Blogger Hurts My Soul

You may have noticed that I've all but stopped posting here these days. The reason is twofold. I'm finding it difficult to keep up with a blog what with a full-time job, roommates, and a whole host of summertime activities that have somehow become my life. More importantly though, I've become unhappy with the changes Blogger has made to its format and the way you can share content with readers. They've made it all but impossible for me to upload photos directly from my computer, and that's not kosher with me. I can't support a system that restricts me to photos from the internet or an online photo-sharing account. For this reason, next month, I'll be making the move to Wordpress. They have a superior format and are far more user friendly than Blogger. Don't worry about finding me though! The domain farealafemme.com is mine to keep and independent of Blogger, so you'll still be able to search for me that way. Thanks for reading, and stick with me during the transition. I promise to reward you with tasty recipes and restaurant recs again in no time.

Pamela's Products

If you're like me and you love Pamela's Products, then you should check out the interview by Amy over at I Am a Celiac. Who knew there really is a Pamela? The interview makes for a great little Thursday morning read, so I hope you enjoy it!

New Kitchen/ Old Kitchen

For those of you who are still unaware of the change, I relocated (again). This time to beautiful downtown Charleston to live with the boyfriend. I'm excited and nervous to have my own household. Well, ok, so I share it with four people, but there is one room that's mine to do with as I will: the kitchen. For the first time, I have my own kitchen to arrange and decorate and stock to make it just so. I have ample storage space for my dishes, cookware, and appliances, plus extra for the odd pieces that my roommates have brought with them. And I have two huge windows that allow the sunshine to burst in and the breeze to float through when I throw them open. For all its quirks- the oven that takes at least an hour to preheat and the strange layout that makes functionality a challenge I'm determined to win- I love my kitchen because it's so full of possibility. The white walls are absolutely begging me to paint them over with hues of yellow and the cupboards groan happily under the weight of dishes, spices, and cookbooks. The fridge, which is now stocked with delicious food patiently waits in the corner for me to peer inside and gather the ingredients for the meals I have planned. And since we decided to cut back on our restaurant visits, I see many nights of home-cooked dinners for my boyfriend and me. It's a vision that makes me giddy with anticipation.

Keep checking back as I post photos of the transformation!

Generosity Lessons

Some of the ladies from the church my mum and I attend brought us dinner this week. They did it as a way to give me a break from the household duties I've been shouldering while my mum heals from her surgery. The gesture of dinner alone would have been enough, but these women don't do anything casually. They brought a main dish, three sides, dessert, fruit, a salad, and a loaf of freshly baked bread. Oh, and did I mention that the macaroni and cheese, chocolate cake, and bread were all gluten free? These ladies not only provided my mum and I with a hot meal, but they went even further to make it one that I could enjoy fully.

I've said it before, but often, celiac is a diet of exclusion. Particularly when control of the menu isn't in my hands. More often than not, when someone else cooks for me, they omit the things I can't eat. That in and of itself is perfectly acceptable. I'd rather someone not serve me something they are unsure is safe for me to eat as it saves us both the awkwardness of trying to find out or the embarrassment of guessing wrong. But these kind women didn't omit side dishes or desserts, and instead went to the extra effort of tracking down and preparing items that were both safe and delicious. To say I was touched doesn't being to express my gratitude.

Since my diagnosis, I've learned more about appreciating such simple gestures. It brings a smile to my face to know that there's a six pack of Redbridge waiting for me at my boyfriend's apartment, or that someone made the extra trip to the grocery store to buy gluten free bread mix so I could have fresh bread with my meal. Or when my aunt makes two versions of her baked ziti so I can share a meal with the family. There is no reason for anyone to do any of these things except love. They care for me and want me to be healthy and happy, and so they ask questions, read labels, clip magazine articles, and share recipes.

So many people ask me, "How can you live with that?" when I tell them of my disease. Simply put, I live with it because of people like those women from church and my family and friends. I live with it because the people in my life make it feel less like a burden and more like an opportunity. My diagnosis teaches me everyday the depths of human generosity and compassion. Compared to those things, a slice of bread means very little. When I said that celiac is more than just a diet, that it was a lifestyle change, I meant it. I just didn't know my life would be the first of several to change because of it.

My Mum

Hi guys. I figured everyone was beginning to wonder where I was lately. Truth is, the past two weeks have been so insane that I've had very few opportunities to bake, let alone write about baking. The good news is, though, that things appear to be settling down and I can pick up my measuring cups again.

My mum had her surgery two weeks ago. She was scheduled for a Tuesday morning surgery, but a minor complication (nothing life threatening!) postponed her surgery date until Thursday. She came through beautifully and was released from the hospital Saturday. The surgeon removed her right breast and lymph nodes from under her right arm, so she wasn't allowed to use that arm last week at all. I spent the week playing nurse and checking in on her, but I'm happy to say, she's recovering very very nicely.

Last Monday, we got the best news possible. The surgeon biopsied the tissue from the surgery and my mum is officially cancer free! Though she still has to do her radiation treatments, it finally feels like the nightmare is over. Our conversations about the future no longer contain the words "if I'm feeling up to it" and we can both relax a little. Her oncologist is extremely pleased and very optimistic and that makes me hopeful. Cancer's a big scary word, and although medicine has come a long way, the uncertainty distracted us both from a lot of things. But seeing my mum fight, and win, with an unshakable grace has taught me a few things. It's given me the courage to jump into my projects without fear and without regret for things that don't go according to plan. And the best part is knowing that she'll be there to watch it all unfold for a very, very long time. 

Cucumber Sangria

While I was in New York, a new acquaintance took me out for drinks. We ended up at a small spanish place so forgettable that I can't even recall the name or the neighborhood. The only thing I remember about the place was the cucumber sangria, which was brilliant. Well, at the time I thought it was brilliant. Cool glasses of bone dry white wine featuring crisp rounds of cucumber seemed like perfection.
And it really was, until a few weeks ago when I stumbled on an episode of Cooking for Real with Sunny Anderson. I'm not a huge Food Network fan, but she was making cucumber juice, so I stopped to watch. Intrigued, my mind reeled back to the cucumber sangria. "This would make the sangria so much better," I thought to myself. I had to try it.
That's exactly what I did this weekend. After a quick jaunt to Whole Foods, I settled into my boyfriend's kitchen and started my experiment. The result was slightly murky (because I haven't mastered the art of filtering with cheesecloth) but beautifully green, sweet sangria. The juice couldn't be easier to make and it paired perfectly with the sauvignon blanc I chose to use for the wine base. And the best part is, the juice makes a great mixing liquid. Next time, I plan to use it with sake instead of wine.  But for now, here's my recipe for sangria.

Emerald Sangria (cucumber juice courtesy of Sunny Anderson):

2 english cucumbers
3/4 sugar
1 cup water
750ml dry white wine of your choice, like sauvignon blanc

Peel the cucumbers and reserve the skins. In a medium pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Grate the cucumbers and add them to the boiling syrup. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cucumbers are tender, about 10 minutes. Allow mixture to cool slightly then add to a blender with cucumber skins. Blend until smooth and bright green. Line a bowl with cheesecloth and pour the mixture into it. Wrap the cloth tightly around the dregs and squeeze out the juice. Allow the juice to cool, covered in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Add about half of the juice to a pitcher and pour the white wine over it. Stir and rechill for another 20 minutes.

Low Country Contentment

Charleston, South Carolina might be one of my new favorite southern treasurers. I spent the weekend there repaying my friend for visiting Florence last weekend. And I must say, the city exudes charm. The weekend was interrupted by a death in my family, but my friend made sure I still had an enjoyable weekend in the downtown area. If you've never been, there are a few places you absolutely must check out. First on my list is a little place called Five Loaves Cafe. There are two locations, and I only made it to the one on Cannon St, but oh my goodness am I in like with it.

For one thing, they place huge emphasis on fresh, homemade ingredients. This place makes their own mozzarella. For another, they are extremely gluten-free friendly. When I told my waitress that I was gluten intolerant she didn't even flinch and instead pointed out to me that all of their salad dressings and soups were free of gluten. And when I asked if I could, on future visits, bring my own bread for sandwiches, she described one regular who did just that. And most importantly of all, I loved this place because, quite simply, the food is delicious. I had a salad of mixed greens, tomato, asparagus, roasted red peppers, and mozzarella with a walnut and shallot dressing and I also had a bowl of their carrot and ginger soup. The soup was so thick and comforting that I spent the first few mouthfuls with my eyes closed, just taking in the flavors. My friend ordered the tomato, basil, and goat cheese soup, and that too was creamy and comforting. Combine the excellent food and friendly staff with reasonable prices and bright and lively, local artwork, and you get Five Loaves. I plan on spending a great many meals there with new friends.

Another recommendation is the Old City Market. There are a bunch of quaint little shops and restaurants. My friend took me into one of the candy shops where they made pulled taffy and homemade pralines. This is also the section of town that offers horse-drawn tours of the downtown area. Horses make me sneeze and I was with a local, so I can't comment on the quality of the tour, but I imagine it's a fun way to see the city. I much preferred meandering in and out of the little shops and admiring the colonial architecture.

We also stumbled on a lovely little chocolate shop, run by Christophe and Carly Paume. Christophe is in charge of crafting the equally beautiful and tasty chocolates and treats and Carly runs the shop. I didn't get to meet Christophe, but Carly was a delight. She explained to me how Christophe gets his chocolate bunnies and shoes to look velveteen. And she excitedly told me that they are looking to expand into a larger kitchen space soon, so I expect bigger and even more gorgeous things to come from this couple. If you stop in, I highly recommend the lavender caramels.

I plan to spend a good many weekends in Charleston in the future, and I'll keep everyone up to date on my new discoveries, but I think that I did well for my first weekend in town. Check back with me soon for more!

Perfect Weekends

When I was younger, my parents would pack me into the car and we'd go exploring around town. Sometimes there was a specific goal in mind, but more often than not, it was just a matter of driving until something looked interesting. And most of the time, interesting happened downtown at the antique stores. I love antique, vintage, and retro items for one reason: the history. Even if I don't what an item's story is, I know that the story exists and that I become the guardian of that story when I bring it home with me. Those weekends are the ones I remember most fondly and those stories are the ones I cherish most.

This weekend, I had a wonderful opportunity to experience such an idyllic weekend again, this time as an adult. A friend of mine from Charleston came to town to see me. While pulling up directions to my house, he found that there are quite a few pawn shops in the area. He's an amateur historian specializing in WWII firearms, and pawn shops present some good opportunities to find hidden treasures. And because the weather was absolutely perfect (my favorite thing about spring in the south), I decided that we should have an adventure of our own.

He arrived mid-afternoon on Friday and we set out to gather supplies for our adventure and also stuff for dinner. Mum requested that I make my great aunt's pot roast recipe, which is easily the simplest, yet most comforting meal I know how to make. All you need is a nice marbled cut of beef, preferably sirloin or brisket, but any piece of roast will do, and some root vegetables. I like to use carrots, celery, and potatoes. Cut the veggies into big chunks, sear the beef, add everything to a roasting pan with a little oil, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste. Pop everything into a 400 degree oven and let it cook until the meat is just starting to fall apart. As good as that is the first day, it's even better the next.  And nothing says "welcome" better in my opinion.

The next morning, bright and early(ish) our adventure began. First a breakfast of tea and orange-chocolate chip scones (the basic recipe for which is posted in my archives), then out into the sunny, bright day. Most of the pawn shops ended up being a disappointment, but the fun wasn't in finding interesting guns for his collection so much as riding around, getting a little lost, and laughing until our sides hurt at trying to get unlost. During one such instance, we passed a cake supply shop sitting attached to an antique market. If I were a puppy, my ears would have perked up and my tail would have wagged furiously. As it was, I squealed with unrestrained delight at the find and we promptly stopped to explore. The cake shop was fairly nondescript, although the owner is running cake lessons for a reasonable rate.The antique shop, though, was utterly lovely. I made several happy discoveries, including two complete sake sets, one complete tea set, and my favorite find of the day- an enamel tea kettle for a mere $10. It was filthy, but I love enamel kettles, especially ones that don't whistle, so I scooped it up and brought it home. After a good, hard scrub, it looks just like new again and I can't wait to use it. And I'm going back soon to pick up one of the sake sets and possibly the tea set as well.

After the antique shop, we headed across town for lunch. I discovered the existence of a Vietnamese Pho restaurant right here in Florence. It turned out to be pretty much what I expected inside. No real atmosphere, but pleasant enough food at a reasonable price, so I'm certainly going back as much as possible. The barbeque pork over rice noodles was delicious.

When lunch was over, we stopped back at the house to throw a few pieces of fruit and some chai cookies into a bag and headed back out to check out a few trails I knew of in town. The trails run throughout town for about nine miles or so, and consist of a lot of new growth and man made swamps. They're charming enough, but I want to see them ten years from now when the wilderness takes over a bit. The sun was bright, but the weather was a gorgeous low to mid 50 degrees and there was a light breeze to tug at our clothes as we walked. Nibbling on a cookie and walking hand in hand with my friend as we chatted, I thought to myself of the weekends like this that I spent as a child and how wonderful it felt to have one again, just when I needed it most.

Chai Tea Cookies (adapted from kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com)

1 cup butter, room temp

3/4 cup instant chai mix 

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

3 1/2 cup flour (I used Pamela's of course)

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling (optional)

Cream together butter, sugar, and chai mix until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the eggs to the butter mixture, then add the flour slowly ( I did it in thirds). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drop tsp sized balls onto a greased cookie sheet (and roll in sugar if you're doing that step. I didn't) and bake for 10 minutes. Cool in pan for another 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cookies will come out soft, and a little chewy, with just a hint of chai flavor. The original recipe calls for a full cup of instant chai, so if you want more flavor use that, but I only had 3/4 of a cup and I think they came out fine. 

Should Bad Tips Earn You the Boot?

I read an article today about Kanpai Japanese Steak and Seafood House in Winston-Salem, NC banning a woman from the restaurant for not tipping well. There's been a lot of division in the food community around here about whether this is acceptable behavior or not. The establishment claims that since none of the staff was willing to serve her, they were forced to refuse service to her. The woman, who is black, claims discrimination.

I'm of two minds on this. On one hand, restaurants pay their servers below the minimum wage and expect them to make up the difference in their tips. Which means that if this woman truly didn't tip, or tipped below the socially accepted 20-25% all the time, the staff has a right to be upset about it. In that sense, the management team was looking out for their staff's well being and congratulations to them for it.

However, there are two problems I see with this philosophy. Firstly, the business the establishment drove away by banning a patron over tips is likely to affect their bottom line. I would certainly think twice before dining somewhere if I thought my tip was subject to inspection and approval. The article doesn't state whether the woman habitually didn't leave a tip or if she just grossly under tips, but the point is irrelevant. Tipping is NOT required. I understand all of the arguments servers want to make for condoning her banishment from the restaurant, but at the crux of the argument, she was banned for not performing what is still technically a voluntary action.

Which brings me to the biggest problem I have with the entire argument. Tipping is voluntary, yet servers depend on tips for their livelihood because of the way the system is set up. They are under-paid because the system expects customers to make up the difference by tipping the server. Most patrons feel a sense of entitlement though. As if good service deserves a good tip, while what they perceive as poor service deserves a poor tip. Which means that, basically, you are left with a system in which payment rendered is based solely upon the customer's perception of how well the job was performed. Why do we accept this as a valid system?

Think on it some and tell me what you think? Keep the tipping system, ban the patron, or fix the system?

Take that Teddy Grahams

Store bought graham crackers are out. Homemade ones are in.

Ok, so I'll admit that's partly because I've had one hell of a time finding gluten free graham crackers in any store. All that searching got me so frustrated though, that I decided to make my own. I used Elissa from 17 and Baking's recipe. That girl is way talented and I've been dying to try one of her recipes. I was absolutely not disappointed with this one. I followed it exactly, only switching the 2 1/2 cups of gluten free flour base (Pamela's as always in my kitchen) for regular flour. Because of how sticky the dough was, I probably picked up another 1/4-1/3 cup of flour for dusting the table, the pin, and the dough.

These cookies came out sweet, light, and just like graham crackers should be. I intended to use them for a rose cream cheesecake, but not having access to a spring-form pan put a damper on that plan. Instead, I've been snacking on them as is. They bring back wonderful childhood nostalgia. I think they might be my favorite thing to make so far. Check back with me when I make that cheesecake, though. I have good feelings about it.

Maybe I Am a Southern Girl

Upon a safe arrival in South Carolina, I set about on a mission. It was a big one too. I set out to find readily available gluten free beer in my local grocery stores and/or to find a craft beer shop that would carry it. No dice. And what's a good southern girl without a cold beer in her hand? A thirsty one, that's what. So I ran through my options:

1) Drive to the nearest specialty beer store. And who knows if they even carry gluten free beer. Or where the nearest one may be.

2) Order online. I'm fairly certain SC blue laws prohibit this, but it's worth looking into.

3) Brew my own. Yeah, this sounds like way more fun.

That's right kids. I'm dipping my dainty, polished toe into the world of homebrewing. I took a look at a how-to guide, and oh boy is this going to be an adventure. I get to play chemist again. Stay tuned for my updates on successes and failures and cries for help. I need all the advice on this one I can get.

Farewell New York

As most of you know, my mom is currently battling breast cancer. We've finally reached that point in her treatment where I'm needed at home. It's a difficult decision, but I made it with love in my heart.

To everyone I've met along the way, thank you for your support and encouragement. My time here has been more enjoyable than I can begin to say. New York City, you are the most vibrant and welcoming place I have ever been. I will miss sharing my joy and my sadness with you. And I know that, when I'm ready, you will be here to welcome me back. I'll be sorry to leave my kitchen and the kind people of Grand Central Neighborhood and the wonderful staff of Giorgio's. I'll miss late nights in Brooklyn. I'll even miss the subway.

I'll keep baking, and writing regardless, but I wanted to say my goodbyes to the city and the people that have made the past four months so amazing.

Lost Horizons and Night Markets

Last Saturday, I had the great privilege of participating in the second Lost Horizon Night Market in Brooklyn. My friend, Laura roped me into the idea of offering decorate your own erotic baked goods. Let the giggling ensue. Have you ever tried to bake dirty cookies with a straight face? Not possible.

A little background on the market: People come together, rent box trucks, decorate the interior, and offer some form of entertainment, services, or goods. Donations are accepted, or people can barter. The location is kept crazy secret to enhance the sense of adventure. Fun abounds.

So late Saturday afternoon, I pack a box of gluten free cookies and cupcakes, a tea pot, and other sundry supplies and head into Manhattan to pick up the box truck with Laura. From there we went on a scavenger hunt in Manhattan for other things we needed, like a grill, and fabric. From there we hit Brooklyn, finish loading the truck, and getting dressed. Finally, it's Market time.

And what fun it was! Lili, another friend of mine, made a range of vegan treats and decorating icings for everyone to use and enjoy. Krista and Laura covered the baked treats for the non-picky eaters, and I supplied the gluten free goods. The market was scheduled to end at 3AM, but we ran out of food around 1AM. That didn't stop anyone from coming by to drink tea and hang out with us. It was gratifying, successful, and enormously entertaining.

As popular as our truck was, there were so many other talented trucks. The smallest circus ever had two great shows that they ran every ten minutes. There was a silent movie truck, decked out with a heavy red curtain and handing out kuzoos and candy cigarettes. Another truck did an Alice in Wonderland tea ceremony. There was a group doing screen printing who were incredibly talented and very nice. With so much devotion and creativity, it was hard to focus.

Finally, the end of the night rolled around and we four packed up our truck and exhaustedly went home. I can't wait to do it again.

Celiac Dreams

 The Savvy Celiac ran a survey about changes made to the celiac community that we wish were made in the last decade. Things like better awareness about the disease, in the medical community and the food community as well, and better labeling for foods and medications.  All of these issues are of the utmost importance for those of us living with celiac.

I have a few more things I'd like to bring up, though. One of the major grievances I have with the celiac community is the price and portions of gluten free products. Gluten free products cost so much more than similar products made with gluten based ingredients, and often, there's less of it. For instance, my loaf of Dr. Schar's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread cost me about $5.50. The loaf is smaller than a regular loaf of bread in two ways: the number of slices, and the actual size of the slice. My sandwiches look like tea sandwiches. So in essence, I pay more money for less bread. I realize the ingredients for the bread are more costly, so I understand the need for higher price, but can I please have a big-girl slice of bread? I like food, and I get hungry, and tea sandwich doesn't fill me up. Almost all of the gluten free products are like this. If you must charge more, make the portion size worth my money. Those of us with celiac don't have the option of buying other products, and companies are taking advantage of that necessity to overcharge for their goods. It needs to be changed.

Another grievance I have is the availability of gluten free products at major supermarket chains. Not everyone has access to specialty grocery stores. The Giants and Food Lions of the world need to take more initiative in providing a wider range of brands and products. Some improvement on this front was made, but not enough. I've seen many grocery stores carry Amy's organic products, but not carry the gluten-free varieties. It's unacceptable. While we're on this line of thinking, I also want to see grocery stores separate the gluten free from the organic foods. Just because it is oraganic does not make a product gluten free and vice versa. It makes for a tedious trip to the grocery store. Some brands, like Amy's, make both organic products with gluten and ones that are gluten free. I know the tendency is to itemize products by brand, but it's made for difficult shopping. There's a great little health food store in Denville, NJ that has an aisle just for the gluten free products it carries. It also has a separate freezer for frozen goods that are gluten free. Shopping there was one of the most pleasurable experiences I've had. I could go to the aisle, pick a product, and know that it was safe for me to eat. Because of that, I was willing to make the trip to Denville to shop there.

One final note, and this one's minor, but it would be lovely. I'd love to see restaurants doing gluten free desserts. More often than not, when I dine out, I can find an entrée and side dish that are gluten free and delicious, but for dessert I'm stuck with vanilla ice cream. I love vanilla ice cream, but I also love cookies and cake. Even a crustless cheesecake would be a better option. So often this diet is about exclusion. Order this dish without that sauce. Don't eat that. I'd love to see the restaurant world embrace the challenge of making it a diet of inclusion. Even if they have to contract out to companies making pre made gluten free desserts. I don't know...just get creative.

It's all about education and involvement. And I hope the changes won't take another ten years to come.

Pear Pies and Apricot Poodles

Family holidays are some of my favorite activities. Mum's family is huge and, when we all gather, the noise and laughter fills the room. It's uplifting. It also makes dinner interesting. With about forty people to feed, the choices available are overwhelming. Family holidays are the ultimate potluck dinner. And like with any potluck, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Ever since my diagnosis, I've taken to building a little insurance into the dinners by making my own desserts and at least one side dish. The family's excellent about making sure the main dishes are free of all gluten for me, but the details sometimes get lost. Not because they don't love me and want me to eat, but because it can be too difficult for them to cater to one person's dietary needs or tastes with so many of us eating. I try to take some of that worry away by providing something that I know is gluten free, but also delicious and easy to share. Especially when it comes to dessert, since finding available, pre-made, gluten free options is expensive and not always easy. It's much easier for me to just make something. On the menu this year: pear pie.

I looked over a bunch of crust recipes and filling recipes for weeks. Having never made a pie, gluten free or otherwise, from scratch, I was a bit overwhelmed at first. Thankfully, I found a straightforward crust recipe in my Williams Sonoma Pies and Tarts cookbook. I was only concerned because, as with most recipes without egg, I knew my flour base would turn out crumbly, not tender, if I followed it exactly. The recipe called for the dough to be worked as little as possible so as not to melt the butter and toughen the crust. I ignored this advice. The reason the crust gets tough in regular recipes is because working the dough forms networks of gluten. Not a problem I encounter with my flours. In fact, I actually need the butter pieces to melt through the dough a bit more than usual to counter act the tendency of my dough to crumble rather than flake. I also added two egg yolks to the dough I made for the top of the pie to help hold it together and to assist with browning.

For the filling, I looked to the apple pie filling recipe listed in the cookbook, but I made a few modifications. My pears were sweeter than cooking apples, so I reduced the sugar by half. I added a little orange juice and zest for acid and flavor and a touch of ginger to spice it up. Here's the final recipe:

7 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp gluten free flour (like Pamela's Pancake and Baking mix, or your own)
the zest and juice of one orange
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

The final pie was actually kind of pretty, for a first attempt. I forgot to shield it with foil when I saw the edges getting darker, and the crust needs some work and practice, but I was happy just to have something pie-shaped that smelled good to serve.

Ever the obsessive and proud parent of such a creation, I charged mum with the heavy responsibility of wrapping the pie in aluminum foil and putting it in an insulated food bag. I also insisted that the pie ride shotgun in my lap for the entire trip to avoid overturning it or jarring it. In theory, it was a sensible idea. In practice, what actually happened went a little differently. My treasured pie rode happily in my lap for about an hour and a half. Then we stopped for breakfast. I placed to pie on the backseat of the car where, I assumed, it would remain safe until my return. My aunt placed her apricot poodle on the front seat where, I assumed, she would remain until we finished eating. We arrived at the car after breakfast to find my aunt's apricot poodle standing on my pear pie wagging her happy tail. I stood numbly staring at the bag while my aunt scolded the dog and mum opened the bag to check the pie. My face fell to see the hole in the aluminum foil and the crater of mushy crust and pear the dog made in my masterpiece. Right about then, I burst into tears. Weeks of planning, and days of execution literally got stomped on. Later, when I calmed down a bit of course, the situation seemed much funnier. And the pie was still every bit as delicious as I hoped. From now on, the pie rides shotgun on my lap and then gets placed in the trunk during pit stops if I want it to look as fantastic as it tastes.

Even though the pie wasn't pretty, it was gluten free, and very good, so I'll call this attempt a draw. One failure, one success, but at least I had dessert. And it went perfectly with the laughter and noise of the holidays.

Cake Calamities

My guy's birthday is coming up soon. So of course, I have to make him a cake. Which means I need to start testing recipes now. I mean, I'm great with cookies, but cakes...not so much. He deserves the best, and that's what I'm going to give him. With that said, I started this very day. Basic vanilla seemed, well, basic enough. Except it wasn't.

I started by following the recipe I found exactly. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter, then sugar. Then the eggs, one by one, and the vanilla and the milk. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Only, about 15 minutes in, I noticed the center was brown and bubbling while the outer edge was a creamy beige, and the top was rising like a soufflé. I moved the cake to a lower rack and left it to bake some more. Ten minutes later the center of the cake was a crater and the whole thing was so dark I was afraid it might burn. Out of the oven with it. As it cooled, the whole thing shrank and cracked, and finally fell apart as I tried to turn it out. Ok, so it didn't work, but I had plenty of flour left, and a few ideas. I'd just had to make some adjustments.

Round two, I separated the eggs and whipped the whites until fluffy. Followed the rest of recipe as closely as before, but this time, I folded in the egg whites at the end. The hope was the whites would make the cake less dense, a common problem with gluten free flours. Into the oven with the new cake. I checked on it at the 20 minute mark and it looked great, if a little liquid, but the recipe did call for a 30 minute cooking time. Five minutes later, the whole thing collapsed on itself and I had an even uglier cake than before. Except now I was out of butter and patience for the day.

Not the kind of cake I want to serve Michael, now or ever. Good thing I started practicing early. Baking cakes is not a piece of cake for this cookie queen.

Culinary Confessions

One of my favorite bloggers, Alejandra Ramos of Always Order Dessert wrote a post inspired by David Lebovitz's culinary confessions. Her's is whimiscal and, frankly, endearing. So endearing, that I'm going to brave the topic myself and give you my run down of culinary secrets.


I nibble to leftover dough of every cookie recipe I make. So much so that I often forget to eat a real meal.

I get cravings for foods I don't actually like.

Like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Which I find repulsive.

I think most swordfish preparations are akin to eating a grilled shoe. Not that I've tasted grilled shoe.

I once tried to become a vegetarian, but gave up when I realized I could no longer eat NC style barbeque.

Pork in almost every preparation makes me giddy.

I find food trends even more baffling than clothing trends. How can a fruit be trendy? Delicious is delicous, the end.

Speaking of which, due to my senior research project, I can barely stand the sight of pomegranates. Which sadly, became trendy right around the same time.

As long as something doesn't have gluten in it, I'll try it at least once. I'd just prefer it if you told me what I was eating after I've decided whether I enjoy it or not.

I don't buy into the idea that food is better because it's imported or expensive.

I recently bought a bag of pecans for $9 for half a pound. Remembering the pecan tree in my grandparents' backyard made this a painful experience.

On an average day, I consume 4-6 cups of tea. Coffee is for very rare and special occasions, or if there is no tea and I need a hot drink.

I miss matzo ball soup. And matzo in general for that matter.

I love licorice and the black-tongue effect I get from eating it.

I'm hopelessly messy when I'm cooking, but I always clean up after myself.

I love sushi, but hate how I'm always hungry an hour after eating it.

Brussel sprouts are my favorite vegetable, hands down. Even as a kid.

I want to learn to butcher my own cuts of meat, but I'm also a little intimidated by it.

Everything I cook is associated in my mind with someone or some event from my life. It's a completely autobiographic experience and I love sharing it.


Those are my confessions. Feel free to share yours!

Sweet Dreams

I'm always on the lookout for new recipes or ways to pep up old ones. This week, I found a little of both. In Taste of Home magazine, I found a lovely recipe for anise cookies iced with lemon buttercream. It sounded so warm and inviting that I just had to try it, and it happens that I had the perfect excuse to do so. I wanted to repay the staff at Giorgio's for their kindness to me by dropping of a few homemade treats for Christmas. Alex, in particular needed thanking. He was the perfect recipient for the anise cookies.

The cookies puffed more than I expected, but I decided I liked the pillowy texture. And they smell perfectly of licorice, but only hint at it when you bite into them. The original buttercream recipe didn't have quite enough lemon flavor, and I worried it would be lost on the cookies, so I dosed them with even more extract. I'd have liked to add lemon peel or better yet, candied peel pieces, but didn't have any on hand. Next time, though. For a first time recipe, I was incredibly pleased with this one. I happily delivered several to Alex, marveling at his look of gratitude and surprise. The way I see it, he goes out of his way several times a month for me, so for Christmas, it was my turn.

Not wanting to leave out the rest of the staff, who are also incredibly gracious, I sent along a sampler of candies. Homemade fudge, caramels, and coconut drops made their way into the tin, along with some peppermint meringues. The meringues were a stroke of inspiration. I recently had the idea to crush candy canes and use the bits in an biscotti recipe flavored with eggnog. Then I thought, "Oh...this would make a great topping for meringues and cookies too." So I tried it, and frankly, I think these meringues are my best yet.

The staff was so excited to receive their gift, but also a little blown away by it. I left smiling, knowing I made people feel special who routinely do the same for me. It was worth braving the cold just for the looks on their faces.

Better Labeling, Better Health?

The New York Times ran an article about the changes consumer groups want made to food labels, called A Makeover for Food Labels. The theory is that if food labels were easier to read, and contained more accurate information, then consumers would make healthier food choices. Personally, I'm a bit skeptical of that, but we'll leave it alone for now. I took a look at the new label, which you can view here.

I like it for two reasons. First, the print is a little larger and they've eliminated all caps, which makes the label easier to read quickly. And secondly, the ingredient information is organized in a way that makes sense to me. It separates major ingredients, minor ingredients (defined as 2% or less), and allergen information.

As someone who spends her life reading ingredient labels for allergen information, that last one is a big deal. The FDA has required for some time that major allergens be listed separately, but often they get crammed at the bottom of the ingredient list, where they sort of blend in. It can be hard to spot, which makes labels such as that potentially harmful. This new one makes it larger, highlights the information in red, and does what it's intended to do: draw the eye to it. While gluten is still not an allergen that is always listed, the layout of the ingredient list makes it easier for me to identify gluten containing components.

I don't care so much about the daily amount percentages, mostly because I'm one of those people that eats what I want in moderation. For people watching their sugar, sodium, fat, or caloric intake, though, there are some changes to that section as well. The most notable is the addition of the word HIGH in red lettering to daily amounts over 20%.

Whether this leads to consumers making healthier choices or not, I'm in favor of the new label, simply because it makes it easier to find information. I'm probably still going to put the sugary, fattening, calorie-filled snack in my shopping cart, but it will be nice to be able to see just how sugary, fattening, and calorie-filled it is before I do.

Tis the Season

Every Christmas, I make homemade candies and treats as gifts. I've found that often my sweets are better appreciated than any store-bought gift I could find. There's something about giving your time and effort to someone that can't be replicated.

This year, I'm being especially ambitious. For the first time, I'm making candy without my mum's assistance in the kitchen. She's always been there to hand me the jar of marshmallow fluff, or take over stirring. Now she's 12 hours away, so I'm on my own. Let the adventures begin.

Today, I made the fudge. Tomorrow, caramels and maybe Martha Washingtons, which are coconut and pecans dipped in melted chocolate. Then, the licorice and lemon soft mints. Finally, the baked goods. Chocolate mint cookies, biscuits with sausage and cheese. And depending on how much crushed candy cane I have left, peppermint meringues. And that's just what I'm making before I go home for Christmas. When I get home, I'm probably going to make more biscuits, and some sort of pie. Lots to do, but I feel relaxed, driven, and completely content. Nothing makes me happier than when I'm in the kicthen making treats for other people.

That's my favorite part of this season. It gives me an excuse to lavish my loved ones with homemade sweets. As I've said before, food and the sharing of meals is an incredibly intimate thing, meant to show love, friendship, and hospitality. And that's what Christmas is for too. It's the perfect marriage. And it's where I feel most in my element. Bring it on Santa. I've got this Christmas covered. In chocolate that is.