The Five Senses

Anytime you eat, you are not only using your sense of taste, but every other one of your senses as well.

     Many people say that you eat with your eyes first. This means that before you actually taste the food, or in some cases even smell the food, you can see the food, and your brain uses your sense of sight to determine how the food will taste. This means that if the food looks nice and is presented appetizingly, you are more likely to enjoy the taste of it because it looks as if it will taste good and also because you have already developed a positive attitude toward that food. This is why restaurants and catering businesses are so big on presentation. You may only be getting a tiny bit of food, which is especially the case in gourmet restaurants, but if it looks really nice, you are more likely to be satisfied with it. You may also notice that on the packages of products, the picture on the front always looks really nice and appetizing (and rarely ever looks very much like what you actually get in the package). This is to make the product seem more visually appealing so you will buy it. Often you may notice the words, "Enlarged to show texture" in fine print on the front of food packages. This is again to make the food product look bigger, better, and essentially tastier. Let's talk about beans. If you simply dump a spoonful of steamed green beans on a plate in a pile, they don't really look that appetizing. Sure, they are perfectly edible, and probably many people would like them, but they are not very visually appealing. Now, if you meticulously arranged several green beans in a strategic pattern on the plate, placed a sprig of parsley on the side, sprinkled some toasted, slivered almonds on top, and decorated the rest of the plate artfully with a little salad dressing, the beans will look a lot prettier, and you will probably feel more compelled to eat them. It's as simple as that. Even food that we already know are tasty, such as chocolate pudding, really benefit from nice presentation. If you place some pudding in a small white bowl, then it looks like, well, a blob of chocolate pudding. However, if you place the pudding in a fancy goblet, add a mint leave or a chocolate filigree figure on the side, and top it with a swirl of whipped cream and a few berries, then it will look fancier, prettier, and tastier (even if you actually get less pudding in the end).

     Smell is another important sense when it comes to cooking, baking, and eating. It is said that half of what you eat is actually what you smell. Your sense of smell greatly contributes to your sense of taste. Without your nose, you would not be able to taste half as much as you do. Often the aromas of food cooking reaches our noses before our eyes, and always before it reaches our mouths. We smell food before we eat it, and if it smells good it is likely to taste good. Sometimes even if food does not look so appealing, it will still taste good. And you could be blindfolded and still thoroughly enjoy the taste of a food. However, this is rarely the case with smell. If a food does not smell good, it is not likely to taste good because smell is directly related to taste.

     There are two more senses, of course: hearing and touch. We don't really hear food, we may hear it being prepared, which may affect what we think of the taste of it a bit. We may hear the whir of a blender, and the sound of an electric mixer, but these sounds could be associated with a variety of different foods, and therefore do not really affect our taste. However, the sounds of a slaughterhouse may turn off our taste for meat. Touch does affect our sense of taste somewhat, particularly feel. We touch some foods before we eat them, but many we eat with a fork and knife or a spoon, and don't directly touch them. The feel of foods on our tongues definitely affects what we think of the foods. Foods must have a pleasant texture and mouth-feel, they can't be slimy or mushy. For example, cakes should be fairly light and fluffy with a soft texture. A heavy, leaden cake may taste fine, but it isn't very pleasant to eat. We all know that an apple that feels firm and crisp will likely taste much better than an apple that is soft and mushy.

In conclusion, all of our five senses do have an effect on the taste of foods and how much we like them. 

Birthday Treats

Well, I've kind of been going on about my birthday for several days now, but I just can't help it. I absolutely love birthdays, they only come to you once a year, and you should celebrate every one, because it marks another great year of your life! Birthdays are very special, and everyone deserves a little special treatment on their birthday. I certainly felt spoiled yesterday! I had an awesome day, with a whole lot of food to celebrate. I cannot remember the last time I ate that much, or I guess just that much junk and sweets in particular. 
My day started with a normal healthy breakfast. Followed by a few homemade chocolate peanut butter cups a dear friend made for me because I made her a batch of chocolate fudge for her birthday. Her batch made twenty-five, but I did share (a few of them). I munched on those all throughout the day. Another great friend of mine made a nice batch of iced sugar cookies. This friend actually has the same birthday as me. We shared those cookies too, but after sharing, there were three cookies left, so we each had a second than she gave me the final one! I then attempted to eat a normal lunch, which was not easy with a belly full of sweets. For supper I went out to eat with  my family. Don't you just love it when restaurants let you eat free on your birthday? I had a panzerotti and a garden salad (I needed something healthy of course). I also had chocolate milk. And for dessert, we split one of those cookie skillets I mentioned in a previous post. And we also had my awesome birthday cake when we got home. 
Well, you know the saying "You only live once". I have replaced that with "You only turn (insert age here) once". On your birthday, you certainly deserve some treats!

PHOTO CREDIT:"happy_birthday1.png" http://simplyizzy.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/happy-birthday-to-me-simply-izzy/  .Simply Izzy, n.d. Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Jungle Cake

Here is my amazing and adorable birthday cake!!!! I really like it, and I am extremely pleased with the way it turned out. Of course I can't take all (or even most) of the credit for it, as I only helped to make part of it. This was how the agreement went: I was looking through my Cake Boss book and came across the jungle cake once again. I gushed over how cute it was, and how I wanted it for my birthday cake (half jokingly). My boyfriend was there at the time, and I jokingly asked him to make it for me (since I had made a birthday cake for him). He didn't really agree, but didn't say no either, so I took that as a yes. As my birthday came closer, we agreed that we would make the cake together, because he had no experience in cake making or decorating, plus I really wanted to at least help make my own birthday cake, and I was really excited to attempt that jungle cake - it looked like a lot of fun to make! Decorating cakes with someone else is really fun - it gets the job done faster, it makes work easier, it is more fun, you have two opinions instead of one, AND you can make the other person do all of the jobs you don't want to (haha, just kidding - partially). Anyway, my boyfriend and I decorated the cake together, and it went really well. And for someone who claims to have no cake decorating experience, he is pretty good with a piping bag, and icing spatula, and candy clay.

Here is how the cake process went: I baked two chocolate cakes early in the morning; one 9-inch round and one 6-inch round. I used one springform pan and one ovenproof bowl I forgot I had (it is oven safe up to 425◦F - so convenient!). I used my standard chocolate cake recipe that I always use, it makes a two layer size, so I multiplied the recipe by 1 1/2 because I wanted really high cakes. This worked out well. Once the cakes were cool, I wrapped them and froze them for about 1-2 hours, because the Cake Boss states in his book that freezing a freshly baked cake for a short amount of time is one of the best things you can do. It makes cutting the cakes a lot easier. Both cakes were cut in half horizontally and filled with chocolate fudge frosting. It also makes less crumbs when you try to ice the cakes, and eliminates the need for a crumb coat or dirty icing.
Once the cakes were cut, filled, iced, and stacked, the fun part began! We started with the waterfall, outlining the shape with a toothpick and piping waves and filling it in with blue buttercream and a neat crescent-shaped tip. Then I added a green border using my new leaf tip around both of the cakes.Then we piped some trees using leftover fudge filling and the other side of a basketweave tip, and green icing and another crescent tip. We added grass using my new grass tip, and grey rocks, using a sandwich bag with a small hole cut out, because I ran out of piping bags and didn't want to empty the others to wash them. We added a "Happy Birthday Rebecca! :) " at the base of the cake (as you may be able to tell, there are two distinct penmenships there). My boyfriend made the animals almost completely himself using yellow and brown candy clay. I only added a few finishing touchings (mainly the faces). Although Cake Boss uses fancy edible pens and whatnot for the animal's faces, we only used candy clay and a little buttercream for the lion's mane (with my new grass tip). The book featured a giraffe, lion, monkey, elephant, hippo, and zebra, but we stuck to three animals to keep it quicker and easier. Plus, we only had two colors of candy clay to work with.

I am extremely happy and impressed with my birthday cake! I don't really want to chose favorites, but let's just say this birthday cake would definitely be up there as one of my best ever. It was a lot of fun to make (in my opinion), and I don't think it was as difficult as it appeared in the book (only making half of the animals certainly helped that). The hardest part was cutting it! It may not look quite as impressive as the version in Cake Boss, but I know that this cake was made with a lot of pride, care, and love. I guarantee this cake picture is not at all photoshopped (the one in Cake Boss may or may not be). It is also incredibly delicious. It is made from my favorite chocolate cake recipe, a delicious chocolate fudge filling, and my signature buttercream. I much prefer to use buttercream, even though Cake Boss used fondant. I am really happy with my birthday cake this year, and I would like to thank my amazing boyfriend for making it. (I also want to thank my parents for putting up with the mess in the house afterwards.) 
Happy Birthday To Me! :)

Candy Clay

This year for my birthday cake, I came up with a bit of a compromise (in other words, a sneaky way for me to be able to make at least part of my own cake). I found the idea in my Cake Boss book "Baking With The Cake Boss" and I fell in love with it immediately. I think it is the most adorable cake in the book and it was just so darn cute I had to have it! It is a two-tiered jungle-themed cake that features a waterfall, trees, grass, leaves, rocks, and cute little jungle animals made out of modelling chocolate. The book also states that it is the most ambitious cake in the book, but I didn't let that daunt me. I still don't believe this, as most of the cakes use a lot on fondant or gum paste, or fancy shaped flowers. I think what makes this cake the most difficult are all of the jungle animals that are on it - but they aren't particularly difficult when you use modelling chocolate, or in my case a close substitute, candy clay. Also, there is no reason the cake needs to have all six animals featured on it, there are only three featured on my cake, and that is plenty. Just choose the easiest ones to make or the cutest looking ones or the ones you have the right color modelling chocolate for. Anyway, I did get this cake for my birthday, but my birthday is not until tomorrow, so I will feature the cake then and fill you in on all of the details. For now though, I will share with you a recipe for candy clay, which is very much like it sounds - candy that is just like working with clay but completely edible. It also must be made the day before you use it. It is similar to modeling chocolate and gum paste, but much easier to make and work with. You use it just like you would regular clay, and then you can eat it. It certainly isn't the tastiest thing in the world, as it is mainly just sugar and artificial flavor, so I mainly use it for presentation (and the animals on my jungle cake are way too cute to eat). The candy clay is a bit chewy, very sweet, and doesn't have the best flavor, but I do like it a bit more than I like fondant. I found the recipe at wilton.com, the ultimate site for cake decorating. It is incredibly easy and quick.

Candy Clay
1 package (14 ounces/340-397 grams) Wilton Candy Melts* (any color or flavor)
NOTE: If using white candy melts, any color food coloring may be added after melting (or can be kneaded in later for several different colors.
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Melt the Candy Melts according to package directions. Stir in the corn syrup. Turn mixture onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet (about 1/4 inch thick) and leave overnight to dry. Once dry, wrap well and store at room temperature until needed. Will last several weeks.
To use: Briefly knead small portions of candy clay at a time until soft enough to use. Shape into desired shapes. If candy clay becomes very soft, set it aside briefly until it hardens slightly. Ideas for candy clay flowers, animals, etc. can be found at wilton.com.

*Wilton Candy Melts are small candies, almost like chocolate chips, that come in a wide variety of different colors and are easily meltable. They are mainly used for candy making. They are found in two main flavors: artificial vanilla and chocolate. They can be found wherever Wilton products are sold.

“Candy Clay.”  http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Candy-Clay-1 . Wilton, n.d. Saturday, June 2, 2012.

Birthday Cake For Me

Being the avid baker and cake decorator that I am, I am usually the one who makes celebration cakes in the house. So naturally, I wanted to make my own birthday cake too. In the past, my parents have always made me amazing birthday cakes in the design of whatever I asked for (within reason). I can remember most of the cakes I had when I was younger, and they were all very beautifully decorated and equally as tasty! 
     For my first birthday (I don't actually remember this one, but I have seen pictures), I had a cake shaped like a number one, which was simply a rectangular cake with some pieces cut out. For my third birthday, I had a cake shaped like a teddy bear (it was cut from a 9x13-inch rectangular cake). For my sixth birthday I had a butterfly cake, which was a double layer round cake cut in half, the halves turned outward, with Oreo cookies placed in the middle for the body of the butterfly. Then it was decorated with very colorful candies and piping details. For my eighth birthday, I asked for a flower cake, which was very simple but very pretty. My parents baked an eight inch round cake and twelve cupcakes. They decorated the round cake with yellow icing and the cupcakes with pink icing and arranged the cupcakes around the cake to make a flower. Then everyone at the party got to eat their own cupcake. For my twelfth birthday, my dad made me a cake shaped like a cat. I believe I found this idea in a cake book at my school library, and it was all cut out from two round cakes. It was very cute. I cannot remember the exact ages, but I also remember a beach party cake, where a 9x13 inch cake was iced half in blue icing, sprinkled with brown sugar for sand, and decorated with Teddy Grahams in Life Saver flotation devices. My brother also got a cake with Teddy Grahams once, but his was based at a baseball field. I also remember a Spongebob Squarepants cake for my brother, which was very well done. And I helped my parents make a tennis racket cake for my brother too. And how could I forget my i-pod cakes? Little rectangular cakes decorated in different colors to look like i-pods with licorice and marshmallows for the headphones. My parents were always good to us, and usually made us two birthday cakes - an extravagant one for our birthday parties, and a simpler one for the family at home. 
     I myself have made a Mickey Mouse cake, a monkey cake, Christmas cupcakes, jungle cupcakes, flower cupcakes, Halloween cakes, bunny cakes, hamburger cupcakes, a witch cake, a shirt and tie cake, a three-tiered cake, one fondant cake, a Minecraft cake, and a twenty-one cake, among others. So last year I was convinced I would make my own birthday cake. My parents said no, that wasn't right, that they would make my cake. Then they asked me what I wanted this year. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted, so I asked for a surprise, as long as the cake was not store-bought, from a box, or used canned frosting. They tried to scare me, making comments about needing to buy more spinach, or beets, or boxed cake mixes for my cake. In the end, the cake turned out fabulous! They made a brown sugar pound cake, which I would have never thought of, but I love brown sugar so it was perfect - very sweet and very good! They iced it pretty simply with vanilla icing, and piped a few simple flowers on the side (all using the tools in my cake decorating kit, of course). It was very pretty and delicious. Here is a picture of it.

Chocolate Overload Cookie Bars

Chocolate Overload Cookie Bars
CRUST
1 1/3 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or hard margarine, softened
FILLING
2 packages (8 ounces/250 grams each) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup granulated (white) sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

CRUST: Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, and sugar. Cut in the butter until well blended. Spread mixture into bottom of prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. (This can also be done in a food processor using a steel blade).
FILLING: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise (this can be done by hand, but is easier with an electric mixer). Gradually add the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the melted chocolate, then the vanilla. Pour this over the crust (it does not have to be cooled). Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

This recipe comes from one of my mystery novels that cleverly incorporates food and recipes into all of the murders (the detective owns her own bakery). This may sound strange, but these books are really good, and all of the recipes I have made have turned out amazing. These bars are just like a chocolate cheesecake, they are very rich and soft in texture. I really liked the crust, it was firm enough to easily support the bars, but not hard, and I liked how it was chocolate too. The addition of mayonnaise makes the bars richer and smoother, and you can't taste it, it would be similar to adding sour cream to a cheesecake. I have even heard of adding mayonnaise to cakes and banana bread for moistness. These bars are great served just as is, but a sprinkling of icing sugar, a dollop of fresh whipped cream, or a few berries would make nice toppings. Nothing too rich or sweet, as it will overpower the bars. As much as I love chocolate, drizzling chocolate sauce over these bars would just be a bit too much.

Fluke, Joanne. "Chocolate Overload Cookie Bars." Recipe. Peach Cobbler Murder, New York: Kensington, 2005. 357-358.

Coffee Cake Muffins

Today my mother made some coffee cake muffins. I have made them a few times before myself, and I think I even used the recipe she used today, but I cannot remember for sure. This recipe is from Company's Coming "Muffins and More". Coffee cake muffins are just as they sound - muffins that are like coffee cake. It is just a basic, plain muffin batter with a brown sugar and cinnamon filling in the middle. There are numerous different recipes for coffee cake muffins, but they are all basically the same. Although some recipes sprinkle the filling just on top, or in the middle and on top (much like a coffee cake itself), this recipe just calls for the filling in the middle of the muffin. This recipe states to ensure the filling is completely covered. While doing this, somehow my mother managed to have leftover filling, so she did end up sprinkling it on top of some of the muffins. That's why some muffins look different than others in the picture. The filling did not burn or anything, and was actually quite nice on top of the muffins. Most coffee cake fillings are mostly made up of brown sugar, some butter, a hint of cinnamon, and sometimes flour and/or chopped nuts. This recipe does not have any butter in it, which I think would be a very welcome addition. Coffee cake muffins are nice, but a bit plain and dry. In order to have really good coffee cake muffins, sour cream our yogurt should be used in the batter for additional moistness, and the addition of raisins, chopped apples, or nuts adds some more flavor.

Coffee Cake Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or hard margarine
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
STREUSEL
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

STREUSEL Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400◦F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease them. 
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.
In a separate medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and egg. Add the milk and vanilla. Pour into well and stir until just moistened.
Fill each muffin cup 1/3 full. Sprinkle each with some of the streusel, then top with remaining batter (fill the cups 2/3 full). Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
The recipe yields 12 muffins, which we barely got - they are quite small. Also, be careful not to overbake the muffins.

Paré, Jean. "Coffee Cake Muffins." Recipe. Muffins & More, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1983. 15.

Fudge Brownie Pie

Here is a very simple and quick but excellent dessert. It can easily be whipped up in a flash with ingredients on hand, and can be served as is, or dressed up in a number of ways for a fancier dessert. It is also delicious, and a popular dessert for chocolate lovers.

Try serving it with ice cream and a cherry, whipped cream and chocolate swirls, or hot fudge sauce. Even if you serve it plain, it will be divine!

Fudge Brownie Pie

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or hard margarine, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Lightly grease an 8-inch pie plate.

Beat eggs in medium bowl; blend in sugar and butter. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; add to butter mixture. Stir in vanilla and nuts, if desired. Pour into prepared pie plate.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until almost set. (Pie will not test done in center.) Cool; cut into wedges. 

West Side Publishing. "Fudge Brownie Pie." Recipe. Hershey's Classic Recipes, Lincolnwood Illinois: Publications International, Limited, 2009. 331.

Classic Culinary Combinations

Some foods just go together so well. I am sure you have heard the expressions: it's like peanut butter without jelly,  you are the milk to my cereal, or they go together like milk and cookies. Here is a list of some of the most popular and tasty food pairings.

peanut butter and jelly cereal and milk chocolate and peanut butter apples and cinnamon caramel and chocolate caramel and apple bread and butter biscuits and jam milk and cookies soup and crackers ham and pineapple cherries and chocolate peanut butter and apple pork and beans stir-fry and rice pasta and sauce pizza and garlic fingers cheese and crackers fruit and nuts pie and ice cream

honey and yogurt fish and chips burger and fries mushrooms and onions soup and sandwich coffee and donuts tea and scones cinnamon and sugar ginger and orange chocolate and mint nachos and cheese chips and dip veggies and hummus yogurt, granola and fruit bacon and eggs ketchup and fries cake and icing bangers and mash, marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers

There are probably hundreds more of them, but these are the first ones that came to mind.

Parmesan Cheese Shortage

A magnitude six earthquake hit northern Italy last week. I know what you're thinking: isn't this a food blog? Well, the earthquake hit the area of Italy famous for producing the special Parmesan cheese Italians are so fond of. Some of the worst damage was done to Italy's agricultural areas where Parmesan cheese is produced. Many huge wheels of the special cheese were damaged and ruined in the shake. What does this mean? It means there is now a shortage of Parmesan cheese in Italy. Cheese that has been produced within the past little while is now ruined, and it may take a while for repairs to be made to the production sites before they are up and running again. Meanwhile, Parmesan cheese, a gourmet treat to begin with, will become even more pricey. It may even become a rare find in stores now. I am talking about the authentic Parmesan cheese imported from Italy. Imitation Parmesan just will not do (once you've had the real thing, anyway). I am not a huge fan of Parmesan cheese myself, but I do agree that it makes a nice addition to pasta dishes, soups, sauces, and pizzas. Many Italian families use Parmesan cheese as an addition to their pastas, pizzas, and salads everyday. My grandmother buys real good Parmesan cheese in bulk, and always gives a portion of it to our family. We keep it in the freezer and take it out as needed. It comes in a huge block, and we cut off pieces and finely grate it. Mostly we use it on pasta. I remember when I was younger, my grandmother always made sure we were extremely cautious around the bowl of Parmesan cheese because it was so expensive, and she did not want us to waste any of it. Because it was ingrained into our heads from a young age that the stuff was a real treat, we still use it quite gingerly. In fact, today she actually encourages us to use more. That might change now with the current situation.

PHOTO CREDIT:"Parmesan-Cheese1.jpg"  http://howisitmade.org/how-is-parmesan-cheese-made/ . How Is It Made?, n.d. Monday, May 28, 2012.

Black Bottom Slice

I had a yearning to make chocolate squares, so I looked in the Company's Coming "150 Delicious Squares" cookbook, which was sure to have something. I have already made the majority of the squares in that book, especially the chocolate ones, but I managed to find one recipe I had never made before. It is called Black Bottom Slice. It begins with a chocolate shortbread crust, a coconut filling, and a chocolate icing. Sounded simple and quick enough, so I whipped up a batch. The squares do not take long to cool, and I was able to frost them within an hour after they came out of the oven. I put them in the refrigerator overnight to set, and easily cut them the next morning. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge though, they get a little hard, and are better at room temperature. They have a nice chocolate flavor, and a lovely layer of coconut. Even if you are not a coconut fan, you will probably enjoy these squares.

Black Bottom Slice
CRUST
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold butter or hard margarine, cut into small pieces
FILLING
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
ICING
1 1/4 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons butter or hard margarine, melted
5 teaspoons hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper, if desired, but do not grease the pan.
CRUST: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and crumble together. Press firmly into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
FILLING: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over hot crust. Bake 30 minutes. Cool.
ICING: In a small bowl, beat all ingredients together. Spread over cooled squares.

Paré, Jean. "Black Bottom Slice." Recipe. 150 Delicious Squares, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1981. 51.

Dad's Waffles

Just like we sometimes have pancakes for supper, we occasionally have waffles for supper (or lunch) as well. My mother seems to hold the title of pancake master while my father owns the title of waffle master. My father doesn't make waffles too often, maybe once or twice a month if we are lucky, but when he does, he really seems to take a lot of pride in making them. He carefully measures out the ingredients and gently mixes up the batter. Then he cooks the waffles - two at a time - in our standard waffle maker. It's just a simple one that makes two square waffles at once - not a fancy shape or Belgian waffle maker or anything. He also tailors the waffles to suit our own personal tastes - whether we like them extra crispy, or slightly soft, or fresh from the maker, or from the oven. And we all put whatever topping we like on our waffles - butter, syrup, yogurt, applesauce, peanut butter, honey, fresh fruit, cinnamon, etc. We like to enjoy these waffles with pan-fried ham and scrambled eggs, or sometimes a bowl of cereal, or sometimes just waffles alone!

Irish Soda Loaf Bread

I made a quick whole wheat Irish Soda Loaf Bread in order to replenish my continuous stash of homemade whole wheat bread I keep on hand in the freezer. Generally, Irish Soda Bread is thought of as a round loaf bread, almost like a scone. It is usually a quick-rise bread (which means no yeast is used and no rising or proofing times are needed), with the signature "X" cut in the middle. Often this bread is hearty, so it contains whole wheat flour, and/or oats, bran, and wheat germ. Often raisins or currants are added for more flavor and texture. The real thing that makes it a signature Irish soda bread is the buttermilk in it. Because the bread uses buttermilk, baking soda must be used instead of baking powder in order to react with the acidity of the buttermilk. That is where Irish Soda Bread gets its name. This bread I made is not a traditional Irish Soda bread, because of its shape and preparation method. This bread did not need to be kneaded or shaped, just mixed up and placed in a loaf pan. It is incredibly quick and easy.

Irish Soda Loaf Bread
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup cooking oil

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients and make a well in the center. Pour the milk and oil into the well, stir until just moistened. Spread into prepared pan and bake for about an hour. Remove from pan and cool.

I used all whole wheat flour and no all-purpose, but I replaced a small portion of the flour with ground flax seed. I also added some pumpkin seeds to the batter for crunch. I made my own buttermilk by placing a little more than two tablespoons of white vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and adding enough milk to make 2 1/3 cups. I let it sit for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened. This recipe comes from Company's Coming "Holiday Entertaining".

Paré, Jean. "Irish Soda Brown Bread." Recipe. Holiday Entertaining, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1989. 43.

F is for Food

Here is another one of my alphabet posts, where I list as many different foods as I can think of that start with a certain letter. Today I will do the letter F. Again, these are coming strictly from my head, I won't include any brand names, and I won't list every individual type. For example, a cookie is a cookie, I will not then proceed to list chocolate chip cookie, coconut cookie, cream-filled cookie, etc. F will probably be a fairly short list, just like E was, but we will see.

• Fish, Flax, French fries, French Toast, French Onion Soup, Fruit, Figs, Fava beans
• Fiddleheads, Fudge, Fondue, Fricasse, Flambee, Farfelle, Fettuccini, Fusili 
• Farina, Flan, Frittata, Fajitas,Five Spice, Frosting, Frozen Yogurt, Filberts
• French Vanilla Ice Cream, Finger Food, Fillets, Fritters, Fruitcake, Filling
• Fudgeicles, Fried Rice, Flounder, Filet Mignon, Flapjacks, Fruit Salad, 
• Frankfurters, Falafel, Fontina, Feta Fennel, Frogs Legs, Flatbread, Flour Tortilla

Surprisingly there are a lot of foods that begin with the letter F!

PHOTO CREDIT:"Letter-F-.jpeg" http://sharonhamiltonauthor.blogspot.ca/2012/04/f-is-for-falling-in-love.html. Sharon Hamilton, n.d. Thursday, May 24, 2012.

Lobster

It is now officially lobster season, with fresh lobster being brought in everyday from the nearby ocean! We enjoyed some fresh lobster for supper tonight. I am nowhere near a lobster expert, in fact, I only recently began liking lobster (I used to not like any fish at all, now I absolutely love most kinds of fish!) I guess there aren't too many different ways to enjoy fresh, cooked lobster - plain and simple is best. Lobster meat is so tasty (and expensive) it really only needs a little adornment for flavor. Of course, lobster meat can also be used in a variety of dishes. It makes a delicious addition to hors d'oeuvres sandwiches, and chowders if you can afford it, but it is also nice to enjoy lobster just as is. We usually eat our lobster cold, as my father will cook them in a large pot of boiling water, cool them, painstakingly shell them, then put the meat in the fridge for later. Shelling lobster is by far the most difficult, time-consuming, and annoying part of all, and I am glad I never have to end up doing it. Lobster is definitely worth all the trouble though. I find that this one small crustacean has several different flavors. The big claw meat is my favorite part, I find the tails taste good but are a bit too chewy for my liking. The little claws are also fairly good, but a bit of a hassle to open for the amount of meat you get from them. I am not really a fan of the tomalley, which many people consider the best part. Lobster is a flavorful and filling fish, and is best enjoyed with just a few light side dishes. Coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, garden salad, mashed potatoes, and rolls are all good choices. Lobster meat doesn't really need any seasoning at all, but a touch of salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, or tarter sauce can all add a little flavor.

Giant Cookie On A Skillet

Yesterday I went to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch. Since that is the restaurant I visit the most often, I am quite familiar with the menu, and have already tried many of the items on the menu. I had a delicious panzerotti for lunch, which is basically an enclosed pizza. This is a pizza restaurant, and actually it is my favorite pizza aside from homemade. I wanted a little something different, so I opted for the panzerotti. Of course the panzerotti was delicious, with a perfect sauce, a nice crust, and an excellent filling (you can choose your filling ingredients).  However, the restaurant recently introduced a new dessert, and that is what I was looking forward to the most. For awhile now, this restaurant has always had a dessert called the "Brownie Skillet", which I thought was one of the best dessert inventions ever. Basically, you take a chocolate brownie, cook it on a skillet, then top it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. It gets delivered to the table, right on the skillet, piping hot. Sounds simple, but it is so genius. Now they have come up with a new creation: a cookie skillet. It is a giant (and I mean GIANT) chocolate chip and chunk cookie, the biggest I have ever seen, cooked on a skillet, then topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. It is absolute heaven. And totally worth it (it's actually very reasonably priced in my opinion). The only complaint I have, is I would have preferred no whipped cream (not a huge fan), and double (or triple) the chocolate sauce (a huge chocolate fan). Other than that though, it was absolutely delicious, and I would definitely get it again. The menu states it as being "Delightfully Craveable" and the caption sums it all up very nicely, "Where have you been all my life?" Who knows, I might even try making it at home myself some day, and experiment with different kinds of cookies! Also: this divine dessert is waaaayy better than it looks. I don't think any picture could ever do it enough justice. You will just have to experience it for yourself!

PHOTO CREDIT:"PD2012_Web Dessert Menu (1)" http://www.pizzadelight.com/5-desserts-menu.html.Pizza Delight, n.d. Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

Nonna's Tea Biscuits

These are the absolute delicious and irreplaceable tea biscuits my grandmother is famous for making. I don't know how she can make them so perfect each time, but she does. I have tried making them myself using her recipe, and they were good, just not the same (maybe she held back on a secret ingredient). Every time I visit her or she visits me, my grandmother always has a stash of these tea biscuits. She also seems to have an endless supply of them stored in her freezer for when she doesn't have time to make them fresh. Typically, everyone in the family loves to have them for breakfast. Most of us heat them up in the microwave and enjoy them warm with a little butter, but they are also good with jam, honey, and peanut butter. They are also good as a snack, as a side to a meal (like soup), or even as dessert. I have enjoyed them with chocolate pudding and strawberries, or yogurt and fruit, or even whipped cream and fruit.  They are pretty much good any way. They are light, tender, fluffy, soft, and buttery. I don't think I will ever get tired of these tea biscuits. 

Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't know anyone who doesn't love a good chocolate chip cookie! There are so many different versions of this one popular treat out there. Everyone has their one favorite (or six favorite) kind; the ideal chocolate chip cookie. Some insist on oatmeal chocolate chip, some double chocolate chip, some people like nuts in their cookies, and some people like jumbo chocolate chip cookies. There are thousands upon thousands of different chocolate chip cookie recipes out there. It is difficult to believe that one simple treat could have so many variations, but it does. The size, texture, shape, taste, and ingredients can vary greatly.

These are the chocolate chip cookies my grandmother makes. They are one of my favorites, along with my mother's oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, my jumbo chocolate chip cookies, and the chocolate chip cookies at a nearby restaurant. I like them all for different reasons. I like my grandmother's because they have a unique texture - they contain just a touch of rolled oats which makes them nice and crisp and chewy at the same time. I like my mother's because they are chock full of oats, and have a nice balance of oats and chocolate chip all rolled together in a small, crunchy cookie. I like my jumbo chocolate chip cookies because they are soft and chewy with a hint of a secret flavor. The key is, if someone else tries to make my grandmother's or my mother's or my chocolate chip cookies, they won't taste the same. If I crave my grandmother's chocolate chip cookies, my mother's chocolate chip cookies just won't do, and vice versa.

Sharing Recipes

My grandmother and I love to exchange recipes. She gives me some of her recipes - traditional recipes that my great-grandmother used to make, and classic recipes she makes time and time again; recipes that I love and really miss when I don't get to visit her for awhile. Of course, I can never make them as well as she can, but I can make a reasonable substitute. Her recipes are always much less specific and descriptive then the ones I give her, partly because they are a bit old, and partly because I like to be descriptive when I copy recipes. I also share recipes with my grandmother. Usually I will share the recipes for any treat I make especially for my grandmother and she ends up  really liking it. She is like me, and often does not end up making the baked goods for herself, but may ask me to make it again for her. I also share any recipes with her that she asks me for. My cookbook collection and the number of online recipe sites I have bookmarked is much greater than my grandmother's. Sometimes I can find unique or specialized recipes very quickly for her. Also, if she wants a simple master recipe for something, I can often provide her with direction as to a good source of where to find a recipe or which ones are particularly good.
These cookies are chocolate brownie cookies called chocolate nuggets, and I gave my grandmother the recipe for them a few years ago. This is the first time she has made them (actually, I haven't made them since either, but that's just because I like to try new recipes). I gave her the recipe because I made these really delicious chocolate squares, that she loved, but the squares called for only half of a can of sweetened condensed milk. Because my grandmother and I both hate to waste food, I also gave her the recipe for the cookies I made, which used up the other half of the can of milk. She finally decided to make the cookies for my visit. Tasting her cookies reminded me of how different the same recipe can taste depending on who makes it. She made her cookies a lot smaller than mine, and she also cooked them a bit longer. They were still excellent, just different. My mother has also shared her infamous cookie recipe with several different people, and each version has turned out slightly different. They are all good, some are softer, some are bigger, and some are more chocolatey. Of course my mother's cookies always taste the best to me. Sharing recipes is fun and rewarding, but typically whoever made the recipe first makes it the best.

Grandma's Spaghetti

I am visiting my grandparents for the weekend, which means lots of great company, and of course, lots of great food. At my grandmother's house, Friday night is always spaghetti night. This tradition has been going on for years and years, as long as I can remember. Normally someone in our extended family visits on Fridays for spaghetti night, usually someone closer in proximity to my grandparent's house. Tonight she also had to host my family, and made an extra big batch of spaghetti. On spaghetti nights, there is always spaghetti with my grandmother's simple but tasty spaghetti sauce. There is also plain pasta for those who prefer it. We also have my grandmother's meatballs, and some sausage. Of course, being Italian, there is always a nice crusty loaf of fresh bread, garlic butter, and Parmesan cheese to go around. My grandmother also makes up a plate with ham and cheese, and often there are some vegetables around too. A simple meal, but a tasty tried-and-true tradition. And no  one can forget about dessert. There is always something around, and usually more than one option available. Whether it`s her classic chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, squares, or fancy pizelle cookies. Although often we don`t have room for dessert until later on. Since my grandmother always makes a great big batch, we usually have some leftover spaghetti. Some lucky person will get to enjoy this tomorrow!