Comfort

For anyone living in the northeast, comfort is very important right now. For the millions of people who lost power, something as simple as a hot cup of coffee became a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy day. As soon as power returned, the supermarkets were packed with people looking to restock refrigerators and freezers, so they could provide some level of comfort for friends and family in the form of a hot meal.

Watching other people load up their shopping carts with everything from ramen noodles to canned Vienna sausages reminded me why comfort food is one of my least favorite categories of cuisine to develop. I love a hearty soup or a rich chocolate confection but I find the category itself to be a bit limiting and impersonal. The main reason people find comfort in a certain dish is not because it is rich, cheesy or crispy but because it hits a nerve and resonates with a certain memory and feeling. It takes them to a place and time where they felt happy and safe and, in my opinion, nothing could be more personal and subjective.

My own go-to comfort foods are a good example of this because of how varied and, some may feel, out of place they are. Scones, sweet milky tea, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (coconut-no nuts), heavily buttered crusty toast (sometimes with peanut butter as well), ice cream (any flavor will do - no nuts), spicy rice and beans (black beans - with shredded Cheddar cheese melted on top) and all potato and corn chips/snacks, to name a few. These foods instantly take me back to my childhood home, my grandmother's kitchen table, a sunny carefree day at the beach, my dorm room in college or my first apartment living in New York.

When it comes time to develop comfort food recipes, I feel like I'm stepping out of bounds. What if my readers hate peanut butter, think rice and beans are mush and could leave a steaming mug of tea to get cold without batting an eye? Not to mention that someone's idea of a comfort food can evolve through life. I used to loathe eggplant but just last night made a rich Thai curry with chicken and eggplant. The silky coconut milk and eggplant backed by bright ginger and spice from the curry paste warmed me from the tips of my toes through my satisfied belly.

As I watch the snow begin to fall on the next storm blowing through the northeast, I guess my take away is to realize that the content or recipes I create for those looking for comfort in their food will not resonate with everyone, but hopefully will resonate with someone.

On that note, I'm off to bake some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (coconut - no nuts) to enjoy later with a hot cup of tea to help ease me through this next messy storm.

Homework

I have never really minded doing homework. I think it comes from the part of me that likes to see things through, from beginning to end. In school, that meant working on math problems until the formulas made sense or writing a paper for English that peeled apart the delicate layers of prose to reveal a greater meaning.

Whatever the exact reason for seeking a sense of closure or finality, it has extended into my work life. When I am tasked to brainstorm a project, research a story or develop a tricky recipe, I can not accept any result but the one that leaves me with a mental A+. It's kind of annoying.

The downside of working as a freelancer is that sometimes your time on a project runs out before you have reached the final stages and you have to leave the last bits of the puzzle to someone else. Although I have come to accept that, I often find myself continuing to mull it over in the days following. I may research why a quick bread didn't rise consistently, the origins of an ingredient that was new to me or if another method there was no time to try would have produced a better result. One colleague has, affectionately, referred to me as a bulldog when I get stuck on an issue. Somewhat stubborn and not willing to easily let go of the proverbial bone. What can I say? I can be stubborn and have a strong sense of intellectual curiosity. I have always wanted to know the why and not just the what.

One of the most frustrating things for someone like me to develop is a French macaron and this was one of my more recent challenges. The macaron is a crispy shelled chewy cookie made from egg whites, sugar and ground nuts. Although you could eat them plain, they are usually sandwiched with a creamy, chocolaty or fruity filling. They are currently enjoying fame in bakeries all around the country and have flavors ranging from basic vanilla to exotic rose, lemongrass, yuzu and licorice. They are cute, colorful 2 to 3 bite treats and I figured, how hard could they be?

Well.....that is an unusual question. It's not that the macaron is hard, it is that it is fickle and unpredictable. I read, in one of the many articles I plowed through about the subject, that even professional bakers end up discarding 20% of their macarons due to cracking, hollow centers or the lack of proper feet on the cookie. For those who have not yet been driven nuts (no pun intended) by the macaron, the foot refers to the signature crack that runs around the cookie, just above the base. Although a footless macaron can still be delicious, it just doesn't quite look right in my eyes. Like a cupcake without frosting or a meatloaf without a glaze.

It seemed as if for every problem there were two opposing solutions. For example, I read that if a macaron does not develop proper feet it could be that the piped cookies did not rest for long enough to create a skin on the outside. Or it could be that they rested too long and became firmly attached to the baking sheet. I read that if the macaron crack on top, your oven could be too hot. Or it could be too cold. Or it could have hot and/or cold spots. Seeing as how I didn't have a month to try every possible combination, I took my best educated guesses and continued on.

After much trial and error and sincere bewilderment I thought I had finally worked out a great recipe with helpful instructions, until the crosstest of the recipe failed. Although the issues in the recipe ultimately got worked out, my mind was still churning and I decided I had to make them at home just one more time for my own closure.

While I can't really share with you the recipe yet (I will update after it has been published) I thought I could at least share a few tips that I learned through the process:

1. Do some research. But not too much!
I found watching a video of the talented Joanne Chang making macarons to be very helpful. She is knowledgeable and approachable and made me feel like I, too, could make these cookies successfully. Do not follow up watching that video with hours of reading conflicting recipes, tips and claims of no-fail methods! You will be confused. Trust me. Try making them yourself and then if it doesn't go quite right, research from there.

2. Do not be fooled into folding your batter into a runny mess:
I read great deal about how to know when you have the correct texture of the batter which is essential for a successful cookie. Although the whipped egg whites are the structure of the cookie, when you fold in the ground nuts and confectioners' sugar, you need to deflate the egg whites to loosen the batter. Many people described the texture of the batter to be that of molten lava. But if you fold the batter to get to that point, by the time you actually get the batter into a pastry bag and piped out, it will be too runny and the cookies will be hollow inside and cracked on top. Err on the side of a stiffer batter because it will loosen as you work with it.

3. Don't expect perfection. It is how this cookie crumbles!
There are so many factors to a perfect macaron that are entirely dependent on an individual. For your oven and equipment, you may find better results if you use two baking sheets stacked on top of one another. You may want to adjust your oven temperature by 10 degrees up or down, or leave the oven cracked open with a wooden spoon. You may live in a humid environment and find you need to let them sit out for an hour instead of 20 minutes to let the skin develop. In the process of figuring this out , you will have imperfect macarons. It's ok. They are still cute and tasty and impressive. Enjoy the imperfections and chalk it up to experience!

From my oven of lovin'

Love is the buzz word of the week. It's ok. Valentine's Day can be a spectacle but it can also just be a day to take a pause and give an extra long hug to the ones you love from your sweetie to your friends to your family.

For those of us still sporting a few extra holiday pounds (ahem....), it can also be a tricky time with lavish displays of chocolate in every store and delicious looking chocolate recipes on every website. This year I decided to focus on the meal and enjoyed tasty dry aged rib eye steaks and a nice bottle of red wine instead of baking up a chocolate explosion. The problem is that I'm still feeling a nagging ache from my sweet tooth. And no, it's not a cavity...this time. I just realized that it has been a while since I have baked so why not extend the week of love and bake something tasty but not quite so decadent.

When I'm in the mood for a dessert that satisfies without bringing too much guilt I immediately go to a recipe for biscotti from my culinary school classes. A great deal of the recipes from the pastry and baking part of the curriculum are from the talented cookbook author and teacher Nick Malgieri as is this recipe for Biscotti Napoletani. It has no eggs, butter or oil. The only fat comes from the almonds in the dough which is lightly flavored with honey and ground cinnamon. Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about honey. Some of the almonds are finely ground while the remainder are left whole so the end result is a nubbly, crunchy treat.



Chocolate shavings get mixed in





Although the recipe is perfect the way it is, I sometimes change a few things and today was no exception. I added a few handfuls of finely chopped good bittersweet chocolate to the dry ingredients. I then mixed in the honey and water from the recipe and was ready to divide the dough into the two logs for baking when I had a second thought.




Since you have to divide the dough in half anyway, why not add one more ingredient to half the dough and end up with two flavors from the one batch. I poked around my cupboard and used tongs to get to the back of the top cabinet where I stash all my baking goodies and found some dried cherries I forgot I had. Perfect. I chopped up a handful of dried cherries and kneaded them into the second log of dough.


Ready for the first baking. Cherries on the left.

 After baking up golden brown and firm, the logs cool slightly and then get sliced and baked a second time until the cut sides feel dry and firm. As a disclaimer, I realize they are not really biscotti until they are baked the second time but they sure are tasty as a soft cookie after a single baking.


yummy. Ready for the second baking. Except for that little piece on the end...

*Note: This recipe was provided to us with the measurements in weight. It's the most precise way to bake as it does not allow for different ways of measuring flour and sugar and placing the bowl on a scale is actually faster then getting out your set of measuring cups. If you do not have a scale (you should get one) you can find services online to convert the weight to cups but there may be some change to the texture of the dough.

Biscotti Napoletani
Recipe courtesy of Nick Malgieri

10 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
6 ounces granulated sugar
8 ounces unblanched almonds, 4 ounces finely ground and 4 ounces left whole
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 fluid ounces honey
3 fluid ounces water

1. Combine all the ingredients except the honey and water in a mixing bowl and stir 1 minute or 2 to mix. Add the honey and water and stir until a firm dough forms.

2. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide in half. Roll each half into a log about 15 inches long. Put both logs, spaced well apart, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until well-risen, firm, and a dark gold.

3. Remove from the oven, cool the logs slightly, and place on a cutting board. Sliced the logs diagonally and at 1/2-inch intervals with a serrated knife. Return the cut biscotti to the pan, cut side down, and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and dry. Cool on the pan.

A Few of My Favorite Things

When I meet somebody new and they find out I work in food one of the first things they ask me is what I like to eat. I think they are expecting I am going to name some rare cheese that costs $50 an ounce and is matured in a volcanic cave under the ocean. They would be disappointed.
I do love food, but I am one of the plainest eaters around. I could have toast every morning for breakfast and be happy...on white bread...from the supermarket. I do not care for truffles, caviar or sea urchin which statement usually prompts a colleague to insist if I just try this specific kind or this specific preparation that it will change my mind. It won't. That's OK. I'll spend my money on good champagne instead. That...I like.
This is not to say I don't appreciate good quality or that I won't spend a little more on certain things that I really like. Last year I was gifted a bottle of smoked olive oil and loved how it could transform simple boiled lentils or greens so I bought some as Christmas gifts this year. It's just that I equally love such inexpensive plain things such as beans so much that I have been known to eat them straight out of a can in very generous amounts. I'm not planning to wrap those up as a gift anytime soon.
So I thought I would draft a short list of 10 of the foods I like the best and why. In no particular order and for the amusement of all:

1. Elderflower liqueur/syrup:
        It is such a unique floral-ish fruit-ish flavor that can stand up to strong flavors, like gin, but also blend with more delicate flavors without overpowering them. Delicious in a cocktail, mocktail or fruit salad. Yummy.
2. Beans:
        Beans really do have their own flavor. Vaguely nutty and earthy, I find them so satisfying and hearty. Cooked from dry or just from a can, I like them all. I also appreciate the huge difference between the firm chickpea, the creamy pinto bean and the slightly starchy black bean.
3. Peanut butter:
       It's sweet. It's savory. It's creamy. Sigh...I love it. I have it in oatmeal or toast for breakfast, with an apple for a snack and for dinner I have come to adding spoonfuls to my barbecue sauces, stir frys and Thai curries. It gives lovely body to the sauces and a rich mouth feel. I don't really go for the oil-on-top stir peanut butters as I find they can taste like dirt but I love how the bigger brands are making a natural version with just a few simple ingredients but still emulsified. I can find a way to eat some everyday.
4. Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese:
      The king of all cheeses in my opinion. I took my love of Cheddar to a new place when living in Dublin and have found it is one of the cheeses that has really exploded in terms of varieties offered. There are farmhouse Cheddars, Irish Cheddars, aged Cheddars and the choice of mild, sharp, extra sharp and extra extra sharp in both white and orange. I do single out the extra sharp as the top choice for the face that it is creamy while still a bit firm, slightly crumbly and melts like a dream.
5. Orange colored artificially flavored snack foods:
       That's right. Doritos, Cheetos, Cheddar flavored potato chips, Popchips and rice cakes, Combos, Orange soda...I realize the word "food" should be used loosely with these, but they are such a guilty pleasure that I can not shake. It may all stem from a severe childhood allergy to food coloring where I couldn't have the majority of processed foods. After I grew out of it, I couldn't get enough. It's a rare treat now, but I still love them.
6. Gummy and chewy candies:
       I have plenty of fillings thanks to this love. Haribo is a brand of particular enjoyment of gummies but I will also go for the candies from Chinatown, Starburst, gum drops, jelly beans and the old fashioned Tootsie roll. It's all good. I once received a college care package of animal crackers and a 5lb bag of gummy bears. So. Good.
7. Ice Cream:
      I have lots of childhood memories associated with ice cream. Maybe because growing up in Winnipeg, summer was a VERY special, and short, time. I remember how my grandfather loved maple ripple and would make himself a big bowl when he thought my grandmother wasn't looking. We had a little ice cream shack at the base of a bridge you would walk on with your ice cream (called, appropriately enough, The Bridge) and they would roll your entire vanilla cone in crunchy rainbow nonpareils or dip it in a hard chocolate shell. At the beach, we always stopped at the end of the day to get a cone. My sister once got blue raspberry and it turned her whole mouth bright blue. I always got bubble gum which had real bits of gum mixed in so you could squirrel the gum bits in the side of your mouth and when the ice cream was gone you could chew your saved gum. I could love it for the memories but also because, who are we kidding, it is delicious! Rich and creamy, smooth or crammed full of chunks, topped with fruit or hot fudge sauce, I always have a compartment in my tummy for a serving or two.
8. Bourbon:
     I've only recently come to enjoy bourbon. I never really liked any hard liquor as I found I couldn't sort out a discernible flavor from the intense fumes, very different from wine and beer. I started working more often with people who really enjoy bourbon and were gracious enough to share a taste with me. Bit by bit and sip by sip I started to taste the different flavors and enjoy the nuances between different distilleries. Now I enjoy bourbon more than beer. 
9. Pickles:
     I'm not only talking about a cucumber pickle. Beets, green beans, carrots, onions, ramps, hot peppers and brussels sprouts all fit right in that slot too. Oh, and I forgot about ginger, radishes, okra....I think you get the idea. I like my pickles very cold and salty rather than sweet. Herbs are a delicious flavor in the pickling liquid and I always throw a few cloves of garlic in my brine when I make pickles at home. I enjoy them as a snack or in a sandwich and can't seem to keep a jar around for very long. I'll confess too that the majority of the reason I first decided to try growing cucumbers was the enticing thought of always have a supply of cucumbers to pickle!
10. Corn (in all it's lovely forms)
     Corn might be one of the most versatile and delicious foods around. Cornmeal, corn tortillas, corn chips, hominy, on the cob, kernels. Outside of someone with an allergy or intolerance I don't know anyone who does not enjoy corn. It is gluten free as well so corn muffins and breads are a great offering at a gathering for people with mixed gluten problems.
11. Honey (The Bonus Food!)
      I have a special love for honey so I decided to put it at a special place on my top ten list. Melissa is derived from the Greek word for honeybee. I have decided that is why I must love honey so much. I enjoy replacing some of the sugar in baking recipes with honey. When I am not feeling well, a hot tea with honey and a splash of brandy is my personal brand of medicine. I once bought a jar of cranberry honey from an Amish farmstand in New Jersey and although the color was the typical amber brown, the sweet honey had a bit of a tart edge to it and tickled me every time I tasted it. It transforms plain yogurt into a sweet treat and adds a sticky touch to a savory glaze for fish or poultry. Honey was my favorite dipping sauce for chicken mcnuggets when I got a happy meal as a child. It is good and good for you and I want to go put some in my hot cocoa right now.

So there you have it. Although I have to right to change my mind at any time about these foods, I probably won't. And that's OK.