Food Friday: Food for the Sick from 1876

One of the great things about those 19th century cookbooks is that they had a little bit of everything. Yes, they had recipes for food but they also had household hints for cleaning, laundry, and medicinal recipes. These books served as an all-in-one household guide for women.Since I am now sick with the same thing that has plagued by family for a...

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Springtime cauliflower soup

This post is long overdue.. this soup actually won me a competition last year. It was the Swedish dairy producer Arla that had put up a recipe contest with set ingredients. They included cauliflower, chicken, cream, bacon and a number of other things, and as soon as I saw them I knew I wanted to make a light and delicious cauliflower soup with parmesan,...

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Why a Capon?

If you look at old recipes, especially those from the Renaissance, the preferred domestic fowl above all others is capon. I've always wondered, why not just a nice young chicken? The sort that we seem to like today? Well I think I finally figured it out this weekend. I suspected it was a flavor thing, sure. But it's actually even more a texture thing....

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Kombucha brewed with Homemade Mother Scoby and 2nd Flavored Ferment.

FERMENTATION, PROBIOTICS, GOOD BACTERIA?maybe it's just a "FAD"(it's reported to go back 2000 years)maybe i'm looking for "HEALTHY"(full of probiotics for a healthy digestive system)MAYBE IT JUST FASCINATES MEit's like a 3rd grade science projectso...after you've successfully made your own "homemade Mother Scoby", you are ready to brew some Kombucha...

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Happy Valentine's Day!

This morning, I suddenly decided that I did indeed want to bring the kids teachers something for Valentine's. I hadn't planned on it, but hey - they sure deserve it, and besides, I like baking. In the morning. Before breakfast. No, not so much. But I did manage to swing these little vanilla heart cookies with dried sour cherries! 15 minutes from start...

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Food Friday: Valentine's Day 2014

Happy Valentine's Day!From the collection of Gena Philibert-OrtegaAre you going out tonight or just making a cozy meal at home? Valentine's Day is one of those special food "occasions" that requires something different and often extraordinary.In case you are staying home, here's some recipes courtesy of two editions (1925 and a later edition that has...

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BACON...I love you !

nothing says "I LOVE YOU" like a beautiful BACON HEART for your Valentine's breakfastsuper easy, super funa big hit with the bacon lovers out there.i found this at "The Paper Mama" on my never ending quest for bacon ideas.i think it's genius!not much of a recipe, BUT...THIS IS MY "HOW-TO"make bacon hearts as shownput on aluminum foil sheet panput the...

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No-Knead Twisted Cinnamon Buns

Super-easy to make, but time consuming. I made these when I had to stay at home to take care of Titus who had a fever. He spent the day on the sofa, but felt a lot better when these were finished. I got the recipe from one of my very favorite bread bloggers, Pain de Martin.  (Recipe in Swedish.)I used about 25 g of yeast whereas Martin specified...

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Homemade Dark Chocolates

VALENTINES equals CHOCOLATES !HOMEMADE CHOCOLATES equal I LOVE YOU !treat your loved ones to something HOMEMADE from the heart.chocolate CAN be a healthy indulgence.BUT...you absolutely mustMOVE OVER TO THE DARK SIDE ! i am not a nutritionist, nor do i carry any reputable knowledge in the field, but I DO LOVE CHOCOLATE !  and...of...

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Sweete Pies of Veale

For the IACP Conference in Chicago I'll be talking about coffins, as described in cookbooks and Shakespeare. Funeral Baked Meates, served as leftovers in Hamlet. We will be tasting too. The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchen (1588) has a lovely recipe. The crust is hand raised. The proportions of filling seemed so perverse to me, that I had to...

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Panini!

I've had a tabletop grill for several years but I finally gave in and bought a proper panini press. I LOVE it! Here's my lunch - cream cheese, st agur blue cheese, and some smoked ham. Awesome! And it took me all of five minut...

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Pork tenderloin in Blue Cheese Sauce

Not the prettiest of meals, but I assure you you're in for a taste sensation!Pork tenderloin in  Blue Cheese Sauce400 g pork tenderloin1 yellow onion, diced1 tbsp butter100 ml marsala wine150 g blue cheese (I prefer St Agur)100 ml cream100-200 ml milkblack pepperCut the pork into small dice, and fry along with the onion in butter until mostly...

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Pink Peppercorn Potato Chip Bar with Sea salt and Toffee bits

SPICY PINK PEPPERCORNS...SALTY CRISP POTATO CHIPSand SWEET CRUNCHY TOFFEE BITSthis is one of my favorite bars and i forgot to publish the post.  i've made so many bars in the last few months i can't remember them all.  i will post about the flavors in a few days...BUT... this post explains the way i temper chocolate.  it's quite easy...

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Easiest Homemade SCOBY for Homemade Kombucha

EASIEST HOMEMADE "MOTHER" SCOBY...go out and buy a bottle of GT's ORIGINAL RAW KOMBUCHApour it into a sterilized 1 quart jarcover with cloth or double paper towel, secure with rubber bandput it in a nice warmish place.do not disturb the jar.WAIT at least 2-3 weeks(mine was in the jar for 24 days.  photo below)DONE...proceed to brewing homemade...

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