11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Best Chocolate Cake Recipe ever...
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This summer, I was on the search for an amazing chocolate cake recipe. I had made the Hershey chocolate cake recipe several times and while I enjoyed it, I didn't love it. I came across this cake recipe and immediately drooled. The original recipe's buttercream frosting is a bit off on the measurements so I adjusted it and added in some cream cheese to give it a rich flavor.
This cake was divine. I've made it again since and it gets rave reviews. I think this chocolate cake is my go-to recipe from now on.
Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting & Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Adapted from Sarah Campbell/ $40 a Day
3 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/8 cups cocoa powder
Frosting:
1 1/2 sticks sweet butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Ganache:
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 tablespoon light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 3 (10-inch) cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternately, oil the pans and then flour them. (I use Wilton's Bake Easy spray instead.) Also, I used three 9 inch pans and made cupcakes with the extra batter.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the brown sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to a low speed and mix in the eggs. Let the sugar, oil, and eggs mix while sifting together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Set this mixture aside.
In another small bowl, mix the vanilla into the milk and set this aside as well. Bring the water to a boil and pour over the cocoa and whisk it until it is smooth. To the egg mixture, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture beginning and ending with flour. With the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. With the mixture at a low speed add the cocoa. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour this mixture into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cake for approximately 15 minutes or until tester comes out clean. When cake layers have cooled, remove from pans.
To make the frosting: In an electric mixing bowl place the soft butter and cream cheese and beat it on a low speed while adding powdered sugar. When all the sugar is mixed in, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla and salt and let the mixer beat for 5 to 7 minutes on a medium speed. Fill and frost the cake and refrigerate it for 10 to 20 minutes to set up the frosting.
To make the ganache: In a heatproof bowl, place the chocolate chips and the corn syrup. Bring the heavy cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk it until smooth then set it aside.Pour ganache over the top of the cake and, with a cake spatula, smooth the top of the cake and allow ganache to spill over the sides. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or longer.
Serve the cake cold or allow it to come to room temperature before serving. If you so chose, chocolate covered strawberries look great on the cake and taste pretty good as well. Enjoy!
This cake was divine. I've made it again since and it gets rave reviews. I think this chocolate cake is my go-to recipe from now on.
Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting & Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Adapted from Sarah Campbell/ $40 a Day
3 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/8 cups cocoa powder
Frosting:
1 1/2 sticks sweet butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Ganache:
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 tablespoon light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 3 (10-inch) cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternately, oil the pans and then flour them. (I use Wilton's Bake Easy spray instead.) Also, I used three 9 inch pans and made cupcakes with the extra batter.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the brown sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to a low speed and mix in the eggs. Let the sugar, oil, and eggs mix while sifting together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Set this mixture aside.
In another small bowl, mix the vanilla into the milk and set this aside as well. Bring the water to a boil and pour over the cocoa and whisk it until it is smooth. To the egg mixture, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture beginning and ending with flour. With the mixer off, scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. With the mixture at a low speed add the cocoa. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour this mixture into the prepared cake pans. Bake the cake for approximately 15 minutes or until tester comes out clean. When cake layers have cooled, remove from pans.
To make the frosting: In an electric mixing bowl place the soft butter and cream cheese and beat it on a low speed while adding powdered sugar. When all the sugar is mixed in, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla and salt and let the mixer beat for 5 to 7 minutes on a medium speed. Fill and frost the cake and refrigerate it for 10 to 20 minutes to set up the frosting.
To make the ganache: In a heatproof bowl, place the chocolate chips and the corn syrup. Bring the heavy cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk it until smooth then set it aside.Pour ganache over the top of the cake and, with a cake spatula, smooth the top of the cake and allow ganache to spill over the sides. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or longer.
Serve the cake cold or allow it to come to room temperature before serving. If you so chose, chocolate covered strawberries look great on the cake and taste pretty good as well. Enjoy!
Favorite Bites from the Grand Tasting at Culinaria
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One of the most elegant events at Culinaria, the wine and culinary arts festival in San Antonio, is the Grand Tasting at the Convention Center along the River Walk. Attending an event like this (or even just reading about it) allows you to pick up some great tips and ideas for future culinary explorations--both dishes to try on your own and a head's up about restaurants that are worth seeking out on future visits (find my tips in bold text).
At the Grand Tasting I had three favorite dishes. First was something very creative and tasty, compressed watermelon with pop rocks! Mainly it was just a lot of fun, juicy and crunchy and crackly. It's definitely a dish with a sense of humor, and while prepared by the chef at the hotel La Contessa restaurant Las Ramblas, it is available from their food truck, Tapa Tapa. I believe it also had a dab of black garlic. Pretty too. Compressing watermelon is a technique to try using a vacuum sealer, no sous vide necessary!
The next dish I really loved was a twist on Italian bread salad called panzanella. It was burrata, tomatoes (undoubtedly ripened in the hot Texas sun) with torn bread, micro greens, balsamic and roast chicken. I'm usually in the "please don't ruin Caesar salad by adding chicken to it!" camp, but in this case, it really worked. The dish was from Luke, a restaurant I got to visit last year.
The last dish was coconut ice cream with fresh red curry, pickled mango coulis and Thai basil micro greens. A sweet and spicy savory bite, I loved the cool sensation of the cold coconut ice cream with the hot curry swirled into it. A very innovative and unsual dish from James Beard nominated chef Jason Dady who runs several restaurants in San Antonio as well as a food truck.
I just noticed all these dishes had micro greens. Not sure why they are in vogue in San Antonio, but I guess you could call it a trend...
My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.
At the Grand Tasting I had three favorite dishes. First was something very creative and tasty, compressed watermelon with pop rocks! Mainly it was just a lot of fun, juicy and crunchy and crackly. It's definitely a dish with a sense of humor, and while prepared by the chef at the hotel La Contessa restaurant Las Ramblas, it is available from their food truck, Tapa Tapa. I believe it also had a dab of black garlic. Pretty too. Compressing watermelon is a technique to try using a vacuum sealer, no sous vide necessary!
The next dish I really loved was a twist on Italian bread salad called panzanella. It was burrata, tomatoes (undoubtedly ripened in the hot Texas sun) with torn bread, micro greens, balsamic and roast chicken. I'm usually in the "please don't ruin Caesar salad by adding chicken to it!" camp, but in this case, it really worked. The dish was from Luke, a restaurant I got to visit last year.
The last dish was coconut ice cream with fresh red curry, pickled mango coulis and Thai basil micro greens. A sweet and spicy savory bite, I loved the cool sensation of the cold coconut ice cream with the hot curry swirled into it. A very innovative and unsual dish from James Beard nominated chef Jason Dady who runs several restaurants in San Antonio as well as a food truck.
I just noticed all these dishes had micro greens. Not sure why they are in vogue in San Antonio, but I guess you could call it a trend...
My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.
Favorite Bites - Burgers, BBQ & Beer
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The final event of Culinaria was possibly the most popular or at least the best expression of of San Antonio--an outdoor barbecue with a casual, fun and friendly vibe. The theme was burgers and there were several that broke the mold. I picked up some tips and ideas for places to visit on my next trip, as I did at the Grand Tasting (which you will find bolded), best of all it gave me another excuse to visit the Pearl.
The Pearl is the name of what was once a landmark brewery in San Antonio. The grounds which are set on the river, are now home to the latest campus of the Culinary Institute of America, shops, restaurants, bars and a thriving farmers market and small but lively amphitheater. A visit to San Antonio is not complete until you've been to the Pearl.
First up, the venison burger with onions, cucumber and a pickled pepper. It was so rare and juicy. I'd want to check out The Esquire Tavern based on this burger alone.
Another top pick came from chef Johnny Hernandez who runs La Gloria, a Mexican street food restaurant at The Pearl. It was a pork belly and short rib burger, topped with house made kimchi and also featured cucumbers. Note to self, when tomatoes are out of season, try a cucumber slice instead. It was served on a steamed bun, a nod to it's Asian influence.
My last favorite burger was a very innovative one, and it came from Arcade, a restaurant that has not yet opened at the Pearl. It was a thin chorizo "burger" on a bun with spicy arugula and crumbled feta. A thin sausage patty is a great compromise when you can decide between a sausage or a burger!
A black currant macaron with chocolate filling might have resembled a burger, but it was in fact the quintessential French Parisian style macaron. It was so light and with just the right amount of filling. This was no ordinary macaron but a truly outstanding one, the best I've had in a long time. Look for Bakery Lorraine goodies at the Quarry farmer's market.
My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.
The final event of Culinaria was possibly the most popular or at least the best expression of of San Antonio--an outdoor barbecue with a casual, fun and friendly vibe. The theme was burgers and there were several that broke the mold. I picked up some tips and ideas for places to visit on my next trip, as I did at the Grand Tasting (which you will find bolded), best of all it gave me another excuse to visit the Pearl.
The Pearl is the name of what was once a landmark brewery in San Antonio. The grounds which are set on the river, are now home to the latest campus of the Culinary Institute of America, shops, restaurants, bars and a thriving farmers market and small but lively amphitheater. A visit to San Antonio is not complete until you've been to the Pearl.
First up, the venison burger with onions, cucumber and a pickled pepper. It was so rare and juicy. I'd want to check out The Esquire Tavern based on this burger alone.
Another top pick came from chef Johnny Hernandez who runs La Gloria, a Mexican street food restaurant at The Pearl. It was a pork belly and short rib burger, topped with house made kimchi and also featured cucumbers. Note to self, when tomatoes are out of season, try a cucumber slice instead. It was served on a steamed bun, a nod to it's Asian influence.
My last favorite burger was a very innovative one, and it came from Arcade, a restaurant that has not yet opened at the Pearl. It was a thin chorizo "burger" on a bun with spicy arugula and crumbled feta. A thin sausage patty is a great compromise when you can decide between a sausage or a burger!
A black currant macaron with chocolate filling might have resembled a burger, but it was in fact the quintessential French Parisian style macaron. It was so light and with just the right amount of filling. This was no ordinary macaron but a truly outstanding one, the best I've had in a long time. Look for Bakery Lorraine goodies at the Quarry farmer's market.
My thanks to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau for inviting me and hosting my trip.DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.
DIY Canning & Preserving 101
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When I was growing up my mom grew her own vegetables and fruit, raised chickens, canned tomatoes and made everything from bread to soap. I have not quite followed in her footsteps, but now and again I take on a project or two. I've made orange marmalade and lately I've been making batches of tamales. I've dabbled in window box herb gardening and last year I bought a kit to make cheese.
I'm not alone. Activities like preserving, canning, DIY, gardening and even raising chickens are all surging in popularity. Whether it's a desire to get back to nature, or to just feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with making something to your own taste, these experiences can be deeply satisfying. If you're not sure where to start, or if you are looking to take the next step, there are plenty of good resources out there to get you going. Here are some of my current favorites:
Williams Sonoma recently launched Agrarian, which is designed to get you up to speed in various foodie DIY activities, preserving, gardening and more. The carefully curated line of products includes everything from guides and kits to make cheese, kombucha and sprouts to garden tools, planters and even deluxe chicken coops and beekeeping supplies. As you'd expect, Williams Sonoma has sought out the best quality and often most stylish products.
And there are plenty of exclusive products that you won't find anywhere else such as Beekman heirloom seeds and seed "bombs" and gorgeous Sophie Conran designed garden tools. Online you'll find how to guides and videos. This is a particularly great place to find a gift for someone who is at any level when it comes to gardening or DIY.
Hedonia blogger Sean Timberlake is the mastermind behind Punk Domestics, the go-to aggregator site for preserving, canning, cheese making and more. Instead of searching individual blogs, you can visit Punk Domestics and find posts on a wide variety of topics having to do with jams, jellies and preserves, pickling, salumi and charcuterie and even foraging. Head over to see the latest or dig in when you're ready to try something new. Let the links on the right hand for things like Drying and Dehydrating or Home Brewing do the research for you.
Here are some books on preserving and DIY I have used and recommend:
If it wasn't for Vanessa Barrington's book DIY Delicious, I never would have tried and succeeded in making corn tortillas. In addition to recipes for ingredients, Barrington also shares recipes for how to use your new creations such as spicy kimchi (hello!) and spicy soft tofu soup with kimchi. This is not a preserving book per se, but more about culinary DIY.
Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it and Can it, Bottle it, Smoke it are two books that cover a wide variety of projects you can take on at home. From easy ones like making chocolate hazelnut spread to more complicated ones such as smoking your own pastrami or making masa from scratch and everything in between (think vanilla extract, beef jerky, ginger beer, graham crackers, etc.) A number of the recipes in these books are also in a long out of print favorite of mine, Better than Store-Bought, which you can occasionally find online, but Karen Solomon's book are much more contemporary and hip.
In The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook Rachel Saunders creates jams with enticing fruit and floral combinations like rhubarb rose conserve with cherries, blueberry jam with mint, Italian prune and cardamon conserve, pear jam with rosemary and pine and boysenberry jam with lemon verbena. Need I say more?
Chef and restaurateur Paul Virant's handsome book The Preservation Kitchen includes recipes for pickles and relishes, jams and marmalades as well as bittersweet preserves specifically mostarda and aigre-doux (a kind of sweet sour vinegary preserve of fruit or vegetables) and fermented and cured foods in addition to pressure canned preserves. The second part of the book consists of seasonal recipes using the preserves.
Home Made is a hard book to describe; it's got a little bit of everything, like preserving vegetables, making broth, herbal teas, cheese, ice cream, chocolate and mustard. The layout is amazing with lots of photographs, technique shots and even hand drawn illustrations. There are also tons of recipes that just use fresh ingredients. The seasoned labneh balls in olive oil are particularly good.
Put 'em Up and Well-Preserved are two great books on preserving, and include drying, freezing and dehydrating. Both have compelling recipes and easy-to-follow clear instructions. It's hard for me to say which of the two I like best, the major difference is that Put'em Up is all about preserving, whereas Well-Preserved focuses on small batch preserving and also includes recipes for using the preserves such as preserved zucchini in a shrimp and preserved zucchini salad.
More links:
National Center for Home Food Preservation
Canning Across America note the monthly canning Twitter chats
Canning: Recipes & Instructions from Epicurious
Preserving and Canning Food from Better Homes & Gardens
Karen Solomon Author and Preserving Expert
Food in Jars blog
Some of the books were provided as review copies
When I was growing up my mom grew her own vegetables and fruit, raised chickens, canned tomatoes and made everything from bread to soap. I have not quite followed in her footsteps, but now and again I take on a project or two. I've made orange marmalade and lately I've been making batches of tamales. I've dabbled in window box herb gardening and last year I bought a kit to make cheese.I'm not alone. Activities like preserving, canning, DIY, gardening and even raising chickens are all surging in popularity. Whether it's a desire to get back to nature, or to just feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with making something to your own taste, these experiences can be deeply satisfying. If you're not sure where to start, or if you are looking to take the next step, there are plenty of good resources out there to get you going. Here are some of my current favorites:
Williams Sonoma recently launched Agrarian, which is designed to get you up to speed in various foodie DIY activities, preserving, gardening and more. The carefully curated line of products includes everything from guides and kits to make cheese, kombucha and sprouts to garden tools, planters and even deluxe chicken coops and beekeeping supplies. As you'd expect, Williams Sonoma has sought out the best quality and often most stylish products.And there are plenty of exclusive products that you won't find anywhere else such as Beekman heirloom seeds and seed "bombs" and gorgeous Sophie Conran designed garden tools. Online you'll find how to guides and videos. This is a particularly great place to find a gift for someone who is at any level when it comes to gardening or DIY.
Hedonia blogger Sean Timberlake is the mastermind behind Punk Domestics, the go-to aggregator site for preserving, canning, cheese making and more. Instead of searching individual blogs, you can visit Punk Domestics and find posts on a wide variety of topics having to do with jams, jellies and preserves, pickling, salumi and charcuterie and even foraging. Head over to see the latest or dig in when you're ready to try something new. Let the links on the right hand for things like Drying and Dehydrating or Home Brewing do the research for you.Here are some books on preserving and DIY I have used and recommend:
If it wasn't for Vanessa Barrington's book DIY Delicious, I never would have tried and succeeded in making corn tortillas. In addition to recipes for ingredients, Barrington also shares recipes for how to use your new creations such as spicy kimchi (hello!) and spicy soft tofu soup with kimchi. This is not a preserving book per se, but more about culinary DIY.
Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it and Can it, Bottle it, Smoke it are two books that cover a wide variety of projects you can take on at home. From easy ones like making chocolate hazelnut spread to more complicated ones such as smoking your own pastrami or making masa from scratch and everything in between (think vanilla extract, beef jerky, ginger beer, graham crackers, etc.) A number of the recipes in these books are also in a long out of print favorite of mine, Better than Store-Bought, which you can occasionally find online, but Karen Solomon's book are much more contemporary and hip.
In The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook Rachel Saunders creates jams with enticing fruit and floral combinations like rhubarb rose conserve with cherries, blueberry jam with mint, Italian prune and cardamon conserve, pear jam with rosemary and pine and boysenberry jam with lemon verbena. Need I say more?
Chef and restaurateur Paul Virant's handsome book The Preservation Kitchen includes recipes for pickles and relishes, jams and marmalades as well as bittersweet preserves specifically mostarda and aigre-doux (a kind of sweet sour vinegary preserve of fruit or vegetables) and fermented and cured foods in addition to pressure canned preserves. The second part of the book consists of seasonal recipes using the preserves.
Home Made is a hard book to describe; it's got a little bit of everything, like preserving vegetables, making broth, herbal teas, cheese, ice cream, chocolate and mustard. The layout is amazing with lots of photographs, technique shots and even hand drawn illustrations. There are also tons of recipes that just use fresh ingredients. The seasoned labneh balls in olive oil are particularly good.
Put 'em Up and Well-Preserved are two great books on preserving, and include drying, freezing and dehydrating. Both have compelling recipes and easy-to-follow clear instructions. It's hard for me to say which of the two I like best, the major difference is that Put'em Up is all about preserving, whereas Well-Preserved focuses on small batch preserving and also includes recipes for using the preserves such as preserved zucchini in a shrimp and preserved zucchini salad.
More links:
National Center for Home Food Preservation
Canning Across America note the monthly canning Twitter chats
Canning: Recipes & Instructions from Epicurious
Preserving and Canning Food from Better Homes & Gardens
Karen Solomon Author and Preserving Expert
Food in Jars blog
Some of the books were provided as review copies
Learning about Certified Angus Beef
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Certified Angus Beef is not the same as Angus or Black Angus which you may see on everything from beef at restaurants and supermarkets to even fast food burgers. In order to be designated Certified Angus Beef, it must pass a strict set of requirements and USDA inspection and approval, and very little of it does. In fact only 1 in 4 inspected makes the grade. That's the main thing I learned when I met with ranchers, chefs and restaurateurs to learn about beef and the Certified Angus Beef brand in particular. The ranchers I met bred breeding stock and they told me they like the Angus breed for a number of reasons, it's temperament, size, and ability to produce.
Over the course of several meals I got a chance to try many cuts of Certified Angus Beef steak including rib eye, tenderloin, top sirloin and filet mignon. It was very well prepared by restaurant chefs from the steakhouse chain El Gaucho and also from Aqua by El Gaucho. It was truly enlightening to try so many cuts at once, and while they were all tender, juicy and delicious, there were subtle differences in flavor and texture. The consistency in quality I experienced is really the reason for the Certified Angus Beef brand. I admit I like the flavor of grass fed beef as well as grain finished beef. But I learned that the health claims made about grass fed beef are somewhat dubious. While grass fed beef is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E, beef is not a great source of either. Also there is a misconception that grass fed beef is more sustainable, but the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions per pound of beef are increased three-fold in grass-fed cattle versus grain finished. Truth be told all beef is grass fed, it's just how long it spends on a feed lot fattening up on a diet of grain that makes the difference.
My usual favorite cut of steak is rib eye. But side by side tasting many different steaks, I was surprised to find the "baseball cut" top sirloin my favorite of all. It just had the best "beefiest" flavor. The Certified Angus Beef representatives say that fat is flavor. But I have to disagree. Top sirloin is actually a leaner cut of beef, and yet it was still good, even tastier than other fattier cuts, in my opinion. It's not just the fat, but the way the fat is marbled that makes a difference. While I enjoyed all the Certified Angus Beef I ate, I would love to see more availability of Natural Certified Angus Beef and an organic option as well.
When I returned home I purchased some Certified Angus Beef top sirloin chateaubriand to try cooking myself. Sure enough, it was juicy, rich and beefy, somewhat lean but very good. Because I don't eat beef often, I seek out the best I can find and rely on my local butcher to make recommendations. Recently I was buying some skirt steak and my butcher told me the Angus was better than the Kobe because it was the inside and not the outside section. Like wine and chocolate, when it comes to beef, there is always more to learn...
My thanks to Certified Angus Beef for hosting my trip and meals. Please note I paid for the beef I purchased myself.
 |
| Julie Boggs of Westbrook Angus |
Over the course of several meals I got a chance to try many cuts of Certified Angus Beef steak including rib eye, tenderloin, top sirloin and filet mignon. It was very well prepared by restaurant chefs from the steakhouse chain El Gaucho and also from Aqua by El Gaucho. It was truly enlightening to try so many cuts at once, and while they were all tender, juicy and delicious, there were subtle differences in flavor and texture. The consistency in quality I experienced is really the reason for the Certified Angus Beef brand. I admit I like the flavor of grass fed beef as well as grain finished beef. But I learned that the health claims made about grass fed beef are somewhat dubious. While grass fed beef is higher in omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E, beef is not a great source of either. Also there is a misconception that grass fed beef is more sustainable, but the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions per pound of beef are increased three-fold in grass-fed cattle versus grain finished. Truth be told all beef is grass fed, it's just how long it spends on a feed lot fattening up on a diet of grain that makes the difference.
My usual favorite cut of steak is rib eye. But side by side tasting many different steaks, I was surprised to find the "baseball cut" top sirloin my favorite of all. It just had the best "beefiest" flavor. The Certified Angus Beef representatives say that fat is flavor. But I have to disagree. Top sirloin is actually a leaner cut of beef, and yet it was still good, even tastier than other fattier cuts, in my opinion. It's not just the fat, but the way the fat is marbled that makes a difference. While I enjoyed all the Certified Angus Beef I ate, I would love to see more availability of Natural Certified Angus Beef and an organic option as well.
When I returned home I purchased some Certified Angus Beef top sirloin chateaubriand to try cooking myself. Sure enough, it was juicy, rich and beefy, somewhat lean but very good. Because I don't eat beef often, I seek out the best I can find and rely on my local butcher to make recommendations. Recently I was buying some skirt steak and my butcher told me the Angus was better than the Kobe because it was the inside and not the outside section. Like wine and chocolate, when it comes to beef, there is always more to learn...
My thanks to Certified Angus Beef for hosting my trip and meals. Please note I paid for the beef I purchased myself.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Grilled Mango Shrimp Kebobs with Mango Salsa
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This Mango Shrimp kebab is a specialty dish from my good friend Mamatha. Shrimp came out real delicate and flavorful with sweet mango marinade. I just love the way Mango, onion and jalapeño pepper taste together in the Mango Salsa dish, Tangy and spicy, just perfect for the grilled shrimp. We had the kebabs with grilled vegetables; you can serve this with rice/ noodles.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb big shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Mango Shrimp Marinade:
2 shallots - finely chopped1 mango (put the chopped pieces in blender to make it a juice)3 tablespoons rum1/2 cup olive oil½ teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves2 teaspoons cilantro leaves1 teaspoon ground dried red chili peppers½ teaspoon black pepper1 jalapeno – finely chopped1 lemon (squeeze the juice)
Other Veggies to be grilled½ green bell pepper, chopped into 1 in. piece½ red bell pepper, chopped into 1 in. piece2 tomatoes – 1 in. slices
Mango Salsa :
Ingredients1 large firm mango, peeled, pitted, and diced1/2 red onion, finely chopped1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oilFine sea saltFreshly ground black pepperDirections:
1. Mix all the ingredients for marinade in a bowl and marinate the shrimp in this mixture for at least 20 minutes.
2. Thread the shrimp, bell pepper, and tomatoes on to skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 1 hr prior to use.
3. Grill the shrimp kabobs in medium heat until they are lightly charred. Cooking time is no more than 10 minutes. Serve with mango salsa which is prepared by mixing up all the ingredients for Mango Salsa
This Mango Shrimp kebab is a specialty dish from my good friend Mamatha. Shrimp came out real delicate and flavorful with sweet mango marinade. I just love the way Mango, onion and jalapeño pepper taste together in the Mango Salsa dish, Tangy and spicy, just perfect for the grilled shrimp. We had the kebabs with grilled vegetables; you can serve this with rice/ noodles.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb big shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Mango Shrimp Marinade:
2 shallots - finely chopped1 mango (put the chopped pieces in blender to make it a juice)3 tablespoons rum1/2 cup olive oil½ teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves2 teaspoons cilantro leaves1 teaspoon ground dried red chili peppers½ teaspoon black pepper1 jalapeno – finely chopped1 lemon (squeeze the juice)
Other Veggies to be grilled½ green bell pepper, chopped into 1 in. piece½ red bell pepper, chopped into 1 in. piece2 tomatoes – 1 in. slices
Mango Salsa :
Ingredients1 large firm mango, peeled, pitted, and diced1/2 red onion, finely chopped1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oilFine sea saltFreshly ground black pepperDirections:
1. Mix all the ingredients for marinade in a bowl and marinate the shrimp in this mixture for at least 20 minutes.
2. Thread the shrimp, bell pepper, and tomatoes on to skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 1 hr prior to use.
3. Grill the shrimp kabobs in medium heat until they are lightly charred. Cooking time is no more than 10 minutes. Serve with mango salsa which is prepared by mixing up all the ingredients for Mango Salsa
Singapore Fried Noodles
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Singapore Fried Noodle is a flavorful curried noodle dish, packed with vegetables and meat/ sea food. It’s available in many local Chinese cuisines and it’s my favorite item on the menu. This recipe will bring you the closet to the same deliciousSingapore
Ingredients:
5 1⁄3 oz rice noodles soaked in cold water for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking 1 lb Squid5 1⁄3 oz pork, cubed (chicken will do as well) 1 fl oz rice wine or white wine 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp fish sauce ½ tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp corn starch 2 fl oz vegetable oil ½ onion sliced 1 handful bean sprouts 2 carrots (thinly sliced)2 spring onions (thinly sliced)1 red bell pepper½ red peppers sliced 2 cloves garlic minced 2 eggs whisked 1 ½ tbsp curry powder salt and white pepper few sprigs of coriander for garnish
Directions:
1. Wash and drain squid tubes. Score in a crosshatch pattern and cut into 2 cm square pieces2. Add Squid into a bowl and combine the soy sauce, the fish sauce, the rice wine, and the corn starch. Mix together thoroughly and leave it to marinade for at least 10 minutes.3. Add olive oil to the already hot wok. Add the squid with as little of the marinade as possible and cook for a minute or two.4. When everything is more or less cooked, add the marinade, continue to cook for a few seconds more and then remove the Squid from the wok. Place it onto a tray while leaving the wok on the heat.5. Now add a more little oil to the wok and introduce the onions, cooking them for a half minute or so. Next, add the red pepper, carrots, garlic, spring onions, bean sprouts and stir. Cook together briefly and remove from the heat.6. Place the vegetables on the tray beside the Squid.7. Again, add a little oil to the hot wok. Add the egg and stir briskly. Now add the noodles (without adding the water) and stir. Next, combine the curry powder, sugar, season with salt and pepper and stir again.8. Finally, add the vegetables and squid to the wok. Toss everything together, cooking just enough to blend the flavors and warm everything through. 9. Garnish and serve hot.
Singapore Fried Noodle is a flavorful curried noodle dish, packed with vegetables and meat/ sea food. It’s available in many local Chinese cuisines and it’s my favorite item on the menu. This recipe will bring you the closet to the same delicious
Ingredients:
5 1⁄3 oz rice noodles soaked in cold water for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking 1 lb Squid5 1⁄3 oz pork, cubed (chicken will do as well) 1 fl oz rice wine or white wine 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp fish sauce ½ tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp corn starch 2 fl oz vegetable oil ½ onion sliced 1 handful bean sprouts 2 carrots (thinly sliced)2 spring onions (thinly sliced)1 red bell pepper½ red peppers sliced 2 cloves garlic minced 2 eggs whisked 1 ½ tbsp curry powder salt and white pepper few sprigs of coriander for garnish
Directions:
1. Wash and drain squid tubes. Score in a crosshatch pattern and cut into 2 cm square pieces2. Add Squid into a bowl and combine the soy sauce, the fish sauce, the rice wine, and the corn starch. Mix together thoroughly and leave it to marinade for at least 10 minutes.3. Add olive oil to the already hot wok. Add the squid with as little of the marinade as possible and cook for a minute or two.4. When everything is more or less cooked, add the marinade, continue to cook for a few seconds more and then remove the Squid from the wok. Place it onto a tray while leaving the wok on the heat.5. Now add a more little oil to the wok and introduce the onions, cooking them for a half minute or so. Next, add the red pepper, carrots, garlic, spring onions, bean sprouts and stir. Cook together briefly and remove from the heat.6. Place the vegetables on the tray beside the Squid.7. Again, add a little oil to the hot wok. Add the egg and stir briskly. Now add the noodles (without adding the water) and stir. Next, combine the curry powder, sugar, season with salt and pepper and stir again.8. Finally, add the vegetables and squid to the wok. Toss everything together, cooking just enough to blend the flavors and warm everything through. 9. Garnish and serve hot.
Blackberry Cobbler
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This is the ultimate blackberry recipe, it’s super easy to make and comes out so delicious. You can use either frozen or fresh black berries, but works best with delicious fresh blueberries when they are in the season. I love my black berry cobbler hot from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; this is the perfect treat for a lazy afternoon.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
5 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk (full cream)
Ground cinnamon, optional
Directions:
10-inch deep dish pie plate, greased, Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
1. In a medium bowl, toss the berries with 1/4 cup of sugar.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and remaining sugar. Add the milk and melted butter, whisking to combine.
3. Scrape the batter into prepared baking dish. Place berries on top (don’t stir, as the batter will rise to the top as it bakes). If desired, sprinkle top of cobbler lightly with ground cinnamon.
4. Bake cobbler in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top of crust is golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cobbler cool on a rack before serving.
Note: I am participating in Healing Food Event - Berries from my Blogger friend Smitha' Spicy Flavors. If you have a delicious berry recipes in your blog, pls go and submit your recipes to the event.
This is the ultimate blackberry recipe, it’s super easy to make and comes out so delicious. You can use either frozen or fresh black berries, but works best with delicious fresh blueberries when they are in the season. I love my black berry cobbler hot from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; this is the perfect treat for a lazy afternoon.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
5 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk (full cream)
Ground cinnamon, optional
Directions:
10-inch deep dish pie plate, greased, Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
1. In a medium bowl, toss the berries with 1/4 cup of sugar.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and remaining sugar. Add the milk and melted butter, whisking to combine.
3. Scrape the batter into prepared baking dish. Place berries on top (don’t stir, as the batter will rise to the top as it bakes). If desired, sprinkle top of cobbler lightly with ground cinnamon.
4. Bake cobbler in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top of crust is golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cobbler cool on a rack before serving.
Note: I am participating in Healing Food Event - Berries from my Blogger friend Smitha' Spicy Flavors. If you have a delicious berry recipes in your blog, pls go and submit your recipes to the event.
Greek-Style Shrimp With Tomatoes and Feta
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I first saw this Greek-Style Shrimp dish from America’s Test Kitchen TV show, I tried the same exact recipe and it came out super delicious. This would make and a fantastic dinner item for any kitchen, Shrimp was tender and that tomato sauce with Feta added extra flavor to the dish. I have served this delicious shrimp dish with rustic bread; you can have with bowl of rice or flat bread.
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons ouzo (optional)
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated zest of1 lemon
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 small onion, diced medium
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/3 cup juices reserved
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves
Directions:
1. Toss shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon optional ouzo, 1 teaspoon garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl until well combined. Set aside while preparing sauce.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, green bell pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables release their moisture, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture cooks off and vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and reserved juice, wine, and remaining 2 tablespoons ouzo (if using) increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and sauce is slightly thickened (sauce should not be completely dry), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp along with any accumulated liquid to pan; stir to coat and distribute evenly. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 6 to 9 minutes for extra-large or 7 to 11 minutes for jumbo, adjusting heat as needed to maintain bare simmer. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle evenly with feta. Drizzle remaining tablespoon oil evenly over top and sprinkle with dill.
I first saw this Greek-Style Shrimp dish from America’s Test Kitchen TV show, I tried the same exact recipe and it came out super delicious. This would make and a fantastic dinner item for any kitchen, Shrimp was tender and that tomato sauce with Feta added extra flavor to the dish. I have served this delicious shrimp dish with rustic bread; you can have with bowl of rice or flat bread.
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons ouzo (optional)
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated zest of1 lemon
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 small onion, diced medium
1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/3 cup juices reserved
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves
Directions:
1. Toss shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon optional ouzo, 1 teaspoon garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl until well combined. Set aside while preparing sauce.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, green bell pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables release their moisture, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture cooks off and vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and reserved juice, wine, and remaining 2 tablespoons ouzo (if using) increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and sauce is slightly thickened (sauce should not be completely dry), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp along with any accumulated liquid to pan; stir to coat and distribute evenly. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 6 to 9 minutes for extra-large or 7 to 11 minutes for jumbo, adjusting heat as needed to maintain bare simmer. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle evenly with feta. Drizzle remaining tablespoon oil evenly over top and sprinkle with dill.
Jose Garces's Green Beans with Oranges and Dates
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Garces is an Iron Chef America winner and chef-owner of Amada – Spanish Tapas cuisine inPhiladelphia
This dish gives a spike to the typical green beans that are served at thanksgiving. The vinaigrette along with dates and oranges give a sweet and tangy touch to this traditional thanksgiving vegetable.
This delicious dish was prepared by my good friend Mamatha . She added crushed red peppers and sliced almonds to enhance the flavors from the original recipe. Big thanks to Mamatha for sharing this wonderful recipe and the pic!!!
Ingredients :
· ¼ cup sherry vinegar (red wine or apple cider vinegar is suitable alternative) · 1 Tbsp. finely chopped thyme · 1 Tbsp. honey · 2 tsp. whole grain mustard · Kosher salt · ¼ tsp. ground black pepper · 6 shallots, divided (2 finely chopped, 4 thinly sliced) · ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil · 2 pounds green beans, trimmed · 3 oranges, peel, pith, and seeds removed, segmented · 2 cups pitted dates (about ½ pound), sliced · 1 cup roasted sliced almonds (about ¼ pound)· ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley · ½ tsp. crushed red pepper, plus more to taste · ½ tsp. crushed red pepper, plus more to tasteDirections:
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, thyme, honey, mustard, ¾ tsp. salt, pepper, and chopped shallots. Drizzle in oil while continuing to whisk constantly; set vinaigrette aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and quickly transfer to a large bowl of ice water, stirring until beans are chilled. Drain well and pat dry.
3. Heat vinaigrette in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until warm, about 1 minute. Add green beans and toss gently until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add crushed red peppers, oranges, dates, almonds, parsley, ½ tsp. salt, and sliced shallots and stir gently to combine.
4. Transfer to a serving platter, top with a dusting of paprika and sliced almonds, and serve.
Total Quantity : 8 Servings ;Total time: 45 minutes
Garces is an Iron Chef America winner and chef-owner of Amada – Spanish Tapas cuisine in
This dish gives a spike to the typical green beans that are served at thanksgiving. The vinaigrette along with dates and oranges give a sweet and tangy touch to this traditional thanksgiving vegetable.
This delicious dish was prepared by my good friend Mamatha . She added crushed red peppers and sliced almonds to enhance the flavors from the original recipe. Big thanks to Mamatha for sharing this wonderful recipe and the pic!!!
Ingredients :
· ¼ cup sherry vinegar (red wine or apple cider vinegar is suitable alternative) · 1 Tbsp. finely chopped thyme · 1 Tbsp. honey · 2 tsp. whole grain mustard · Kosher salt · ¼ tsp. ground black pepper · 6 shallots, divided (2 finely chopped, 4 thinly sliced) · ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil · 2 pounds green beans, trimmed · 3 oranges, peel, pith, and seeds removed, segmented · 2 cups pitted dates (about ½ pound), sliced · 1 cup roasted sliced almonds (about ¼ pound)· ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley · ½ tsp. crushed red pepper, plus more to taste · ½ tsp. crushed red pepper, plus more to tasteDirections:
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, thyme, honey, mustard, ¾ tsp. salt, pepper, and chopped shallots. Drizzle in oil while continuing to whisk constantly; set vinaigrette aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and quickly transfer to a large bowl of ice water, stirring until beans are chilled. Drain well and pat dry.
3. Heat vinaigrette in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until warm, about 1 minute. Add green beans and toss gently until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add crushed red peppers, oranges, dates, almonds, parsley, ½ tsp. salt, and sliced shallots and stir gently to combine.
4. Transfer to a serving platter, top with a dusting of paprika and sliced almonds, and serve.
Total Quantity : 8 Servings ;Total time: 45 minutes
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
A revival post: Lemon Almond Cake
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Sooooooooooooooooooo... apparently, I let my blog die out... Is there anyone out there? Give me a shout if you can hear me!
I think it's been over a year from my last blog post... in that year, I've been busy!
We added to our crazy zoo in September!
Our beautiful baby girl is almost 5 months old now. It's been a truly amazing ride so far! We are over our heads in love.
I haven't been in the kitchen as much in the past year but about this time last year, I had come across a recipe I wanted to make for one of my coworkers for her birthday. She loves lemon and almond flavored things and is always suggesting I add one of the two flavors to baked goods. I ended up getting a nasty cold around her birthday so I ended up just buying a cake. I shelved this recipe for the year but dug it out this week. I have to say, I myself, am a chocoholic... I tend to be selective with what I eat in terms of cakes and don't indulge unless it's chocolate. BUT I would have devoured this cake myself if given the chance. It came out moist and a perfect balance of flavors.
Meyer Lemon Almond Cake
recipe from The Merry Gourmet
Ingredients for Cake
1 1/3 cup sugar
8 ounces almond paste
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
7 drops orange flower water (optional) (I omitted this)
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
6 large eggs, room temperature
Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch diameter spring form pan, dust with flour, and tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand. Add the cubes of butter, the extracts, the orange flower water, and the Meyer lemon zest. Process until the batter is smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition, scraping down bowl as needed.
Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and add the flour mixture. Mix by hand until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and bake for 65 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center.
Remove cake from oven and run a sharp serrated knife around the perimeter, loosening the cake from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely in pan; once cool, remove sides of spring form pan and invert cake onto rack. Remove bottom of spring form pan and parchment paper from the cake. Carefully turn cake back over and onto a cake plate for serving.
While cake is cooling, make Meyer lemon glaze: In small bowl, mix confectioners sugar with lemon juice, adding more lemon juice if necessary to achieve the desired consistency (less juice for a thicker glaze; more juice for a thinner glaze). Once cake is cool and on cake plate for serving, drizzle glaze over cake. Serve and enjoy!
Sooooooooooooooooooo... apparently, I let my blog die out... Is there anyone out there? Give me a shout if you can hear me!
I think it's been over a year from my last blog post... in that year, I've been busy!
We added to our crazy zoo in September!
Our beautiful baby girl is almost 5 months old now. It's been a truly amazing ride so far! We are over our heads in love.
I haven't been in the kitchen as much in the past year but about this time last year, I had come across a recipe I wanted to make for one of my coworkers for her birthday. She loves lemon and almond flavored things and is always suggesting I add one of the two flavors to baked goods. I ended up getting a nasty cold around her birthday so I ended up just buying a cake. I shelved this recipe for the year but dug it out this week. I have to say, I myself, am a chocoholic... I tend to be selective with what I eat in terms of cakes and don't indulge unless it's chocolate. BUT I would have devoured this cake myself if given the chance. It came out moist and a perfect balance of flavors.
Meyer Lemon Almond Cake
recipe from The Merry Gourmet
Ingredients for Cake
1 1/3 cup sugar
8 ounces almond paste
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
7 drops orange flower water (optional) (I omitted this)
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
6 large eggs, room temperature
Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch diameter spring form pan, dust with flour, and tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand. Add the cubes of butter, the extracts, the orange flower water, and the Meyer lemon zest. Process until the batter is smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition, scraping down bowl as needed.
Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and add the flour mixture. Mix by hand until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and bake for 65 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center.
Remove cake from oven and run a sharp serrated knife around the perimeter, loosening the cake from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely in pan; once cool, remove sides of spring form pan and invert cake onto rack. Remove bottom of spring form pan and parchment paper from the cake. Carefully turn cake back over and onto a cake plate for serving.
While cake is cooling, make Meyer lemon glaze: In small bowl, mix confectioners sugar with lemon juice, adding more lemon juice if necessary to achieve the desired consistency (less juice for a thicker glaze; more juice for a thinner glaze). Once cake is cool and on cake plate for serving, drizzle glaze over cake. Serve and enjoy!
Del Popolo Pizzeria
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Del Popolo might look like a pizza truck, but according to the proprietors, it's a mobile pizzeria. At a reported $180,000 to build the thing, I think they can call it whatever they like. It's a refurbished shipping container with an actual pizza oven inside plus minimal prep space for a couple of cooks.
The menu is short and sweet, just two pizzas in one size. There's the classic Margherita, the pizza by which all pizzas should be judged, and when I was there a white pizza with mozzarella, ricotta, basil and garlic.
Will people stand in line to buy a pizza? On the streets of San Francisco? Oh yes, they will!
This is the set up. A mini kitchen and pizza oven and a window where orders are taken and pizza "delivered." 
They offer some wacky sodas including Cheerwine, Manhattan Special and Empire. But being parked across the street from a supermarket, there was no shortage of choices.
So how was the pizza? Excellent. There was a nice char on the crust, but not too much. I'd call it a Neapolitan style crust, airy and chewy. The sauce and cheese were flavorful and in good balance. The sauce was very fresh tasting and they didn't skimp on the basil. I'd order this pizza again.
The white pizza was a little more substantial with generous dollops of fresh sweet ricotta and plenty of garlic. Not in the least greasy, it was rich from the cheese and yet somehow light at the same time. Recommended.
Where to find it? It's not on the namesake square in Rome, so you'll have to check Twitter to find out...
Del Popolo might look like a pizza truck, but according to the proprietors, it's a mobile pizzeria. At a reported $180,000 to build the thing, I think they can call it whatever they like. It's a refurbished shipping container with an actual pizza oven inside plus minimal prep space for a couple of cooks. The menu is short and sweet, just two pizzas in one size. There's the classic Margherita, the pizza by which all pizzas should be judged, and when I was there a white pizza with mozzarella, ricotta, basil and garlic.Will people stand in line to buy a pizza? On the streets of San Francisco? Oh yes, they will!This is the set up. A mini kitchen and pizza oven and a window where orders are taken and pizza "delivered." They offer some wacky sodas including Cheerwine, Manhattan Special and Empire. But being parked across the street from a supermarket, there was no shortage of choices. So how was the pizza? Excellent. There was a nice char on the crust, but not too much. I'd call it a Neapolitan style crust, airy and chewy. The sauce and cheese were flavorful and in good balance. The sauce was very fresh tasting and they didn't skimp on the basil. I'd order this pizza again.
The white pizza was a little more substantial with generous dollops of fresh sweet ricotta and plenty of garlic. Not in the least greasy, it was rich from the cheese and yet somehow light at the same time. Recommended.Where to find it? It's not on the namesake square in Rome, so you'll have to check Twitter to find out...
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