Hello people. You might have been wondering why I haven’t been posting much of late. I do apologize. There are many reasons: I lost momentum being away for the holidays, got really busy with work, and lost the thingy that downloads pictures from my camera’s mini-disc to the computer. But the number one reason is: I am pregnant! The Hubs and I are very excited about it (can’t speak for the pooch, who currently enjoys being the center of our worlds). The downside as far as this blog is concerned is, or shall I say, was, that for a good three months I had absolutely no interest in eating food, let alone writing about it. Just thinking about most food made me want to collapse on the divan like a good Gothic romance heroine. But I am feeling much better these days. I must say that the trip to the Ethiopian restaurant was a real test of my fortitude (gustatorial as well as mental), one that I passed with flying colors. So, now, no excuses!
Ruhlman sure does make it look easy. One really simple-looking vanilla sauce that can be made into pastry cream, ice cream, or creme brulee! I might just pour the sauce into a shot glass and drink it straight up. (Unfortunately, he gives directions for the sauce only, not the other preparations–though the how to turn this into ice cream is pretty straightforward, assuming you have an ice-cream maker.)
Speaking of Ruhlman, Serious Eats pointed me to his new cookbook called Ratio, which gives the proper ratios for proper doughs, sauces, etc. (including sausages?). This looks like the perfect book for someone like me, who has a hard time resisting the urge to tweak recipes. Said tweaking sometimes results in recipe implosion, but having a book like this just might help me from fouling things up to the point of inedibility.
Speaking of buns in the oven, Smitten Kitchen has both literal and figural buns in her oven. She is preganant too. Plus, she made some awesome-looking cinnamon buns. The recipe calls for a stand mixer, which I don’t have (would that I had the room for one!). I know people made cinnamon buns before the invention of the Kitchen Aid. Any advice on a more rustic method?
I love broccoli rabe. We usually blanch it, then sautee it in a little olive oil, add a splash of balsamic, a few dashes of red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. It is a really simple, healthy, and delicious side dish. Mark Bittman’s Minimalist column this week features my favored greens, in a pasta dish with crispy garlic and bread crumbs. Looks like a must-try week night meal to me.
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