On Recipe Development

Though it was a footnote, I’ve mentioned once before that I don’t understand how other food bloggers develop recipes, in part due to the repetition. And in part due to the fact that sometimes perfection happens out of accident.

I never did manage to replicate that pasta sauce. And, post-move, we no longer have the base to compare it to. In some ways, that’s good. It means I can just start from scratch and say, “I want to make a smoked pasta sauce.” In some ways, though, it’s bad. I can’t compare to perfection. I think of this because I’ve recently been working on a squash custard recipe.

The very first time I tasted delicata squash earlier this year, I immediately thought “dessert.” I wanted to make a pie.… Continue reading →

Easy Hot Cocoa Mixes

Last year or perhaps early this year, I whipped together a basic cocoa mix for cold Chicago nights in. It was just something I could quickly add to some milk to make a warm, seasonal drink. And, frankly, it used up some of the random ingredients I had made or bought for household experiments. And it quickly made a batch for 2 – 4 folks, depending on how much cocoa you gave each person.

A frothy mug of hot cocoa.

Hot Cocoa Version I

6 tbsp vanilla sugar1
4 tbsp cocoa powder

3 c milk

Heat milk to a near boil on the stove, then whisk in the cocoa and vanilla sugar. Once thoroughly combined, serve.

It was very simple, but quite good. And it made Nicky happy when they visited, which is also great.… Continue reading →

Your Monday Food Reading

I recently re-found my link stash, and came across this recipe for perfect hard-boiled eggs. I have to admit, I’ve been loving this “recipe” since before this blog existed, because it just works. No green lines. No rubbery whites. Just tasty, tasty eggs. Just remember that fresher is worse-r for hard-boiled eggs, ok?

So, back in 2010, I was just as interested in baked French toast as I am now. but I never managed to make this one. I wonder if I should.

If Big Food Buys Your Favorite “Natural” Food Brand, Will You Trust It? I’ve wondered that for a long time, particularly with regard to Unilever and Ben and Jerry’s so many years ago. (Note, they are not mentioned in the article.) In general, I feel like much of the folks who buy food were already suspicious of these bigger brands, and so rarely bought them anyway.… Continue reading →

Holiday Gift Guide 2015 Part I – Food and Beer

Last year I did my first ever “gift guide,” and was surprised at how much folks liked the post. I admit, I hadn’t been sure people would be interested in my suggestions, but I decided to put them out there in case it was useful. This year, knowing it was well-liked last year, I’ve been paying a bit more attention to possible suggestions.

It helped, frankly, that Bill and I moved across the country and had to decide both what to get rid of entirely and what to put into storage for the next nine months. The toaster oven made the moving cut, but not the storage cut, for example. The electric kettle in that post, however, remains a part of my day to day living.… Continue reading →

Happy Thanksgiving

For the second year (not in a row), I’ve managed to make my lobster cranberry sauce gel. I’m pretty pleased about that, and the fact that my in-laws were welcoming to my bringing cranberry sauce. It seems that’s a pretty important part of my adult Thanksgiving holiday. I had to pare down quite a bit, and this was something I opted to keep.

Cranberry sauce in a lobster geletin mold in the foreground, whole cranberries in the back ground. All clearly in a fridge.

I imagine most of you won’t see this until after dinner; more likely Saturday or Sunday. But when you do, know I’m thankful for you guys. And, if you’re interested and willing, tell me the one thing you’d be sure to keep if you suddenly had to change your traditions?

Thank you.… Continue reading →