Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Failures and Successes(???)

So this is a quick little mid-week deal.  I wanted to document my utter failure yesterday and then add some hopefulness for today's project.

Yesterday I set out to make my first puff pastry!  It didn't seem like it could be that hard, and armed with my 1952 copy of "the American Woman's Cook Book" (complete with pictures and catchy phrases about how to be the perfect housewife*) I dug in.  
*Now, I do have to say this about my book: It is extremely weird, but VERY useful.  I bought it on a whim in an antique store mostly because it was funny.  I have since used it to learn how to preserve, as well as doing other things most current cookbooks ignore entirely.
I was very excited as the work progressed, "wheee this is great! I can make fancy pastries!"I thought.  Unfortunately that excitement lasted right up until I pulled my shiny spinach puff pastry dinner out of the oven...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I created a cracker!  A light and flaky cracker, but a cracker nonetheless.  

Oh well...I am going to blame my flour for the resulting failures.  I have had a lot of trouble getting things to rise properly with the new bulk flour at our co-op.  It was tasty in any event, and we ate it like a pizza. :-)

Today's cooking foray is a Banana Creme Pie.  I'm very hopeful about it so far, and keeping the fingers crossed!

DD  

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

I Made This! (spring cooking adventures)

Hello there!

It's Market season, which means it's cooking season!  We've been busy around the house the last few weeks and here are some of the results...

Fresh Strawberry Creme Cake 
Strawberry cake with a fruit reduction swirl!



Coco Keylime Cupcakes
Coconut cupcakes with Keylime royal icing!


Spring Market Sauté:
Rainbow chard and french breakfast radishes from the farmer's market sautéed with red onion and garlic, white beans and rice.  I tossed in a dash of keylime juice and soy sauce, as well as salt and pepper to bring out the flavors.
  


That's it for now, enjoy!

DD