Brush Valley Brewer

September 28, 2003

Recipe Summary

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 51 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours

Yield: 1 large loaf Italian bread

2 cups water, lukewarm
1¾ ounces cake yeast (⅓ cup)
5¾ cups bread flour
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Place the water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow the yeast to bloom for about 5 minutes. Using a dough hook attachment, add the flour and sugar to the water and mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Drizzle the oil and salt into the dough and beat on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a smooth, firm, elastic dough is formed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to proof in a warm, draft-free place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size. Remove the plastic wrap, punch down and flatten the rounded dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well after each roll. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends.

Preheat the oven lined with a pizza stone to 425°F. Alternately, an inverted baking sheet may be used in place of a pizza stone.

Place the dough on a baker’s peel heavily dusted with semolina flour, or cornmeal, or alternately on an inverted baking sheet. Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 3 (¼-inch deep) slashes across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle.

Spray the dough generously with water from a water bottle and place in the oven on the baking stone. Immediately close the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough will ensure a crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 45 minutes, or until a hollow thud is heard when the bread is whacked with the bowl of a wooden spoon. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

Emeril Lagasse (2003), Basic Italian Bread. Retrieved Saturday, September 27, 2003, from www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_24293,00.html.

September 26, 2003

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Recipe Summary

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 8 ounces each

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, eyeball it

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large eggs

8 sliced bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces

3 hearts romaine lettuce

2 lemons, juiced

2 ripe avocados, halved and scooped from skins with a spoon, then diced

2 vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 red onion, chopped

2 cups white cheddar or Monterey Jack, shredded (or blue cheese crumbled)

Heat a grill pan or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat chicken breasts with 2 teaspoons oil, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Wash hands. Grill or pan-fry chicken 6 to 7 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.

In a small pot, cover eggs with cold water. Place over high heat and bring water to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Set a timer for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, cool eggs under cold running water. Peel and chop.

Brown chopped bacon in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain bacon on paper towels.

Chop 3 hearts of romaine lettuce and place in a large serving platter or salad bowl. Dress chopped lettuce with the juice of 1½ lemons. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over lettuce. Season greens with salt and pepper, to taste.

Toss diced avocados with juice of remaining ½ lemon, to retard browning.

Halve chicken breasts and chop the meat.

To serve, arrange rows of chopped chicken, chopped hard boiled egg, crisp bacon bits, diced avocado, diced tomato, chopped red onion and shredded cheese on top of either 4 individual portions of dressed romaine or 1 large serving platter.

Rachael Ray (TBD), <i>Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad</i>. Retrieved Friday, September 26, 2003, from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_22736,00.html" title="Food Network: Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad">www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_22736,00.html</a>.

September 26, 2003

State College Farmer’s Market

My wife and I try to go to the <a href="http://www.statecollegefarmers.com/" title="Welcome to the">State College Farmer&rsquo;s Market</a>. The market is located in downtown State College on Locust Lane (across from the HUB lawn) between College Avenue and Beaver Avenue. It is held  Fridays from 11:30 to 5:30. The market runs every Friday, except during the Arts Festestival, from  the first Friday in June to the first Friday in November.

September 24, 2003

Butternut Squash Recipes

We seem to have had a bountiful harvest of butternut squash this year, so I have gathered some recipes for them.

Butternut Squash with Raisins

Butternut Squash with Raisins

2 pounds butternut squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons raisins

Peel squash and seed.
Cut into small pieces.
Cover with water in saucepan and cook over high heat, about 10 minutes, until squash is tender.
Drain well and mash or put through food processor with butter and Worcestershire sauce.
Stir in raisins.

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
2 apples, cored, peeled, sliced
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup margarine, cold
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Peel, seed, and cut squash into small slices.
Place squash and apple slices in a baking dish, about 11 x 7 inches.
Blend remaining ingredients with fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.
Distribute crumbs over squash and apple.
Cover and bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes.

Candied Butternut Squash with Cinnamon and Honey

Candied Butternut Squash with Cinnamon and Honey

1 large butternut squash, quartered lengthwise
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup honey
½ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Scoop seeds out of butternut squash. Arrange butternut squash pieces, cut-side down, in a large baking dish. Pour hot water in the baking dish to a depth of about ¼ inch. Bake butternut squash at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender. Cool squash; peel.
Cut squash into ½ inch slices and place in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish. Pour butter and honey over squash, then sprinkle with pecans and cinnamon. Return to oven and bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until butternut squash is glazed and hot.

Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegan “sour cream”
½ teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoons dill (or other herb of your choice — marjoram, fresh chives, etc.)
½ onion, minced (opt.)
1 tablespoon bread crumbs (opt.)

Preheat oven to 450°. (You can actually bake this at any temperature, such as if you are baking any other foods — it will just take longer for the squash to cook.)
Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fibers. If you have a roasting pan large enough to accomodate the squash, place them face up along with ¼ inch water in the bottom. Cover and bake until squash is tender (pierce with fork to test). If you do not have a roasting pan, placing them facedown on a cookie sheets will also work. Note: Make sure the pan has sides, even if they are low, as the squash will release liquid as it cooks. Remove squash from oven and let cool.
If using onion, saute in water (or margarine) until translucent. Let cool and add to other ingredients when mixing.
Scoop out flesh from skins, using a spoon. Leave a ¼ inch border around one of the halves, so that it will hold its shape. In a bowl mix all ingredients (except for the breadcrumbs) thoroughly, until well incorporated. Transfer back to the squash half a nd sprinkle with bread crumbs. Depending on the squash you bought, you may find it difficult to fit all the squash into the skin (I usually end up eating any “leftovers” at this point) — good luck!
Alternately, you can bake the blended squash in a casserole pan and discard the skins completely.
Return squash to oven and bake until warmed — about 20-30 minutes.

Maple Sage Butternut Squash

Maple Sage Butternut Squash

2 butternut squash
1 can low-salt chicken broth
1 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons melted butter
salt
pepper

Night before, combine broth, syrup, and sage. Refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cut squash in half down their lengths. Remove and discard seeds and pulp. Cut into two inch cubes and place in a large glass baking dish. Brush squash with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the broth mixture over the squash and bake for 45 minutes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve hot.

Butternut Squash And Vegetable Gratin

Butternut Squash And Vegetable Gratin

1 medium butternut squash
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cups leeks, cut in half and sliced, approximately 2 leeks
6 cloves garlic,
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
4 tomatoes, chopped
½ fresh herbs or 2 tablespoons dried; a mixture of any of these: basil, rosemary, parsley, thyme, marjoram, sage
¾ cup roasted walnuts
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Peel and slice squash in ½ inch pieces. Bake on sheet pan lightly brushed with olive oil. Brush oil on top. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until tender.
Saute leeks, red pepper, and garlic in ½ tablespoon olive oil until golden brown. Lightly salt and set aside.
In a 8 x 11 baking dish layer squash, mushrooms, leeks, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, walnuts, and cheese.
Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, covered. Any cheese can be substituted for Gruyere.

Honey-Orange Glazed Butternut Squash

Honey-Orange Glazed Butternut Squash

1 (1-pound) butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¾ inch pieces
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

In a steamer set over boiling water steam the squash, covered, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until it is just tender but not soft. Remove it from the steamer.
In a skillet melt butter with honey, orange zest, and orange juice; stir to combine well. Add squash, salt and pepper to taste. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring gently, for 1 to 2 minutes or until squash is coated well with orange glaze.

Butternut, Apple & Yogurt Soup

Butternut, Apple & Yogurt Soup

2 cups Plain Yogurt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups diced sweet onion (1 large)
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder*
4 cups diced butternut squash (1½ pounds)
1 cup diced granny smith apple (1 medium)
4 cups reduced-fat chicken broth
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

In a soup pot, heat oil. Add onions and curry* and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add squash, apple and chicken broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer soup 25-30 minutes.
Puree soup and season with cinnamon and salt and pepper, if needed. Whisk in yogurt and serve sprinkled with sunflower seeds. *optional

Baked Squash and Apple Casserole

Baked Squash and Apple Casserole

1 small butternut squash, about 2 pounds
2 apples, cored, peeled, sliced
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup cold butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Peel squash, scoop out seeds, and cut in small pieces.
Place squash and apple slices in oblong baking dish (7 x 11 inch). Blend remaining ingredients with fork or pastry cutter until crumbly.
Distribute over squash and apple.
Cover and bake butternut squash casserole at 350° for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Squash and Adzuki Beans

Squash and Adzuki Beans

1 cup adzuki beans, dried
3½ cups water
1 piece dried kombu (dried seaweed — found in health food stores)
1 cup butternut squash, diced
½ teaspoon ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Soak beans overnight. Drain.
Place beans, water, and kombu in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Stir in squash and ginger root, then cover and simmer 30 minutes longer. Mix gently with a wooden spoon, and break up the kombu which has softened. Serve garnished with parsley.

Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash

1 pound peeled and seeded butternut squash
5 cups chicken stock
½ cup brown sugar
to taste nutmeg
to taste cinnamon

Simmer the squash with chick stock until the squash is very soft.
Remove from heat and place into blender and on high-speed whip in the ½ cup of brown sugar and the cinnamon and nutmeg.
An optional third step would be to add heavy whipping cream and the roast seeds.
The end for garnish.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash
salt & pepper, to taste
sprinkle thyme, dried
sprinkle sage, dried rubbed
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1½ cups stock, chicken, canned
olive oil
parsley, fresh, for garnish, chopped

We begin by pre-heating the oven to 425°.
We rinse and dry the butternut squash. With a sharp knife on a cutting board, we carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise. We scoop out the seeds, reserving them on a paper towel. We sprinkle the cut-side with salt, pepper, thyme, and sage and lay them flat on a parchment-lined cookie sheet (although it would have been better to use a pan with sides since we soon will see that the “squash juice” will make a mess of the oven!). We tuck the garlic cloves in the cavities of the squash and put in the oven. We roast until tender, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, we clean the seeds, picking out the squash bits, and laying them flat to dry on a plate.
When the butternut squash is tender, we take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes on the cutting board. We reduce the oven temperature to 325° to roast the squash seeds. We put a clean sheet of parchment on the cookie sheet, toss the seeds with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and spread them on the parchment. We roast them in the oven until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
While the seeds are in the oven, we peel the squash halves with a knife and put the pieces in our food processor. We take the skins off the cloves of garlic, and add them to the processor with a half cup of chicken stock (water or vegetable stock could be substituted for a vegetarian soup). We puree the squash until smooth, and then gradually add the rest of the stock.
We pour the mixture into a pot, and bring it to a simmer. We add some more salt and pepper to taste and lower the heat. We take the roasted seeds out of the oven, spread them on a clean plate to cool, and we are ready for the soup!
We serve the hot soup sprinkled with parsley and the squash seeds.

Butternut Squash with Sage Stuffing

Butternut Squash with Sage Stuffing

4 medium butternut squashes (about 1 pound each)
¾ cup wild rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic , minced
2½ cups firmly packed torn whole wheat bread
1 teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup orange juice

Preheat the oven to 375°.
Cut the squashes in half and scoop out seeds and fibers. Place them, cut side up, in shallow baking dishes and cover tightly with foil. Bake until easily pierced with a knife but still firm, about 45 minutes.
While squash is baking, prepare rice. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the wild rice then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 40 minutes.
While rice is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked wild rice with the sautéed onion and the remaining ingredients. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp, leaving firm shells about ½ inch thick. Chop the flesh and stir it into the rice mixture. Stuff the squashes, place on foil-lined baking dishes, and cover. You can prepare the dish up to this point, a day ahead of time. Cover with foil and store in refrigerator.
Before serving, place the foil covered squashes in a preheated 350° degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or just until heated through.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash, about 1½ to 2 pounds
olive oil cooking spray
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut the squash into four wedges.
Remove the seeds.
Mist each wedge with cooking spray and dust with allspice, salt and pepper.
Bake for 40 minutes until soft.

Butternut Squash Chowder

Butternut Squash Chowder

2 cups Butternut squash — peeled, diced, and steamed until soft
1 cup Sweet potato — peeled, diced, and steamed
1 cup Carrots — peeled, diced and steamed
3 cups water (including water left over from steaming the veg
½ cup Red bell pepper — diced
½ cup Onion — diced
2 teaspoons Sea salt
1½ teaspoon Garlic — minced
1½ teaspoon Basil — chopped
¾ teaspoon Rosemary — chopped
½ teaspoon Thyme — chopped
2 teaspoons Sesame oil, olive oil, or other cooking oil
½ cup Celery — diced
½ cup Green bell pepper or zucchini — diced
5 teaspoons Vogue Vegy base
¼ teaspoon Paprika

Blend the squash, sweet potatoes and carrots with the water until smooth and set aside.
Saute the red bell pepper, onion, salt, garlic, basil, rosemary, thyme in the oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Now add the remaining ingredients and saute for another 5 minutes. Add the pureed vegetable mixture, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, and serve hot.

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper and Green Basil Coulis

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper and Green Basil Coulis

¼ cup unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds yellow onion, sliced
4 pounds butternut squash, cubed
2 quarts chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
5 black peppercorns
8 parsley sprigs
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat butter in heavy pot.
Add minced garlic and cook for 10 seconds.
Add onion and cook over medium low heat until onions are translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add squash cubes and continue cooking 5 minutes more.
Pour in chicken stock.
Tie bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and parsley together in cheese cloth and add to pot.
Bring to boiling.
Reduce to simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 30 minutes.
Remove cheese cloth.
Pour soup into container of blender, in batches if necessary, and process to desired consistency.
Strain, then return to heat.
Correct seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour into serving bowls, decorate as desired with Red and Green Coulis.

Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

2 red bell peppers
1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Roast pepper over flame on stove or under broiler until skin blackens evenly.
Let cool.
Peel off black skin and remove core and seeds.
Chop coarsely.
In food processor or blender, puree peppers, adding chicken stock until thick sauce consistency is attained.
Season with salt and pepper, strain, and pour into plastic squeeze bottle.

Green Basil Coulis

⅓ cup virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 cup sliced shallots (8 to 12 shallots)
2 cups fresh basil leaves, well packed
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in skillet.
Add garlic and sliced shallots to pan an sauté over low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in basil leaves and toss until coated with olive oil.
Place in food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper, strain, and pour into plastic squeeze bottle.

September 23, 2003

The Maillard Reaction

When fat is removed from classic dishes, “depth” is often the missing sensation. It’s hard to describe depth, so let me try to explain what it isn’t. Low-fat dishes have a “thin” mouth feel; they don’t make you wonder “What’s in this?” because there is often little or no aroma.

Depth manifests itself as a more complex taste, with a textural quality that you can really feel and an aromatic quality that fills the nose. A technique that provides the depth in many of my dishes is based on the “Malliard reaction,” which takes place when tomato paste is heated in order to caramelize its natural sugars. This singular technique provides complex taste, textural smoothness, rich glossy color and a good clean aroma. In short, the Maillard reaction provides an easy way to replace the missing sensation when you’ve removed at least two thirds of the fat. Incidentally, “Maillard” refers to Dr. Louis-Camille Maillard, the French scientist who, in 1912, first identified the chemical reaction.

Graham Kerr (1997), Techniques. Retrieved Tuesday, September 23, 2003, from www.gourmetworld.com/ ks01/ ks011701.htm.

[Update: I heard somewhere that the Maillard reaction occurs at 310°F.]

September 23, 2003

Food Blogs

I seem to be on a food theme here on my blog, so I thought I would take a look out there at blogs specifically about food. Here is some of what I found&hellip;

~~The Julie/Julia Project~~

The Book:

“Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” First edition, 1961. Louisette Berthole. Simone Beck. And, of course, Julia Child. The book that launched a thousand celebrity chefs. Julia Child taught America to cook, and to eat. It’s forty years later. Today we think we live in the world Alice Waters made, but beneath it all is Julia, 90 if she’s a day, and no one can touch her.

The Contender:

Government drone by day, renegade foodie by night. Too old for theatre, too young for children, and too bitter for anything else, Julie Powell was looking for a challenge. And in the Julie/Julia project she found it. Risking her marriage, her job, and her cats’ well-being, she has signed on for a deranged assignment.

365 days. 536 recipes. One girl and a crappy outer borough kitchen.

How far will it go? We can only wait. And wait. And wait…

The Julie/Julia Project. Coming soon to a computer terminal near you.

Shallots and Chipotle

Struggle in a Bungalow Kitchen

The trials and tribulations of one homemaker gal to build up an interesting yet simple cooking repertoire of at least 40 dinner meals by the end of 2003.

A Filipino Cooking & Recipes Journal

Culinary Adventures with the Radical Chef.

Recipes and cooking tips for Filipino, Asian, and Filipinized dishes, with photos of the cooked meals from the family dinner table.

cooking for losers

Losers. Cooking.

Cooking with Amy

This blog is a way for me to share my musings on the subject of cuisine and also lets you know what’s up with me. I post everyday day or two, so check back often!

cooksimple.com : diary

Deus Ex Culina

Deus ex Culina — meaning “God from the Kitchen” — is a blog devoted to a love of food. In particular, it is devoted to the art of cooking, as opposed to simply enjoying food prepared by others. The goal for this blog is to publish for the world the culinary triumphs, and failures, of our work in the kitchen. It is to entertain but also to enlighten our readers, and help share knowledge in a way that only the web can make happen.

The originators of this blog are Rob Sama and Chris Kausel, also known as “Calzone.” They are two close friends from high school, who now both enjoy the joys of cooking. Though they now live on opposite coasts, Rob in Boston and Calzone in San Francisco, they chat daily about food, including discoveries, techniques and recipes. They started this blog to bring those discussions to the public, and for the select few, invite others to join in the discussion.

While anyone can post questions or comments in the comments or, “Pig Out” section of the blog, only select individuals may post to the blog. If you wish to be so invited, please write to us and let us know why you think you’d make a good contributor. In the meantime, enjoy the culinary musings of Rob Sama and Chris Kausel. Buon Appetito

~~Out of Our Mouths~~

A group food blog, in which we experiment, whine, drool, and reflect.

Food-eez

Created in 2003, Two foodies got together to create a blog for other foodies. With the many other food blogs available, we wanted to create something that catered more to our tastes. Offering recipes, gadgets and general food related tips we’re hoping to help the less experienced and home cooks — Hopefully within budget! We encourage all feedback and submissions. Food-related questions also welcome. Anything else, ask your mother.

Foodgoat … something tasty every day

Daily adventures in eating, cooking, drinking, and more eating.

~~vitriolica’s foodiblog~~

Vit and her mum do FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD and more FOOD.

FuckCorporateGroceries.net

maybe it was the change in weather that inspired me, or the twenty-seven dollars i found in the pocket of a pair of jeans. for sure it was the trip to stanley’s, where i planned to blow the wad on a ton of fresh vegetables, herbs, and cheese, but my basketload ended up only totaling ten bucks.

coming home, my roommate ellen remarked that i could easily live off food from stanley’s and pete’s, this little store down the street. i thought about it and she was right.

so i decided to spend the next [while] not shopping at corporate grocery stores, living instead on food purchased at neighborhood places. i figure this way i’ll save money, explore chicago’s independent food sellers, eat better(?) or at least, more interesting food, and i won’t be supporting the man.

it’s not such a drastic plan, more of a personal experiment, one which i am documenting on this site. it’s not my first food experiment, nor the most extreme; i was vegan for three years, vegetarian for six. i’m not one for arbitrary deadlines though, so we’ll se how far this can go.

i realize that my endeavour is nothing new or revolutionary; in many other places people shop locally, at small stores and don’t think much of it. of those people, i am envious. i grew up in chicago, shopping only at chain supermarkets, and never really thought of going anywhere else. until now.

(fuck corporate groceries, eat cheap and local.)

Hot Water Bath

Life, family, politics, media and, oh yeah, canning.

~~food, wine & thou~~

a yarn of gourmandism in the hawaiian islands and beyond.

~~The Sandwich Project | the URL of Sandwiches~~

What is the best sandwich? Is it something as simple as a bacon sandwich, or do you prefer something more involved?

The sandwich project’s aim is to collect the world’s favourite fillings between two pieces of bread (open top sandwiches are fine as well).

This is the place to compare what you like in a sandwich with the rest of the internet.

Soup, Stangl and Vintage Cookbooks. And some pretty weird Jello

The Joy of Soup

sit down, and have a nice bowl of soup

Food Blog

KIPlog cooks and eats.

A showcase of food, recipes, restaurants, and photography.

NYC Eats

Formerly obsessed with indie rock, currently obsessed with food and dining in New York City.

Appetizing Muse Web Log (Shenanchie)

One of the ironic aspects of designing and maintaining Shenanchie’s Kitchen is that I dislike cooking on a regular basis. The daily grind of “what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner?” is something I avoid like the plague (much to the chagrin of my long-suffering husband). I’d much rather research and write a food culture article or essay, burying my head in books, papers and computer jargon.

However, given the chance, I love slipping into the kitchen to experiment and try new recipes (as long as it doesn’t say Hamburger Helper on the box!). When the mood strikes, I can spend painstaking hours creating a new dish or improving on an old one. I’m always on the lookout for new cooking techniques and tips, unique recipe web sites and innovative print cookbooks.

Appetizing Muse will allow me to share these bits of information on a regular basis with anyone who cares to read it; and also affords me the pleasant luxury of providing details about ongoing food discoveries, culture and trivia from all over the world, as well as Shenanchie’s Kitchen site updates and announcements.

gastronome

I’m glad you’re here! Pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable, and have a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. You’re amongst friends, now. You say you’re curious about this strange gastronome? Have a sip, and I’ll explain.

This all started as a sort of cross between two of my web-spaces. I have a more traditional online journal, called un bon vin blanc . Last fall I realized that some of my best writing (and many of my entries) revolved around food — whether it was a link out to a great article, a review of a restaurant, or a recap of a dinner party I’d thrown. I also have a food site that needs some work — feel free to take a peek into my kitchen . I was toying with the idea of spending the time to redesign that site, and convert it to a handy content-management system (Movable Type is my fave, and powers ubvb, my book reviews , and this gastronome). When I realized that I also spend a lot of time talking to my friends about cooking & food in a ( gasp , how tawdry) chat system, my wee brainmeats started churning. I’ve seen a few team journals, or team blogs, and they looked like fun. I convinced Beca and Russell to sign on with me, and slapped it together.

I’m thrilled; this little community has grown over the last few months, and has aged into a great place to trade recipes, solicit feedback, review restaurants & books. You name something food related, and we’ve probably talked about it. Check out the gourmands — everyone has an interesting story.

The requisite mission statement: We aim to talk about good food. To explore possibilities together. No topic is off limits; we ask each other questions, post recipes, share links, share menus and menu-planning, review books, notify the community about events — our topics grow every week. Everyone is welcome to comment; please join in!

The name for the site was gleaned from a few poems that my sister-in-law wrote for us as a thank-you for a birthday dinner party I cooked. Peek at the menu and the poems.

Here’s to a good meal and a glass of wine with good friends; thank you for visiting!

backyard grub

exploring the idea that you can find, make, or grow good food anywhere.

the hungry tiger

“Then why don’t you eat something?” she asked.

“It’s no use,” said the Tiger sadly. “I’ve tried that, but I always get hungry again.”

~~Why?ne~~

A blog about wine, food, restaurant reviews and more from an Italian living in Germany.

Blork Blog

a blog about food, montreal, and me.

~~Weight Botchers~~

Recipes, some tried and true, some untested.

~~Chowhound.com: For Those Who Live To Eat!~~

A chowhound is someone who spends nearly every waking moment planning his/her next meal. Whether dining in an expensive cafe or grabbing a quick scrambled egg sandwich to munch on the way to work, chowhounds hate to ingest anything undelicious, and they won’t hesitate to go far out of their way for Slightly Better. For a true hound, the curve of diminishing results is more an exciting challenge than an imposing dead end.

~~:: christine’s culinary canvas: a food & cooking weblog ::~~

Welcome! I found myself writing so much about food, cooking, cookbooks, restaurants, etc., on my personal blog, The Passionate Ailurophile , that I decided to spin it all off into its own blog.

The inspiration for the title of this site came from the above “Onions” painting. I was looking for a nice graphic to use for a header, but I could not find anything I liked. Then I spotted this… a framed postcard from Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts , hanging over my desk.

And it’s appropriate, don’t you think? After all, although we need to eat to stay alive, cooking is also an art. Why not make cooking and eating an enjoyable experience, rather than a chore?

I hope you will enjoy the site!

MeatHenge

~~The Weaver Family~~

Anything and Everything… Our journey through life as a family.

~~eat drink and be married~~

juicy reflections on being married at the table.

Welcome to eGullet.com

Read. Chew. Discuss.

an invitation to the barbecue

The world mediated through food.

~~chefblog~~

Read about the trials and tribulations of a 32 year old woman going back to school for a second degree, this time, Culinary Arts, at the Art Institute of California at Los Angeles.

~~eat, link and be merry~~

~~FOODBOY EATS AGAIN!!!~~

adventures of a hardcore, unadulterated food lover

Welcome to “Foodboy Eats Again,” my personal space for running on endlessly about all that I love about food. I’ll talk about grub that I love or hate, dietary concerns, my near obsession with eating, and everything else that has anything at all to do with the glorious act of feasting. I’m doing this so that perhaps you too can vicariously share a bit of the joy.

Looka! | Fair and balanced.

looka, <’lu-k&> dialect, v.

1. The imperative form of the verb “to look”, in the spoken vernacular of New Orleans; usually employed when the speaker wishes to call one’s attention to something.

2. —n. Chuck Taggart’s weblog, hand-made and updated (almost) daily, focusing on food and drink, music (especially of the roots variety), New Orleans and Louisiana culture, news, movies, books, sf, public radio, media and culture, Macs, politics, humor, reviews, rants, the author’s life and opinions, witty and/or smart-arsed comments and whatever else tickles the author’s fancy.

~~nibblechomp~~

an eclectic, enthusiastic, open-minded, open-mouthed, experimental, unabashed, anti-elitist, exuberant exploration of food, eating, cooking, and anything and everything to do with the culinary arts.

101 Cookbooks

When you own over 100 cookbooks, it is time to stop buying, and start cooking. This site chronicles a cookbook collection, one recipe at a time.

~~HM.com v.2 — Renovation In Progress part 1~~

Lapin gourmand

~~Mise En Place~~

“Mise en place” is a French culinary term which translates, approximately, to “everything in its place”. It refers to having all of your ingredients prepared, in place, and well organized before beginning to cook a meal. This site is my attempt to put all of my recipes, ideas on cooking, and ideas on local Rochester food resources in place. I need to keep track of the things I’ve cooked, what worked and what didn’t. I’m also trying to provide some useful information to like-minded cooks (particularly those who cook and eat out in Rochester, NY), and learn some tricks from them.

: : mum-mum : : eat-eat : :

Cute, catchy Asian slang that means EAT. Usually used by parents when coaxing their toddlers and young ones to eat a little something and them protesting with a gloomy face. Also used affectionately by couples, both young and old.

In My kitchen

“A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat.” -New York Yiddish Proverb

obsessionwithfood.com

You have to eat. You might as well enjoy it.

~~Pertelote ~ a foodblog~~

I’m Jenni. I live in Cambridge, and work for the university. I was born in Hertfordshire (“Where?” “Yes.”) I have four parents, three brothers and innumerable aunts. I love to cook, especially for lots of people, and am only rarely discouraged by the facts that the kitchen in my flat is very, very small; and that there are only five chairs…

I think these web journals are fun, don’t you? Especially when they have a theme of some kind. I love to read food writing, and when a friend of a friend asked to publish a sorbet recipe of mine in her magazine column, I thought I’d get some more practice in this forum — just making notes about what I’ve cooked and whether it worked. It always seems immodest to assume hordes of attentive readers, but hopefully someone will be inspired.

Bear in mind that I’m not writing a how-to-cook book here — a lot of cookery writing seems to start from the assumption that it’s the first you’ve ever read. I resolve not to repeat things that have become habit to me: but of course I may slip into pedagoguery as we go along…

I plan to give a bit of atmosphere as I go along, so I won’t go into any more detail here. Enjoy!

PurpleSunshine.com :: blog

This Web site is the product of a wine-tasting club started in the fall of 2000 by a dozen friends in New Orleans. Over the previous couple of years, several of us had taken a wine appreciation class given at Delgado Community College by Jerry Henry of Heritage House Wines. (If you’re a wine newbie and live in Southeast Louisiana, Jerry’s classes are well worth checking out.) After the class ended, we wanted to keep tasting and comparing and learning.

Ever since, we’ve been meeting about once a month. In any given session, we sample seven to ten wines that share a common geographic origin, grape varietal or some other characteristic. We talk about each wine and score it on a 20-point scale.

Some wine experts don’t like to taste in groups because they think the person with the strongest opinion usually sways everyone else’s. And some people are very particular about having the right equipment at a tasting. On his Web site, Robert Parker says, “I find it essential to have properly sized and cleaned professional tasting glasses.”

We’re not that fussy.

After a bunch of tastings, most of us had a bunch of hand-scribbled, wine-stained notes that didn’t make much sense when you looked at them and weren’t much help when you went to the store. We decided to put our information online to make it easier to remember what we’ve been tasting — and to make contact with other people who might have the same burgeoning interest in wine. The site’s name comes from Soon’s description of a particularly bold syrah: "a mouthful of purple sunshine."

~~The Making of a Restaurant~~

We’re two guys, Luke and Sandy, toying with the idea of opening a restaurant five to ten years from now. We sort of feel like two children building a mighty fortress from couch pillows — ambition surpassed only by silliness — so we haven’t told many people about this log. Consider yourself lucky.

This all started in fall 2000, when Luke started fleshing out a flurry of crackpot ideas: Bring minor league baseball to urban Chicago. Be a newspaper baron. Build a real estate empire. Go to law school. Unfortunately, each of these ideas required Luke to win the lottery or, as in the last example, win the lottery and be much, much smarter.

Then came February 2001. In the span of a week, Luke had two very good meals at two very good Chicago restaurants: The Dellwood Pickle and La Cumbamba. In each case, the quality of the food was matched by the quality of the experience: intimate settings, personal attention from the proprietors, and an overall sense of neighborhood charm.

As he was at this point a little dissatisfied with his current job, the restaurants and their stories got him thinking, and his foremost thought was this: “I could see myself being very happy running a restaurant like these.”

At the end of the week, he went on a four-hour bus ride to Madison, Wisc., during which he started writing down ideas for a restaurant. When he returned, he shared some of them with Sandy, and invited Sandy to be his partner in the enterprise.

“I don’t know whether you’re serious or not,” Sandy said, “but this is a fabulous idea.”

“I don’t know either,” Luke said, “but I’m glad you like it.”

“Let’s do a weblog to keep track of our ideas,” Sandy said.

“This is a fabulous idea,” Luke said. “If we are able to average just one idea a day, even if nine in ten are bunk, by the time we’re ready to launch our restaurant, five or more years from now, we will have assembled at least 182 good ideas. Who could fail with so many good ideas?”

And this is how “The Making of a Restaurant” came to be. We have no idea whether this enterprise will ever pass from the imaginary to the real, from the ridiculous to the sublime. Check back in five years.

SauteWednesday

SauteWednesday has been published, in one form or another since the year 2001. The site first started out as a list of links to articles about food on the web, and has developed into a long list of links to food web-sites, along with the sometimes sporadic ramblings of a person (that would be me) who is interested in food.

~~Tastes Like Chicken~~

Chicken and wine, wine and chicken. Welcome to my nightmare.

~~Simmer Stock — Recent Updates~~

Now playing — the latest from the Simmer Stock.

~~KitchenLog~~

A whisk, a knife, and a pen.

~~TANGMONKEY.COM [ Food ]~~

Don’t you just love food? Isn’t it just the greatest? Food can take you places you’ve never been and even take you back in time. Food can surprise you, make you happy, content and satisfied. Think of all the good times you’ve had together; Warm popcorn at the movies, melty marshmellows over the campfire, steamy oatmeal on a cold winter morning, grilled cheese and tomato soup with a pickle on the side. We eat. We talk about eating. We share recipes, opinions, and the dreams of an aspiring restauranteur.

Taquitos.net’s World of Potato Chips and Snacks

The Crunchiest Site on the Interweb.

tastingmenu.com

Welcome to tastingmenu.com. My repository for thoughts and notes on my eating experiences. Hopefully you’’ll find something enjoyable, entertaining, or informative.

~~The Jenville Show — Cooking with Rockstars~~

I’ve been conducting interviews with my favorite bands on the topic of cooking and eating. Ideally, we cook together; more commonly, we share cooking secrets in a backstage chat.

Videos of our conversations are posted here. In addition, the artists have generously contributed their own recipes. Thank them by buying their records. Bon appetit!

tomsaaristo’s Xanga Site

Confessions of a foodie.

weekendchef’s Xanga Site

September 23, 2003

Apple Fixed My Safari Bug!

I am not sure whether I should claim credit for this, but Apple fixed my Safari bug! I had been trying to do some tricky stuff with background images. I know… I probably just could not figure out the correct way to do it. In the process I found this wierd condition where the background-image would not tile over the whole page. As I looked at it more, I actually discovered that depending on the order of div elements in the source, it would not even render the whole page! Well, I set up a minimal test page and used the built-in error reporting feature in Safari to let Apple know wbout it. Lo and behold… Apple just released Mac OS X 10.2.8 through Software Update — which “Includes several enhancements for Safari” — and the problem is fixed. Thanks, Apple!

Brush Valley Brewer

Posts

Jewelweed

Jewelweed, Spotted Touch-Me-Not

Who Knew?

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Basic Italian Bread

Recipe Summary

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

Recipe Summary

State College Farmer’s Market

Butternut Squash Recipes

Butternut Squash with Raisins

Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole

Candied Butternut Squash with Cinnamon and Honey

Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

Maple Sage Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash And Vegetable Gratin

Honey-Orange Glazed Butternut Squash

Butternut, Apple & Yogurt Soup

Baked Squash and Apple Casserole

Squash and Adzuki Beans

Butternut Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash with Sage Stuffing

Roasted Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash Chowder

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper and Green Basil Coulis

Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

Green Basil Coulis

The Maillard Reaction

Food Blogs

Apple Fixed My Safari Bug!