which just don't work. maybe they work only if you have a $700 kitchenaid? or pamela anderson in the kitchen?


apologies for the snark. the point is that i (and a million others) with considerable baking experience have not been able to make these recipes (fully of expensive specialty ingredients) work.


anyway. the gingerbread was ok; turned out very wet (still liquid after +10 minutes on cooking time +extra 30 minutes), and needed to be baked in a dry frying pan or sandwich press prior to serving. serve with butter and honey.


don't get me started on the frosting. #^&$?%!!!!!!!!!


*end grumps*

cynara scolymus

"...scale by scale,

we strip off

the delicacy

and eat

the peaceful mush

of its green heart..."

"we taste of that sweetness,

dismembering scale after scale.
we eat of a halcyon paste:
it is green at the artichoke"

"leaf by leaf
we unsheathe
its delights
and eat
the peaceable flesh
of its green heart"

part of pablo neruda's "ode to an artichoke", translated in different ways

trim stalks to 1cm beneath the bulb. boil upright in salted water for approx 30 minutes, or until heart is tender (you may need to re-boil to achieve this without overcooking them the first time). serve with vinaigrette or bechamel.


mona caron's amazing mural in san fransisco

strawberry jam

an unexpected abundance of strawberries led me to the unthinkable: jam.

i can't believe that i've had this opportunity; cooking strawberries, to me, has always been luxury verging on impossibility. i have not used as much sugar as is usually recommended, which means that it may not keep for long (as though that was really a concern...). if you want a thicker jam, increase sugar to 800g, and/or add pectin.

also, i don't fully sterilise (only sit my jars in boiled water for a few minutes), nor do i seal (but i do store in the fridge until and after opening). the peach and fig jams i made in march are still fine: no mould or other spoilage so far.

1kg strawberries, rinsed and leaves cut off

2 small green apples

400-500g raw sugar

1 lemon, juice and pips

cut strawberries into halves, place in large saucepan. thickly peel the apples, remove cores and wrap peel, lemon pips and core in muslin. tie muslin closed securely and place in pan with apple cut into large chunks. cook over low heat for 30 minutes. add lemon juice and sugar, cook for a further 10 minutes, or until jam sets on the back of a spoon. mash with a potato masher, or blend with a stab mixer.

i also made a smaller batch with xylitol (400g strawberries, 2/3c xylitol, 1 apple, 1 lemon juice and pips). it tastes 95% as good as the sugar batch, but is not as gelled.

loulou wins mushrooms!

these wontons ROCK! 

visit www.fungi.net for more mushroomy information

flowers for paula

here are the rosebud and rose in bloom crocheted hair clips i made for my lovely workmate paula :)

you can find the rose[bud] tutorial on youtube here, but it goes pretty fast and makes a much larger flower; experiment with the number of initial chain stitches to make a smaller flower or bud.

http://www.yates.com.au/vegie-challenge/spring-vegie-challenge/gardeners/louloumakes

bliss balls

1.5c pitted dates

.5c sultanas

.5c almonds, soaked overnight (this is my health preference, but is optional)

2tbs coconut oil, melted

3tbs cocoa

.75c dessicated coconut

1tbs coconut flour

process half the dates and half the almonds in a food processor. gradually add in the rest of the ingredients, and pulse until combined (the almonds will be about the size of sesame seeds). roll into balls and refrigerate; makes approx 20.

D thought these were chocolate truffles, and ate four before being told they contained dried fruit :) :)

bliss balls are forgiving to make, and infinitely variable: substitute in some portion of tahini; sesame, sunflower or poppy seeds; dried apples or cranberries...

bolivian birthday bestowances from my brotherette

thanks lu :)