chefsblade

A Glass of Americana: Summer’s Tastiest Ice-Cream Floats

Richela Fabian Morgan | Divine Caroline — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:52:00 -0700

An ice-cream float is the quintessential summertime treat in the good ol’ U.S. of A. To enjoy one is to experience a bit of nostalgia for all things Norman Rockwell, even if you’re too young to know exactly who Mr. Rockwell is. The root beer–vanilla ice cream combination is a diner staple, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy the creamy, fizzy goodness that goes down with every sip.

It’s easy to make one of these classics: just put two scoops of vanilla ice cream in a tall drinking glass and slowly pour about a cup of root beer on top; add a straw, and you’re done. The good news is, we’re not limited to the root beer–and–vanilla ice cream variety, either; any type of soda (or even beer) can be substituted for root beer, and there are more flavors of ice cream under the sun than ever before to give your float some tasty personality.

Grape Soda + Vanilla Ice Cream
In the 1930s, this popular drink was called the Purple Cow. The modern version of the Purple Cow is still the same—grape soda and vanilla ice cream—though you can easily substitute a grape juice–ginger ale combination for the soda. More adventurous palates can try two scoops of raspberry ice cream or pomegranate sorbet.

Orange Soda + Vanilla Ice Cream
The combination of orange soda and vanilla ice cream is nothing new. But you can mix it up by trying orange sodas other than the standard Sunkist brand. Stewart’s Orange Cream, Jarritos’ Mandarin Soda, San Pellegrino’s Aranciata, and Trader Joe’s Blood Orange Soda add delicious new twists to an old staple and will renew your fondness for this orange-creamsicle float, which is also known as an Orange Cow.

Strawberry Soda + Mango Sorbet
Although this works better with mango ice cream, sorbet is probably easier to find. (Häagen-Dazs makes a mango ice cream, but it’s not a popular flavor, so it’s difficult to find.) Try checking out an Asian food market to see if it carries a mango-flavored ice cream. If you’re not inclined to substitute mango sorbet, try vanilla ice cream and a few tablespoons of mango juice instead.
San Pellegrino Limonata + Strawberry Ice Cream
The trick here is to use a strawberry ice cream that doesn’t have too many fruit chunks. Because the limonata isn’t too tart, it adds just the right amount of tang to complement the strawberry flavor. Add a few crushed mint leaves for a refreshing taste. Mmm-mmm, good.

Ginger Beer + Vanilla Ice Cream
I must confess, the idea for a ginger-beer float came to me after a long night consuming several so-called Yum-Yum cocktails (ginger beer plus chilled vodka and Rose’s lime juice) at Botanica Bar in Manhattan. Ginger is one of those flavors that you either love or hate, and I happen to heart it. A lot. Top this float with a little sprinkle of ground cardamom and cinnamon, or try it with coconut ice cream and throw in some lemongrass.

Chocolate Stout Beer + Vanilla Ice Cream
One evening, I was reading the back of a beer bottle and saw a recipe for a chocolate beer float. (For the life of me, I can’t remember the beer—maybe it was the Sam Adams Chocolate Bock?) I tried the recipe with Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and chocolate ice cream, but the flavor of the beer was lost. I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but it was too much chocolate—as if there can ever be such a thing, right? Vanilla ice cream is the way to go here. Top it off with a little bit of ground cinnamon, and you have yourself quite a tasty summertime float. But make sure to guard it at all times from curious children who wonder why you’re groaning loudly with pleasure.

Coffee Soda + Vanilla Ice Cream
Finding this specialty soda in your area may prove difficult, but remember that the Internet is a wonderful tool. This is a coffee lover’s delight. Substitute a coffee or mocha flavor for the vanilla ice cream, and you’ll be awake for days on the caffeine-sugar combination.

There are endless ice-cream float combinations yet to be discovered. Carbonated beverages come in flavors from blueberry to guava. And if you can’t find a fruit juice that’s carbonated, you can simply add a little seltzer or ginger ale to any juice to create your own. Beers are great, too; try everything from fruity lambic beers to dark, rich stouts like Guinness. You can even use prosecco or a fruity sparkling wine. And while you have hundreds of flavors of ice cream to choose from, you can also incorporate sorbets, sherbets, and soy ice creams (for the lactose-challenged among us).

So go on and get creative with your ice-cream floats. It’s easy—and oh so good.

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Food Styling: Tools of the Trade Part II

Kim Kissling | Chef's Blade — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:42:00 -0700

To follow up last month’s article on tools of the trade, here is a list of the larger items found in a food stylist’s kit.

Heat Gun: This item is usually used to remove unwanted wall paper. The intense heat releases the glue under the paper in order to peel the paper from the wall. But in food styling it is used to melt butter, cheese and brown the tops of some foods such as cheese.

Hand held salamander broiler: A salamander broiler is used in commercial kitchens to heat and reheat food and is sometimes used as a “pass through” from the kitchen to the servers. Having one in a food styling kit helps when trying to brown the top of foods such as an open faced sandwich or a gratin.

Hand Held Steamer: These steamers have recently been a big hit on infomercials used to steam-clean household items. It is also great for a quick hit of heat on top of a cold soup or if condensation is needed on the side of a bowl of soup. But be careful, sometimes the steam coming from these machines is too strong and can make a mess of things.

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Clothing Steamer: This is used to take wrinkles out of clothing and prop and wardrobe stylists always use them on set. Food stylists use this gentle steaming method to keep cheese alive on set. Cheese is one of those difficult foods in food styling. It looks inviting and enticing when it’s freshly melted but once it sits on set for just a few minutes it starts to create a skin and look cold and hard. A quick hit of steam freshens up the cheese and can bring it back to life. But if you’re going to use this on a sandwich, for example, watch out for the other ingredients such as lettuce. The steam will wilt the lettuce instantaneously and then you have to start from scratch….yes, I’m speaking from experience here.

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Grill Pan: A lot of food shots require grilled food and grills are too unpredictable to make hero food. The heat can be too intense or uneven and can also flare up causing parts of the food to look charred or burnt. I like to use a really good quality cast iron grill pan with deep grooves and thin lines or grates. This way the food will have distinct marks making it look like it was grilled outside. Using a grill pan also allows you to control the amount of charring and the intensity of the heat without unwanted burnt edges.

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Electric Charcoal Starter: If you don’t have a grill pan or if you need to make marks on food that won’t easily get marks from a grill pan, such as peppers, then an electric charcoal starter will do the job. This is the heating coil that you plug in and place in between charcoal and the intense heat from the coil ignites the charcoal. Once plugged in, the coil, if left long enough, will get red hot. When placed on a piece of meat or the side of a pepper it makes the perfect grill mark. But be careful, the marks have to be evenly placed and not too perfect or it will look fake!

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Butane torch: This torch is usually used in kitchens to caramalize the sugar on top of crème brulee. Once the sugar is melted and begins to brown from the heat of the torch it then cools and creates that delicious hard topping that is fun to crack with your spoon. In food styling, a torch is used for so many things. It can char the edge of a steak that doesn’t look like it was on the grill long enough. With a light touch and a softer flame, butter can be melted on top of a mound of mashed potatoes. It can also be used to make crème brulee.

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Mandolin/Benriner: In order to make perfectly cut vegetables a mandolin can be used. However, if you’ve ever priced out a traditional mandolin they are extremely expensive. I like to buy benriners. These tools can be found in hardware stores or asian markets. They are inexpensive and very sharp and come in several different sizes and shapes and make all the different cuts such as julienne, slices, waffle cuts and you can also buy a benriner that makes curly cuts.

Vegetable cutting tools: There are also peeling type tools that can be purchased that will cut julienne and as well as make decorative cuts in vegetables.

Knives: Obviously, knives are an integral part of food styling. Having sharp knives is key! There are also several types of knives that every food stylist should have in his/her kit. A chef’s knife that is very comfortable to use, a slicing knife, preferably a long one for slicing large roasts, a paring knife with a thin blade, bread knife, and a deboning knife is always good to have.

Plastic trays: The trays that you find in a cafeteria type setting are good to have to use for sorting and storing food, carrying things to set and most importantly to have a tray on set with all of the necessary tools needed to keep the food alive while waiting to be shot.

Hot plate or portable heating element: Having one of these in your kit can be a life saver. You never know when you need to keep something hot on set, such as boiling water for steam. Be sure to get a good quality one that gets hot enough to really heat things. Butane hot plates are good to have as well if you’re on location shooting and there are no electrical outlets.

Aprons: It is amazing just how much food can get on your clothes. Personally, I think it’s a good idea to have aprons that are of good quality and look professional.

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9 Meat Cuts You Should Be Cooking

Jacky Hayward | Chef's Blade — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:37:00 -0700

Succeeding in culinary school is more than just being a good student

Pork shoulder, similar to shank, is great when slow cooked or braised. Pork shoulder is not just the shoulder of the pig but also the whole leg. Because of its fat marbling, it is a very forgiving cut of meat and won’t dry out easily. As a muscle, however, it is best when cooked long, over low heat. One of the most popular and traditional ways of preparing pork shoulder is pulled pork, where the shoulder is braised and then put in the oven for a good portion of an afternoon or morning. The pork will literally fall apart and melt in your patrons’ mouths. Salivating yet?

photo from Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer

Next Page: Butts→

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Tri Tip

California cut. Newport steak. Sirloin tip. Sirloin butt. Culotte. Bottom sirloin. You get the idea: Tri-tip steak goes by a lot of names. But there are only two of these triangular shaped steaks per cow — one per butt check, if you will. Because it’s at the butt of the animal, it’s not a kosher cut of meat. However, this strongly flavored steak is great for roasting, broiling, or a combination of stove and oven cooking. One thing to beware of is that this steak will get very tough when cooked past medium-rare.

photo from The Infamous Gdub

Next Page: Tails→

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Oxtail

Oxtail is traditionally the tail of an ox, a castrated steer, and completes the nose to tail movement. Oxtail, like many of the cuts in this article is a tougher, well marbled meat. What makes it different, however, is how close it is to the bone — the meat encircles vertebrae and includes a lot of iron-rich marrow. Because they are so fatty, chefs often cook oxtail ahead, skim the fat off, and reheat to be served.

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Food Styling: Tools of the Trade

Kim Kissling | Chef's Blade — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:36:00 -0800

A food stylist’s kit is his/her lifeline. A well-equipped kit will help a job go smoothly and easily. There are things on the list below that one might think odd to use with food but, rest assured, every single item on this list is vital to food styling in one way or another.

There are a few obvious things such as sharp knives, scissors/kitchen shears, torch, paper towels even glue and tweezers. But some of the less obvious ones such as pins, glycerin, erasers, are all explained below and in Part 2, which will be published next month.

Let’s first talk about some obvious tools that are used in somewhat odd ways, such as paper towels. Of course, paper towels are used to clean surfaces but what about using them as diapers for food. I bet you never thought about it, but if a piece of meat, such as a steak, sits on a plate the juices collect under the meat. This is not always what you want to see. A folded up piece of paper towel, a few layers thick, placed under a steak will keep the juices from running out onto the plate and if juices, sauce or gravy needs to be shown, the perfect amount can be placed with a very small spoon or eye dropper in just the right places giving the stylist control over the look and feel of the shot.

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As the list continues, the descriptions are a bit more brief than the one above but use your imagination and I’m sure you’ll be able to come up with your own ideas for how things can be used.

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Tweezers: There are many shapes and sizes of tweezers in a food stylist’s kit. Curved tweezers are very helpful getting into those hard to reach places. Fine tipped tweezers are used to pick up the tiniest things such as an unwanted seed.

Glue can be very helpful in many different ways and the type of glue is very important. There is a product called Zap-a-Gap that will actually glue wet, slippery surfaces together such as a tear or a whole in a piece of meat.

Wooden skewers are one of my favorite tools to move things around with as well as to stabilize stacked objects such as a piled high sandwich.

Paint brushes in every shape and size are of utmost importance from painting oil on surfaces to make them look hot, to brushing crumbs off of a surface.

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Q-Tips, yes those cotton swabs that you use to clean your ears, are used to clean up any unwanted drops or juice.

Scissors of every size, especially tiny little sewing scissors are frequently used on set to trim off any unsightly tidbits.

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Pins, straight pins, T-pins, tidy pins are all used to hold things together and in place.

Spritz Bottles are used to spritz water on fruit to make it look freshly picked or on a glass to make it look like the glass is cold and sweating.

Squeeze Bottles, especially very small ones with small openings are used to put mustard or mayonnaise on a sandwich in just the right place.

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Glycerin is used mixed with 50% water. When this mixture is spritzed on any surface, it will look like a water droplet but will not dry up or move. It’s great for sweat on glasses.

Kitchen Bouquet is an old product your Grandmother probably used to make gravy. It’s a very thick, dark brown liquid that can be mixed with water to make it look like meat juices or even iced tea if mixed with enough water. It is also used to make meat looked browned in spots that need a little more color.

Ruler; this may seem a bit over the top but it’s always good to have a ruler in a styling kit just in case something needs to be an exact size or if things have to be uniform in size. This comes into play a lot in baking and pastry.

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Windex. Yes, that blue stuff in a spray bottle is so useful on set. It cleans up spills and drips as well as removing oil from surfaces of food when used with a square of paper towel or Q-Tip.

Fun Tack, that blue or yellow tacky substance that you used to hang posters in your bedroom when you were a kid is always close to set and is used to hold things in place such as a fork that is precariously place on the edge of a plate.

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Museum Wax is a product used to hold artifacts and collectibles in place in a museum so they don’t fall over. This substance is also very helpful on set to hold things in place much like Fun Tack. But it’s clear and not as visible.

Erasers are used to prop things up and hold things in place. It’s a good substance to use because it has some weight to it and the surface is a little tacky and helps to keep things from slipping and can be cut or broken into usable sizes.

Wedges or plastic shims are used in the same way as erasers to prop up plates and things on set.

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Eye Droppers are very good to use for putting small amounts of liquid in very specific places on food.

Small spoons, like demitasse spoons, are used in much the same way as eye droppers to put liquids and sauces in small areas on a plate of food.

Please read next month’s article on the bigger tools of the trade; clothing steamers, heat guns, torches, etc.

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5 Reasons We Taste What We Taste

Daisy Chow | Chef's Blade — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:06:00 -0800

Food isn't the only factor that plays into why we taste what we taste.

In the world of food, flavor is king. If it doesn’t taste good, we don’t want to eat it. Our survival depends on the fact that we keep eating food because it tastes good. Scientists say the tongue can distinguish only 5 primary tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami, also known as savory. Yet we seek out foods that offer a variety of flavor sensations, not just these 5. How do we get from 5 basic tastes to endless flavor potential?

Next Page: The 5 Primary Tastes→

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The 5 Primary Tastes

The tongue is the main sensory organ for the taste system. Taste receptor cells on the tongue are clustered into papillae—little bumps commonly known as tastebuds—but taste cells are also found on the roof of the mouth, in the throat, and even in the small intestine (where they may help regulate appetite). Taste cells have chemical receptors that detect specific molecules in food. For example, taste cells that recognize the taste of sweet have receptors that bind to parts of sugar molecules. When it’s stimulated by a sugar molecule, the taste cell signals a nearby nerve, which carries the message to the brain that you are eating something sweet.

Taste receptor cells are specifically tuned to each of the primary tastes, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Why these 5? It’s likely that sweet indicates ripe, edible fruits and sugary foods that are high in carbohydrates to provide energy, while saltiness indicate the presence of minerals like salt, sourness detects acids, and bitterness detects poisons. Umami may be an indicator of proteins. Essentially, the 5 tastes are one way humans have evolved to distinguish the edible from the harmful.

Next Page: Use Your Nose!→

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Smell Makes up the Lion’s Share

When we think about what a food tastes like, we are thinking about the various, complex, and often delicious sensations that make up flavor. The brain analyzes flavor through a combination of taste—sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory—and smell. In fact, the olfactory sense contributes 80 to 90% of what the brain perceives as flavor.

Food stimulates our sense of smell when we inhale airborne molecules through the nostrils and when air wafts up the back of the throat and into the nose as we chew and move food around in the mouth. The olfactory nerves in the nose are sensitive to odorant molecules from food and send messages to the brain that enhance the taste messages coming from the taste receptors. The nose can distinguish anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 different odors, allowing us to differentiate between not just apples and oranges but lemons and limes. Also, the hotter the food, the more odorant molecules evaporate into the air, the stronger the aroma and the more the food stimulates the appetite.

Next Page: Your Tongue Does More Than Taste→

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Taste is Tactile too

The sense of touch adds another dimension to flavor. Texture and feel influence our perception of flavor. A crunchy apple and a juicy orange make for more pleasant eating experiences than their mealy or dry counterparts. A baguette is not the same without the crispy crunch of its fresh-baked crust. A smooth ice cream beats out a grainy, icy one. Even the fizz of a bubbly drink is a tactile sensation. Touch adds to the fun of food.

Spiciness is also a touch-related sensation that helps food pack a flavorful punch. The spicy kick from chilies is caused by compounds called capsaicinoids, which stimulate heat and pain receptors in the mouth, causing your mouth literally to burn in pain. The body’s nervous system releases pain-relieving endorphins in response, a pain-pleasure cycle that may explain why chili-laden foods are often so addicting. (Doesn’t everyone have a favorite hot sauce?) Whereas these foods set off heat receptors, menthol in mint simulates the feeling of cold temperatures. All these tactile sensations serve to enhance the flavors of food.

Next Page: To Each His/Her Own...→

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Taste is Personal

One person’s yum is another’s yuck. Taste is highly subjective and personal, influenced by myriad factors from within and without. Moreover, our sense of taste and smell is always changing, and it’s possible to learn to appreciate new foods or foods that were previously disliked.

As you sit before a meal, countless details influence your perception of the food. What does the dish look like? Does it have a funny name? Are there a variety of shapes and colors, pleasingly arranged? Is the platter nice? What’s around you? Is it noisy or quiet? Bright or dark? Are your dining companions people you like eating with? At a restaurant, does bad service quickly sour the experience while good service punches up ho-hum food? How much does the food cost? The list of contextual factors could go on and on, and many of these factors are completely subconscious.

Then there is the personal baggage you bring to your meal. Personal history, experience, prior knowledge, culture, habit, all these can trigger a positive or negative response to food and affect how you perceive it. Whether you associate broccoli with good memories or bad ones will affect how much you like it. Age and genetics play a role too. Children often don’t like the same foods as their parents but grow up to eat the same way their parents did. In addition, an estimated 25% of Americans are so-called super-tasters. Genetically programmed to be more sensitive to taste, super-tasters have far more tastebuds than average but tend to be picky eaters; these super tasters are also much more likely to become a chef or sommelier than any other part of the population.

Editor's Note: As a chef, think of ways you can improve each of your diner's experiences, realizing that their meal is not the only piece of the puzzle that keeps 'em coming back for more.

Next Page: You Are Always Right, When It Comes to Taste at Least→

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If it Tastes Good to You, You Are Right

Our food experiences are highly subjective. The taste, the smell, and the feel of a food make up one large part, but other external and internal factors count too. In the end, it’s up to individuals to decide what does or doesn’t taste good to them. And you know what? When it comes to taste, you are always right.

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Color Me Delicious: How Food’s Hue Affects Its Taste

Allison Ford | Divine Caroline — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:34:00 -0800

Anyone who doubts that a food’s color affects how it tastes probably wasn’t alive in the early ’90s to witness one of the most infamous gustatory debacles in history. Intellectually, it’s easy to think that the color of a food shouldn’t affect how it tastes, but that was proven false when Crystal Pepsi hit the market. Except for its lack of caramel coloring, it was just like regular Pepsi. It should have tasted exactly the same, but it didn’t. Consumers couldn’t get past the odd juxtaposition of flavor and taste, and the feeling that something was just off. The gimmicky soda was an abject failure, destined to be inducted into the Bad Idea Hall of Fame.

We know that our sense of taste is very closely tied to our sense of smell, but it’s also tied to our sense of sight. Humans expect their food to look a certain way, and when food has a surprising or incongruous color, our brains convince us that it tastes different, too. Color may not directly affect how a food tastes, but it definitely affects how we perceive the taste.

What About Green Eggs and Ham?

Added colorings are ubiquitous, and not just in the obvious processed or packaged foods—they show up in fresh foods, too. According to the FDA, colorings are added to food for a variety of reasons. Sometimes pigment is added to offset color loss that occurs in the manufacturing process or from the product’s exposure to light or temperature, which is why farmed salmon’s naturally gray meat is usually dyed to match the pink hue of wild-caught fish. Some manufacturers add color to keep a product standardized; butter naturally ranges from white to dark yellow, but most producers color it light yellow because that’s what consumers have come to expect. Some foods undergo colorization to enhance their natural pigments, such as oranges that are dyed a more vivid shade. Lastly, foods can be dyed to provide color to processed-food products that are normally colorless. Maraschino cherries wouldn’t be red, cola would not have its telltale brown color, and most of the food in the center aisles of the grocery store would look quite different if it weren’t for added colorings.

Color can have pronounced effects on our appetites as well. In Fast Food Nation, author Eric Schlosser wrote about a famous study in the 1970s that examined the effects of food color on taste. Participants in the study were seated in a room where they were offered steak and french fries. Unbeknownst to them, the room was rigged with special lighting that affected the color of the food. Although the plate looked normal in the special lighting, the researchers eventually revealed that the steak had been dyed blue and the French fries were green. Upon seeing the sickly colored food, many participants in the study immediately lost their appetite. When the food was an improbable color, it seemed significantly less appetizing.

Degustation Discombobulation

In March 2007, the Journal of Consumer Research published a study that found that the color of a beverage also greatly influenced how people interpreted its taste. Researchers offered the subjects orange juice—some of which had been colored, and some of which had been artificially sweetened. When people compared the colored orange juice with regular orange juice, they believed that it tasted different, even though the taste had not been altered. However, when participants were asked to compare the taste of the regular juice to that of the sweetened juice, they couldn’t tell the difference, because they were the same color.

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Food scientists have known for years that color dictates how we perceive taste, and that people expect certain colors to reflect certain tastes. For example, we expect yellow to taste tart, like citrus, and red to taste spicy. When a manufacturer is trying to subtly encourage a specific flavor, the easiest way to do that is to give the food a particular color. If a product’s color does not correspond with its flavor, consumers get confused. In a 1995 study published in the Journal of Food Science, participants could not identify the flavor of a drink if it did not correspond with the “appropriate” color. For example, they could not identify grape flavor if the drink was colored red; instead, they thought it was cherry or some other “red” taste. The participants in this study reported that drinks with stronger colors had stronger tastes, regardless of the beverage’s actual flavor concentration, and that the drinks with strong colors also tasted better than drinks with weak colors.

Another study (from 1983) in the Journal of Food Science found that foods were judged to have a stronger and more powerful aroma when they were colored, as compared with versions of the foods without added color. The precise hue of the food was important, too: participants disliked foods that were either too colored or not colored enough, instead preferring foods that had enough coloring to be bright and appetizing, but not so much that they looked artificial.

Taste the Rainbow

The way we experience taste is intricately wrapped up in how food looks, feels, and smells, long before it ever makes it to our mouths. Without the proper visual cues, it’s almost as if flavor itself has no context. To some, the thought of injecting color into naturally colorless fish or dying maraschino cherries may sound nauseating, but food companies take their products very seriously, and they know that even though consumers express general dislike for the idea of chemical additives, they also have very specific expectations about the foods they consume. Most people would overwhelmingly prefer pink salmon meat to gray, and people are more likely to buy key lime–flavored sweets if they’re dyed green. I may think I’m opposed to food coloring, but in my cocktails, I know that a pale and colorless maraschino cherry just wouldn’t taste the same.

More From Divine Caroline

Do We Need Color Additives in Food (Part 1)

Do We Need Color Additives in Food (Part 2)

Licking Salt: Overcoming Addiction to the White Stuff

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Beyond Sweet and Savory: Umami, the Fifth Taste

Allison Ford | Divine Caroline — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:42:00 -0800

Like many things that we learned in kindergarten, our sense of taste is more complicated than it seems. Even though we’re taught that the human tongue is capable of detecting only four distinct tastes—sweet, salty, sour, and bitter—as we grow up, we encounter many flavors that defy such easy categorization. Although a fine cheese might have notes of sweetness or salt, there seems to be a lot more going on than just those elements. And what about perfectly cooked meat or vintage wine?

Greek philosophers came up with the concept of our four elemental tastes almost three thousand years ago, and their theory remained intact until the late nineteenth century. Then a French chef named Auguste Escoffier invented veal stock and stumbled upon what scientists and foodies call the “fifth taste,” umami.

An Ancient Japanese Secret

Chefs began to incorporate Escoffier’s creation into sauces and savory dishes, and it seemed to make everything tastier—food containing veal stock was more flavorful, more complex, and more satisfying. What he had produced was actually the concentration of a fundamental taste that’s neither bitter nor salty nor sweet nor sour. The Japanese have for years used a seaweed stock called dashi to elicit the best flavor from their food; umami is the name Japanese food researcher Kikunae Ikeda gave it when, in 1908, he sought to chemically identify this new and distinct taste. Ikeda discovered that the source of umami is an amino acid called glutamate, or glutamic acid, which occurs naturally in savory foods, such as meat, cheese, and certain vegetables.

The word itself is Japanese, and although it’s hard to translate, it roughly means “flavor” or “deliciousness.” In English, the concept of umami has been described as “savoriness,” “smokiness,” or “meatiness.” Most organic matter contains some glutamate, but it’s not until the matter begins to ferment or decay (as in cooking) that the glutamate breaks down. The deconstructed form of glutamate, called L-glutamate, is what we respond to in foods containing umami. The food additive MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a chemical flavor enhancer that attempts to mimic naturally occurring amino acids and elicit the same taste.

Scientists know that our tongues contain receptor cells that bind perfectly with the chemical sensations of taste—sour molecules activate certain sites, while bitter molecules activate others. In 2000, a study at the University of Miami discovered the existence of a receptor site that seemed designed to bind with glutamate molecules. A study published in 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that certain genes played a role in tasters’ detection of and sensitivity to umami; certain people were insensitive to the taste, while others were very sensitive to it. Since these findings align with our existing knowledge about the other four tastes, most people now consider umami to be the fifth fundamental human taste.

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Gimme Umami

Although umami is found in many foods, it’s highly concentrated in cooked meats, aged cheeses, red wine, asparagus, seaweed, and tomatoes. The most intense umami powerhouses are mushrooms (especially shiitake) and parmesan cheese, which may explain why these foods have become staples in many kitchens around the world. Dark-finned fish, such as anchovies, are also full of umami.

In general, certain cooking techniques work better than others in bringing out the umami flavor of food. Braising, roasting, and stewing may be time-consuming cooking methods, but they allow the glutamate proteins to denature and break down for maximum umami effect. Searing enhances umami by creating a well-done crust on the outside of meat and fish. The older a food is, the more umami it’s likely to contain, so any food that’s aged, fermented, or cured also tends to be rich in this taste. Cured meats, sourdough bread, and wine are also umami-heavy foods.

Plenty of Western chefs have capitalized on umami in their food, even if it’s taken them a long time to realize exactly what the flavor was. French chefs use richly flavored stock and truffles, Italians use copious amounts of parmesan cheese, tomatoes, red wine, and braised meat, and even Americans are partial to ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, both of which contain umami and bring it out in other foods.

Umami is a flavor that may be difficult to describe, but most people know it when they taste it. It’s rich, earthy, flavorful, sultry, and savory. It’s the reason people put bacon in their omelets, the reason a cheeseburger is more satisfying than a hamburger, and the reason people just know that their spaghetti Bolognese needs grated parmesan cheese on top. It may not be sweet, salty, sour, or bitter, but it’s the quintessential taste that makes our mouths water, and it’s becoming a feature in many restaurant dishes that chefs call “umami bombs” because of their high concentration of umami ingredients. Since umami augments flavor, one of its surprising benefits is that it reduces the need for salt in food. In addition, some dieticians think that by focusing on umami, parents can even teach their kids to be more adventurous eaters. After all, if umami really does mean “deliciousness,” who wouldn’t want more of that?

And More From Divine Caroline

Fifth Taste Unami Now Available

Pleasing Your Palette: Aging's Effects on Taste

Eating Flowers

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Pulla: Traditional Finnish Sweet Bread

Tricia Martin | Chef's Blade — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:23:00 -0800

The unexpected but remarkable friendships and connections I've experienced since starting this blog have enriched my life beyond anything I ever expected. It really is the most remarkable thing about the internet – being able to connect with people who you would never in a million years been able to do so with – and certainly not quite so easily, either.

There are honestly about five blogs I look at and read fairly regularly — I have a lot more on my google-reader, but I get really overwhelmed when I turn that thing on, so I end up never turning it on! Instead, I mostly rely on my memory to hand-type in a handful of favorite sites I visit a few times a month, see what they are up to, and to say hello. I know, I know — it's bad blogger etiquette to not read more fellow bloggers sites and comment — but that can get furiously overwhelming, so I simply do it when I can.

One of the blogs I visit regularly is Pattern Bakery. They are a group of four designers, Salla, Maria, Miia, and Minttu, best known for patterned designs and illustrations sold for the interiors, fashion, and paper industries. They are based in Finland, but sell their patterns and textile designs world-wide. Each year, these four talented women come out with a new collection based on color themes and moods. Their studio in Helsinki, Finland is in an old nostalgic wooden house that turned out to actually be an old grocery and bakery. "A house with a history of freshly baked bread and pastries keeps inspiring our work (and our tummies)." That would certainly inspire me too! It was reading this that I realized I had found a group of kindred spirits across the Atlantic.

Minttu is the group's lover-of-food. She's known for conjuring up heavenly meals at a moments notice — and then blogs about it on the Pattern Bakery's blog. A few weeks ago, she posted about her mother's Pulla — a traditional Finish sweet bread spiced with cardamon. I have a special affinity for Pulla because my best friend Kiija and I used to make it as girls with her grandmother Aune, who was Finnish. Or Kiija's dad would make loaves and loaves of it to stock the freezer with — I felt like we were always snacking on a piece of Pulla while at her house — it was the best.

I am fascinated with the stories that food conjures up. And knowing that Kiija and her dad share a deep love and regard for this family flavor and ritual, I wondered if Minttu shared similar feelings. So, I emailed her. And she emailed me back the most fantastic story ever, about her family's Pulla. Her mother had learned to make the Pulla shaped like this from her Mother-in-law, who was from Ingria, a land attached to Russia. Her great grandfather did some work for the last czar of Russia, and the czar's children were very fond of the Finnish Pulla her great-great grandmother would send them as a treat! "So maybe this special shape has been passing along the generations and is the same the last tsar's kids ate," writes Minttu. Amazing! Minttu and her cousin have agreed to keep this family tradition alive and well by shaping their Pullas like this from now on. Pulla can come in many shapes from a large braided loaf to shapes like little boys and girls with raisin eyes--but the woven circle will be a special one for Minttu and her family. So neat!

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Minttu's Family Pulla via Pattern Bakery

Ingredients

0,5 litres milk (2 cups)

50 g yeast (3 tablespoons or two packages)

2 tsp salt

2 dl sugar (a little more than 3/4 cup, but not quite a full cup)

2 tsp cardamon (not the pods, but open them and use the bits inside)

1 egg

14 dl wheat flour (6 cups, maybe a little more)*

100 g butter (1/2 cup or a whole stick)

Process

Add yeast to hand warm milk. Mix with salt, sugar, cardamon and egg. Add flour little by little, whisk more at first to mix some air in to the dough. Then knead until it feels alive in your hands, say maybe 10 minutes or so. Add soft butter towards the end of kneading. Let rest in a warm place, covered with a tea towel. When the dough size has doubled, knead it softly to remove the airbubbles, for couple of minutes.

Cut pieces of the dough with knife and start rolling it under your hands to form long shapes. Cut pieces of app. 10 cms. Press two pieces together at top. Twirl one of the dough pieces around the other. Press the ends together to form a circle. Set on a baking sheet on a baking tray, brush with some egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in oven, 450 degrees F for 10 minutes or so, until golden brown.

Cook's Note: I tried one batch with whole wheat (pastry) flour and one with unbleached, all-purpose white flour, and I must say, I like the white flour better for my taste. It allows the cardamon to shine through, mingle with the sweetness, and keeps the bread nice and soft--the whole wheat flour took over the flavor and dulled the cardamon flavor for me.

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How to Talk Like A Food Stylist

Kim Kissling | Chef's Blade — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:16:00 -0800

Food stylists have their own lingo; are you up to speed?

Every business has its own set of words and phrases that are used exclusively in that arena. Food styling and food photography are no different. Here are some frequently used words and phrases.

The Basics of the Lingo→

[photo:16874]

Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

[page]

"IS THE FOOD ALIVE OR DEAD":

This is a phrase used to ask if the “hero food” (see note below) on set is still looking fresh enough to shoot or if it needs to be replaced or refreshed.

CHEESE PULL:

This is one of the most difficult things to do in food styling. The words describe it perfectly but in order to make this happen there are several steps involved depending on the recipe. Specific types of cheeses are used as well as boiling water and steam to melt the cheese before the cheese pull happens (either a hand held steamer or a garment steamer can be used). You see this in commercials for companies like Pizza Hut or Dominoes or on a shot for a grilled cheese sandwich.

STAND IN FOOD:

When shooting food, it is very difficult to keep it looking fresh or “Alive” (see above note). While setting up for a shot a food stylist will create a “stand in” plate of food that will only serve as a placement until the set, camera angle and lighting has been perfected.

HERO FOOD:

The final and best looking plate of food that is put on set and is ready to be shot once the shot has been completely established.

Preparation Techniques→

[photo:16874]

Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

[page]

DOLLOP:

You can have a dollop of whipped cream, sour cream, or any other type of topping. There is an art to creating the perfect dollop and the placement of the dollop is important. If the shot is about a piece of pie then the dollop shouldn’t be the main focus, however, if the shoot is for a Cool Whip client then they would want the dollop to be front and center.

DRIP:

The perfect placement of a drip will make or break a shot. This isn’t as easy as it appears. The falling drip has to be absolutely perfectly timed for the photographer.

POUR:

The pour is another sometimes difficult thing to accomplish with food. In order to create a pour, it has to be the right amount poured in the right place with just enough pooling of the liquid.

Camera Angles→

[photo:16874]

Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

[page]

TIGHT ON THE FOOD:

Simple term to explain that the client wants the food to be the main focus of the shot.

PULLED BACK:

Another term to explain that the client wants to show atmosphere in the shot as well as the food.

HOW TO’S:

This is a phrase used to describe a shot or series of shots showing a process of prepping and/or cooking for a recipe. A lot of times there will be a hand model or talent used in the shot to clearly show the process

Parts of "Shoot"→

[photo:16874]

Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

[page]

STILL LIFE:

Used to describe a shot that is focused on a subject or subjects.

TABLETOP:

Used to describe a type of food photography shot that includes a table setting and food.

TALENT:

Any person(s) photographed for a project. This includes hand models as well.

THE SET:

The area/space where the photo(s) are taken. Used in a phrase such as, “please bring the hero food to the set.”

Cold Drinks→

[photo:16874]

Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

[page]

SPRITZ:

This term is used to describe spraying water droplets onto fresh food or drinks to make the item(s) look fresh and/or cold.

PREPRO:

A meeting held before a photo shoot happens to tie up any loose ends and to discuss the shot order and priority. (aka Pre-production meeting)

"IT’S A WRAP":

I’m sure most people have heard this term used but it denotes the end of a photo shoot.

Ice Cream→

[photo:16874]

Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

[page]

Terms Used During Ice Cream Shoots

BEARD OR SKIRT:

These two words are interchangeable and refer to the ice cream that is surrounding a scoop.

FEATHERING:

Refers to the texture of the ice cream itself. Each type of ice cream has a specific texture which is caused by the fat and air content of the product. The higher fat content (i.e. Haagen Dazs) the smoother the surface. The lower fat content (i.e. Dreyers Lite) the more ridges that are found on the surface.

MELT:

Some clients prefer to see a touch of melt around the edges of the skirt or a little melt on the scoop itself. The client/art director will know if melt is needed and how much should be shown.

ICE CRYSTALS:

When shooting ice cream it is necessary to take it out of the freezer and then return it to the freezer several times. If this process does not happen quickly enough, the surface of the ice cream will melt and when it is put back in the freezer ice crystals will form. It’s sometimes difficult to see this with the naked eye but once the shot is enlarged it makes the ice cream look like it has freezer burn….definitely not a desired affect.

All photos by Kim Kissling

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10 Secret Menu Mind Games

Jacky Hayward | Chef's Blade — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:03:00 -0800

Get your diners right where you want them!

What do anchors, bacon, and grandmothers have in common? They're all tactics used to make menus more enticing to diners, of course! The bottom line is the bottom line: You want diners buying food. And you're lucky; before your diners even decide what they're going to order, you're putting an advertisement in their hands– in the form of a menu – pointing them right towards what you want them to order. Or you should be!

Here are 10 tricks of menu psychology that will lead your diners to order what you want them to!

1st Mind Game: Don't Think in Terms of $$→

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Don't Think in Terms of $$

This is menu psych 101: DO NOT use dollar signs ($$) on your menu. Let's repeat, do not use dollar signs on your menu. It forces diners to focus on the price of the dish rather than on the dishes themselves. Is your menu a list of prices or of meals? We're hoping the latter. Along the same lines, how you price your dish can affect how a diner perceives the quality of the price. For example, at value restaurants such as Applebees or Friendly's, pricing a dish at "9.99" denotes value, but having that same price at a fine dining establishment makes the food sound cheap, and not in a good way. Plus a longer number means more time looking at a number and less on food. In the above example from Rouge Tomate, the restaurant prices dishes in terms of whole dollars.

2nd Mind Game: Columns Kill→

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Columns Kill

One of the best ways to compare numbers is to have them all lined up. So give your diners a break and get them focusing on the food and not the price. Columns force your diners to compare the prices of all your dishes, making them weed out the most expensive rather than focus on the most delicious. However, pricing all your entrees around the same can be a good tactic to prove to your patrons that you are a fairly priced eatery.

3rd Mind Game: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words→

[page]

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

One of the best ways to sell a dish is to have a picture of it. Well, sometimes. If you're dining at T.G.I Friday's, reading a menu that's more like War and Peace than, well, a menu, you're more likely to choose the Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger, strategically placed in the upper righthand corner and described in the first slot in the menu, than any other dish on the page. Do you really want to read the War and Peace of menus to choose your dish? Or would you rather just go with what looks good? We're guessing the latter. If you're a fine dining restaurant, however, this tactic isn't going to work for you. Could you imagine Le Bec Fin including an image of their coddled duck egg? Probably not. You're instead going to have to focus on your words.

4th Mind Game: Adjectives, Adjectives, Adjectives→

[page]

Adjectives, Adjectives, Adjectives

While using simpler copy is certainly a trend, the words you do use must be precise. In a recent New York Times article, Dr Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, found that descriptive labels on menu items increases sales by as much as 27 percent. Phrases like "Coddled Duck Egg" spark interest in diners while "Welfleet Oyster" gives a sense of place in an industry that is now obsessed with knowing where food comes from.

5th Mind Game: What the Hell is An Anchor Anyway?→

[page]

The Anchor and What's Right Next Door

Imagine seeing a $120 entree on a menu. The thought of purchasing that entree might cause you to gag before even getting your meal. Then, as you browse the rest of the menu, $40 an entree seems like a steal! The initial $120 entree is not necessarily being promoted, although some will most likely order it, it's acting as a decoy to make the rest of the menu look like a bargain. Momfuku Noodle Bar recently added caviar as an anchor, as this robustly priced dish is called, to its inexpensive late night fare. In comparison with $10 to $16 entrees, this upwards of $100 side dish seems a bit flashy. But that might be just their point! In this case, the anchor serves not only to make the rest of the menu look like a steal, but it's also that crazy thing that some customer might just order because it's late at night, it's Momofuku, and, hell, why not? (That's a rhetorical question for the rest of us...)

6th Mind Game: Bracketing→

[page]

Bracketing

Bracketing is for the same-dish-that-comes-in-two-different-sizes trick. The two sizes prompt the diner to feel a bit worried that the smaller portion might not be enough and reassure them that for less than double the price, they can get twice the amount of food. Deal, right? Well, sort of. If a diner doesn't eat the extra food and doesn't take home a doggy bag, then, both the food and the diner's money are wasted. However, if you're the restaurant, you just made close to double the profit off of that sale, simply by having two sizes.

7th Mind Game: The Benefits of Boxes→

[page]

The Benefit of Boxes

Boxes draw attention to items on a menu. In this case, RN74 draws attention to its small plates that come in just under $10. Considering this lovely, bite-sized price, diners are likely to either order one of these as an afterthought in addition to their entree or three or four of them instead of an entree, all coming in at a greater price than the just an entree.

8th Mind Game: The Upper Right Hand Corner→

[page]

The Upper Right Hand Corner

Just as with newspapers, the upper right hand corner of a menu is prime real estate. This is the first place a diner's eyes go. Putting something especially enticing there is a good call. In the case above, a slightly larger dish that can be shared (what a deal, right?) has taken hold. You will notice, however, that per person this entree is just a little more expensive; in addition, it doesn't have to cooked to order, so is an easy order to prepare, a slightly better bill for the restaurant, and a deal for the diner.

9th Mind Game: Why Bacon Still Tastes So Good→

[page]

The Enhancer: Bacon

If the pork loin at RN74 was just a pork loin, chances are diners would glance over it and keep moving to the next item. However, when that pork loin is bacon-wrapped, everything changes. Bacon is still a buzzword for diners — even if we're bored by food flops like bacon ice cream, we are always enticed to see what the tasty, salted pig-part has been paired with this time. In this case, the bacon makes an otherwise boring dish, excites our intrigue and our taste buds — care for some pork wrapped pork? Yes please.

10th Mind Game: Where Grandma Comes In→

[page]

Mothers and Grandmothers

Diners like the names of restaurant family members on a dish on the menu and they especially like the names of mothers and grandmothers — who doesn't like the image of Momma Clara frying your chicken in the back kitchen of Front Porch? Diners like the idea of a secret family recipe being passed down from generation to generation. In Bill Buford's national bestseller Heat, Mario Batali is quoted as saying, "I know it doesn't make sense and I don't understand it. But ... women are better cooks."

Bonus Mind Game: Throwing it All Out the Door→

[page]

Bonus: Throwing It All Out the Door

This menu's a little different you might notice. First, there are no prices. Second, what the heck is "Hay"? And third, the menu is given to diners at the end of the meal, after they've already eaten.

This menu is from Alinea, Grant Achatz's restaurant in Chicago. Achatz is considered one of the leading chefs in molecular gastronomy cuisine; usually when food reaches the tables in Alinea, it has been so manipulated, it no longer resembles in any way the food ingredients that the chef started with. To him, what was the point of a menu at the beginning of the meal? It would just give diners expectations as to what they would be eating and, since the meal is price-fixed, there is no need for diners to choose what they're going to eat. This menu serves as as a souvenir of the meal diners just ate, a poetic, on paper rendition, if you will. So, when your restaurant becomes as successful as Alinea has been and you've turned the culinary world around as much as Grant Achatz has, then you too can go against all rules of menu psychology.

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4 Christmas Cookies for Last Minute Bakers

San Francisco Baking Institute — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:53:00 -0800

Christmas cookies!

Do the holidays evoke smalls of warm cookies just out of the oven? But this year, you haven't quite had the time to bake as many as you normally would? Or plan our your cooking plan? Well, never fear! Here are four Christmas cookies that are sure to bring back all your olfactory memories this holiday season! Many of these recipes come from the San Francisco Baking Institute's book Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning.

[photo:17383]

Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

[page]

Photo from Advanced Bread and Pastry

Gingersnaps

Gingersnap Ingredients

.365 kg Butter

.374 kg Sugar

.106 kg Eggs

.166 kg Molasses

.545 kg Bread flour

.021 kg Baking Soda

.004 kg Salt

.002 kg Cloves, ground

.008 kg Cinnamon

.008 kg Ginger, ground

Y= 1-large 1.000kg log and 1-small .500kg log

Process

1. Sift the dry ingredients together and reserve.

2. Cream butter and sugar.

3. Add eggs slowly.

4. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix to incorporate.

5. Add the molasses and mix to incorporate.

6. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.

7. Scale into 1000 g/2 lbs. 3 oz. pieces and roll into 43 cm/17 inch logs (sheet pan width).

8. Wrap each log in parchment and refrigerate until ready to bake.

9. Portion at 45 g/1.5 oz., roll into balls, and dredge in sanding sugar.

10. Place on parchment-lined sheet pans, 9 cookies per pan, and bake at 149°C/300° F for 20-22 minutes.

[photo:17383]

Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

[page]

Photo from Advanced Bread and Pastry

Rugelach

Rugelach Ingredients

3.174 kg Bread Flour

.639 kg Pastry Flour

.003 kg Salt

3.809 kg Butter (soft)

3.175 kg Cream Cheese (soft)

230 g Cranberry Jam

Pecans (as needed)

Cinnamon Sugar (as needed)

Egg Wash (as needed for brushing)

Process

1. Sift the bread flour, pastry flour, and salt together.

2. Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, mix butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until smooth. Scrape bowl 2-3 times.

3. On low speed mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape bowl as needed.

4. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Roll into a rectangle approximately ½ inch thick.

5. Give dough one single fold then chill.

6. Divide dough into 450 g portions and roll out into circles approximately 1.5 mm thick (36 cm across).

7. Spread a thin layer of jam covering the entire surface of the dough. Sprinkle chopped pecans and cinnamon sugar on the jam.

8. Cut into 16 wedges and roll up into crescent shapes.

9. Place onto parchment lined sheet pans, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.

10. Bake at 375° F until golden brown (10-12 minutes).

11. Cool completely.

[photo:17383]

Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

[page]

Photo from Advanced Bread and Pastry

Orange Pecan Biscotti

Ingredients

.274 kg Butter

1.041 kg Sugar

.555 kg Eggs

.046 kg Vanilla extract

1.292 kg Bread flour

.023 kg Cinnamon

.015 kg Baking ammonia

.023 kg Salt

1.193 kg Pecans, toasted and chopped

.076 kg Orange zest

Process

1. In a bowl with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar.

2. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla.

3. Sift flour with the baking ammonia, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and mix until 50% incorporation.

5. Add the pecans and orange zest and mix until distributed.

6. Form the dough into 1000 g/2 lbs. 3 oz. logs. Place on parchment-lined sheet pans and flatten to 2.5 cm/1 inch height.

7. Bake at 163°C/ 325°F convection for 35-40 minutes, until firm to touch.

8. When completely cooled, cut on a bias and return slices to the sheet pan.

9. Re-bake the biscotti at 121°C/250°F until well dried.

[photo:17383]

Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

[page]

Photo from Advanced Bread and Pastry

Shortbread Diamonds

Yield 3 logs @200g per log/43 cookies per log

Chocolate Diamond Ingredients

.225 kg Butter

.090 kg Powdered sugar

.028 kg Whole eggs

.025 kg Bread flour

.028 kg Cocoa powder

.004 kg Salt

Vanilla Diamond Ingredients

.228 kg Butter

.091 kg Powdered sugar

.24 kg Egg yolk

1 Vanilla bean, each

.257 kg Bread flour

Process

1. Mix soft butter, powered sugar, scraped vanilla pod (vanilla only) and yolks (whole eggs for chocolate).

2. Add sifted flour (and cocoa powder and salt for chocolate) and mix to incorporation.

3. Portion into 200 g/7 oz. logs, 43 cm/17 inch long (sheet pan width).

4. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.

5. Brush each log lightly with egg wash and roll in granulated sugar. Cut into slices, 1 cm/0.4inch thick, and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

6. Bake at 168°C/335°F convection for 10-12 minutes.

Variations:

• .056 kg Hazelnut paste for praline diamonds.

• .056 kg Pistachio paste for pistachio diamonds.
These variations are based off of the vanilla diamond recipe.

Don't Miss This Great Holiday Content!

10 Great Gifts for Chefs This Holiday

What's Your Holiday IQ?

Food Styling for the Holidays

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Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

How to Make Your Holiday Meal Less Stressful

Jeffrey Kraus | Chef's Blade — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:47:00 -0800

Don't let this be you this holiday!

Holiday cooking can be stressful and expensive, especially during a recession. Does it have to be? No, it doesn’t. Here are five tips that will take the stress out of this year’s holiday cooking and make it more relaxing and more affordable.

Step #1>>

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Don't Miss This Great Related Content!

10 Great Gifts for Chefs This Holiday

What's Your Holiday IQ?

Food Styling for the Holidays

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9 Holiday Cakes and Treats to Die For

San Francisco Baking Institute — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:52:00 -0800

Don't want to serve fruit cake again?

Know what you're serving your guests for dessert this holiday? Need some additional recipes for your menu? Or just don't want to serve that awful fruit cake again? On the topic of fruitcake, we agree, you can do better. Chef's Blade partnered with the San Francisco Baking Institute to bring you 9 holiday treat recipes, from bûches de noël to ginger cakes to peppermint marshmallows, complete with bakers percents. Many of these recipes come from their critically acclaimed book Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning.

Grab a fork and dig in!

Next Page: Not Your Average Bûche de Noël→

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Stray from Tradition: Lemon and Fruits Bûche de Noël

Lemon and Fruits Bûche de Noël

Components, each to have their own recipe below:

Roulade – 1 full sheet (1/3 sheet for test)

Lemon Soaking Syrup

Lemon Mousseline

Italian buttercream

Fruit and Meringue Decoration

Lemon Soaking Syrup Ingredients: Y= 4-1/2 sheets

0.516 kg Simple Syrup

.084 kg Lemon Juice

0.150 kg Lemon Zest

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Method: Add the Lemon juice and zest to the Simple Syrup. Reserve until needed.

Roulade Ingredients

0.414 kg egg yolks

0.691 kg egg whites

1.515 kg whole eggs

0.449 kg sugar

0.777 sugar

.518 pastry flour

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Roulade Process

1. Sift the flour; set aside.

2. Warm the yolks, whole eggs and sugar to 43°C/110°F over a bain-marie.

3. Whip the whole eggs, yolks and first sugar with the whip attachment until the ribbon stage.

4. Whip the whites with the second sugar until medium peaks are formed.

5. Fold the whites into the whole egg mixture in 3 stages.

6. Fold the flour into the egg foam.

7. Deposit onto a silicone mat lined sheet pans at 800 g/27 oz and bake at 205°C/400°F for about 8-10 minutes.

8. Once out of the oven, transfer to a new sheet pan to prevent carry over baking.

9. Once cool, remove silpat and transfer cake to parchment.

10. Wrap airtight in plastic and freeze until needed.

Pastry Cream Ingredients

-1.929 kg Whole Milk

0.091 Sugar

0.128 Cornstarch

0.366 Sugar

0.366 Egg Yolks

0.219 Butter

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Pastry Cream Process

1. Scale the whole milk and 1st sugar into a stainless steel pot and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, scale the 2nd sugar and cornstarch into a bowl and mix to combine.

3. Scale the yolks into the sugar/starch mixture and whisk until just combined, do not incorporate air.

4. Once the milk comes to a boil, pour 1/3 of it onto the yolk mixture and stir to incorporate evenly.

5. Return this mixture back to the pot, constantly stirring.

6. Continue to cook the custard while stirring until it has boiled for two minutes.

7. Off heat, add the butter and stir until mixed in completely.

8. Pour the pastry cream into a clean, shallow pan and cover to the surface with plastic wrap.

8. Refrigerate immediately until needed.

Flavor variations: Add any of the following ingredients to pastry cream for different flavor variations. Pastry cream should be at the temperature specified below for best results. Percentages are based on the total weight of the pastry cream. Add these ingredients to the milk at the beginning of the cooking process

Chocolate liquor: 12%, hot

Coffee extract: 3%, hot or cold

Alcohol: 5%, warm or cold

Bittersweet chocolate: 20%, hot

Praline paste: 15-20%, hot or cold

Vanilla beans: 1 bean per 1kg of milk; split & scraped

Mousseline Cream Ingredients

0.784 kg Milk

Vanilla bean, each

0.266 kg Sugar

.219 kg Egg yolks

0.063 kg Cornstarch

0.666 kg Butter

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Mousseline Cream Process

1. In a sauce pan over medium heat, warm the milk and vanilla beans. When the milk reaches 32°C/90°F, stir in 1/2 sugar. Allow milk to come to a boil.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar with the cornstarch and add the egg yolks to this mixture to combine all ingredients.

3. Whisk about 1/3 of the boiling milk into the egg yolk/sugar mixture and then pour the tempered yolk/milk mixture into the boiled milk and return the pot to the stove. Boil for an additional 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.

4. Once cooked, add ½ the softened butter to the cream and mix thoroughly and then refrigerate the cream for 30 minutes..

5. In a mixer with whip attachment, mix the chilled cream and add the other 1/2 of the softened butter.

6. Mix the cream for 5 minutes, or until it becomes light and fluffy.

Final Assembly

1. Release the biscuit from the silpat and brush with the lemon syrup.

2. Apply a layer of lemon mousseline with dried fruits folded in

3. Roll the cake and tighten with parchment paper. (don’t squeeze out cream)

4. Ice the cake with Italian butter cream and decorate as for Bûche de Noel.

Finishing: Transfer to a gold board and decorate with French meringue décor, chocolate décor and candied fruits.

Next Page: A New Take on the Traditional Bûche→

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Go a little more towards tradition with this Bûche de Noël with Praline

Opera Bûche de Noël with Praline

Components, each to have their own recipe below:

Chocolate biscuit

Coffee Soaker

Opera Ganache

Italian Buttercream (Coffee)

Décor (meringue mushrooms)

Yield: 3 – 10 inch Bûche de Noël

Coffee Soaker Ingredients

0.262 kg. Coffee (Hot)

0.080 kg Sugar

0.008 kg Coffee Extract

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Process: Combine all ingredients, cool then reserve.

Opera Ganache Ingredients

.420 kg 58% Chocolate

.120 kg Butter

.300 kg Whole Milk

.068 kg Cream

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Yield: 605 g of ganache/ enough for 1 sheet

Opera Ganache Process

1. Melt Chocolate

2. Heat cream and milk and emulsify into chocolate

3. At 95° F stir in the softened butter

4. Cover to surface and reserve

Italian Buttercream Ingredients

.926 kg Egg whites

1.667 kg Sugar

.556 kg Water

1.852 kg Butter

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Italian Buttercream Process

1. Prepare to make an Italian meringue with the egg whites, sugar and water.

2. Combine the sugar and water and cook to 121°C/250°F (firm ball stage).

3. Wash down the sides of the pot with water to prevent crystallization.

4. When the sugar reaches 116°C/24°F, begin whipping the whites on medium high speed.

5. Once the sugar is at the proper temperature, pour slowly onto the whipping whites.

6. Let the mixture mix until it is room temperature, and then add the soft butter.

7. Mix until butter is fully incorporated and mixture is light and fluffy.

8. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Flavor Variation Guidelines

The following flavor variations are based on the total percent of the buttercream

Chocolate 64%, 20 %

Praline Paste, 10-15%

Chocolate liquor, 12%

Trablit extract, 3-4%

Assembly and Finishing

1. Remove biscuit viennois from the baking sheet.

2. Evenly brush the sponge with the coffee soaker.

3. Spread ganache evenly over entire sheet (600 g).

4. Roll the cake in parchment paper and tighten. Reserve in the refrigerator.

5. Ice the cake with the buttercream.

6. Decorate and comb to resemble a log.

7. Freeze cake.

8. Spray cake with chocolate spray

9. Decorate

**You can purchase the Opera Bûche de Noël with Praline at Thorough Bread and Pastry in San Francisco!

Next Page: How Can you Go Wrong with Ginger?→

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Ginger cake is always a crowd pleaser!

Ginger Cake

Yields 16 Cakes

Ginger Cake Ingredients

.346 kg Cake Flour

.012 kg Baking Soda

.005 kg Salt

.115 kg Egg

.115 kg Molasses

.115 kg Honey

.267 kg Water

.267 kg Butter

.230 kg Brown Sugar

.009 kg Orange Zest

.018 kg Ginger

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Ginger Cake Process

1. Mix together the water, molasses, and honey.

2. Sift together the Baking soda, flour, and spices.

3. Cream the brown sugar, butter, ginger and salt together until light.

4. Add the eggs slowly.

5. Add dry ingredients and zest.

6. Scoop batter into paper molds (90 g each).

7. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes.

8. Glaze with Fondant or whatever you prefer. Erin Bailey of SFBI recommends cream cheese frosting.

Next Page: Chai + Apple=Happy Eaters→

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Try this recipe with heirloom apples like Arkansas Black from something original!

Chai Spiced Apple Pie

Yield: 1, 9” Double-Crusted Pie

Yield 2, 9” pies, or 1 double-crusted pie
Mixing Method: flaky or mealy pie dough

Pie Dough Ingredients

.305 kg Pastry or all purpose flour

.015 kg Sugar

.005 kg Salt

.225 kg Butter, cold

.060-.090 kg Water

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Pie Dough Method (Mealy or Flaky)

1. Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt to combine.

2. Mix the dough either using a mixer, by hand, or a food processor.

By mixer Using the paddle, mix on low speed with cold, cubed butter until the butter is roughly pea-sized for flaky dough, or mixture appears sandy and few recognizable butter pieces remain for mealy dough. Then, add just enough cold water for the dough to come together, mixing on low speed. (More water will be required for flaky dough than for mealy.) Be very careful to not over mix the dough once water has been added.

By hand Cut the cubed butter into the dry ingredients with a knife, pastry blender, or bench scraper until the butter is roughly pea-sized for flaky dough, or mixture appears sandy and few recognizable butter pieces remain for mealy dough. Sprinkle with water and press and fold the mixture together until a cohesive mass forms. Be very careful to not over mix the dough once water has been added.

By food processor Follow the above principals and use brief pulses to cut the butter and add water. Take great care to not over-process. Wrap the dough in plastic and reserve in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.
Roll dough, then line and trim molds or pie pan, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to minimize shrinkage during baking.

Apple Filling Ingredients

1.2 kg Granny Smith or other firm, tart apple (peeled, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick)

.150 kg Sugar

.002 kg Chai spice blend (see below)

.12 kg Cornstarch

.015 kg .03 kg Water, cold

.015 kg Fresh lemon juice

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Apple Filling Method

1. Toss the apples with the sugar and chai spice, and place in a heavy bottom saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.

2. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, gently stirring from time to time, until apples are tender but not broken down.

3. Drain the apples in a colander, reserving the juices.

4. Return the juices to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the juices by half.

5. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water.

6. Once the juices have reduced, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and allow to boil for 15 seconds, whisking constantly.

7. Remove from heat and gently combine the thickened juice with the cooked apples.

8. Stir in the lemon juice.

9. Cool completely before assembling pie.

Chai Spice Blend Ingredients

1 kg Ground cinnamon

1.5 kg Cardamom pods

1.0 kg Whole cloves

.6 kg Black peppercorns

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Chai Spice Blend Method*

*Note: this will make more than needed for one pie. It is difficult to process smaller batches of the spice mix.

1. Toast the cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns in a sauté pan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until fragrant, shaking the pan frequently.

2. Grind finely with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Sift, discarding any large particles.

3. Combine with the ground cinnamon.

4. Store tightly covered in a cool, dark, dry place for up to 6 months. (The flavor will lose intensity over time.)

Pie Assembly

1. Mound the cooled filling in an unbaked pie shell.

2. Cover with the top crust.

3. Create vents in the top dough and secure to the bottom dough with a decorative border.

4. Brush with an egg wash or cream wash, then sprinkle with sanding sugar.

5. Top with a decorative dough cutout if desired.

6. Bake for 15 minutes at 385ºF.

7. Lower the heat to 350ºF and continue baking until surface is deeply colored and fully set, 40-50 minutes more.

8. Cool fully or until warm before serving.

Next Page: Pie for Dinner? Yes Please!→

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Pie for dinner? Yes please! (Note: this is a sweet version of this galette; the recipe below is savory.)

Savory Rustic Pies

Use the pie dough formula and method from the Chai Spiced Apple Pie and cut the dough into large or individually sized circles. Read the assembly instructions to determine the size you wish to cut the circles.

Method

1. Pipe or spread a ¼” thick layer of fully cooled mashed potatoes onto a disk of pie dough, leaving a 1 1/2” border (or slightly less for individual galettes).

2. Arrange additional toppings over potatoes.

3. Fold the dough up and over the edge of the filling, creating overlapping pleats.

4. Brush the exposed dough with egg wash or cream wash.

5. Bake at 385ºF for 10 minutes.

6. Lower heat to 350ºF and continue baking until crust is browned and baked through on bottom, 15-20 more minutes.

7. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

A few recipe ideas

Duck Confit with Roasted Grapes and Hazelnuts

Top mashed potatoes with coarsely shredded duck confit and red grapes that have been roasted with olive oil, chopped shallots, and fresh thyme. After baking the rustic pie, sprinkle with coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts.

Smoked Salmon with Chives and Crème Fraîche

Fold snipped chives and a little whole grain mustard into the mashed potatoes. After baking the rustic pie, cool to warm or room temperature and top with dollops of crème fraîche and ribbons of smoked salmon. Garnish with additional chives.

Butternut Squash with Fried Sage

Substitute roasted cubes of butternut squash seasoned with nutmeg, salt, pepper, and olive oil for the mashed potatoes. Mash slightly to form a cohesive mixture and fold in freshly grated parmesan. After baking, garnish with fresh sage leaves that have been fried on low heat in olive oil until crisp.

Turkey with Cranberries and Chèvre

Top mashed potatoes with coarsely shredded cooked turkey and dollops of cranberry sauce. During the final 10 minutes of baking, top with small pieces of fresh chèvre. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Next Page: Mushrooms and Rochers→

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These meringues will be a great compliment to your Bouche de Noel!

Rocher Meringue

Yields: 30 Mushrooms + 150 Rochers

Rocher Meringue Ingredients

.557 kg Sugar #1

.183 kg Water

.557 kg Egg Whites

.057 kg Sugar #2

.335 kg Powdered Sugar

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Rocher Meringue Process

1. Combine sugar #1 and water in a sauce pan.

2. Cook to 240° F then begin to whip whites with sugar #2 to stiff peaks.

3. When the sugar syrup reaches 248° F pour over the whipping whites to make an Italian meringue. Continue to whip until cool.

4. Gently fold in the sifted powdered sugar and pipe as needed. Pipe 20 mushroom caps and 20 mushroom stems and then bake caps and stems in a vented oven at 200° F until completely dry.

5. Once mushrooms are piped, divide the remaining meringue into 2 bowls. Then mix 2 rocher batters into Cocoa nib and Candycane. Fold in gently and drop onto parchment lined sheet pans. Bake them in a convection oven at 350° F with the vent open for 25 minutes or until dry to the touch.

Next Page: The "Everything" Treat→

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Makes for a great holiday gift as well!

Coffee/Anise Ganache

Yields: 100/10 Gram truffles

Coffee/Anise Ganache Ingredients

.3 kg Cream

.01 kg Anise seed

.004 kg Instant Coffee

.05 kg Invert Sugar

.5 kg Milk Chocolate Couverture

.1 kg Dark Chocolate Couverture

.1 kg Butter

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Coffee/Anise Ganache Process

1. Partially melt the chocolate.

2. Bring the cream, Inverted Sugar, Anise and Coffee to a boil

3. Cover with plastic wrap and let infuse for 20 minutes.

4. Strain out seed and correct the weight.

5. Bring cream back up to a boil and pour over the partially melted chocolate.

6. When ganache is pipable, pipe into mounds on a sheet pan.

7. For storage cover to the surface with plastic wrap.

8. When ganache is pipable, pipe 10 gram portions onto a parchment lines sheet pan.

9. Roll into rounds.

Next Page: What's Good in Hot Chocolate, Delicious as a Garnish, and Makes Mouths Happy?→

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Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

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From garnishes to your dessert plate to a delicious addition to hot chocolate, these are sure to please!

Peppermint Marshmallow

Yield: 2 full sheets; Test: 1 half sheet

Peppermint Marshmallow Ingredients

3.339 kg Sugar

1.114 kg Water

.835 kg Glucose

1.335 kg Egg whites

.178 kg Gelatin

Peppermint Extract (to taste)

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Peppermint Marshmallow Process

1.Bloom the gelatin in cold water.

2. Heat the sugar, water and glucose to 140°C/285°F.

3. Start whipping the egg whites with the machine on 2nd speed, when the sugar mixture reaches 120°C/248°F.

4. When sugar mixture reaches 130°C/266°F set machine into 3rd speed.

5. At 140°C/284°F pour the gelatin on the sugar and pour into the whipping egg whites.

6. Once the foam is full volume and is stabilized, but still warm (~43°C/110°F), add peppermint extract to taste and portion into sheet pan lined with silicone baking mat.

7. Cool at room temperature.

8. Once at room temperature cover with a 1:1 mixture of potato starch and powdered sugar.

9. Cut into desired sizes. Roll in starch-sugar mixture to cover the sides after cutting.

Next Page: Traditional but Certainly Not Least!→

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Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

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For a more traditional dessert.

Linzertorte

Yield: 1, 4”x12” Tart (with lattice top)

Mixing Method: Sanding or Modified Creaming

Linzertore Ingredients

.0285 kg Hazelnut meal

.14 kg All purpose flour

.1 kg Sugar

.005 kg Lemon zest

.002 kg Ground cinnamon

.0025 kg Ground clove

.125 kg Salt

.001 kg Baking powder

.125 kg Butter

.04 kg Yolks

.003 kg Vanilla

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Linzertore Process

Sanding Method (“Sablée”)

1. Sift the dry ingredients and place in a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle.

2. Add the cold, cubed butter and mix on low speed until mixture mealy is mealy, like sand.

3. Add the eggs or other liquid and mix until the dough comes together.

4.Wrap the dough in plastic and reserve in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.

5. Roll dough, line, and trim molds, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to minimize shrinkage during baking.

6. To blind bake (if required), dock and bake at 350°F for 15-30 minutes (depending on size and thickness), or until light golden brown.

Modified Creaming Method

1. Mix the butter (room temperature) with the paddle on low speed to soften.

2. Add the salt, egg product (if any) and sugar.

3. Add the milk, if any, and then the remaining dry ingredients which have been previously combined.

4.Mix until just incorporated; be careful not to over mix.

5. Wrap the dough in plastic and reserve in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.

6. Roll dough, line and trim molds, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to minimize shrinkage during baking.

7. To blind bake (if required), dock and bake at 350°F for 15-30 minutes (depending on size and thickness), or until light golden brown.

Raspberry Jam Filling

.15 kg Raspberry preserves

.065 kg Fresh or thawed frozen raspberries

.002 kg Fresh lemon juice

*For a complete chart of baker's percents and volumes, click here

Process: Combine all ingredients, mashing to break up raspberries. Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Assembly

1. Line the tart mold with a 1/4” layer of Linzer dough that extends ½” up the sides of the pan.

2. Spread the raspberry jam filling evenly over the bottom.

3. Carefully arrange ½” wide strips of dough in a lattice pattern over the filling and trim the overhang.

4. Lay a ½” wide strip of dough around the edge of the tart, pressing gently to adhere.

5. Lightly eggwash the edge and cover with sliced almonds.

Bake

Bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes, until evenly browned and top crust feels set. Cool fully before glazing and serving.

Finishing

Glaze the cooled tart with apricot or neutral glaze. Dust the sliced almonds with powdered sugar.

Contributions to this article by SFBI Instructors Frank Sally, Greg Mindel, Miyuki Togi, and Juliette Lelchuk, instructors SFBI

Don't Miss This Great Related Content!

The Ultimate Guide to Recipe Calculation

5 Mistakes to Avoid in the Kitchen

7 Food Science Facts

**You can purchase the Linzertorte at Thorough Bread and Pastry in San Francisco!

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Featured Author: San Francisco Baking Institute

The San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI) is a world-renowned leader in artisan bread and pastry education. SFBI’s global alumni base includes thousands of professionals, culinary instructors, and home bakers. Critics hail our book, Advanced Bread and Pastry by Michael Suas and published by Cengage Learning, as the authoritative textbook in the field.

Food Styling for the Holidays

Kim Kissling | Chef's Blade — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:31:00 -0800

Christmas Mistletoe and Holly Hot Drinks (photo by K.K.)

You’ve seen the photographs of all the holiday goodies that inspire you to cook a holiday meal or bring a desert to a holiday party. But have you ever thought about what goes into those photographs?

In order to have photographs for a November or December issue in a magazine the photo shoot has to happen months in advance (such as the photo above which was shot in July). So in the middle of July a food stylist can be searching for fresh cranberries, pomegranates, candy canes, a fresh turkey or some other type of food that is way out of season. That’s why I like to keep a stash of seasonal items hidden in my storage or freezer. I always make sure to buy several boxes of holiday candy, like candy canes, during the holiday seasons so that I have them for the holiday shoots that happen in mid July. Just be sure to store them in a dry, cool place.

As for fruits and vegetables, things like cranberries (like the ones shown in the above photograph) or pomegranates can be frozen. Although they won’t look nearly as good as when they are in season, they will work in a pinch as a garnish or a sauce. Pumpkins can be stored for several months in a cool, dry basement and sometimes if they do begin to spoil or become rotten only one side is affected and you just might be able to use the other side in the background of a shot to create the feel of autumn or Halloween.

However, most fruits and vegetables that are seasonal are grown in the southern hemisphere during our opposite season. Hence, the reason you can find things like strawberries or asparagus readily available year round. And thanks to the internet, with some serious research one can find just about anything and, for a price, have it shipped directly to a shoot. I recently had a photo shoot that required fresh, white corn in the husk and the shoot was happening in mid-November when fresh-picked corn isn’t available. I managed to find a wholesale produce company that had a grower in Tracy, Ca, that was just about to harvest their last corn crop of the year. I lucked out on that one but, again, with some research most things can be sourced.

Next Page: So What About Seasonal Meats?→

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Featured Author: Kimberly Kissling

As a two-time award winner from the International Association of Culinary Professionals (“IACP”), Kim Kissling is one of the leading food stylists in the industry. Since 1995, Kim’s artistry is the centerpiece of more than 70 cookbooks, countless magazines, advertising campaigns, product packaging, television advertisements, and in a feature film. Kim’s styling is displayed on the packaging of clients such as Dreyer’s, Annie Chun’s, and the promotions of Haagen Dazs, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and in magazines such as Bon Appetit, New York Times Magazine and Cooking Light. Kim has a B.S. degree in International Marketing and attended Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco. You can find out more information on Kim by going to her website, KimCookin.

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William Sonoma cover image (photo by K.K.)

As for the thanksgiving turkey? Frozen turkeys can definitely be used (like the one shown above) but be sure to buy them far enough in advance so that they defrost completely. Several turkeys should be purchased to be sure that there is a variety of sizes, shapes and skin color. One never really thinks about it, but turkeys have a left side and a right side and depending on which way the turkey is angled for the shot will determine what side to show. Every turkey is different and each side of a turkey can be very different. So it’s always good to have multiple on hand. For this shot we had 25 turkeys in a refrigerated truck on location in the middle of the summer in northern California.

Next Page: And How Do You Make it Look Like Winter Time in July?→

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Holiday comfort food (photo by K.K.)

Now, if a holiday spread has to be shot in mid-July, where does one shoot it? Sometimes the stories are written and photographed an entire year before during the appropriate season. However, most of the time holiday shoots happen in the middle of the summer but the food, props, and people are made to look like it is winter. For example, if shooting a spread for a holiday meal with a family sitting around a table, the “talent” (people in the photograph) are asked to wear sweaters and winter type clothing. Making it a bit unbearable in the summer heat!

Also, the background of a shot can be made to feel like it’s during the holidays by simply putting appropriate props or lighting in the background to give it a holiday feel. You can see that by putting sparkling white lights (as in the Mistletoe and Holly drink shot above) gives it just the right amount of atmosphere making it seem like these drinks are being served at a friend’s holiday party.

In the photograph above, a holiday feast is shown in a dark, moody atmosphere with big, comfort food. This shot happened to be taken in the middle of the day in an open studio, not during the evening hours in an outside location as it appears to have been shot.

So the next time you’re reading your November or December issue of your favorite food magazine take a moment to think about the process of creating that spread.
Don't Miss This Great Related Content!

Old Cookbooks and Ginger Biscuits

10 Great GIfts for Chefs this Holiday

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Carrot Ginger Soup with Miso

Isabel Cowles Murphy | Chef's Blade — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:45:00 -0800

Recently, I had a chill. Last Sunday, I believe it was. I may have behaved a bit badly on Saturday and warranted it. But whether it was the inklings of an illness, or just a bit of a post-champagne grog, I’ll never know: the soup I made that day cleared all of my troubles away. Later in the week, a friend felt flu-ish. I gave him a bowl and, as far as I can tell, he’s back to his good old rollicking self.

This soup is nothing to mess with. It is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, immune-enhancers and most importantly, tons of flavor. If I were a germ, I’d scoot right out of my host body and prey upon someone else. So make sure your friends have batches on hand.

This particular carrot ginger soup came to me from the pages of Candle Café Cookbook, one of my favorite vegetarian cooking resources from one of my favorite vegetarian eating resources, the Candle Café in New York. I used to live around the corner and went there whenever I felt the urged to be elixed.

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Have you ever felt so energized by a meal that it literally feels as though all of the nutrition you just ate went straight into your bloodstream? That is how I feel when I eat a great, vegetarian meal. That is how I feel when I eat at Candle Café… and now, that I how I feel when I make their recipes at home.

Imagine my excitement when I found that I could buy the Candle Café cookbook and get that fix whenever I pleased? Elated, that’s how… as though some wonderful adrenal force was coursing through my veins. Some people take drugs; I take carrot soup.

I could go on and on about the recipes in that cookbook. Unlike so many restaurants, which seem to have trouble paring their industrial sized recipes down to the scale of a domestic kitchen, the folks at Candle Café make it possible for you to actually recreate their meals. Hold on, I feel a rush coming on.

I garnished this soup with another recipe (adapted slightly) from the book—a miso tahini dipping sauce with shaved carrots and ginger. It balanced the sweetness of the carrot puree with its rich, salty sesame flavor. I added a cold dollop of it onto the warm soup, and I must say, the temperature contrast was really dynamic and heightened the complementary flavors. If you don’t want to get sick, but you do want to get high… make this soup.

Next Page: Recipe for Carrot Ginger Soup with Miso>>

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Velvety Carrot and Ginger Soup

From Candle Café Cookbook, Serves 4-6

Ingredients

-1 Tbsp olive oil

-3 medium onions, peeled and chopped

-5 cups of vegetable broth

-6 large carrots, peeled and chopped

-3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-1 teaspoon ground coriander

-pinch of cayenne

-sea sat and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

In a large, heavy bottomed stockpot, heat olive oil. Add onions and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until golden.

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Add the broth, a cup of water, the carrots and 2 tbsp of ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, or until carrots are tender.

Remove pot from heat and cool for about an hour (if you don’t have an hour, be sure to pure the soup in small batches to prevent heat-related blender accidents…)

Pure the soup in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining ginger, cinnamon and coriander and blend again until very smooth. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of miso tahini dipping sauce and chopped scallions or chives.

[photo:16746]

Miso Tahini Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

-
1 c sweet, white miso

-1 c water

-1 c grated carrot

-1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

-3 tbsp tahini

Method

Pure miso and water in a blender or food processor. Whisk in tahini until incorporated. Mix in carrots and ginger. Store refrigerated up to 1 week.

7 Ways to Make Your Turkey Delicious

Jacky Hayward | Chef's Blade — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:33:00 -0800

Make your turkey the most delicious ever this year!

When we say turkey, do you think stringy, dry white meat that makes you want to hurl? Well, we hear you. And we're here to change that. We've asked are chef friends, read through all our resources, and scanned the web for the best and latest in turkey tips to bring you seven ways to ensure your turkey actually tastes as good as it looks.

First Tip→

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Choose the Best Bird

A turkey used to just be a turkey. But these days, it's a bit more complicated. There's organic, free-range, natural, kosher, self-basted, heritage, and your traditional ol' "Broad Breasted White" also known as that turkey from the super market. Since you're not looking for a traditional turkey, let's rule out the last one as well as the self-basted varieties, which are just frozen turkeys that have had an ambiguous "flavored liquid" injected into them.

That leaves us with organic, free-range, natural, kosher, and heritage. Organic, free-range, and natural turkeys all taste similarly but are simply raised in slightly different manners. Heritage and kosher birds are the two outliers in terms of taste. Kosher birds undergo a salting process that's akin to brining, but eliminates the effort of your actually having to brine. Heritage turkeys are turkeys raised like your mother's mother used to raise them, as in pre-1920's style. So the birds have smaller breasts and have a richer flavor.

Second Tip→

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Brine for Better Meat

Brining is the process by which you place your uncooked turkey in a salt and water bath from anywhere between a few hours to overnight, depending on the type of salt you use and how much salt is in the bath. Before roasting your turkey, you must rinse your bird. Brining ensures even distribution of flavor and moisture throughout the turkey due to the length of time the bird soaks and the ability of salt to penetrate meat. You must, however, make sure not to brine Kosher turkeys as they have already been treated with salt; if you do, your turkey will be something along the lines of salt with a side of turkey. The other challenge with brining is finding the actual space in your fridge to do it; since it's going to have to be in the bath for a few hours at least, the turkey's temperature cannot dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Third Tip→

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Butter Your Bird

Butter makes everything better. No really. Buttering your bird is one of the easiest ways to moisten up your turkey. You can use unsalted butter, salted butter, or a butter mixture with herbs, lemon, or white wine as well. You should apply the butter mixture all over the surface of the uncooked turkey, including the bottom and underneath the wings and thighs. You may also rub the butter directly onto the meat, underneath the bird's skin. To do this, gently pull up the skin of the turkey and stuff as much butter as you can in between the meat and the skin before you rub the same mixture on the skin. Rubbing butter directly onto the turkey breasts will be particularly helpful in moistening as the butter will penetrate the meat as well as seal moisture in while cooking.

Fourth Tip→

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Inject Flavor, Literally

Worried about your turkey being dry and flavorless? Why not just inject flavor! Usually when you inject flavor, you use a tool that looks a lot like a plastic hypodermic needle but filled with fluids like olive oil, butter, or, for more subtle flavor, lemon or white wine. You insert the needle into the thighs and breasts, which allows the fluid to soak into the meat much more effectively than if you simply spread the liquids across the skin of the bird.

Fifth Tip→

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Cook Your Bird Upside Down

The first time I heard of this technique was when my mother cooked our Thanksgiving turkey for the first time; not knowing which was the "top", she cooked the bird upside down or breast side down, which we only realized when the bird came out and we had to turn the bird over to get to the white meat. What we discovered, however, was the best turkey we had ever eaten, albeit not the best looking turkey there ever was. While roasting the turkey the entire time breast-side isn't going to give you a perfectly crispy and golden turkey on the outside, try roasting it for the first half of the roasting period upside down and then the second half, right side up, to give the skin enough time to brown but also allow the juices to flow via gravity into the breast meat.

Sixth Tip→

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Glaze for a Tasty Finish

Glazes add an extra zing of flavor to your bird as well as crisp up the skin at the end, making your already beautiful bird look even better. Once the turkey is cooked, remove the bird and add the glaze over the turkey and then cook the bird for an additional 10 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the skin starts to brown. You can repeat this process one or two more times depending on how thick you would like the glaze to be.

Seventh Tip→

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Fry, Smoke, or Grill

Less traditional methods, frying, smoking, and grilling turkeys lock in moisture and flavor in ways that traditional roasting cannot. Plus diners and guests will certainly talk about your nontraditional cooking ways. Frying, smoking, and grilling however do require extra equipment that you may or may not have, so this is most certainly a plan-ahead option.

Photo by Cygnus921 via Creative Commons

Bonus Tip→

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Bonus: Don't Make a Turkey

So, we get it. This isn't exactly the best way to cook a turkey as it doesn't even involve a turkey. But really, just because it's Thanksgiving doesn't mean you have to make turkey, or even meat for that matter. There are plenty of fowl and other meats as well as meaty vegetables that make delicious and wonderful centerpieces. Think coq au vin or ham or pheasant or a vegetarian turducken. Really, the possibilities are endless.

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Open Kitchens: The Right Choice for Your Restaurant?

Global Chefs | Divine Caroline — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:45:00 -0800

With the restaurant scene progressing to the point of near over saturation, as a chef, you need not only to provide guests with great food, service, and a creative wine list but peripheral details giving them fond memories and good reason to talk about your restaurant. Their experience needs to go above and beyond the food and beverage. An open kitchen fits the bill very nicely, allowing them the opportunity to see the chef hustle and to watch the cooks work at what is considered “lightning speed.”

However, if you are not ready to go the whole hog and leave you and your kitchen totally exposed to the watchful eye of your guests, opt for a partially open kitchen. Screening off part of the kitchen or the use of frosted glass are options to consider. This still gives your patrons a glimpse of behind-the-scenes but allows you the opportunity to decrease your equipment costs and gives shelter from the guest’s permanent glare.

Seattle-based chef and restaurateur Kerry Sear has never been a big fan of open kitchens. But wishing to incorporate a water feature he had seen in France fifteen or so years ago, he devised a “rain wall” to use in his plan for Cascadia, the restaurant which he opened two years ago. Kerry worked with Seattle-based Girvin Strategic Branding & Design to create a floor to ceiling wall of glass to separate the kitchen from the restaurant. Water flows down the glass offering guests an intriguing visual of the kitchen action. With a desire to encompass all things northwest, Kerry’s suggestion of rain fits well with the concept of life in the northwest, as do the wood and other natural features he has used in his design. Within the wall of glass and water, portholes have been inserted allowing guests an undistorted view of the kitchen team busily working on their customized Garland stoves.

Chef Sear worked with Garland to provide a sixty-two-piece island range. He found the standard finish of the equipment quite satisfactory with no real need for brass or copper extras. True under-counter refrigeration was installed. In place of stainless steel, the kitchen’s tables were topped with black granite. Granite is not only aesthetically pleasing but also solves the problem of light being reflected onto the rain wall from within the kitchen. With a desire to keep the kitchen clean and clutter free for its onlookers, Sear used the services of CMA Restaurant Designs to have the granite customized further with holes cut for garbage cans to sit underneath. Discreet undercounted shelving was additionally installed.

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Other visual touches include the kitchen’s yellow-tiled walls as opposed to a plastic wall covering. The greater expense for the walls was made possible as a less expensive one was used on the floor and wall base. Silcal, a floor covering that is simply painted onto the floor, was used. Non-slip grit is incorporated in the paint, and therefore, this flooring option proves to be a very slip-resistant one.

In addition to the restaurant’s portholes, one larger window is available for diners to stop and view the action (or from the kitchen’s perspective, to be “on TV,” the code word used to inform co-workers that there is an onlooker). As a final supplementary touch for the gastronomic action lover, the pastry kitchen was designed free of any form of glass separation. With interaction in mind, Cascadia’s pastry team and sweet-toothed customers can chat and even ask for a tip or two.

“The beauty of the rain wall,” Kerry explains, “is that you gain the effect of an open kitchen without guests having to battle against the noise, smell, and smoke that it generates. It is certainly an aspect of Cascadia that drives business. People come to the restaurant because they have heard about the wall, and it is a point of discussion when they leave.”

Insects, Mold, and Other Legal Food Contaminants

Sarah Krupp | Divine Caroline — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:22:00 -0800

Eating fly eggs, rodent hair, mold, and fecal matter may sound a lot like a challenge on Fear Factor, but it’s just an episode of our daily lives.

Unintended additives—indiscernible to the naked eye and unlisted on ingredient labels— squirm, crawl, fly, and plop into much of what we eventually put in our mouths. In fact, these unsavory morsels are so common that the Federal Drug Administration permits certain levels of these “natural contaminants” in our food. The FDA’s Food Defect Action Level Handbook establishes the amounts of contaminants permitted in about a hundred plant-derived foods. At or below these levels, the FDA has determined that the defects— however icky—are harmless.

What Bugs Lie Beneath

Under the regulations in the FDA’s handbook, a hefty bowl of spaghetti is permitted 200 or so bug fragments—one for every gram of pasta—fifteen fly eggs, and a maggot. Add a pinch of FDA-acceptable ground oregano and it might be spiced with one hundred itsy bitsy bug bits and a rodent hair. And while hot dogs get a bad rap for the mystery meat parts ground up in them, you might want to take a closer look at the condiments. A few spoonfuls of sauerkraut could include fifty thrips—a small, slender bug pointed at both ends. Even chocolate is impure. As you savor a chocolate bar, you might also be ingesting some sixty insect parts.

Of the foods in the handbook, many are everyday staples. Wheat can contain an “average of nine milligrams or more rodent excreta pellets and/or pellet fragments per kilogram.” The shaker of cinnamon in your spice cabinet could have some 400 bug fragments and eleven rodent hairs. In one eighteen-ounce jar of peanut butter, there must be more than six rodent hairs and sixty insect parts before the FDA considers it tainted.

Unavoidable Insects

In an email, an FDA spokesman said the handbook reflects food items “that had a long history of being adulterated” and the agency scrutinizes the many products not listed on an individual basis. But how the FDA selected the products remains something of a riddle to the outsider. For instance, the handbook prescribes the maximum levels of defects in ground marjoram (1,175 bug fragments and eight rodent hairs in ten milligrams) and in mace (three milligrams of mammalian excreta per pound), but makes no mention of basil.

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The FDA set the levels by testing samples of a particular product from various sites throughout the country and determining the average amount of defects present under “best available manufacturing practices.” Meeting the handbook’s standards doesn’t give a product a free pass, though. A processed food may fall below the FDA’s defect action levels, say, but carry salmonella or E. coli. Nor does it follow that an item with a few more insect parts and rodent hairs than allowed poses a health risk. Rather, they act as a bellwether—a clue that the facility where it’s handled is unsanitary and more likely to produce food with dangerous contaminants. The FDA is, however, reviewing its standard on mammalian excreta to determine if the levels permitted pose a greater risk of salmonella contamination.

The FDA says that most edibles have fewer defects than the maximum levels allowed. But the agency makes no apologies about permitting contaminants, stating, “it is economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects.”

The FDA also notes that pesticides will not solve the bug problem since they are mainly intended to protect the plant. Not to mention that eliminating insects by using more pesticides arguably presents a larger threat to human health.

Just a Little Extra Protein

Perhaps, the FDA has a point and not all of these insalubrious extras in our food should cause alarm. After all, the rest of the world—about 80 percent of the global population—

eats bugs as part of their regular diet. In Oaxaca, Mexico, street vendors sell crispy, seasoned crickets. Thailand raises water beetles and bamboo worms commercially as a dietary staple. Proponents of entomophagy note that it is a greener diet—insects need fewer resources than animals and they don’t produce greenhouse gases as cattle do. Plus, insects can deliver just as much, and sometimes more, protein and iron as meat. Water bugs, for example, have four times as much iron as beef.

Justifying rodent hair and droppings is harder to swallow, but according to the FDA, rodents are nearly impossible to banish completely from mills, granaries, and factories. For the most part, the sanctioned levels of defects in the handbook don’t seem to jeopardize our health. (Although, some believe that the impurities in food exacerbate allergies.) Beef, which is not mentioned in the handbook, causes the vast majority of food-related illness and deaths.

What is most worrisome—to the rational brain, not the gag reflex—is whether the FDA monitors food manufacturers closely enough to discover when defects do exceed the limits. After all, the FDA didn’t catch the gaping holes that existed for years in the ceiling of a Georgia peanut plant, allowing water to leak through. Dirty water at the Peanut Corporation of America plant may have caused the salmonella outbreak earlier this year that sickened more than 500 people and is blamed for eight deaths. So while a few hairs or spider legs in our food won’t cause us any harm, they might be representative of a much larger threat lurking in the sidelines.

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Halloween Cookie Concotions

Christina Macres | Chef's Blade — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:18:00 -0700

Looking to add something festive to your menu this Halloween weekend? These fun Halloween cookies are great seasonal additions to any menu; you can also alter the recipe to make not only cinnamon-sugar cookies but also chocolate ones.

Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies

-3 cups all-purpose flour

-¼ teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-¾ cups unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks) at room temperature

-¾ cups granulated sugar

-1 egg

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-¼ cup cocoa powder (for chocolate cookie variation)

Additional Tools:
4 mini squeeze bottles (These are commonly used for candy making and are available at your local craft store.)

Frosting & Decorations

-1 pound (4 cups) confectioners powdered sugar

-3 tablespoons powdered egg whites

-1/3 cups water

-Black, neon green, orange and yellow food coloring

-Black, orange, yellow and white sprinkles

Recipe for Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies

-In a large bowl, combine flour, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

-In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla,

-Next, beat in flour and salt mixture in thirds.

-Divide the dough in half; pat into two disks, wrap and chill it in the fridge overnight.

**If making the chocolate cookies, subtract ¼ cup flour for ¼ cup cocoa powder

-Heat oven to 350°F.

-Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into shapes using assorted Halloween cookie cutters. Tip: For Frankenstein’s head, use an upside-down tombstone cookie cutter.

-Place cookies ½ inch apart on a lined baking sheet and back for about 13 minutes.

-Set cookies on a cooling rack and let cool 30 minutes to an hour before decorating. Just enough time to brew up some icing!

Next Page: Decorating Tips>>

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To Decorate:

-In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, powdered egg whites and water. The icing should be on the thick side. Think milkshake texture.

-Separate icing into 5 small bowls. Tint each bowl a different color - neon green, black, orange, yellow and white.

-With a butter knife, spread colored icing evenly over pumpkins, ghosts, leaves and Frankenstein heads and let dry. (about 30 minutes).

-Frost candy corn cookies. (see instructions below)

-Next, fill the mini squeeze bottles with leftover green, orange, black and white icing. (More controlled than a pastry bag, squeeze bottles make for super simple cookie icing – perfect for kids)

-With the black and orange icing, outline the cats (with black) and pumpkins (with orange). While the frosting is still wet, add sprinkles to match. Dip the tip of a toothpick in green frosting and give the cat green eyes.

-With the black frosting squeeze bottle, add two circular eyes to each ghost and dust with black sprinkles.

More Complex Designs:

Frankenstein:

-With the black icing squeeze bottle, squiggle on Frankenstein’s hair.

- Next, with the white squeeze bottle, add two large dots for eyes.

-Using the black squeeze bottle again, draw smile.

- Let dry about 15 minutes.

-Position the green squeeze bottle just over white eyeballs and draw on eyebrows. With the same color, add his nose.

-To add teeth, use the white squeeze bottle and place two white dots within the black mouth.

-With the black squeeze bottle, add two black dots to the whites of his eyes.

-Using the black squeeze bottle, finish Frank by adding bolts to the sides of his head.

Candy Corn:

-With a butter knife, spread the first layer of icing (yellow) on the candy-corn cookie. Add yellow sprinkles.

-Next, spread a layer of orange directly above the yellow. Add orange sprinkles. (It should look like stripes.)

-Finish by adding white icing to the tip. Add clear sprinkles.

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Deliciously Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Mom Advice via Divine Caroline — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:28:00 -0700

This article was written by Mom Advice.

The best part about this bread, of course, is that all of the ingredients can be found and stocked in any kitchen pantry. The other great part is that it is inexpensive and easy to make.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

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Ingredients

Process

How to Talk Like A Food Stylist

Every business has its own set of words and phrases that are used exclusively in that arena. Food styling and food photography are no different. Here are some frequently used words and phrases.

"IS THE FOOD ALIVE OR DEAD":

CHEESE PULL:

STAND IN FOOD:

HERO FOOD:

DOLLOP:

DRIP:

POUR:

TIGHT ON THE FOOD:

PULLED BACK:

HOW TO’S:

STILL LIFE:

TABLETOP:

TALENT:

THE SET:

SPRITZ:

PREPRO:

"IT’S A WRAP":

Terms Used During Ice Cream Shoots

BEARD OR SKIRT:

FEATHERING:

MELT:

ICE CRYSTALS:

10 Secret Menu Mind Games

Don't Think in Terms of $$

2nd Mind Game: Columns Kill→

Columns Kill

3rd Mind Game: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words→

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

4th Mind Game: Adjectives, Adjectives, Adjectives→

Adjectives, Adjectives, Adjectives

5th Mind Game: What the Hell is An Anchor Anyway?→

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