Alton Brown’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls, for Aug 31-Sept 6, 2018

Posted on 08/31/2018 by bjnosek

♦ CatChat – Misty’s purrty sure you’ll like what we have for you this week ♦

Tidbits– food-saving site {M: let me take care of those leftovers} / pan hack / chef Q&A CS Marketplace Spotlight– top chef cookbooks / yay dog owners! {M: phooey} Featured Recipe– yay for Sunday breakfast too! Tip– burgers for a crowd {M: or all just for me!} Barbara’s Week– the cream slipped / funny critique / upgrading oatmeal

Misty’s History ♦ Misty’s Gallery

♦ Tidbits ♦

Newsy, schmoozy stuff for cooks

♦ Good website! We’d like to think for everybody, but for sure for folks like those in our salon who hate wasting food. NRDC’s SaveTheFood has general tips, shopping guidance, meal-planning ideas, leftovers uses, even a dinner party calculator. And guess what – saving food saves money, and maybe time too!

♦ Have you become a sheet pan fan? If so, you know the downside is cleaning the thing afterward. Unless your dish can work with lining the pan with foil or parchment, this can be a daunting task. Here’s help. I also have used a technique I saw some time ago that was just a matter of scrubbing with balled up aluminum foil – of course you want to make sure this won’t damage the surface of your pan.

♦ Talking with a Beard-winning chef. Some interesting stuff in the Q&A that “The Daily Beast” conducted with Philadelphia restaurant Zahav’s Michael Solomonov.

♦ CS Marketplace Spotlight ♦

Find all the top chef cookbooks right on this site

Did you discover this yet? So handy for you or a cookin’ friend or family member.

Our Top Chef Cookbooks page gives you direct links to over a hundred chefs renowned for popular tv shows, top rated restaurants, and best selling cookbooks. You may even have seen some of them at food and wine fests.

All are linked to Amazon, so you know it’s a reliable source. Would you like to take a look?

Top Chef Cookbooks ♦ My “Celebrity Chef Book of Links” on Kindle $2.99

Also at CS Marketplace “Especially For Book Lovers” & “Especially for Dog Lovers”

Dog Lovers Extra – yay, Time Magazine confirms what most pet lovers already knew in their heart of hearts. And that is, dog owners live longer, healthier lives.

♦ Featured Recipe ♦

Quirky can be good

Add the word cooking and it takes us directly to Alton Brown. Like him or not, his Good Eats” show according to a site called Ranker is one of the top rated on Food Network, and it did win a Peabody Award. Good Eats 2: The Middle Years

The charm of that series lies in the way Brown works science and technology into the prep with various props, offbeat demos, cartoon inserts, odd camera angles, unexpected staging, and the occasional outrageous pun.

In addition to the tv show, you can also bring this educational circus into your home with his equally unique books. Meanwhile, if you love lazy Sundays, Brown’s Overnight Cinnamon Rolls can make them even lazier – the link takes you to the recipe on Food Network, but it’s also in his “Good Eats 2.”

Recipe ♦ Good Eats Books ♦ Other Alton Brown books

♦ Tip ♦

Just in time for Labor Day

Whether you’re cooking for family or flipping for a crowd, you will probably love this method of shaping them up. In fact the “Mad Genius” in the demo shows how he created 18 uniform patties in under three minutes.

And so easy!

Easy to do. To peel off the work surface. And to stack up to take to the grill or pan without them sticking together.

♦ A Peek at My Week ♦

Join me in my kitchen & parlor

♦ That porcupine dessert from the Aug 17 salon calls for 1/2 cup of the heavy cream but of course the smallest container you can buy holds a full cup. What to do with the leftovers? Then thinking, ohhh . . . how about? Ummm, let’s just say I ended up with the richest bowl of cereal ever! 😁 Probably don’t want to make this an everyday occurrence.

♦ Got a chuckle out of a quote attributed to early 1900s food writer Curnonsky: “If the potage had been as hot as the wine, the wine as old as the chicken, the chicken as plump as the mistress of the house, things would’ve been almost all right.” My note says this was cited in “A Taste of Paris” by David Downie.

♦ So, an addendum to the oatmeal cookie recipe featured in the Aug 10 salon. I do have oatmeal some mornings but truth be told it’s not one of my favorite things. I got to thinking some of those very ingredients {and variations} in the cookies might be just the thing to perk up the bowl. Yep! Added chocolate chips, raisins, and cinnamon. Quite tasty.

So far next week: brownie saga, pyrex warning, Italian farmhouse food, garlic sprouts a debate, foodfest

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

Julia Child’s Salade Nicoise, for Aug 24-30, 2018

Posted on 08/24/2018 by bjnosek

♦ CatChat – Misty previews what you’ll find in each section this week ♦

Tidbits – NYT online cooking classes / cook bacon in water? {M – sounds OK to me} / smoking eggs? CS Marketplace Spotlight – good foodie book / tee for readers Featured Recipe – Julia Child’s Salade Nicoise Tip – turning old fruit into easy new jam Barbara’s Week – about that jam / shaping chocolate {M – can’t have that} / plum duff {M – what the . . . }

Misty’s History ♦ Misty’s Gallery

♦ Tidbits ♦

Newsy, schmoozy stuff for cooks

♦ I have not taken these lessons, but since it’s a familiar source I’m fairly comfortable passing it along. The “New York Times” is offering online cooking lessons for, as it says, $1.25 a week. That leaves a lot of details to discover which you should be able to do here.

♦ A new way to cook bacon? In water?? And it’s crisp??? Yes and tender too which apparently is the water’s doing. So far I’ve just watched the video. If I try it you will sure know about it – good, so so, or never mind.

♦ When you see a reference to smoking eggs you sort of have to take a closer look at the article. This is interesting, and employs a grill technique that surprised me. Thanks to a google search, it turns out there is more than one way to do this, so clearly other folks have already discovered it. If I ever do, again you’ll be among the first to know.

♦ CS Marketplace Spotlight ♦

Another interesting food-centric novel

Kate Carlisle’s “Cookbook Conspiracy” is a nice, lighthearted mystery – well except for those pesky murders. Which is to say, a quick read, a likable narrator, and flashes of humor. A Cookbook Conspiracy (Bibliophile Mystery 7)

What adds interest is the fact that two other “characters” join the human cast. One is the title book that threads its way through the tale on a twisty path that leaves havoc in its wake, finally revealing its role in all that swirled through the events. And the other is the food, usually bounteous dinners, since almost all of the humans are chefs.

And thank you to those cooks who, fictional though they may be, generously share their recipes in the back of the book. Among them: the “triumphant” syllabub {might want to skip the version that calls for placing the bowl of ingredients under a cow}, and the “Crazy Delicious” apple dessert.

The book earns 4 1/2 stars on Amazon, one of a series, available in multiple formats.

“Cookbook Conspiracy” ♦ Other Carlisle books

Also at CS Marketplace “Especially For Readers” & “Especially for Dog Lovers”

Readers Extra – proudly tell the world of your priorities with this “READING/READING/READING/everything else” t-shirt or hoodie

♦ Featured Recipe ♦

Julia Child – still teaching us the art of French cooking

I came across this site, and glad I did, but the “who” behind it is unclear. There is a first person message on the “About” page but no real ID.

Thanks! whoever you are! It’s because of you and Child’s cookbooks The Way to Cook that we can make that above statement.

And it’s so timely that we feature one of the culinary legend’s dishes now because August is her birthday month. And this one, as the site notes, is particularly appropriate because it’s “probably one of the most famous salad recipes by Julia Child. It was one of Julia’s favorite dishes.” And, as well, a nice cool addition to any Labor Day get-togethers.

Btw, if you want to preserve the authenticity of this prep, follow this link for her recipe for French potato salad.

Julia Child’s Salade Nicoise

Recipe ♦ Julia Child’s Recipes site ♦ Julia Child cookbooks ♦ Julia Child videos

♦ Tip ♦

Stop! Step away from the trash can with that pruny fruit

And “pruny” could refer to not just a plum, but a peach, cherries, berries, et al. Here’s a way to save from the trash what a story in the Extra Crispy newsletter calls even “the saddest leftover fruit” and instead turn it into small batch jam.

And let us hasten to add that “small batch” is key here, because there is no boiling, no pectin, no testing, no sealing, no looking for storage space for a bunch of jars.

Nope. This is like one jar’s worth that the story says will last for a month in the fridge, adding that probably won’t though, not because it goes bad but rather because it’s so good.

And I can give a Yep! to that. In “My Week” below you’ll find more about my experience with the prep.

♦ A Peek at My Week ♦

Join me in my kitchen & parlor

♦ So, I took some liberties with this jam in the Tip. First, I did peel the fruit, and cut it quite small, about 1/4″ dice. Second, I used a bit less sugar. Third, once the fruit was super soft and the juice considerably reduced, I removed it from the heat and hit it with the immersion blender {be careful if you’re not using a deep pan, it will attack}. Last, I put the cover on tilted rather than tight while it cooled. Shown above is the one I made with two peaches.

♦ Some time back I ordered souvenir pens from a company that still sends me samples to this day. The one that just arrived was cushioned with the plastic piece you see here. And it was familiar because a pastry chef I once interviewed liked to use all kinds of items to create chocolate shapes and textures, including one like this to form nuggets, and many others sourced from well beyond the kitchen.

So if you’re a cook that likes to decorate your edibles, see what’s around your home that you can thoroughly clean, probably treat with non stick spray, and fill with chocolate, or press upon chocolate like a metallic doily to create a pretty design . . . or?

♦ Browsing through Diner’s Dictionary again. I just love this book! And not only because I can find foodie answers here faster than online, but even more because page after page has such interesting discoveries.

Just one of the entries on this journey: “Plum duff . . . one of the fortifying puddings of England is essentially the same in its beginnings as plum pudding, before it went upmarket The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink to become Christmas pudding – in other words, a plain boiled suet pudding enlivened with a more or less generous addition of raisins or currants {duff represents a former northern pronunciation of dough}.

“The earliest record of the term, though, is not that ancient. It comes from the mid-nineteenth century, in R.H. Dana’s Two Years Before the Mast {1840}: “This day was Christmas . . . the only change was that we had ‘plum duff’ for dinner.”The sociologist Henry Mayhew records it as being one of the foods for sale on the street in London in the 1850s, its itinerant vendor being known as a plum duffer.”

In one short blurb, a sense of time, place, taste, prep, commerce, history and as a bonus, a literary reference too.

So far next week: easy batch-making for hamburgers, good news for dog owners, cleaning sheet pans, Alton Brown news

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

for Aug 17-23, 2018

Posted on 08/17/2018 by bjnosek

**♦ CatChat – Misty previews what you’ll find in each section this week ♦**

♦ Tidbits – watermelon: selecting, using up / guide to chiles / oopsies in the kitchen ♦ CS Marketplace Spotlight – getting creative with leftovers / food no-no’s for dogs / cat cartoons {M – ha! equal time, about time} ♦ Featured Recipe – porcupine cookies {M – wait, is that meat?} ♦ Tip – stew 2.0 {M – that’s meat!} ♦ Barbara’s Week – fries in a hurry / s&p your dessert? / Alexa the foodie

Misty’s History ♦ Misty’s Gallery

**♦ Tidbits ♦**

Newsy, schmoozy stuff for cooks

♦ Watermelon! The very word can make your mouth feel cooler. Two foodie newsletters have something to say about this summer treat. Well Done tells us that in addition to a uniform shape, dull sheen, hollow sound after a thump, look for a creamy yellow spot from where it ripened on the ground. Meanwhile, Tasting Table shows us how to turn the rind into a “tasty, tangy pickle.”

♦ I just love cooking with chiles – you too? Then you’re going to also love this guide from “Real Simple” that gives a quick descrip of each of the major kinds, and as a bonus a demo that adds a visual component for each including exterior and interior views, size reference, some still on the vine, some stuffed.

♦ Think your kitchen mishaps are bad. Compare them to these. I guess some of them aren’t really funny but aiyyyy still kind of hard to stifle a laugh.

**♦ CS Marketplace Spotlight ♦**

We at CooksSalon, and guessing you, our savvy friends, have a passion for not wasting food. You’ll regularly find items in the My Week section below that talk about using up this or that. Maybe at some point I should add a forum where we can all share our ideas.

At any rate as often happens, in the course of looking for one thing on google I came across something else of interest. The search target was the second watermelon item above since it had rudely disappeared from my inbox.

But what also came up was the fact that there are books on Amazon totally devoted to using up leftovers. I’m going to take a closer look at some of these selections soon, but meanwhile I want to share the link to that page and the two examples.

The two cookbooks shown here are rated 4 & 5 stars. Happy re-purposing!

The Thrifty Cookbook ♦ Quick & Easy Recipes Using Everyday Leftovers

Other “Leftovers” cookbooks ♦ CS Marketplace

Also at CS Marketplace “Especially For Readers” & “Especially for Dog Lovers”

Dog Lovers Extra – A warning from “Reader’s Digest” 11 Summer Foods You Should Never, Ever, Share With Your Dog

Misty demanded some equal time for Cat Lovers. So, please enjoy these cartoons.

♦ Featured Recipe ♦

A fun, easy, no-bake dessert just in time for Labor Day

Just the name tells you there’s some sweet whimsey going on here. Porcupine cookies!

Have you made these before? If so, you know they’re a hit and even a bit of a conversation piece.

No idea anymore the source of the recipe I have, a print-out with no person’s name or company name on it. But no matter because I’ve changed it up anyway to make it a bit less sweet, a bit more chocolatey, and a bit richer.

So now it’s my recipe. And now it can be yours too! Powdered sugar optional.

Porcupine Cookies

Makes . . . a lot

1 c shredded coconut {the “needles”}

3 c quick cooking oatmeal

1 c sugar

2/3 c cocoa powder

1/2 c butter

1/2 c heavy whipping cream

1 t vanilla

Whisk coconut and oats in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a rather large saucepan or kettle, over med heat, combine sugar, cocoa, butter, and cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is a uniform color.

Bring to a boil, then let boil 3-4 minutes, watching constantly so it doesn’t bubble over. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.

Pour oat mixture into hot sauce and mix until blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper on a cookie sheet and let cool.

Notes: One of the changes I made was to use heavy whipping cream instead of milk, but you could certainly use either one or something in between. Meanwhile, here’s a link to the phooey-on-the-oven dessert books we ran a few weeks back.

No-bake dessert books on Amazon

♦ Tip ♦

Want to kick up the ol’ family recipe {demo}

Andre Soltner has a trophy case full of accolades but is probably best known for helming the iconic Lutèce in NYC for 34 years. In this youtube video uploaded by Saveur magazine he demonstrates his favorite childhood dish, Bacheofe, which is wine-marinated and oven-simmered meat and vegetables topped with bacon.

There’s a link to the recipe too, but truly you could probably use whatever amounts you like and still end up with a beautiful stew.

♦ A Peek at My Week ♦

Join me in my kitchen & parlor

♦ Nuts! No, actually fries. Should have noted two things in that item in the July 27 Salon about getting your fries ready in hurry. First, and guessing you already do this, follow the guidelines for your microwave oven and your paper towels for safe use. Then also limit the time in there to about a minute and a half, so the fries are less likely to stick. I’ve now added that to the July 27 original.

♦ Another addendum, also to the July 27 Salon, this one based on something I just read. That earlier Tip had to do with an easy no-bake dessert that was simply a matter of setting out slices of good bread and a bunch of toppings. One of the latter was unheated hot fudge {though chocolate bars would be fine too} inspired by MFK Fisher’s admonition to “never eat chocolate without bread.” At any rate the more recent reading also cheered this combo but with an unexpected addition – salt & pepper! So if you and your friends are feeling adventurous, go right ahead and add that into the mix.

♦ I love my Amazon Echo but am probably using about 10% of Alexa’s capabilities. But just came across another application that is great if you also have Prime. Have both? Then according to a blurb in Food & Wine magazine, you folks in more than 30 cities can use Alexa to get {in their example a missing ingredient} delivered in just hours via Prime Now.

So far next week: cooking bacon in water, cooking lessons, cookin’ novel, easy jam

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies {well named!}, for Aug 10-16, 2018

Posted on 08/10/2018 by bjnosek

**♦ CatChat – Misty previews what you’ll find in each section this week ♦**

Tidbits – what is matriarchal cooking? / bacon mayo, whose idea?? {M – hold the mayo} / Seattle food fest ♦ CS Marketplace Spotlight – good novel, “State of the Onion” w/recipes / signed inmate-to-chef bio on ebay ♦ Featured Recipe – Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies {M – didn’t get any} ♦ Tip – great lobster, twice ♦ Barbara’s Week – tasty salad add-on {M – didn’t want any} / watermelon, party cut/ hope springs eternal

Misty’s History ♦ Misty’s Gallery