I Never Trust My Oven's Temperature

When I used to pre-heat my oven to 350F, I couldn't help but wonder if the temperature was as promised when the oven beeped. To quell my fears, I bought a thermometer and placed it on a rack inside my oven oven (on the outermost bar, near the door). I felt pretty smart when I found out that it took 10-15 minutes longer after the oven beeped to hit the target temperature. That's why I was having so many problems!!

We since moved, and I brought my thermometer. I put it in the oven here, and as I learned its quirks, I realized it similarly took longer to heat up than promised by the oven's thermostat. But I was having other trouble with the oven, that involved heat, smoke, and char everywhere (food and oven walls). On a whim, I put the thermometer further into the oven (now hanging on a rack in the very center of the oven), and I find out that the oven is hitting then exceeding the target temperature by 25, 50 or more degrees!! My 400 oven hit 500 (and beyond?)!

Now, I'm not sure where I'm going from here, but knowing is the first step. I've been much more cautious with high temperature cooking, which can lead to burning, smoking, and splats (aka dirty oven). I've considered looking into getting it repaired, but we're thinking of moving soon, so it might not be worth the expense.

Whatever I do now, the take away lesson: Never take the temperature of your oven for granted. Whether too high or too low, it can affect your cooking, and in turn, your confidence in cooking.

Recipe: Slim Mints

A recipe for slim mints (ya, just like thin mints from the Girl Scouts).

I know. You're welcome.

Why I Cook

Michael Rhulman got me rambling on why I cook. And why do I cook? I cook so I can feed the people I love.

I think about food a lot. Not because I have some sort of eating disorder, but because when you have young kids, you always have to preempt food meltdowns. You always have to be ready to feed at a moments notice. I always have a snack in my purse. I never thought I'd be that person, but I am. When I'm not feeding them, I'm thinking about what I will feed them. When I'm feeding them, I'm thinking about what's next, and have I fed them enough. When I'm not feeding them, I'm preparing future meals. In my mind, I'm always feeding them.

So I didn't cook anything before I was 20. Not once, did I cook food. I baked, and I loved it. But I never cooked food; knives and flames scared me. I was so bad at it, that it was a source of pride. "Oh, I don't cook. Trust me, it's not even an option for me!" This pride began to dissipate when I found that trying to feed myself without a drive thru window was impossible. I have a small appetite, but between all of the junk food I was surviving on, including my baked goods, I began gaining weight. That said, I didn't realize I was gaining weight until I lost it. I lost it by going to the gym and eating less junk. "Interesting," I thought.

Anyway, I spent the next few years cooking, but not really. Pasta was common, as were salads, sandwiches, and so on. Then I bought my first cookbook, "Pillsbury Best Chicken Cookbook," which was great because it wasn't complicated and broke down every step. I've made some good meals from that book, and I still have it today.

When I met my husband, I started cooking more because I found that it's more fun to feed two people than one person. I was also encouraged by my husband's interest in food; he loves cooking, eating, and savoring. He's a great guinea pig!!

But it wasn't until I stopped working to stay at home with our first child that I started cooking in any real way. I had more time to think about food. I began going to our local farmers' market in Santa Monica, which is truly impressive. At first, I bought fruit, potatoes, and onions. Then I began trying new foods (to me) like sprouted lentils, leeks, jerusalem artichokes, and so on. I began feeling challenged by the exposure to new foods. I began reading cookbooks for fun. I began looking at food as a source of personal growth because it was no longer about feeding people, it was about expanding my horizons and learning by doing, which is how I learn best.

When my son started on solid foods, I made it all. I cooked, pureed, and spiced it up. And with his massive diet, it worked well because everything he ate was unprocessed and healthy. Yes, my son loved lentils and broccoli. And his sugar intake was in the form of local, fresh, organic peaches, strawberries, cherries, and grapes.

My daughter has been a lot more picky with her food intake. I tried pureeing foods for her, but she couldn't stand being spoon fed. She didn't start on solids in any serious way until she was about 10 months old, and it was as soft finger foods (e.g., peaches, avocado, tofu). So I didn't cook for her on an individual level, but in my defense, I tried!!

And here we are. I cook most days of the week. I've ebbed and flowed between complicated, quick, labor intensive, simple, and time consuming foods. I stopped baking for a while because I no longer had time to do so while still making dinner. But we've found a balance once again. I bake again, but only if I can find a way to distribute the goods (e.g., friends, kid's friends). Dinners during the week aren't complicated, but everyone is happy enough eating it (e.g., leftover chicken with pasta and sauteed veg, or smoked salmon sandwiches). I save more complicated or time consuming endeavors for the weekend (e.g., berry tiramisu, roasted chicken).

In sum, here's why I cook:

• Cooking makes me a more well-rounded person.


• Seeing me cook in the kitchen has taught MetaBoy about food, cooking, and eating. He loves getting in there and "helping." It teaches him how food is cooked into the food we eat. It teaches him about processes, patience, responsibility, and how to be careful with things he doesn't understand. He learns every time he joins me.


• When I cook, the kids inevitably join me in the kitchen. MetaGirl rummages through drawers and MetaBoy grabs his apron to help. We spend time together and have some fun learning about food. The other day, they each insisted on munching on a bulb of fennel. Who am I to argue with a request like that?


• Eating home made food at the dinner table leads to good habits. We all sit together and enjoy talking and recounting our days. We all eat the same food, and MetaGirl is constantly trying to eat things that I'm not ready to let her try. I usually give in. She's convinced me to let her try carrots, apples, and broccoli. I didn't think she was ready, but she showed me. You learn things about each other when you sit together and share.


• Having kids and cooking for them has taught me how to find balance. Sometimes, it's not worth stressing them out by spending an hour in the kitchen. Just assemble something they'd like in 15 or 20 minutes (an episode of something on TV) which keeps their tummies full and everyone happy (them, me, the neighbors).


• They're growing so fast. They need food and energy to grow, and I feel a lot better cooking for them because I know that they're not being loaded with sugar, empty calories, and pesticides. The less processed foods, the better. Though I'm not a monster...they get a few treats every now and then ;-)


• Cost is a relative thing. I buy a lot of organic, hormone/antibiotic free foods, which isn't cheap. We would probably spend less eating from the drive thru every day, but our long term health would suffer, and isn't there a dollar cost associated with that?


• Speaking of health, cooking at home has improved my diet and that of my husband. We eat less junk because there's always something healthy around to choose from. Sure, we still have some "treats," but nothing's bad in moderation. Personally, in making sure that the kids like water, I've taken to drinking water at most meals. And I never would have thought it had such a big impact, but dropping soda and juices and doing nothing else to speak of aided in an unintentional loss of about 5 pounds. Something to think about, huh?
  

So over the past few years, the reasons and processes of cooking have changed, but it's something that I know will stay with me for as long as I can muster the energy. Thinking about food is now engrained in me. I'm now that mom who wants to feed everyone. I'm that wacky lady who's insisting on giving you leftovers "you know, for the kids!" And that's pretty fun, too.

Sesame Street Cake Pops

Speaking of cake balls, my Mount Everest.

Sesame Street Cake Pops by Bakerella...my new hero :-D





Photo by Bakerella

Around the Internet: Food

National Punctuation Day Baking Contest - Fun contest!! Not this year, but MetaBoy and I might enjoy participating in future years.

Restaurants Look Beyond Chicken Fingers - After seeing a dip in restaurant visits of groups with kids, some restaurants are changing their approach by offering healthier kids' meals, and making them free. Personally, I'm very excited at the thought of healthier kids' meals because I'm tired of seeing pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, and nuggets. That said, I'm cautious with a healthier option, too, because I'm not sure that restaurants take kids' meals as seriously as they take those of adults. We went to La Grande Orange in Santa Monica, and I was sorely disappointed in the quality of MetaBoy's food: cold fries, mushy berries, and bland fish. Needless to say, he didn't finish it, which speaks volumes, let me tell you.

On that note, if your kid isn't eating his food in a restaurant, give it a taste to make sure it's edible!

Farmers markets fear Los Angeles' fees - Unrealistically high fees for farmers' markets in Los Angeles have historically been waived, but possibly not for much longer. While this will not impact markets held in parks, private property, and outside of LA (e.g., Santa Monica and Culver City), it could force affected markets to move or close. If fees are going to be assessed on these markets, the city should make them fair, which they are not.

"Rodgers called the monthly bill, which would total $80,508 a year, 'infuriating,' and 'an arbitrary number,' adding, 'No one has given any indication what this is really for.' If the market had to pay that and received no relief, she said, it would have to close or find another space."

Is it OK to replace unsalted (sweet cream) butter with salted butter if you reduce the total amount of salt in the recipe? - If you can't log in, here's what it says. You should not use salted butter in recipes because:

• The amount of salt varies from brand to brand
  
• Salt masks flavor nuances found in butter
  
• Salted butter almost always contains more water than unsalted butter.

What I took away from it is that I can use salted butter, but I will have more control over the flavor and texture (due to water content) of the end product if I use an unsalted butter.

Recipe: Drop Biscuits

I've been craving biscuits for the past few days, and out of nowhere, America's Test Kitchen decides to show me how to make drop biscuits. That is, biscuits without the hassle of rolling and cutting. Mix the dry, mix the wet, add the wet to the dry, scoop and drop onto baking sheet. Bake. Cool. Eat.

It was so easy. Too easy. This could be a problem.

Biscuits are essentially savory scones, so a little tweaking could result in super easy sweet scones. The possibilities are endless.

In the meantime, I'm gonna go get some butter for my biscuit.

Mmm...

Recipe: Passion Fruit Chocolate Cloud Cake

I've made this cake more times than I can count. It's my go-to cake when I need something delicious, reliable, and pleasing to all. The cake is rich, fudgy and dense; you really can't eat more than a small serving. But as a result, it really feels like a treat. It's become more standard since finding out that a friend has Celiac disease, which means that she can't eat gluten (wheat, pasta, rye, barley). Even small amounts are a problem, so she had to purchase a separate toaster at home for her gluten-free toasting needs. It's been a huge lifestyle change for her and her family. So when we have them over for dinner, I like making a few different things with as many gluten-free options as possible. It's not that hard as long as you think about it beforehand, but it does take some thought and research. For example, soy sauce is not necessarily gluten-free. I didn't see that one coming.

But I digress. This cake is a great flourless chocolate cake. My favorite part is the freshness imparted by the fruity contribution. Nigella's original recipe included 2 tablespoons of Cointreau (an orange liquor) and some orange zest. But I wanted to try something different, so I consulted The Flavor Bible, which has become a great source of inspiration for trying out new flavors. I found that passion fruit goes well with dark chocolate, and it reminded me that my favorite chocolate ever is a passion fruit dark chocolate from Jin Patisserie (absolutely wonderful!!) in Venice, CA. So I substituted 3 tablespoons of passion fruit puree for the Cointreau. I cut the fruit, put the pulp in a sieve, and scraped out, on average, 1 tablespoon from every 2 passion fruits. I thought it was a nice start, but it could have used more; the fruit was too subtle. I'll add at least another tablespoon next time. That said, it was still delicious, and I thought the Cointreau in the cream served to bring out the passion fruit in the cake.

Chocolate Cloud Cake
from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson

250g (9 ounces) dark chocolate
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
6 eggs: 2 whole, 4 separated
7 ounces sugar
3 tablespoons passion fruit puree (from about 6 passion fruits)

Cream topping:
16 ounces double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Cointreau (or other orange liquor)
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, and then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate.

Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 2 ounces sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture and the passion fruit.

In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the 5 ounces of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape but not too stiff. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

When you are ready to eat, place the still tin-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the cake from its tin. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges; it's the crater look we're going for here. Whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and Cointreau and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff. Fill the crater on the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder.

Serves 8-12.

Around the Internet: Food

Fancy Cupcake Wrappers - I don't make cupcakes often, but I suspect I will as MetaBoy starts school. It's a great alternative to a giant cake. And with these precious cupcake wrappers made from recycled paper, I don't think I'll be able to resist. (NOTE: some items on this website are for baking (e.g., liners), but others are to be used as decoration only.)


SOS: Your recipe requests answered - Looking for the recipe to a favorite restaurant meal, dessert, or drink? The Los Angeles Times to the rescue with Culinary SOS!! That said, some things are best left to the professionals ;-)

Cocoa Butter, Raw and Orgamic - I wonder if "orgamic" butter is like buying a Rolecks instead of a Rolex?

Politics of the Plate: Selling the Farm - A heartbreaking story about a 144 year old family farm that has to be sold off because being a dairy farmer is more about going into debt that making a living.

"In Vermont, where I live, that translates to a loss of $100 per cow per month. So far this year, 33 farms have ceased operation in this one tiny state. Meanwhile, the price you and I pay for milk in the grocery store has stayed about the same."

It really makes me wonder what's happening to our food supply when small, productive farms run by families willing and able to work are run out of business.

Recipe: Pie Dough

This is not my great secret on pie dough. This is simply a collection of information and tips that have helped me gather the courage to make pie dough. If you're intimidated, I hope this helps...because it turns out it's not that bad ;-)

I've always been intimidated at the thought of making pies. Not so much by the filling as by the crust. I've tried some recipes, and as someone who follows a recipe with precision, I was always frustrated when the resulting dough seemed so difficult to work with. I've also been dismayed at the time it takes to get a crust ready for use (i.e., chill in the refrigerator before using). That just requires a lot of patience in my book!

But I've been tempted yet again to try my hand at making pies. In reading various cookbooks, it occurred to me to try making a free form tart because

• it only requires one rolled out circle of pastry
  
• it doesn't require a dish (e.g., pie pan, tart pan)
  
• you can put as much or as little fruit (within reason) as you like into the tart and it holds up pretty well

So, I went with Michael Ruhlman's Ratio for a sweet pie dough: 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, 1 part water, plus sugar. I mixed 12 ounces of flour with 2 tablespoons of sugar, then added 8 ounces of very cold cubes of salted butter (or use unsalted butter, but add 1/2 teaspoon salt). A pastry blender would keep the butter from warming at the touch of my hand, but I don't have one so I use my hands. To offset the warmth of my hands, I put the diced butter in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then toss it into the flour and start rubbing the butter to mix. The butter doesn't have to be completely blended in. The best description I've heard for the look of mixture is that it should look like damp sand, though it should contain plenty of chunks of butter. I then add up to 4 ounces of ice water. Since one of the tricks in getting the pastry right is getting the right amount of water in, Ruhlman points out that the amount of water required will vary from pastry to pastry because of the weather, humidity, the kind of fat used in dough, etc. So I pour out 4 ounces of water, and slowly added it to my pastry until I achieve the right texture: sticks together, but isn't too wet. I then cut the mass in half, shape each into a disc, wrap them in cling film, and put them in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 15 minutes, though some sources say as long as 1 hour. Something to consider if you have the time.

That's the tough part, which I've found that after a few attempts, is no longer as tough as it used to be. I chill the dough for 30 minutes, or I wrap it up well, put in a zip top bag, and freeze. When I need it, I leave the frozen disc in the refrigerator overnight, and it's ready to use. Since the above proportions give me enough pastry for two discs, I can use one now, and freeze one for later.

Now, here are some random tips I've picked up from here and there:

• From Sherry Yard's The Secrets of Baking: "The secret to flaky pastry is to make the butter believe it is solid. The small pieces of cold butter must be left whole and flattened within the dough. They must not be allowed to combine with the flour but should remain intact."
  
• Ruhlman says that too much water or kneading will result in a tough dough. But Yard tells us that having a slightly wet, tacky dough is better than a dry one. As in life, it's all about balance.
  
• The addition of a bit of acid (e.g., 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar) will help inhibit the gluten proteins, which can make rolling easier.
  
• If you mix the dough by hand, all you need is a bowl and a scale (for precision). Though some recipes suggest using a food processor, that's a lot of extra cleaning up!
  
• You can buy premade dough that can be rolled out at home (e.g., Trader Joe's frozen pastry circles). Since you still have to roll out the dough for your purposes, you're only saving that first step of mixing everything together, about 10 minutes. Yes, you have to chill it. But you would also have to defrost the frozen dough.
  
• If you buy a premixed dough, you can't control flavor (e.g., Ruhlan's savory dough: omit sugar, add 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano).
• Use good butter. We love Kerrygold Irish butter, which we find at a reasonable price at our local Trader Joe's.
  
• If you're intimidated, you'll likely find that after a few attempts, it's actually not that difficult or time consuming. And the end result is lovely. It feels good to make something so basic and versatile.

Some other sources that provide some great tips and insight on technique and recipes for their version of the perfect pie dough:

Cook's Illustrated's Foolproof Pie Dough @ Serious Eats

Pie Crust 102: All Butter, Really Flaky Pie Dough @ Smitten Kitchen

Perfect Pie Crust @ Simply Recipes

Better Cake Mix Alternative?

I like baking, but it can be such a daunting task with kids running/crawling in circles around your legs. Making the batter for a cake or cupcake is really quite easy, especially in a food processor). But sometimes, it's more the thought of baking from scratch that's a deal killer. The thought of taking out the flour, baking powder, salt...putting them all away...cleaning up. Blegh!

One of the bigger benefits to home baking is using good ingredients, and knowing that there are no partially hydrogenated fats or high fructose corn syrup lurking in there. As such, while I'm not a fan of cake mixes, I can appreciate what this one offers.

Naturally Nora Cake Mixes

Stars Cake Mix Ingredients: Unbleached Wheat Flour, Sugar, Chocolate Cookies (Wheat Flour, Sugar, Canola Oil, Cocoa, Baking Soda, Salt, Rosemary Extract), Baking Soda, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Cream of Tartar, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum Contains Wheat Produced In A Facility That Also Uses Mllk, Soy and Tree Nuts.

There are currently only 6 reviews on Amazon, but they're all positive. So maybe they taste OK? Possibly, dare I say, good?

Is it the best option? I'd say no. But if you're gonna open a box, this feels like a better option.

I probably won't be using it any time soon since I've got a baking bug right now, and MetaDaddy kindly asked that I stop trying to fatten him up.

Time to fatten the kids up, I suppose ;-)

Via Daily Candy

New Cookbooks: Ratio and The Flavor Bible

I cook at home for my family. The extent of my training is from cookbooks, which I read for fun (easier to finish than a novel these days), and TV personalities, primarily those with entertaining accents (yes, Jacques, I'm looking at you).

But you don't really learn much from those sources, other than a specific recipe and an occasional tip. One of the reasons I watch Alton Brown religiously and subscribe to Cook's Illustrated is because I want to know how the cooking and baking processes work, so that I can understand how to negotiate a recipe to serve my needs.

Yes, certain foods are easy to vary (e.g., add more vegetables, use less salt). I have no problem changing things up in a stew, for example. Herbs and spices are always mere suggestions. And there's always room for some vermouth! But when it comes to making bread, pie crusts, or cakes, I'm at the mercy of my recipe books. I love my books, but sometimes I wish I understood why certain ingredients are listed so that I know whether or not I can substitute or omit them all together.

Enter Michael Ruhlman. His most recent book is Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking. This is the book I've been looking for since I burned, cut, and maimed myself while foraging for sustenance in my sad little kitchen oh so long ago. This book gives you the ratios of how to make foods that require precision, thereby offering me a foundation from which to be creative in the kitchen.

For example, as he states after offering the ratio for bread is 5 parts flour to 3 parts water:

"You can make fresh bread without opening a single book or scouring a website for random recipes, and you can make as much or as little as you like. That 500 grams of flour or 20 ounces of flour with the water, a pinch of dry yeast, and 2 big pinches of salt make a good loaf of bread. But if you want to liven it up, add a tablespoon of freshly chopped rosemary and a head of roasted garlic and stretch it out for a roasted garlic and rosemary ciabatta. Other fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, and oregano work beautifully, too. Or use other intense, flavorful ingredients: poblano and chipotle peppers, kalamata olives and walnuts, chocolate and cherries, pistachios and cranberries. Caramelized onion! A sausage! Cheese! The variations are limitless because you know the ratio, 5 parts flour, 3 parts water."

After giving you ratios and a few other tips, he gives you a few recipes to understand how to use the information. Because the point isn't to walk away with a recipe, it's to walk away with an understanding of how you can make every recipe bend and yield at your command!! Mwa, ha, haaaaa!! Hmm...too much? OK, it's at least a great tool in understanding how you can manipulate recipes to suit your ingredients on hand, or alter the servings needed (serves 4 vs. serves 8 isn't always a matter of doubling everything).

Now that this book is in my hot little hands, I'm much more keen on getting The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. After hearing about it at every turn (a fun review here), I checked it out from the library, and found that it wasn't for me. Much like a dictionary, it lists foods and their complimentary pairings. For example, if you look up cherries, it will list every food that goes well with cherries, as well as a list of foods that go exceptionally well with cherries. Personally, I found that it put the onus on me of understanding what I cook, and that's just silly. But as I feel a bit more confident in cooking and baking, I might feel more inclined to have such a tool in my kitchen. As a home cook, it really can come in handy. If I'm debating on what to do for dinner and I know I have some herbs or vegetables that I want to use up before they go off, this book would be a great way to figure out how I can use a few ingredients effectively. Things like that don't just come to me...I need help! And how likely is it that I'll find a recipe in a random book or online as easily? Riiiiiight.

So these are my exciting new kitchen finds. Have you seen anything exciting out there?

Recipe: Buttermilk-Rhubarb Coffee Cake

I've got that moody, broody thing going on these days. I don't know why, so I'll just chalk it up to hormones. I only have 9 months to blame hormones. I'm taking full advantage.

On that note, a breakfast/dessert on Amazon (scroll down) to appease the beast (i.e., me).

I did the rhubarb variation, and it's delicious!! I baked it for the full 40 minutes in a 9-inch pan (I didn't have an 8-inch), sans nuts, and it's moist and tender. I also substituted nutmeg for cinnamon in the topping because MetaDaddy doesn't care for cinnamon in his baked goods (we all have our personal ticks ;-). If you can't get rhubarb, take a look at the original classic buttermilk coffee cake recipe and other variations.

Buttermilk-Rhubarb Coffee Cake
By Mollie Katzen

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped rhubarb (1/4-inch pieces)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (unwrap & place directly in bowl ahead of time)
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk

Topping
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for a glass pan). Lightly spray an 8-inch round or square pan with nonstick spray.

Before making the batter, toss the rhubarb, 2 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in a bowl. Let the mixture stand while you prepare the batter.

In a large bowl, beat the butter for several minutes with an electric mixer at high speed. Add the sugar and beat for several minutes longer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in the vanilla.

In a second bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, slowly mixing them together with a whisk.

Add the dry ingredients in three installments to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry (dry-wet-dry-wet-dry). After each addition, mix from the bottom of the bowl--just enough to blend--with a spoon or a rubber spatula. Don't overmix. Fold the rhubarb mixture in with the last installment of dry ingredients.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly into place. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon (and optional nuts), and sprinkle this on top before baking.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes one 8-inch round or square cake (about 6 or 7 servings).

The Dangers of Cooking

This has been a frightening week in the kitchen. Here are a few of the highlights.

I bought some kale to try Alton Brown's lemon sesame glazed greens. Well, let's say that for a few reasons, I will never be trying it again. Per the recipe, I heated the pan, then put the oil in. The pan got too hot, the oil burned, smoke e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. Had to open every window, chilled the place through and through, and got the whole family coughing. And the kale was rubbery. I obviously don't have the knack. I've been banned from that recipe.

Today, I decided to make the olive oil cake from Sunday Suppers at Lucques. I started by segmenting the tangerines, which MetaDaddy noticed I did wrong. So, now MetaBaby will be snacking on tangerines for the next few days. I then figured I'd at least make the cake because at the end of the day, I know how to make a cake. Turns out, I don't...le sigh.

Here are a couple of things I learned today. Step 2 says you should mix the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer for 7 minutes, then transfer the finished product to another bowl. I figured "that's just one more bowl to clean," so I left it in the same mixing bowl. Here's why you should transfer the egg mix to another bowl. When you fold in the olive oil, it pools in the reservoir of the mixing bowl. Another thing, my favorite cake pan is one with a removable bottom. Why was this a bad idea? 20 minutes into baking, smoke was filling the kitchen, yet again. Olive oil pooled in the bottom of the oven and reached it's smoking point. We had to take the cake out, which was half done, wipe up the oil, and put the cake back in. When it was "finished," it was also charred on top. At this point, we decided to lop off the burnt part, and it was actually nice and golden. So I whisked up some cream and called it dessert. For the record, it was good. I'll try to make this again, when I've recovered.

The amusing thing was that after screwing up so many dishes, MetaDaddy (either out of pity, fear, or concern for the well-being of his first-born), helped finish dinner. On the bright side, the risotto was perfect!

I think tomorrow might be a light kitchen day. For everyone's sake.

Note:  I later found out I was pregnant.  And yes, hindsight is 20/20.

Recipe: Angel Food Cake

It's been a long time in the making.

I've been wanting to make and angel food cake for a while now, but I haven't had the guts until just recently. I saw a Good Eats episode on the topic. Alton Brown gave some great tips and insight, and made it look easy enough, but I was put off from the task when a friend told me about her trouble with his recipe.

I found a recipe in Alice Waters' "The Art of Simple Food," which is actually very similar to Alton Brown's, so I tried it. Brown suggests using superfine sugar (aka caster or baker's sugar) in order to sift per the recipe, which can be purchased or made by blitzing the sugar for a couple of minutes in your food processor. As for the egg whites, I made an effort to store egg whites every time had an extra one (e.g., after yolk-only recipes). When I made the cake, I had only accumulated 9 whites, but the liquid volume came to 1.5 cups (the amount required for the Waters' recipe), so I didn't add more. The cake didn't seem to suffer as a result...just ask my husband ;-)

Keep in mind that the right pan is essential. The cake will not rise as well with a non-stick (or buttered) pan because it needs to climb the sides of the pan. I had a hard time finding a simple angel food cake pan with legs, but I finally found one at Joanne Fabric & Craft stores. Since then, I've also seen them at Smart & Final at a great price.

And remember...no egg yolks = less guilt. As long as you don't eat half the cake in one sitting :-)

Angel Food Cake
from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

Tall, airy angel food cake is lovely just plain, but I usually serve it with summer fruit compote and whipped cream. Day-old angel food cake is delicious sliced thin and toasted.

10 servings

1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups egg whites (about 12 egg whites), at room temperature
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon orange flower water or rose water
3/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Sift together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, and salt.

In a medium bowl or in a stand mixer with the whip attachment, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Whisk in the water, lemon juice, cream of tartar, and rose water. Keep whisking until the foam is very soft, holds a slight shape, and has increased 4 to 5 times in volume. Whisk in the final 3/4 cup of sugar. Continue whisking until thye mixture forms glossy, soft peaks. The mixture should not be stiff or dry. Transfer to a large bowl. Sift a fine layer of the dry ingredients over the whites, and fold them in with a rubber spatula, gently and quickly. Continue sifting and folding until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 10- by 4-inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Smooth on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. When done the cake should spring back when touched gently. Invert the pan to keep the cake from sticking or deflating. (If the cake pan has legs, turn it over onto them, otherwise invert the tube pan onto the neck of a large bottle.) Cool completely.

To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the center tube. Gently push up the bottom, using the knife to help guide the cake out, if necessary. Use a sharp serrated knife into water between cuts to help keep the cake from sticking.

Converting From Non-Stick

Most non-stick cookware is coated with teflon, the primary chemical of which is called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This allows for wonderful things like omelettes, crepes, and muffins to cook or bake without sticking to it's surface. A great technological marvel. However, if heated above a certain temperature, this chemical gives off a toxic fume that has been known to kill birds (more susceptible due to their unique anatomy), and can cause respiratory problems in humans. A response to a query in the Austin Chronicle breaks down the potential dangers to using Teflon pretty well.

The main problem seems to be that when Teflon is heated to temperatures higher than about 450 degrees (twice the temperature of boiling water) it produces toxic particles and fumes that can deposit in the lungs. At higher temperatures, 680 degrees, other worrisome substances are given off, but many of them are poorly investigated. These temperatures can be reached if a pan is left sitting on a normal kitchen stove burner set on "high" for as little as five minutes. The "take-home" lesson is to use Teflon only to cook at lower temperatures.

I'd heard about the dangers of teflon on non-stick pans for a while, but I chose to ignore them. How bad could it really be? I was talking to a friend about it and her husband, who had done a significant amount of research on the topic, was dead set against using non-stick. That brought back my nagging doubts. Should I be dead set against it, too? It's actually quite easy to overheat an empty pan, so how could I be sure I wasn't heating the surface beyond safe levels? When I got pregnant, I decided it was time to switch over.

Our non-stick pots and pans were getting old, anyway. Once they become scratched, it's time to get rid of them because scratches increase the chances of getting toxic bits in your food. There are pros and cons to every kind of cookware, but the health risks were the issues that influenced my decisions the most. I did a lot of research and decided on 3 different kinds of pans.

Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel 8-Piece Cookware Set - While I didn't necessarily want a set, this one fit the bill at a lower price than buying the few individual pieces I wanted. The going price was about the same everywhere I checked, so I bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% coupon, and it came with a bonus $50 BBB gift card. I chose this stainless steel set as the foundation for our cookware collection because I wanted a metal that has fewer health risks (proven or not). Unlike other sets, this one is dishwasher safe. While they're relatively easy to clean, they can be hard to keep in pristine condition. I'm hardly interested in that, though. If I want to stare at something, I'll go stare at MetaBaby.

A few cleaning tips:

• Always wipe dry after washing to prevent spotting. Spots and marks can be removed with equal parts vinegar and water.
  
• Do not use brushes or sponges that can scratch the surface.
  
• To avoid salts stains, do not add salt to your food until the contents are boiling.
  
• Remove calcium deposits by boiling water with some white vinegar. Allow your pan to cool, then wash with warm, soapy water.

Pros: Easy to clean, no health concerns, dishwasher safe, handles on pans stay cool while cooking, stovetop & oven friendly, browns food nicely, safe to use with acidic foods (e.g., tomatoes)

Cons: Difficult to keep in pristine condition, not non-stick, clear lids not as useful as I anticipated

Pre Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet - A seasoned cast iron skillet has the benefit of being naturally non-stick once seasoned. It's truly easy to maintain. Just wipe it down after use, preferably while warm, and never use soap on it. It took a bit of getting used to because it's not very reactive to changes in temperature. That is, if you lower the heat, it takes a while for the temperature to adjust accordingly.

Pros: Inexpensive, conducts heat evenly, stovetop & oven friendly, browns food nicely, increases iron in food, non-stick if seasoned, can last forever if cared for properly

Cons: Heavy, can rust if not dried after washing, slow to adjust to heat changes, can't use with acidic foods (e.g., tomato) because leaches too much iron into the food, not dishwasher safe

Le Creuset 5.5 quart round oven - I had wanted one of these pots for ages. I finally decided to bite the bullet when I made the transition. The going price seemed to be the same everywhere, but I found this pot on sale at Bloomingdale's, where I also had a gift card. I ended up paying 50% of the original price out of my own pocket, so it felt like destiny.
This pot goes from stove-top to oven without a hitch. It cleans in no time, and is a great size to do a variety of foods, so I end up using it almost daily. This is definitely my "go to" pot. And all at a bargain price. That said, I love this one so much, if something happened to it today, I'd go out and buy another one tomorrow.
I purchased a Le Creuset, but there are other manufacturers out there. I'm sure used ones would be well worth a try, too. Here are some cleaning tips for any type of enameled cast iron.

Pros: Easy to clean, no health concerns, stovetop & oven friendly, browns food nicely, safe to use with acidic foods, non-stick, can last forever if cared for properly, conducts heat evenly

Cons: Heavy, dishwasher safe (but too heavy to try), paint can chip

Here are a few types of cookware that I don't have any personal experience with, but appear interesting.

Soapstone Cookware - Oven-, stovetop-, grill-safe; ; not dishwasher safe; natural non-stick surface after curing; easy to clean

La Chamba Cookware - Made of natural clay; not dishwasher safe; oven-, microwave-, grill-safe

If you have any experience with these or other types of safe cookware, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook

After much hemming and hawing, I finally decided to get The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook, by Amelia Saltsman. My initial hesitation was because I worried that despite cooking often and having access to the same farmers' market, I would find the recipes too difficult or labor intensive. Well, I'm glad I bought it. There is a degree of labor involved, but nothing too scary. A bit of chopping, mixing of dressings/sauces, and other such prep work, but that's to be expected. I have found no recipes that start "Day One."

To date, I've made the following, all of which have been successful:

• Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado Salad
  
• Melon, Cucumber, and Mint Salad
  
• Tomato and Cucumber Bread Salad
  
• Indian-Style Cauliflower Soup with English Peas
  
• Halibut with Fennel
  
• Roast Pork Loin with Red Currants and Provencal Herbs

She designed the book so that with the exception of certain pantry items, everything can be purchased at this particular farmers' market. In the back of the book, she breaks down the recipes and crops by season. Several topical informational references on foods like citruses, apples, and tomatoes are included, which provide the reader with an understanding of how to choose and work with the best ingredients at his/her disposal. You'll also get tips on how to shop at the market, basic kitchen techniques, ideal pantry items, and so on.

Overall, I've gotten some great recipes and culinary ideas out of this book, as well as a greater appreciation for the changing supply of food I find at the market. As a relatively new FM shopper, I'm used to having certain foods year-round, so the lack of certain foods as seasons change is quite a dramatic thing for me to accept. It's nice to have a bit of information on when to expect certain foods, and even better, how to use new and unknown foods like sapote (a "custardlike South American native with hints of pineapple, citrus, and banana"). I'll let you know how that one goes ;-)

As for our favorite recipe thus far, here it is. It was so good, I made the salad 3 times so we could use up the dressing. Once without shrimp, once without basil, each time delicious! The dressing feels very Thai, which we love, and the mango and lime compliment each other very well. On that note, this past week was the last of the mango crop at the market, which saddened me. Hence, the picture...golden, delicious lovelies.

Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado Salad
1 large mango, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons canola or other mild cooking oil
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Thai chile paste
1 pound shrimp, grilled or boiled and peeled
1 large head butter lettuce, torn
1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 green onions, including several inches of green, thinly sliced
1 Reed or other avocado, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup small cherry tomatoes, preferably Sun Gold, stemmed
1/2 cup each fresh mint and basil (preferably Thai or opal) leaves, torn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn

To make the dressing, put one-forth of the mango, the oil, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, and chile paste in a blender and process until smooth. You should have 1 cup; set aside.

Place the shrimp, lettuce, peas, green onions, avocado, tomatoes, remaining mango, lime zest, basil, mint, and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Toss the salad with just enough of the dressing to coat well. Reserve the rest for another use; it will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

How To Choose Mangoes: Seek out fragrant, smooth-skinned fruits that give a little (like a ripe avocado) when cupped in your hand. Ripe mangoes will keep on the counter for up to 1 week, and in the refrigerator for up to 1 month with some dehydration (skin will start to shrivel).

I have yet to see a bad review of the book. Here are a few others I've found: Cook's Library, Sustainable Table, The Boston Globe, and an interview on Good Food.

Sunday Dinner...on Monday

We've been putting of making a roast chicken because of the heat. It was almost 90° in Santa Monica today, and it hit 110° in some parts of the Valley. You don't really want to deal with a hot oven with weather like this, but that was dinner. It had to be done. And for some reasons, roast chicken feels like Sunday evening food. It's usually accompanied by chores around the house that we rush around trying to finish up because we know that the week is about to start up again. There are certain things that are much easier to do when there's someone else around to make sure MetaBaby isn't gnawing on the wall or trying to take a plunge off of something.

So, today felt like Sunday. Which means tomorrow will feel like Monday, but it will be Tuesday. And this whole week is going to be terribly confusing, but at least the weekend will come sooner. When I sound relieved about the weekend, my husband likes reminding me that he's the one who has to go to work. And I remind him that his wife and son like him around, so we'll actually miss him. Shocker. To be fair, it's always nice to have a spare set of eyes, hands, and arms around our toddling wonder...he's a handful. The toddler, not the daddy. Well...come to think of it...

So, today felt like Sunday. We did a bunch of chores at home, then decided to go out for a while. Santa Monica was likely to be crowded beyond measure, so we went to Century City to mall-wander. Except when we got there, the parking structure was packing with milling cars, none of which was able to find a parking spot. The fumes of the cars was sickening, and it seemed like there was no ventilation. The car read an external temperature of 100°. Parking was getting treacherous as people were getting desperate; must shop...must shop. And we were getting less and less interested, especially when the outside temperature registered with us. We left and drove towards Beverly Hills, which was farther inland. Why did we do that? Inland means hotter? Was the heat already affecting our poor, exhausted brains? Is this what heat stroke is? Then we drove past a cupcake store. This must be what led is...our noses in search of something sweet and new. Well, new to us. Sprinkles has been there for a couple of years, but I'll be darned if I'm driving to BH to pay for an over-priced cupcake that I can make at home. This, however, was a hot day which required a bit of a treat for...well, for surviving. We parked in the shade only to exit the car into smoking heat. Already longing for the A/C in the car, we walk to the store and find a line. Ugh. It's a teensy store, so the bulk of the line is outside. Double-Ugh. We wait; at least we're in the shade. The line moves at a reasonable pace. I'm consoled. Eventually we get inside and we get four at the discounted price of $13. No, not a typo. But I remind you, this is a treat. We chose: Coconut, banana, mocha, and choclate almond. We drove home, praising our new favorite modern marvel: air conditioning.

We put Boogie down for a nap and proceeded to have tea and cake (how precious are we!?!). We took one of the cupcakes, cut it in half (cuz we're into tasting different flavors more than eating like a cookie monster), and tasted our almond treat. The frosting was nice and airy, as was the cake. But there was waaaaaaay too much almond in it. I then proceeded to eat the flower-shaped sprinkle on top and I'm pretty sure the cracking sound was from my tooth, not the candy. I don't know how, but there's pain, people...pain where there was none.

Sprinkles in summary:
Cupcake Pros: light and fluffy, nice flavor combo
Cupcake Cons: pricey, the flavor balance was off, I broke a tooth.
Overall Rating on the MetaMommy Food Chart: Forgettable

This won't stop me from buying treats again, though. Yes, I could make it, but sometimes I have to balance which is worse: paying a little extra for a treat or having so much excess yumminess lying around at home that we'll eat ourselves into a sugar coma. Who needs that kind of pressure?

Signing off...hot, tired, and bothered (by my tooth, obviously).

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and a blissful kiss-off to the summer that was.

Health Benefits of Alcohol, You Say?

My husband and his sisters all learned a valuable food tip from their mum. Alcohol makes food taste better. And true to that, no alcohol goes to waste in any of their households.

After tasting and experimenting, I fully agree. I grew up eating a stew that my husband found rather bland. So I tinkered with the recipe and replaced 1 of the 6 cups of broth with white wine, added some salt, and it's delicious. The taste is similar enough to be my comfort food, yet much more flavorful.

For a dessert topping, his mum once pureed a can of fruit (e.g., apricots) and added some cointreau. Superb!!

Now, a reason to rejoice. Men's Health says:

"Make fresh berries even healthier by storing them in rum or vodka, say USDA scientists. After dunking strawberries and blackberries in alcohol, the researchers found that soaking the fruits in liquor increased their levels of disease-fighting antioxidants. They aren't sure whether booze boosts the antioxidants' power, but they do know the effect yileds more ammo against oxidative cell damage - a common cause of cancer."

Variations in Chocolate Chip Cookies

A while back, Cathy over at CFO posted on chocolate chip cookies. She likes the thin and crispy. My husband, in my experience, likes most desserts a little crunchy (some might call it burnt around the edges, he calls it delightful). I tend to hover around soft and chewy, but I'm generally just happy when cookies are in arm's reach :-)

I got some good cookie tips from an episode of Good Eats where he made each of the three recipes. This episode cleared up the scientific aspects of the variations in ingredients for the hundreds of chocolate chip cookie recipes out there. And if I'm ever lacking or low on an ingredient, this has given me a bit of insight into how the results might change with an ingredient substitution.

Each recipe is listed on the website, but it doesn't include the following information from the episode. Here are his explanations for the ingredient adjustments that result in the cookie variations:

Thin & Crispy:
Add baking soda
Replace 1 or all eggs with milk
High ratio white to brown sugar
Use butter

Soft & cakey:
Use Cake flour
Baking powder (not baking soda)
Shortening (not butter)
Techniques: chill batter before baking and lay out a smaller cookie size

Chewy:
Melt butter
Use Bread flour
Hold back on egg whites
More (or all) brown sugar

Clever Pastry Packaging

I'm a big fan of cute packaging.

I bought a pastry the other day and it came in the most clever packaging. I saw a url on the back, so I decided to check it out. Panibois came up with a natural poplar peeled wood and assebles it using an adhesive instead of the usual staples. The result is not only attractive packaging, it's also microwave safe.

They've got some nice recipes too, though look them over carefully since they have been translated from French.

I can see this working for homemade Christmas gifts. Hmmm....