Turkey Chicharones

TURKEY CHICHARONESCRUNCHY CRISPY SAVORY SNACKY TURKEY SKIN...a delicacy that only come around ONCE A YEARplease excuse the quick photo...it's the only pic i got before they were GOBBLED UP !!!HOW TO...save as much skin as you can(from your roasted turkey) large pieces, if possible.bake in oven as you would BACON.line a cookie sheet with...

Read More

How to Make Brandy #3

 Once your must is fermented after two weeks, strain it through cheese cloth. Then put the wine in your still, and seal the joints with rye dough. Fill the chamber holding the "snake" with ice. Heat to 90 degrees Celsius. Then watch the clear liquid pour out. About 20 quarts of must gave 15 liters of wine, minus pomace, and in three 3 liter runs...

Read More

The "Accidental" Bird from INA GARTEN

"THE ACCIDENTAL BIRD"QUICK NOTE TO FOLLOWERS...this is positively THE BEST, moist and perfectly seasoned turkey i have ever tasted let alone cooked.lucky for you i tested this early.please accept my apology for the IPhone photo...i know it's awful.  i had no intention of posting, but i just had to let you know about this fabulous...

Read More

Lightened up Pumpkin Cheesecake w/Gingersnap Crust

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH A LITTLE LESS GUILThave seconds and thirds at dinner and still enjoy a "lite" holiday favorite.it's not your "New York style" cheesecake...but it fits the bill after the big Thanksgiving throwdown.the taste and texture is a cross between cheesecake and pumpkin pie...it could probably use a little more cream cheese for that real...

Read More

Ketchup Chips

These do look a little prosaic. Dehydrated tomato slices, right? Well, a little more. For those of you who like the flavor of ketchup, and might use it more often, if it didn't make bread soggy. These are seasoned with the same flavor profile as ketchup. The key it turns out is a little brown sugar and some clove. They are actually quite fetching just...

Read More

Fall Awakening

When the ginkgos shed their lacy yellow fans, one might be tempted to succumb to melancholy. But the kitchen tells me otherwise, this is the season of birth and renewal. Here in The Valley, when the first rains drench the parched soil, the bacteria and molds awaken from their secret crevices and sweep through the house. Anything on the counter will...

Read More

My first chocolate bar...Chip n' Chipotle Dark Chocolate

rich dark chocolatecrunchy tortilla chipsspicy chili blendswith pure cocoa nibsand robust espresso beansA CHOCOLATE LOVER'S bite size MEXICAN FIESTAto make the beautiful bars, you'll need some molds.i found mine at SURFAS.  they are also available here from Amazon.you will also need toTEMPER YOUR CHOCOLATE.the idea of tempering should...

Read More

Brandy #2

Within a few days of the crush, the must will begin to bubble and will give off a faint aroma of wine. It smells absolutely luscious at this point. Feel free to taste it now too. But don't forget to push down the cap twice a day. This is all the skins and pits which rise up to the top. I just pushed it down and mixed it in. The skins will give color,...

Read More

How to Make Brandy

In the next few posts I will explain how to make brandy. You must start with grapes. Doy. Pick them off the stems and nasty bits. This took a few hours without machines. 20 quarts. But do leave the grapes whole on the skins and pits, for flavor. This is where ALL the flavor happens. Thanks to Elke who gave them to me from her backyard! I think they're...

Read More

History of Alcohol Class

So I have been writing about food for about 25 years, and teaching food history about a dozen or so. And somehow I've always been able avoid thinking about consuming whatever I'm writing about. A survival strategy. In fact I've so successfully managed to separate food at work from hunger that I never eat lunch. Just breakfast and 12 hours later dinner....

Read More

Martha's Easy Light Cheesecake

heavy holidays are on the way...you might want to lighten things up a bit.start with this absolutely delicious light cheesecake.so easy to prepare.ALL DONE IN THE FOOD PROCESSORand baked with NO WATER BATHno one will suspect the ingredients.  friends and family had no idea the main ingredient was cottage cheese.  don't say anything...LET...

Read More

The Whatever is in the Fridge Challenge

Sometimes you have no choice but cook whatever the hell is in the house. Freezer, extraneous bits from the back of the cabinet, odds and ends refrigerated. This was polenta and fresh corn blended into a blini with egg and milk. Then shrimp in coconut oil, only because there was nothing else. Then leftover tomato I put up a few weeks ago made into a...

Read More