Archive for the ‘Fruit’ Category
Good evening, Dear Readers:
Happy Monday! I know, Mondays are awful, right? No, not necessarily, but we’ve been conditioned to believe that they are. It’s just that for a great number of Americans, the work week starts on Monday, and the fun ends until Friday. However, I’ve had enough fantastic Mondays and bloody awful Fridays to be able to tell you that you shouldn’t hang a label on either one.
No, not yet.
I’ve completed watching all 7 seasons of the USA Network super-spy TV show Burn Notice thanks to the free DVDs I get from the library. No, it’s not instant gratification, since you have to order them and wait for them to arrive, but if you’re patient, you can watch a whole lot of stuff for free. Been doing that for 20 years now. I’ve moved on to a BBC program that our Houston PBS station was running but stopped, called New Tricks. It’s about a group of retired police officers under the supervision of a somewhat disgraced Detective Superintendent who is assigned the UCOS, or Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad. I’m on Season One, which I’ve never seen, and I’m waiting on Season 9, which is where the TV station stopped broadcasting it. Season 10 will be out on DVD soon, and I’ll be putting my request in for the library to get it to me when it’s my turn. Smart, well written and impeccably acted by a skilled British cast, there is nothing on American television like it.
One day, when things get a little better, I’m going to have SO many DVDs!! My next DVD player will be region free so I can buy the shows from overseas and watch them. Yes, I already have a few in mind.
So I’ve got a little good news about the HeatCageKitchen garden. First, what’s growing is growing well. Last week’s drought-busting rain helped, even though I do water regularly. However, I’m still fighting off the slugs. Somehow, the darn things are still getting at my basil and pepper plant leaves, although I can’t figure out how. I have discovered that some are finding ways around the eggshells, particularly on the basil. GRRRRRR.
The beleaguered basil
Still hoping for a bumper crop for pesto later this year. If not. . .it’s off to Trader Joe’s for big clam shells full of fresh basil! One way or the other, I’ll have lots of pesto in my freezer this winter.
I haven’t done anything with the garlic scapes,which, as you can see, are happy. I’ve gone through some parsley, though.
But the big news is the little strawberry plant that I transplanted into a hanging planter. I think it’s about 3 years old, and last year it got parked in a paint bucket for a while. It’s now producing berries! Right now there are 13 of them in various stages of development, and one is turning red as of this morning:
See it?
I don’t know if it will fully develop, or what, but it’s trying to. There is one berry that’s developed into the proper shape, but will likely get bigger,and not changing color just yet.
The perfectly shaped berry. I can’t wait to eat it.
Oh, boy, I love strawberries, and if this little plants starts putting them out. . .I’ll be one happy foodie.
Week before last, I told you about a replacement book I bought, The 20-Minute Natural Foods Cookbook by Sharon Claessens. I’ve looked through it a few more times and remembered some good food I’d made a long time ago. I think I finally ditched the beat-up copy I had maybe seven, eight years ago, but I remember using it last about the late 1990s, maybe. I remember the ex-husband coming home to my favorite Spaghetti with Garlic Salmon Sauce (page 48), and complaining about the kitchen smelling like “stinky cat food.” No, he wouldn’t eat it, but that’s what he gets for coming home early.
This weekend, feeling a bit nostalgic (and thawing out more chicken than I needed) I decided to make the dish on the back cover of this book, Pineapple Chicken Mozambique. The dish calls for a quarter of a small, ripe pineapple, but all Food Town had was big ones–so I’ve got a lot of chopped up pineapple in the fridge. I’m thinking about putting it on a small baking sheet and freezing it, because I just didn’t intend to have that much left.
Admittedly, I do like pineapple, but not a whole one at once. Yes, I would, in a prior life, occasionally have pizza with pineapple on it, along with ham, sausage, pineapple or some other kind of meat, olives, bell peppers, and whatever else I could remember. I have to say pineapple on pizza might seem weird. . .but it was REALLY good.
I was also out of onions, so I got some, and wouldn’t you know it? No turmeric! I ALWAYS have that orange-looking powder around, but not this time, so I had to get some. And raisins–a six-pack of those little lunch-box sized boxes. I only needed 2 tablespoons, and that’s what one of those boxes provides. I nibbled on a couple, then the rest went into my briefcase and my weekend/non-work bag. Along with a couple of small packets of peanuts, I might be able to survive a long drive home from town without stopping for a bite somewhere.
Now, while this book is all about 20-minute cooking, what they didn’t do in 1982 was mention the prep time. I had to gather up some parsley and chop that, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then deal with the huge pineapple. I think the whole thing took about 30 minutes, maybe 35, including prep time, which is still not bad for a quick meal for two people. (or one, if you’re that hungry.).
BTW, you can now buy pineapple already peeled, cubed and and dealt with in most produce sections, as much or as little as you want. THAT’s a time saver we didn’t have back then, too, and why didn’t I think of it yesterday? Next time, I’ll get the pre-cut pineapple instead.
One alteration I made was to use olive oil, not corn oil, since most corn oil (to my knowledge) is hydrogenated. Grapeseed oil, as faithful reader Kanani mentioned last month, might be a good substitute, since it’s a flavorless oil, and would let the good taste of the food come through; however, grapeseed oil can be expensive. While I didn’t have a problem with the olive oil, I may try the grapeseed one day and see if it makes a difference.
Oh, and because they are nearly the same thing, instead of tamari, I used regular soy sauce, the kind you find in packets in nearly every Chinese restaurant in America. (If you are gluten-intolerant, you’ll need to find that kind.)Â Soy sauce is fermented, so I don’t have a problem with it, and it provides pretty much all the salt you’ll need anyway.
Also, this dish is intended to “serve with brown rice or whole wheat noodles,” but I bet a little quinoa would work too, or some gluten-free pasta, if you have some. Then again, you could just eat it by itself like I did and have more veg on the side, a salad, or some home-made gluten free bread. Otherwise, without the noodles, it’s what I like to call “gluten free by default.”
Remember, this was an “exotic flavor” back in 1982. So how do you make this golden oldie? Like this.
Pineapple Chicken Mozambique
2 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 medium onion
2 teaspoons oil (corn is specified, but I used olive)
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 small, ripe pineapple
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (I grow the Italian flat-leaf kind)
2 teaspoons tamari (I used soy sauce)
2 tablespoons lime juice
- Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onion.
- Heat a medium skillet and add 1 teaspoon oil. Add the butter, then the onion. Stir over medium heat, adding the cinnamon and turmeric. While the onion is cooking, peel the pineapple section and remove the tough inner-core fibers. Cube. Yield should be about 1 cup of pineapple cubes.
- When the onion is translucent and slightly tender, remove from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining oil. Heat the skillet until quite hot, but not smoking, and quickly add the chicken. Stir to brown all sides of the chicken.
- When the chicken is just nearly cooked throughout, after 3 to 4 minutes, add the onion, pineapple cubes, raisins, parsley, tamari and lime juice. Heat through and serve.
What you end up with looks like this:
Pineapple Chicken Mozambique! (The cat food just sits there, honest.)
Want a closer look?
I do love my Splayds.
The combination of cinnamon and turmeric adds a nice color to the onion and chicken without being overpowering. I do think I should have measured the lime juice instead of just eyeballing it, because it was a bit tart. That, of course, was MY fault.
For a quick and easy meal for two, this is a good one, and you can get the needed ingredients on a quick trip through the express lane, assuming you have none of the onion, the spices, soy sauce, oil and butter, that makes for a supermarket drop-by on the way home. For four people (or more), just a little math is involved, and maybe a bigger pot.
For a busy Monday, or anytime you want something fast, you won’t go wrong with this recipe.
Happy Dining!
Good evening, Dear Readers:
I’ve got a busy week this week, and possibly next. Five, possibly six interviews–something’s gotta hit, right? Cross your fingers.
It’s late at night, so I could make a big boo-boo. It happens. Still trying to get up early in the morning, and now my head is telling me to go to sleep. I will, shortly.
Today I went into Wal-Mart for a few things, and, while I rarely shop there, I went in out of convenience–I had just returned from my second interview today, and it was easy. While I frequent Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond and other stores that carry housewares, I am often fascinated at Wal-Mart’s varied and interesting culinaria. (Kitchen stuff.) They carry the famed breakfast sandwich maker, but I am no longer interested in it, even though it’s a neat little item. No, today’s fascination is with a weird little item that takes frozen bananas and turns them into a dessert resembling ice cream. No kidding, check it out:
Yo, what?
I didn’t form much of an attachment when I saw that price tag, but if you have someone in your household who has a dairy allergy, or just can’t stomach regular store-bought ice cream (get it? stomach?) this little item might be just what you need.
Let me point out that one of the reasons I don’t mess with bananas anymore is because they are very high in starch, which translates into sugar–very important for diabetics, too. I guess you could toss some cocoa powder in, too, and make. . .chocolate banana frozen dessert, too. Like I said, I didn’t fall into mad love with it, so I probably won’t be getting one even if I do find myself working soon. But I’m passing along this info to my readers for anyone who might be interested. I’m sure you can find them at nearly any Wal-Mart in America.
Oh, and my current gotta-have-it food is now. . .popcorn. Yes, for some reason, I’m now in love with hot-air-popped popcorn, and I eat plenty of it. At $1.88 a bag at Wal-Mart, and likely less elsewhere, it’s an affordable indulgence. Contrast that with my former can’t-get-enough, dark chocolate Mounds bars, and you’ll see that I’ve moved up. I went about 2 weeks without one of those bars, and then had one, and now can’t stand them! Last time I was in Wal-Mart I got one of their double-sized packets for $1, and I gave the second pair to Neighbor K who had just finished a grueling semester. And that’s it, I don’t want Mounds or Almond Joy anymore.
The garden is humming along, although our erratic rain amounts means I water a lot, and even then sometimes, it’s not enough. I forgot to take a picture of the hanging basket, but the replanted strawberry plant is producing flowers. I hope it grows out of the pot and gives me lots of berries, but we’ll see. The mint plant is doing well:
Mojito, anyone?
No kidding, that’s like a foot high. I’d better cut them and do something with it, right? Admittedly, some weeding needs to be done, and soon, but for now I gotta keep watering.
My longtime web friend R didn’t take my advice and put his mint in a container. Now he has a carpet of it in his backyard. Good thing it’s a big backyard! He could make mojitos for a week and still have a lot left over.
I have two pepper plants, one bell, one Anaheim, and so far, so good:
Peppers–I hope! Garlic scapes just to the left.
Now, if you’re wondering what that white stuff is, it’s very simple–that’s crushed up eggshells to keep the snails out. They won’t cross them, because the sharp edges can cut them. I don’t mean any harm to any snails, but I want them OFF my plants, darnit! Anyway, I also purchased a pod from Lowes’ that was guaranteed to grow lettuce, and it’s starting to sprout, finally:
Lettuce. From a pod
To the left is a little green stem that is the regenerating remainder of the previous lettuce I planted there that I. . .ate recently.
Next up: BASIL!!
Pre-pesto
Got smart, planted more than one seed, I want a bumper crop this year. The snails got to them before, so I have to make sure there are no spots for them to crawl through safely. By the time these little seedlings make it to two feet, I don’t think it’ll be a problem.
My little citrus plants are doing the best they can in pots:
Lime and Meyer Lemon trees
Unfortunately, while I do have four Meyer lemons with one on the way, many of my little lemon sprouts fell off, leaving me with four. I’m guessing that the swath of blooms didn’t all get pollinated, so that’s why I’m left with. . .four. Take a look, I’ll at least get some this year, although I can’t say when.
An unripe Meyer lemon. When ripe, it will be four times that size and yellow. The surprise flower is just above my hand.
Check out the closeup of my lime tree–yes, it’s going to produce, too!
See the tiny limes? So far, I’ve counted three, but you can only see the two in the middle in this picture.
Next up, my four-year-old batch of regenerating spring onions, complete with weeds:
Green Onions, fresh anytime!
I know, I know, I need to get some weeding done. I’ve been busy, OK?
What I forgot to take pictures of were the three containers of garlic with huge, long green scapes, and the rosemary plant, which is now pouting because I moved it to the corner. It gets plenty of sun and water, it’s just not right in front of me.
This week I received the June issue of Martha Stewart Living, and in one of the pages of short blurbs, there is a small article on garlic scapes, those long green things that grow out of the ground. Wait, let me explain it this way: you know how when you keep garlic in the fridge a long time, it starts to sprout? That’s called a garlic scape, and it can be used just like regular garlic. Yes, you can plant them, but you have to be very, very patient. I might have accidentally dug up one of mine while checking to see if it was ready to harvest. It wasn’t. Darnit.
Anyway, the blurb said that Martha pickles the garlic scapes. Well, go for it. . .I’m waiting for the darn garlic to be ready to harvest. But I do go out and nibble them occasionally–they’re not as strong as regular garlic, and it’s right tasty. Just don’t expect anyone to snog on you until you use some strong mouthwash, OK?
I am still being a good, gluten-free blogger, haven’t been tempted in some time. That’s OK, I’ve got plenty to tempt me in-house. I over-shopped while I was working, so that I wouldn’t have to buy too much when the unemployment was done. Just things like milk and eggs, and popcorn, for now.
Cross your fingers.
While I don’t do much to promote this humble blog, it has a following, and I have actually told a few folks about it in interviews, mostly because there is an expressed interest in writing, or writing is part of the job description. I do have a few more topics to tell you about, like the chorizo I tossed into a meatloaf, but. . .maybe tomorrow or this weekend. I took pictures of that.
And for those of you above the Mason-Dixon line, please sit tight, spring will be at your door in about a month, and you can put away your snowshoes and heavy coats, finally. If you’re lucky. Stay warm until it does.
As always, Happy Dining!
Good evening, Dear Readers!
Winter hasn’t gotten the memo to knock it off. Atlanta is getting blasted again. It’s cold nearly everywhere.
I am so cold, I put on my one and only pair of long johns to go walk my neighbor’s pug today. I might wear them to bed. As I write this, it’s 36F, and we’ll have a high of 53 tomorrow, if we’re lucky. BRRRRRRRrrrrrrr. . .at least the rain will end.
First, an update from the garden: in addition to the ping-pong sized tomato growing in incredibly cold and wet weather:
Guess I’m getting another one. It won’t get much bigger than that before it starts turning red. And, finally, the radishes are coming!
I read in one of my magazines that radishes are very easy to grow. I found a packet of seeds in the deck box and dug up some dirt. They mature very quickly, although this seems to be taking longer than the 30 days stated in the magazine. That’s OK. I hope neighbors K, R and T like radishes if they really take off. Next time I’d like to try those cute French Breakfast radishes, which are red on top and white on the bottom (root end.)
Now, the mint has come back strong, since we’ve had rain and I’ve watered a few times. One of the main reasons I grow it is so I can make Nigella Lawson’s Corsican Omelette. I thawed out the Goat Cheese from a recent Trader Joe’s trip and beat some eggs. What the recipe says is to fold it in thirds. This time, I finally got it folded!
Then I took it OUT of the pan:
Better luck next time. Hey–it’s EDIBLE, OK? Note: this wouldn’t be a bad thing to split with your honey when you have breakfast in bed, or just breakfast together.
So, onto the news. . . .
This week is Valentine’s Day, and so I thought I would send a few things your way to make your V-D special. No, I can’t help you find the love of your life, or make him/her love you, or bring romance into your life, I can only help with the chocolate part.
Me? No, there isn’t a “someone special.” There isn’t anyone even close to that description. HPD told me to stop dating ’cause they can’t keep coming over to take them away. Restraining orders get expensive, too. My friends have specific instructions if I ever say those words, “I’m getting married.” Let’s see who’s brave enough to carry out a rescue mission.
Yes, I’m exaggerating. A little. But enough about me. . . .
I got an email a little while ago that Starbucks is offering a buy-one-get-one on latte drinks this Friday (February 14th) from 2-5 pm at participating stores. If you don’t know what that means, check out their online primer for lattes. Me, I’d go for the Skinny Flavored Latte with sugar-free hazelnut syrup in it. YUM. A lot less calories than the Hazelnut Macchiato.
Or I could just make myself a cappuccino/latte at home and toss in the hazelnut stuff. My choice, right?
So last year I wrote a post with several chocolate recipes for Valentine’s Day, and it’s still there if you want some. But the one thing that people equate with the day is chocolate covered strawberries. These babies are not in season this time of year, but thanks to expanded agriculture, they are available year round. Sure, they’re expensive, and in many cases very decorated (labor!) That’s all well and good, but if you want to do them yourself, it’s not too difficult. But let me tell you, there’s a trick to it.
Years ago I was talking to my Mom. They’d gone to Ponchatoula, LA to get some strawberries during the season (the best, BTW) and she was attempting to chocolate-cover them. Mom was melting the chocolate and pouring in cold heavy whipping cream. Guess what? The chocolate seized up! I explained that next time, try heating the cream and pouring it into the chocolate, melting it that way. I guess it worked, she never mentioned it again.
If you want to try your hand at it, here are some suggestions from Food Network’s website. Having done this a time or two, you must work fast, since the chocolate will firm up quickly. Don’t burn the chocolate, use parchment or wax paper, and don’t make a mess, please.
Now, last year I told you about the ex-boyfriend who, when we lived together, got sick with me for Valentine’s Day. A couple of weeks ago I was on the phone with him, and just for fun, I said, “Hey, what are we doing for Valentine’s Day?” I was joking of course, but he sort of took it differently. Next thing I know, I’m cooking dinner for him again! Well, he can’t make it this week, and I wouldn’t have done what I did for Christmas, but I would certainly make him something tasty, complete with dessert.
Tonight on Facebook, Joey Jones posted a short “survival guide” for us singles on Valentine’s Day. Pretty good, and if you’re sad about being single. . .don’t be.
Now, about 5 years ago, I think, I went to a “single girl Valentines dinner party,” and I brought dessert. Not just any dessert–a Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova that went over VERY well. As I’ve mentioned before, chocolate and raspberry are my favorite combination, and I’d knock over Shaquille O’Neill to get to it. But in this case, I was good, and they wouldn’t let me take home what was left. I baked it in a heart shape, which is easy to do since it’s meringue. While I don’t have a picture of it anymore, it came out perfect, and looked like this (but heart shaped.)
Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova from Forever Summer. VERY good choice for many occasions
That will amaze friends and family alike. And–guess what? Bonus–it’s gluten free! No kidding–no flour or anything like it, although there is sugar, so you’d have to take that into consideration if your honey is diabetic. (There’s always Somersweet.)
If the chocolate-raspberry route isn’t for you, there’s also Nigella’s Cappuccino Pavlova, but that has corn flour in it, which I think is what we call corn starch, so it’s got a bit of a flour-like substance in it.
You know, I didn’t mean to turn this into the Nigella column, but I guess I did.
Whether you hang with friends or camp in with a significant other, or like me, hang out with the cat, just enjoy what there is to enjoy, and it’ll be great.
Happy Chocolate, I mean, Valentine’s Day!
Good evening, Dear Readers:
My apologies for being so long in between posts.
Well, I’m not sick anymore, thank heavens, but I’m cold. Not cold like some folks, but our OCD weather had me wearing a t-shirt and shorts this weekend. Sunday morning, warm, about 75F. Sunday afternoon about 12:30, 55; later on it became low 40’s.
Don’t worry, there’s a big nasty storm coming back, and they’ve named this one Mergatroid or something. WhatEVER. Geeks with time on their hands decide they want to name winter storms like we name hurricanes down here on the gulf coast.
Knock yourselves out, boys. If you want to name your storms, have at it. We’ve got more important things to concern ourselves with in the South.
If you’re in Australia, you’re roasting. I know this because a) I have studied Aussie trivia and b) I have friends in Melbourne, and it’s summer. I am not someone who asks, “if it’s December here, what month is it in Sydney?” (Someone actually called the Australian Embassy in LA and asked that question many years ago. DUH.)
It’s not secret that after losing about 65 painful pounds, some of it came back, about 20 of them, after things went haywire after I was laid off 18 months ago; I was, at the time, within 20 pounds of my goal weight (and stopping traffic again, darnit.)Â It still hurts, but since I’ve been laid off again, one of the things I want to focus on is dropping weight again. I’m not sure I’m going to do the hCG diet yet, although I have the pellets this time instead of the drops. Right now I’m concentrating on sleeping more, not eating as much, and a little less chocolate now and again.
I had an obstacle on the way yesterday.
Speaking of chocolate, if you are cold, here’s the simple recipe for Yeast-Free Hot Chocolate:
- 1.5 cups unsweetened chocolate almond milk
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 drop mint extract
- 4 packets Sweet N’ Low (or natural sweetener of your choice, i.e., Stevia, etc.)
Mix ingredients in a 2 cup measure (or similar vessel) and microwave for 3 minutes or until warm enough for you. (I like to heat the cup first with hot water.)Â Stir (or whisk) and pour into 2 cups.
Note: In my house this is a single serving. MINE. In your kitchen it can be two. I love this stuff. I don’t share–but then again, I don’t have to, either.
So last week neighbor K, the supermodel (she hates it when I say that) decided to bake a cake to take to work for a birthday. However, she doesn’t bake. Who does she ask for help? ME!!! (I’m certainly not going to tell her no. K is one of those people whose calls I *always* answer.)Â She has a few old cookbooks that belonged to her late father, and for a friend at work, she decided on the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. The friend doesn’t care for frosting, and really likes this cake, so that was that.
Sweet. Tropical. Ubiquitous. And oh, so much hot, sticky, melted sugar!!
I made some biscotti for Christmas and ended up giving her some when the intended recipient took off early. After polishing off the first batch, K asked for more–she loved them that much. Of course, I gave them to her. Inspired by this and other things, she decided to bake something herself.
Saturday, she brought over the brown-paged book, called “Louisiana Creole Cooking,” published in 1943. I seem to recall this cake being a big thing in the 1960’s, but since I was a little bitty kitty back in those days, well, maybe that’s just me. This book had no pictures, unlike the glossy, heavily researched books I have from Martha Stewart and Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa.)Â It was a fairly simple recipe, and I figured if she followed the directions, one of two things would happen: it would come out great, or it would flop. I managed to learn that much taking Probablilty and Statistics at Tulane. (Twice.)
This book came out during WWII, and for that period, it uses a fair amount of butter and sugar, including brown sugar, considering that rationing was going on at this point in the US. Remember, you had to have a coupon book for certain things (i.e., butter, sugar and canned goods) so this would definitely have been a rare treat in those days.
So the recipe called for “cake flour,” and lo and behold, I had a box! Yes, there is a difference. Swan Cake flour comes in a red box the size of a cake mix, and the flour is sealed in a plastic pouch in the same fashion. I can’t tell you how long it’s been there, but it had never been opened, and I was glad to give it to her to USE UP.
Oh, and if you’re wondering, no, it was NOT gluten free.
Really, I just told her to follow the directions exactly, and if it worked, great, if not, we could find another recipe. Take a look, its pretty simple:
The recipe, from a 71 year old cookbook.
Oh, and the “moderate oven” we estimated to be 350F, and that worked. Whew! That could have been embarrassing. . . .
So, she asked a few questions and borrowed a few things, like vanilla extract. I have two bottles: one, Mexican vanilla from the grocery, and two, a huge bottle filled with vodka and a dozen vanilla pods. Oh, yes. . .you could float on that smell, but I only use it for stuff where the alcohol is cooked or baked out. Honest–I’m not using it for boozy desserts and cocktails. She only needed a quarter teaspoon, so why buy it if you’re not going to use much?
My biggest suggestion was to make it once, follow the directions exactly, and see how it comes out. If it doesn’t work, you know not to try again. If it does, see how you like it. If you don’t like it, try another recipe. It’s what I did at Christmas when I made the rain bonnets–made mine first to see how it was supposed to come out. Then, I knew what to do for K’s and R’s rain hat. Both loved them, made with clear vinyl trimmed with their favorite colors.
Conveniently, this technique works for cakes, too.
If you’ve never made one of these, it goes like this: you make a glazey, syrupy stuff with the brown sugar and butter in a skillet. Pour that brown stuff in the bottom of the baking pan, then line it with sliced pineapple (this one calls for canned, but one in Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook calls for fresh.) Alternately, you can bake the whole thing in the same large cast-iron skillet you made the brown sugar mixture with. When it’s baked, you turn it over on a platter or plate, and the glaze oozes over the top and down the sides. But let’s get back to K’s first attempt at baking a cake for a co-worker’s birthday.
K used a 9″ x 12″ nonstick square baking pan, one with a cover so that she could transport it easily. This cake doesn’t really rise much, either. So when you put the pineapple down on top of the syrup, you pour it carefully so it doesn’t mix with the syrup, bake it, and find your stairway to heaven.
If you think I’m exaggerating, keep reading.
Now, I was certainly happy to offer advice and assistance, but really, K did just fine on her own. How do I know? Well. . .she knocked on my door and asked for a critique. It was freshly out of the oven, on a rack to cool. In other words, it was still hot. . .sticky. . .sweet. . .melty. . .moist. “Take a taste and tell me what you think,” she says.
Holy Shish Kebab.
You know what happened next. One taste lead to another. And another. And before too long we’d eaten half this cake. I kid you not. We could not stop eating it, and finally, we’d eaten so much we both had to stop. It really was half the cake. I couldn’t so much as drink a cup of tea after that–good thing, too, I didn’t get hungry all night.
I asked her if she’d like me to bring a couple of pieces to R and T, two neighbors to my left (T is upstairs, R is downstairs.) She cut huge chunks, put them on paper plates and said “take it!” So I did. Neighbor T said it was her favorite cake, and R ate it a little later, after it had cooled–and couldn’t stop until she finished it. Remember, it’s not a thick cake, and it doesn’t rise much, only about 3/4 inch when baked. It looks good, and even thought it’s flat, one taste and you’ll see that size, in this case, does not matter.
I texted her later and told her NEVER to make that cake again as long as I live here. No can do–K made a second one, this one to take to work, which she said came out even better than the first:
The Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, circa 1943
This is the cake that went to work today, and everyone had some and loved it. I’m guessing there isn’t any left. That would be good, because then none would come home.
And there may be a third one next weekend. GAWD, I hope not!
That cake, eaten hot out of the oven, is the closest to heaven you’ll ever be. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself–with a bunch of good friends, so you can’t eat the whole thing alone. But you must have it HOT to find the stairway to heaven.
I fell off the gluten-free wagon again. I’m back on it.
In the end, K got the confidence to bake, and will be doing more in the future, maybe for Christmas. K also found a new favorite, one her father used to make when she was younger, and also made it as a salute to him, wherever he is. And it worked! (This one’s for you, Papa P.)
I didn’t really do anything except. . .help her eat half of the first one, and answered some questions. But, I’m glad I could help. Cooking is an art, but baking is a science–if you don’t get the wet/dry ratio right, or don’t have leavening (baking soda/powder) you won’t get what you thought you would. That’s enough to kill anyone’s confidence, especially the first time out.
Then again, when I have a flop, I write blog posts about them. Either way, I win even when I lose.
Thankfully, K succeeded, and this time, she did great. And I went way, WAAYYYY off the gluten-free wagon. Again. Better luck tomorrow.
Got an activity coming up? Look to the past and make this amazing confection for your next activity. You will not be disappointed.
Happy Dining!
Good evening, Dear Readers:
Well, I’ve been quite busy, and offer my sincerest apologies for the lack of content here. I can’t believe it’s been a month since Halloween already!! SHEEESH!!
I’ve actually got TWO drafts saved, and haven’t been back to finish them off. I hate that, but I’ll try to get back on it this week.
A big Shout-Out to the wonderful folks at Oil & Vinegar in The Woodlands–more in the next post, but I had a recent trip up there and made sure to stop in for some of my favorites. Found out that Anton & Karia Kharoufeh, the owners of the Woodlands Oil & Vinegar, regularly check out my humble blog and remember me when I go up there. Now to have more content! If you’re in The Woodlands Mall sometime, they’re located just inside the entrance by Barnes & Noble (inside the mall, not outside like Anthropologie.)Â REALLY, really, wonderful olive oils and delicious vinegars that you won’t find anywhere else, as well as some other great gourmet foods. If you’re truly a foodie, it’s worth the trip. And many thanks to The Kharoufehs for being readers, too.
Incidentally, there are two little tomatoes in the HeatCageKitchen garden, and as I write this, it’s been raining pretty good, and as I write this, it’s 40F outside. Well, at least the rosemary is happy. That’s another long-neglected project that might get some attention this weekend when it warms up a bit.
So, my Turkey Day will not actually involve turkey this year., and the years-long “Buddhist Thanksgiving tradition” has given way to other things, so we’re all going in different directions. That’s OK–I’m going to my friends’ K&M’s place, and K will be roasting. . .duck. DUCK! Admittedly, I’ve only had duck once, maybe twice, but I’m game. (Get it?? I’m GAME!!) Another person will be bringing brisket, and I’ll be making a big batch of the Cranberry Ginger Relish that nets me multiple emails for the recipe just about every time I make it. (I’ve made it for myself with SomerSweet instead of sugar, and it works well and tastes great.) Five ingredients including water; sherry vinegar works best at the end. Seriously, it’s easy, quick, and is always well liked. First you taste the sweet and tart, then, POW! That ginger/sherry heat hits you right in the kisser! I made some for me with SomerSweet a couple of weeks ago and it didn’t last long. I just kept going back to the fridge for a spoonful. . .yum.
Oh, BTW, a safety warning–one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Giada de Laurentiis, sliced her finger on the set of Thanksgiving Live last Saturday. I did not see this, but saw the pictures on Facebook later. Giada joins a list of celebrities who have had holiday hospital visits, including Martha Stewart and David Letterman. WARNING: please pay attention, because four years ago, I did the exact same thing with a mandoline.It’s what I get for talking to Auntie on the phone whilst slicing onions for the turkey brine. With folks walking around visiting and talking, it’s easy to lose track of what you’re doing, and you don’t realize it until you see the blood.
Nobody wants blood on the pecan pie, OK?
Now, if your Thanksgiving is a bit on the traditional side, and you have a post-dinner football game, um, Jason Gay in today’s Wall Street Journal has some sage advice. OK, it’s hilarious–go read it, along with the comments.
And finally, the preparations for a presidential pardon of the national turkey is discussed in today’s paper. No, I’m not kidding, they TRAIN the turkey to behave in front of the President. Having been turned on to Animal Planet’s show My Cat From Hell, featuring a wild-looking guy named Jackson Galaxy, I can believe that they can condition a turkey to be cool in front of the President, TV cameras, Secret Service guys with loaded weapons, and wild children all over the place.
What is this, American Turkey Idol?
I wrote a post at this time last year on My Alternate Thanksgiving, and if you missed it, check it out, there is a recipe for Leftover Turkey Chowder that is wonderful. Also included was some advice in The Tuscan Turkey and Turkey–The Big Chicken if you are in need of some help with it. Suzanne Somers no longer sells salt rubs on her site, but you can find recipes online (just do a search) or head over to Williams Sonoma and/or Sur La Table to get some already made.
Since I was spending Thanksgiving alone last year, that meant going directly to the soup, and skipping the traditional dinner. This was my choice, of course, and if you try this soup, you will understand why. SOOO good, but I’ll skip it this time and maybe make it for Christmas, unless I get invited elsewhere again.
More articles to come, and thanks for being patient.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
