Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Twists and Turns

I am living back in California, after a set of unforseen circumstances made it necessary for me to return. Despite the unexpected timing, I am actually happy to be home. It happened quickly enough that I didn't get a job lined up in time, so in the meantime, I decided to take a bartending course, as it's been something I've always wanted to do.
I really enjoyed the crash course in mixology, and after a few weeks of looking, have been asked to come in to train for a position. I haven't written here in a while because of the move, but it seemed like an ideal time to pick this blog back up.
Since I'm using this time as personal development, I also signed up for a Wine Fundamentals course at my alma mater to learn to taste wine and understand labels when ordering or recommending wine. Our first class was last night, and while it was a lot of information to digest - knowing I was taking it purely for my own enjoyment was a novelty and a delight. So, I'm back, and I hope to post a lot more often now.

Salut! prost! na zdrowie! 
or in good old English - cheers!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Crock Pot Cooking

Since I joined the 9-5 workforce, I have become a big fan of my crock pot. I can prep ingredients the night before, then combine them in the pot and turn it on to cook all day on low while I'm at work. By the time I walk in the door, the apartment smells great and dinner is ready. LearnVest Blog has a good post on making the most of your crock pot.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Absent Lately

Sounds like this soup might be dinner for tomorrow - gotta love the idea of kale in minestrone!
Haven't been posting lately, it's just hard to cook anything worth photoing when you work 9-5, I don't know how people with kids do it!? If I make the soup, I'll be sure to snap some shots :) Oh, and Happy New Year!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

October 2010

 Butternut squash pizza with grilled artichokes on top
Pumpkin multigrain sourdough loaf
 Vegetable soup with a slice of buttered pumpkin sourdough bread

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fat Toad Farm

Oh, how I miss the food in Vermont! While I love living in DC, and I greatly appreciate having both a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's nearby, I do miss some of the local products Vermont had to offer. Maple syrup that simply cannot be beat, and the cheese... 
Fat Toad Farms flavored chevre spreads were a staple in my diet. I have also heard rave reviews for their caramel sauces, which you can actually order online. Might be worth picking some up, since I love supporting small family-owned businesses like FTF.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Pizza Rolls!

Pizza rolls after the second rise, but before going in the oven.
 I was really hungry, so I had to eat a few before I managed to take a picture...

Monday, October 11, 2010

I Love my Killington Brewfest Glass

It looks good even just filled with juice, doesn't it?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Blog Crossover

I was reading through some fellow quilter's blogs, and found this Oatmeal Pan Bread Recipe. It looked yummy, not so much for the recipe, though it looks good, but for the presentation. Baking it in the rectangular pan with the diamond-shaped hashes. I should try this!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Perfecting Pizza

I have been on a pizza-making kick this last week. I made a whole-wheat sourdough crust, which I made into a deep-dish style veggie and faux sausage pizza. 
 Topped with muenster cheese, it turned out absolutely delicious!
 Then I made a pizza crust with oregano and flax seeds. I included spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and more of the Field Roast faux sausage. Mmmm mmmm!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

CSA

Missed the boat this season since I moved to the area half-way through the growing season, but next year, I plan to join a local CSA. It's a great way to support local agriculture, eat a broad array of fruits and veggies, and explore foods and recipes you might not necessarily have chosen at a grocery store.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sunday Starting Some Sourdough Starter

This Sunday I finally got some sourdough starter brewing, hopefully by next weekend I'll be able to start making delicious sourdough loaves again. I had some great starter going in Vermont, but as my move got closer, I began neglecting it, and it was past the point of resurrection by the time I left for DC.
My fresh batch should taste different since Maryland undoubtedly has different wild yeast than Vermont, although a bit of domestic yeast thrown in the mix should insure that it won't be too different from the old starter.
I am looking forward to fresh sourdough loaves, sourdough bagels, and sourdough waffles from my waffle iron. I have been cooking and baking less since I began working 9-5, but I'm hoping to get back to it on weekends.
I ordered some goodies from the KAF website to help get myself back on track - some whole grain mix to throw into breads to make multi-grain sourdough, some potato flour to add moisture to bread dough, and some pumpernickel flour to make delicious fall loaves. I'm excited to work with these new ingredients to add some variety to my baking.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Update!

Hey, I plan to post on my baking and cooking again in the very near future. I've been adjusting to my new life and job in DC and it's taken me nearly a month and a half to get internet in my new apartment - long story, won't go there. I should *fingers crossed* be online by Friday, which should hopefully allow me to post pics and updates soon!
I have had some really delicious beers as I've been doing the happy hour scene with new friends and co-workers, so I can maybe post a bit about those adventures as well :)

~L

Sunday, July 18, 2010

D.C. Cooking Classes

I have been taking classes for the last year at King Arthur Flour's Baking Education Center in Norwich, Vermont. While I am so sad that my time here is over, I am thrilled that there are options for furthering my culinary pursuits in Washington D.C.
Culinaerie is a "recreational cooking school" in NW D.C. and sounds like the ideal place to start. After looking through their schedule, I already see classes I'd love to take, but I will probably hold off for the month of August as I begin work and get my bearings in the new city.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Vermont Cheese and Butter & The Shed Brewery

Vermont Cheese and Butter is a creamery in Barre, Vermont. A few friends and I did a short tour of the creamery, followed by a tasting. We sampled creme fraiche, marscapone, bonne bouche (the favorite) and a delicious fresh goat cheese log rolled in crushed red pepper flakes. I loved it all, but everyone seemed to go crazy for the bonne bouche in particular - it was the perfect amount of creamy and pungent.
From there we went to lunch at the Shed Brewery in Stowe, Vermont, where we all ordered "brewskis" the sampler of beers on tap. Since Stowe is a tourist skiing destination, this gimmick fits right in. I enjoyed the darker beers, the porter and the Mountain Ale, their award-winning brew. The seasonal beer on the far end was a raspberry beer that I was not fond of.
We got a menu of the samplers in front of us, which I always appreciate far more than the server's lightning-quick run-through of the beers in a sampler.
From the Shed we went to Rock Art Brewery, a mere 20 minutes down the road. For the purchase of a $3 tasting glass, you try all the beers on tap for free. We sampled their current pale ale, Sunny and 75, their Belgian-style summer seasonal, American Red, which was my favorite, and Ridge Runner, a barley wine. 

Monday, July 5, 2010

Flour Tortilla Recipe I Want to Try

Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe - re-posted from the great site under the link!

2 cups of white flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm water
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl combine the warm water and oil.

Add the water/oil mixture to the flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time and mix the dough with a fork. Once the water is mixed in, add another tablespoon of water and repeat the process until all the water is mixed into the dough. The dough will be sticky.

Kneading The Dough

Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and knead the dough. Kneading is done by pushing the dough with the heals and palms of both hands down onto the board. Fold the dough back onto itself, give a quarter turn and push again with the palms and heels of your hands. Just repeat the process of pressing, folding and turning for about 4 or 5 minutes. Add a dusting of flour when the dough gets sticky.

If the dough sticks to the cutting board while kneading, scrape up the dough and dust the board with a little flour and continue kneading. Eventually the stickiness will go away and you will have a nice smooth dough.

Place the dough back into the bowl and cover it with a damp towel or damp paper towel. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into golf-ball-size balls by pinching off the dough with your thumb and fore finger. Form each ball into a nice ball shape. Place the balls on a flat dish making sure they don't touch each other and cover with the damp cloth.

Let the dough rest again for 10 minutes.

Rolling The Tortillas

Preheat a skillet or cast iron pan on medium high heat. You really can't beat cast iron pans for even heat distribution and their ability to withstand high heat without warping.

Lightly dust your wooden cutting board with flour. Take one of the balls of dough and flatten it out on the cutting board to a 4 inch circle. Rub flour on your rolling pin and begin to roll out the dough starting from the center out. Roll the tortilla until it is 6 or 7 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.

It's difficult to roll out a perfectly round tortilla so if that is important to you, you can always trim the tortilla with a knife. I like their irregular homemade looking shape. No one can mistake these for store bought, especially when you taste them.

Cooking The Tortillas

Once you have rolled out the tortilla, place it on a preheated skillet. You don't need to add any oil or butter. Cook the tortilla for about 30 seconds. You will notice brown spots all over your tortilla. Flip it over and cook an additional 30 seconds. Don't over cook it as you want the tortilla to be nice and soft. Keep your tortillas warm by covering them in a towel on a plate or in a tortilla warmer.


Storing Tortillas

Tortillas are best eaten hot right off the griddle, but you can refrigerate and freeze them too. If you freeze the tortillas, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put them in a ziplock bag. When you are ready to use them, first thaw at room temperature and then wrap them in foil and place them in a 250 degree oven for a 10 to 15 minutes. I don't recommend microwaving them as this tends to toughen them.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Breweries in the Mid-Atlantic

I just got a job in Washington D.C., so I'll be moving in a little less than a month! Time to find the good restaurants, fish and farmers markets, and of course, the local breweries!

  1. Old Dominion Brewing Co.
  2. Heavy Seas Brewery
  3. Flying Dog Brewery
  4. Hook and Ladder Brewing Co.
  5. Port City Brewing Co.
  6. Ruddy Duck Brewery
  7. The Black Squirrel (this one's not a brewery itself, because D.C. has no breweries within city-limits, but they has beers brewed especially for them off-site)

    Thursday, June 24, 2010

    Been on a Veggie Burger Kick

    My first attempt at potato salad - not bad, although it's really difficult to find recipes for 1-2 servings, if I made 1/2 a pound of potato salad, who on earth will I feed it to?? My cat doesn't like potato salad and I certainly don't need a half pound of it!!

    All Things Mini

    I was in the mini-crust-making mood last week, and made 4 mini crusts, two of which became mini pot pies, one became a mini cherry pie, and I'm not certain yet what I'll do with the last frozen one I have.
    Mini veggie pot pie with potato topping
    Mini cherry pie