A Food Tour of Portland - N. Mississippi Avenue

Yesterday my wife Kat and I had the opportunity to go on a tour of local restaurants in the Mississippi neighborhood in North Portland. I had encountered Forktown Food Tours through an offer on the internet and thought it would be a good way of sampling some of the many restaurants in the Portland area that I might not get a chance to try otherwise.

The tour was scheduled to take about 3 hours and we were warned to come with our appetites because we would be eating quite a lot as the tour went on. We met up with our guide and 6 other "tourists" at The ReBuilding Center on N. Mississippi Avenue at around 2:00. After brief introductions and a little history of the neighborhood from our tour guide Jessica, we began our walk to the first restaurant.

Cheese Plate at Sidecar 11.

The first stop was Sidecar 11, a quaint little spot that specializes in prohibition-era drinks with a modern twist. The menu consists mainly of smaller, tapas style dishes. The atmosphere was wonderful, the owners going for more of a speakeasy feel. They started us off with samples from their cocktail menu. First a traditional whiskey sour, shaken with egg white to create a frothy head. This was followed by a delicious drink called a Gin & Gin, containing gin and ginger. This one was my favorite. About this time they brought out a plate of local Oregon cheeses, all of which were fantastic! We were each then treated to their house recipe Sangria. We really enjoyed our experience at Sidecar 11. It's a great date bar or place to go for appetizers before heading out to other places. Thumbs up!

Garden State: Portland style Italian street food.

Next, we headed further up the street to N. Mississippi's famous food cart pod. Here we had an opportunity to try one of the top rated food carts in the entire city (which says quite a lot - there are currently over 600 food carts in the city of Portland!), Garden State. Run by Chef Kevin Sandri, Garden State bills itself as "Italian Street Food from Oregon's Willamette Valley" and features wonderful local meats and vegetables. Most of the recipes are from the chef's Sicilian family, however our food was a bit more fusion. We were brought a large platter of grilled basa (catfish) sandwiches with a generous side of chick pea fries. I don't even know where to begin in describing this dish. The sandwich was amazing! The catfish was cooked perfectly, each topped with cabbage, caperberries and an orange slice which turned out the be the ideal flavor compliment. This is one of the tastiest sandwiches I've had in a while! What added to its incredible flavor were the fries, not made of potato, but of finely ground chick peas. They were like hummus fries, if such a thing can be imagined. They were actually creamy when you bit into them! They were a bit more fragile than a regular french fry. Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we were all given samples of their Italian ice. Made by Oregon Iceworks, this is pure fruity, icy yumminess! I cannot recommend Garden State highly enough. This was the high point of the tour and I will make every effort to return. 

Grilled Basa on Ciabatta with Chick Pea Fries.

Following our feast at Garden State, it was time to walk off the of the food we had gorged on. This part of the tour took us through the local neighborhood where we had a chance to see some of the historic houses that are so common in this part of Portland. Many of the buildings are on the National Historic Register and there are several wonderful examples of Victorian architecture throughout the neighborhood.

Eventually we wound our way to N. Williams Avenue. It was a beautiful day in Portland and by the time we got there, we were hot and thirsty. It was a perfect time to stop at Sidebar (not to be confused with our first stop, Sidecar 11. Just a coincidence.). Sidebar is the official specialty tasting room for Lompoc Brewery and is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Often times the beers and ales found at the Sidebar are brewed in very limited quantities and are available nowhere else. We were offered samples of a few of their current choices, my favorite being a dark ale based on a recipe by Benjamin Franklin called Cider Plank. It had delicious molasses undertones, with hints of coffee and even tobacco. It was a little sweet but not too much and lighter on the hops.

Pix Patisserie

Our next treat came to us courtesy Pix Patisserie. With a team of pastry chefs, Pix makes some of the sweetest and most incredible desserts in town. Seriously, check out their website if you don't believe me! We got to try the pistachio macarons. Unrelated to macaroons, which have coconut, French macarons are an experience for the mouth! Made with ground almonds, they are simultaneously light and fluffy and creamy and crunchy and chewy. Pure happiness!

From here, we walked back through the neighborhood to Mississippi and made our way to the next stop on the tour, Mr. Green Beans. This place is a haven for those who wish to roast their own coffee beans, make their own cheese, learn how to make soap, and many other DIY projects. In other words, this was a store they had to drag me out of! We sampled some of their house roasted coffees, which were delicious.

The Wall of Salt at The Meadow.

Our next stop was a specialty boutique called The Meadow. This store specializes in wine, chocolate and salt. Mainly salt, and they have the largest selection of salts harvested from locations around the world that you are apt to find anywhere. A whole wall of salts of different colors, different mineral makeup and different flavors if your palate is sensitive enough. This was one of the more exotic stops on the tour but also, I felt, the low point. Nothing against the store itself, which was interesting and a great place to stop if you happen to be in the area. I felt, however, that as we were out to sample local cuisine we should have stuck to that. Pointing out the place as we passed as a spot to check out after the tour would have been more appropriate.

Tour guide Jessica serves up ice cream sandwiches.

Our final stop on the tour was the Ruby Jewel Scoop Shop, serving small batch artisan ice cream cones, sundaes and (best of all) ice cream sandwiches - all made fresh with local ingredients. We sampled some of the ice cream sandwiches, each made with homemade cookies. This was the perfect way to finish the tour! Ruby Jewel's ice cream is not only damn tasty, but their recipes are bold and, some might even say, cutting edge. Kat tried a sample of their apricot ginger ice cream which she said packed a punch on the taste buds! I tried a sample of the lavender honey ice cream which was subtle and smooth and left me wanting much, much more!

It was a great day and Kat and I had lots of fun. Out tour guide Jessica was knowledgeable and friendly and did an excellent job of leading the tour. I didn't feel it was the greatest value however, and the stop at two boutique shops in a row definitely detracted from the tour. I was also surprised at the amount of alcohol served. Personally, I enjoyed it but there were people on the tour who did not partake and ended up missing out on quite a bit. We got our tickets at half price and I don't think I would have wanted to pay more for them. But then, we live here and can go do this stuff anytime we like. I would recommend Forktown Tours if you're coming to Portland and would like to sample some of the incredible cuisine this town has to offer. I give Forktown Tours 3-1/2 stars out of 5.

How a Real Man Makes Quiche

Quiche. The first time I ever encountered the word, I was told it was something real men didn't eat. I had no clue what it was or why real men didn't eat it, only that it must something gross with lots of vegetables and no meat. The first quiche I ever saw was a runny, undercooked nastiness that did nothing to inspire me to ever want to try a bite. It was not for many years, in fact, that I actually tried quiche and found it to be "not that bad."

Lately, however, I have discovered a new passion for this dish. It's perfect in its simplicity. Eggs, cheese, cream. Add to this base whatever flavor combinations you like. Bake it in a pie shell. Perfect. It's fantastic for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche with Feta

I have recently taken to making a quiche on Sunday evening and eating it for breakfast all week (though I never seem to get past Wednesday!). The versatility of the dish allows for such a wide variety of flavors and ingredients that I never get sick of it.

Today, I am posting a couple of different quiche recipes. Really, they're the same recipe with different ingredient combinations. I typically use an all butter pie crust, the same one I discussed in my Dec. 19, 2010 post. I will usually cut back a bit on the sugar, though I still add a teaspoon or so. I find it's best to make a double crust and then freeze half of it for later use. If you are going to use the other half in 2 days or so, keep it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can freeze it for up to a month, if you wrap it well in plastic wrap and wax paper. If you freeze it, be sure to thaw the crust completely before you try to roll it out. The crust for the quiche is not pre-baked though lately I've considered experimenting with that, just to see what happens.

The quiche recipe I prefer calls for 4 large eggs. There are some recipes I've encountered that only call for 3 but I like the eggier version better. Most recipes call for cream or half-n-half. You may certainly use these ingredients if you choose. Seeing as how I make quiche so frequently, I have substituted these with a combination of evaporated milk and low-fat milk. Okay so it's still got some fat going on, I realize, but cutting out 2 cups of cream is never bad for the waistline!

Southwestern Quiche
Preheat your oven to 425°. Roll out the pie crust and line a 9" pie dish. Cover this with plastic and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
In a large saute pan, heat
2 T olive oil
until the oil is hot and add:
1/2 onion, diced fine
1-2 red or green jalepeños, seeded and diced
Cook over medium heat until peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes or so. Add:
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Stir into onions and peppers and cook for a minute. Remove ingredients from the pan and set aside.

Southwestern Quiche

In a large bowl, mix together:
8-10 oz ground pork
1 t table salt
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried oregano
Return the saute pan to the heat and cook sausage over medium heat until lightly browned. At the last minute, toss in:
1/4 c cilantro leaves
Stir leaves into sausage and remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together:
4 large eggs
1-12 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 c milk
1/2 t salt
1/2 t white pepper
When well combined, stir in onions and peppers along with sausage and
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Immediately pour into chilled pie crust. Sprinkle the top with:
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
Place in 425° oven for 15 minutes. Turn the quiche halfway and lower the temperature to 350°. Bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the quiche has set up but still barely jiggles in the middle. You can also test it by carefully inserting a knife blade in the center. If it comes out clean, it's done.
Allow the quiche to cool for a bit before cutting into it. I usually try to hold myself back for at least a half an hour but an hour is better. The longer the quiche sits, the firmer it will set up.

This recipe obviously makes a spicier quiche, the jalepeños giving it enough of a kick to make any real man proud. Still, sometimes a kinder, gentler approach is best. There's nothing wrong with going meatless on occasion, like for example the quiche I made this evening...

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche with Feta
As before, we begin with the oven at 425° and a pie shell in the fridge. In our saute pan we will combine:
2 T olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
We'll cook this until it softens and add:
1 garlic clove, minced
Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for a minute, then remove from the pan and set aside. Place the pan back on the heat and add:
2 t olive oil
1 c sliced crimini or portobello mushrooms
1/2 t salt
Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add:
1-1/2 c baby spinach leaves
Stir and heat until the spinach leaves have wilted. Remove mushrooms and spinach from the pan, leaving behind any liquid.
In a large bowl, whisk together:
4 large eggs
1-12 oz can evaporated milk
1/2 c milk
1-1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t salt
1/2 t white pepper
dash of nutmeg
Whisk until well combined. Stir in onions, peppers, mushrooms and spinach along with:
1 c crumbled feta cheese (about 4-6 oz)
Pour into chilled pie crust and sprinkle the top with:
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
Bake as above, first at 425° for 15 minutes, then at 350° for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through. Let it cool on a rack for an hour.

So many flavors, so many possibilities! Perhaps next week, I'll do a classic Quiche Lorraine with bacon and swiss cheese. Or maybe a smoked salmon quiche...

Cheers!

Quiche Update

Since writing the above post, I have experimented with a couple of different variations of crusts. I made one quiche with a crust made from whole wheat pastry flour. I used no white flour at all. I found the crust to not hold together quite as well as just using white flour. It was still very tasty but I think next time I'll try half whole wheat flour and half white and see how that works out.

In her comment posted below, The Improbable Farmer says that she fears pie crust and makes her quiche crustless. Kat had also been wanting to try this, not for fear of making the crust but of the calories therein. She decided to try making one with some of the fresh asparagus we have. She sprayed the pie plate with non-stick spray, then poured in the filling. Instead of baking it at 425° for the first 15 minutes, she just baked it at 350° for 40-45 minutes on an insulated baking sheet (to prevent the bottom from overcooking). 

The result was fantastic! The custard was perfectly cooked around the outside and the quiche held its form wonderfully when served. It was every bit as good as a regular quiche without the unnecessary calories. We loved it so much, we may never go back to crusted quiche again!

Peredur

May 24, 2011

Making Yogurt in the Microwave

"Wait! What? Did I read that right?" you ask. Yes, you did. If you have milk, a few glass containers and a microwave, you can make yogurt at home in as little as a few hours!

This is a process my wife Kat learned not long ago. An advocate of what is called "Simple Living" by a growing number of people, she is always looking for ways to create for ourselves what most folks run to the store and spend what is often way too much money to purchase. Yogurt is one of those things.

What is yogurt, really, besides curdled milk? Add some fruit or jam and stir. "But I just don't have the time!" people say. "It takes so much time to do these things!" Does it really? I'm making yogurt right now while I write this. Or rather, the yogurt is making itself!

Here is a list of what you'll need to make 2 quarts of yogurt.
2 quart sized mason jars with tight fitting lids
a large microwave safe bowl (I use a 2-qt. Corningware dish with a lid)
a spoon
a quick read thermometer
2 quarts of milk
6 T plain yogurt with active/live cultures
6 T powdered milk (optional - helps to make the yogurt firmer)
The cultures in the plain yogurt act as the starter. Begin by filling the mason jars to the 'shoulders' of the jar, leaving a good 1" to 1-1/2" space at the top of the jar. Microwave the milk on high heat for 3 minutes, then stir and take the milks temperature. You want the milk to get to 185°, but don't go too fast! Gently heating the milk here is best! After the first 3 minutes, heat it for another 3. When the milk reaches around 115-120°, reduce the heating time to 2 minutes. As you get closer to 185°, reduce the time in the microwave to 1 minute between stirs.
Once the milk reaches 185°, take the jars out of the microwave and set them in a cool place. The milk should be allowed to rest and cool to 115°. In heating the milk, you have killed any airborne yeasts and bacteria that may have gotten to the milk. This also helps to denature the yogurt which prevents clumping.
After the milk has cooled down to 115°, stir in the yogurt and powdered milk (if you choose to use it), 3 T of each per quart of milk. Fill your large microwave safe bowl about 2/3 to 3/4 full of water and microwave it on high until it nears the boiling point. Gently rest the flat part of the mason lid on each jar but do not secure it down with the ring. You do not want the jars to be tightly sealed, you are only trying to keep moisture from dripping in. Leaving the large bowl of water in the microwave, place the covered jars beside it and close the microwave door. Your microwave is well insulated and will hold the heat in. You want the milk to remain between 90° and 110° for about 8-12 hours. Every couple of hours or so, check the temperature of the water and, if you need to, reheat it (just don't forget to take the yogurt out of the microwave while you reheat the water!). If your yogurt drops below 90°, don't panic! It will be fine, it'll just take longer to make! What you absolutely DO NOT want is for it to get warmer that 110-115°! Do that and you will kill the yogurt cultures! After 6 hours or so you will notice that your yogurt has set. Taste it to check its fermentation. It will get tangier as it sits. I like a tangy yogurt so I usually let it sit longer.

And there you have it! Start your yogurt at night and you'll have a fresh, tasty breakfast waiting for you in the morning! The fact that the yogurt takes just as long to make as most of us sleep makes this a perfect overnight activity!

"Hold on a sec," I hear someone saying, "what about botulism?" First of all, botulism has a hard time growing in the highly acidic environment of things like salami, sauerkraut and yogurt. The lactic acid produced by the yogurt cultures prohibit the growth of bad bacteria. But caution never hurt anyone. Make sure your equipment is clean and sterile, making sure to completely clean your microwave before and after use. Also, remember that you are making plain yogurt - do not add fruit or other flavorings until after the yogurt is finished and is about to be served! More information can be found at this website.

Cheers!

Review: The Food Substitutions Bible

I have recently acquired a copy of David Joachim's wonderful book, The Food Substitutions Bible and I cannot praise this book enough! Just like The Flavor Bible, this book is an invaluable tool in helping you break the grip of recipe dependency and get on with the business of being creative in the kitchen.

The copy I purchased (pictured to the right) is the second edition of Joachim's book, and contains over 1500 additional substitutions not included in the first edition (with the blue cover). It is also about 25% larger than the first and is expanded throughout.

As the title says, this book is filled with substitution suggestions for just about any ingredient you can name. Anyone who has spent any time in the kitchen has had a time when a recipe called for an item they didn't have. My early days of cooking were filled with these experiences, usually ending up with a phone call to my  mother asking what I should do if I don't have buttermilk or baking powder for the recipe I had already started. Now I don't have to do that anymore. I can pull out the book instead, which is much quicker, and call my mom later to tell her how wonderful the recipe turned out!

There are so many food substitutions in this book, it boggles the mind. Everything from Spam to popcorn, duck eggs to korerima, and a thousand other ingredients that I've never heard of! (FYI, if you do find yourself in need of korerima, you can use an equal amount of ground cardamom in its stead.)

The thing about this book is that it's title is deceptive. It is much more than a food substitution guide. There are also substitution ideas for equipment and even cooking techniques. Say for example you would like to try an Asian recipe that calls for cooking in a clay pot but you don't have one. What to do? Should you run out and buy special cookware? I suppose you could. You could also, according to The Food Substitutions Bible, try using either a deep casserole dish or a dutch oven while reducing the temperature by about 100°F and the cooking time by about a half an hour.

One of the most wonderful things about this book are the Ingredient Guides at the back. Lists of apple varieties (including the flavor and texture of each and the best way to use them), dried beans, chili peppers, grains, honey, mushrooms, pasta, rices, vinegars, etc, etc. What the flavor differences are, what each can be substituted for; these lists are invaluable! In addition, there are measurement equivalents that I've never seen in any other book. If a recipe calls for a cup of evaporated milk, how many cans should you buy? According to the Can and Package Size Equivalents chart in the back of the book, a 6 oz. can of evaporated milk is 2/3 cup, while the 14-1/2 oz can is 1-2/3 cups. A #2 can is 20 oz. or 2-1/2 cups and a great big #10 can is 13 cups. Another interesting table is for Temperature Equivalents. Exactly what temperature is "a moderate oven?" According to this list it is 350°F, 180°C, or gas mark 4. Lukewarm water is 95°F or 35°C.

If you are at all serious about cooking, especially if you are among those who create your own recipes, this book is a must have! This is a book I wished I owned years ago and it is a most welcome addition to my book collection now!

Happy cooking (and don't forget to call your mothers)!

Cheddar Cheese Pumpernickel Rolls

Today was another day spent in the kitchen getting some of the weekly cooking chores done. There was a pot of turkey stock to make, bread to bake and food for tomorrow, in addition to the meals of the day. I love days like this!

In making bread for the week, I decided to step away from the usual task of making a loaf of bread and opted instead to make rolls. One recipe I've made in the past and really enjoyed was for pumpernickel dough. I've always just made it into a loaf. Today, however, I thought I would make rolls with cheddar cheese in the middle. I've never actually tried something like this and it sounded like a good idea.

The first step is the dough. A good pumpernickel should be a nice dark brown and have a grainier texture than rye. Pumpernickel flour is nothing more than coarse ground rye flour anyway, like rye meal. The color comes from throwing literally everything black you can find in the kitchen into it. Balsamic vinegar, espresso, cocoa,  and molasses, all working together to create a unique flavor unlike any other bread.

To start the dough, begin by brewing:

2 c very strong coffee

I generally use a french press for this. Pour the coffee into a medium bowl and allow it to cool to about 115°. Stir in:

1-1/2 T dry yeast

1 t sugar

Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine:

4 T soft butter
1/4 c cocoa powder
3 T molasses
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T gluten powder
2 t kosher salt
2 t caraway seeds
Mix well and then stir in the coffee/yeast mixture with:
1 c rye flour
1/2 c coarse ground pumpernickel flour
1/3 c corn flour
Combine well and begin adding:
3 to 3-1/2 c unbleached white flour
Knead until the dough is just a little bit tacky but not sticky. Place it in a greased container and allow to rise in a warm place for about 40-45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
While dough is rising, cut:
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese 

into 1/2" cubes and set aside.

Once the dough has finished rising, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface and form into an oblong shape. Take a sharp knife and cut the dough into two equal pieces. Then cut each half into four pieces and each of those into three. This will give you 24 rolls. You may, of course, make them bigger if you so choose. Take each piece of dough and flatten it a bit. Place a cube of cheddar in the middle of the flattened piece and wrap the dough around it. Arrange the rolls on two (or more) parchment lined cookie sheets, cover and allow to rise for another 40 minutes or so. Then the rolls are nearly finished rising, heat the oven to 375° and place the rack on the middle setting. In a small bowl, combine: 
1 egg yolk
1 T cold water
Wisk the yolk and water together until will mixed. Brush on to rolls just before placing the rolls in the oven. Bake the rolls for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Delish! These rolls are wonderful for those wintertime soups and are perfect comfort food. Bon appetit!

Say Cheeeese!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to head out to a farm a few miles outside Portland to attend a cheese making class. After my not quite so successful attempt to make mozzarella (see Blessed are the Cheesemakers, Oct. 10), I figured I could use a little help in this area.

The last time I tried to make cheese, I had gotten a recipe off the internet for "30-Minute Mozzarella" which, if you recall, took me a good 3-4 hours to make. This class was on how to make regular mozzarella which seems to take just about the same amount of time. The main difference between them, ingredient wise, is that the longer recipe does not call for citric acid. It's just milk and rennet. And, in the end, it came out much better!

My friend Emily decided to come with me and so, bright and early on a rainy Saturday morning with lattes in hand, we drove to the farm, located just south of Oregon City near the town of Colton. As we neared the farm, we were greeted by a couple of cows lazing under the pine trees, along with chickens, turkeys and ducks kept in pens and, somewhere behind the house, we could hear the squealing of pigs. Entering the house, we found ourselves in a large living/dining area. On one side of the room, an older woman sat at an old fashioned spinning wheel, hand spinning spools of wool. We were welcomed by our hostess, Stacie, and ushered into the large kitchen where the rest of the group waited. 

On the stove were two pots of raw cow's milk (taken from Jersey cows, it had a slightly higher fat content than average), each containing approximately two gallons. The first one already had the rennet added - veal rennet, to be exact - and was nearly done setting. The second pot was only milk and would have vegetable rennet added later. This pot was still in the first step, which is to heat the milk to 90° and let it sit for 30 minutes. 

The next step is to add rennet. We were using liquid rennet in the class, the rennet I have at home is in tablet form which requires crushing. The rennet should always be diluted at a ratio of 1 t rennet to 1 c water. (Always take care that the water you use is non-chlorinated! Chlorine will kill the bacteria that are needed to make the cheese.) In this case we had about two gallons of milk and were adding 1/2 t of rennet in a 1/2 c of water. Emily volunteered to do this step. Slowly pouring in the rennet with her left hand, she moved a wooden spoon in an up and down motion around the pot. This is one of the places where I messed up my first batch. DO NOT STIR THE MILK!  Stirring the milk is what kept my curds from setting right the first time. It is also important to use a wooden spoon. Never use stainless steel as it will also inhibit bacterial growth.

Once the rennet has been added, allow the milk to sit for an hour. By this time, the first pot had sat for an hour and finished setting. It had the appearance of yogurt and jiggled when lightly shook. There was a very thin film of whey over the top. Using a long knife, we cut the curd horizontally and vertically, making squares of about a half inch. Cutting the curd has an immediate effect and the whey begins to "bleed" out. Let the cheese sit for 20 minutes. 

After the cheese has sat for a bit, the curds will have continued to solidify as they separate from the whey. Gently stir the curds and reheat them until they are at 100°. As you stir, break apart any large chunks, the curds should be more or less uniform in size. Once heated, turn off the heat and let the cheese sit for 5 minutes, allowing the curds to sink. Pour off the whey and reserve for breadmaking or for making ricotta. Drain the curds well, using a large colander and place back in the pot. Run about 2-3" of 105° water in the sink and place the pot in the water. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. By this time, more whey will have bled out of the curds. Drain off the whey and flip the cheese over in the pot, returning the pan to the water bath. Do this about five times, each time letting the cheese sit for 20 minutes and then draining and flipping the curds. Add hot water to the bath as necessary to keep the temperature near 105°. Eventually, the cheese should take on a shiny appearance. At this point, remove the curds from the pot and place on a cutting board. It is best to place a cookie sheet underneath to catch the whey that will continue to drip. Cut the curds into 8 wedges (or less if you are making a smaller batch) and allow the curds to rest for a few minutes.

While the curds are resting, it is time to prepare the hot and cold baths. For the hot bath, fill a pot with about 6 quarts of distilled non-chlorinated water and heat it to 170°. For the cold bath, dissolve 1/3 c of non-iodized sea salt in 2 quarts of ice water.

Take a wedge of cheese and immerse it into the hot bath for a minute or so until it softens. Gently massage and stretch the cheese, immersing it back into the hot water as necessary. It is wise to use rubber gloves for this step. Soaking the cheese in the hot water will not harm the cheese but over working it will. Be careful not to squeeze it or pull it too hard, as this will cause the cheese to become tough and rubbery. This was another step that I did incorrectly the last time I made cheese and again with the first wad of cheese that I worked with in class. Eventually I got the touch down, gently kneading the mozzarella into balls about 2" in diameter. The cheese is done when it stretches without tearing and becomes shiny. As soon as it's done, submerge the cheese into the ice water. It is important to cool the cheese as quickly as possible.

Once cooled, the cheese can be stored in the salt water for several months, though it is important to remember that the cheese will become saltier the longer it sits in the brine. When storing the cheese, you may also wish to place it in olive oil (the oil will solidify when chilled but will be fine when returned to room temperature), or use fresh herbs to flavor the cheese while it sits in the brine.

In addition to making cheese, we also had the opportunity to make butter by hand, using an old hand-cranked butter churning jar. Emily did most of the work there, being the tenacious sort that she is! It took Emily about 30-40 minutes to churn the cream into butter. Stacie told us she never uses the jar, preferring the quicker method of placing the cream in the food processor for 30 seconds or so. After taking a turn at the hand cranking for less than 10 minutes, I can't say as I blame her! The finished butter would then be salted (or not) and placed in a sealed jar and stored for a while to allow the cultures to ferment. We tasted the fresh butter and, while it was good, it was very mild and lacked the sharp tang that good aged butter has.

My thanks to Stacie for sharing her knowledge and experience with us. All in all, it was a very profitable day and I learned enough to get myself well on the way to making my own cheese on a regular basis. While it is an admittedly long process, taking several hours, most of that time is spent waiting. It's an easy task when you have other things around the house to tend to while the cheese sits. The reward is worth every minute invested!

My next cheese adventure will be to learn how to make ricotta from the leftover whey. I'm also looking to experiment with other soft cheeses like cottage cheese and Neufchatel. Rest assured, gentle reader, I will keep you informed of my pilgrimage into this culinary holy land. Praise Cheeses!

Blessed are the Cheesemakers!

I've been meaning to make some cheese. The thing is, I've never made it before so where do I begin? That question was answered for me by someone we know that has livestock, both cows and goats,  who gave us a half gallon of raw cow's milk. Now I had no excuse - it was time to make cheese.

I thought I would begin with mozzarella. I've heard it's quick and easy to make. I went online and found dozens of websites with instructions on how to make fresh mozzarella. I picked the one that seemed simplest. I drove down to the nearest New Season's Market and purchased a box of rennet tablets and a few ounces of citric acid powder for less than $5. The recipe I had chosen to follow was for 1 gallon of milk but, since I only had the half gallon of milk, I halved all the ingredients. The recipe called for using un-chlorinated water. I boiled a cup of water and set it aside to cool. When it was cool, I took a quarter of one of the rennet tablets - the recipe called for 1/2 a tablet - and crushed it with a spoon. This I dissolved in a couple of tablespoons of the boiled water. 

I poured the milk in a saucepan and set the heat to medium. Then, per the recipe, I stirred in 3/4 teaspoon citric acid - again, half of the original. I attached a thermometer to the pan and when the temperature reached 88 degrees (F) I added the rennet. I continued to cook the milk, stirring occasionally until the temperature reached 105 degrees and then shut off the heat. I covered the pan and let it sit. 

The recipe I was following said to let it sit for 20 minutes but I let it sit for about 90 minutes. Nothing was happening! A couple of very tiny curds but that was all! The temperature was still about 97 degrees so I stirred in more rennet - another quarter tablet dissolved in water. I reheated the milk to 105 degrees and removed it from the heat again. This time there was a noticeable difference after 90 minutes, the milk firming up to the consistency of yogurt or sour cream. The recipe, however, had said that there would be an obvious separation of curds and whey. Eventually there was but the curds were much softer than I had anticipated.

Using a slotted spoon, I carefully removed the curds from the pan and placed them into a bowl lined with cheesecloth. Taking the cloth by the ends, I lifted it up and tied the ends together. Then I gently squeezed the curds, and kept squeezing until most of the whey had come out. I then placed the cheese in a small glass dish and microwaved it on high for about 30 seconds. This softened the cheese up enough to where I could knead it and stretch it. I sampled a piece and found it to be rather bland. That's when I realized that I had put no salt in it! I sprinkled a little kosher salt in my hand and worked it into the cheese. I then reheated it in the microwave and worked it and stretched it some more.

This is what I ended up with from a half gallon of milk.

Not too much, I admit, but it was fun to make! Next time I make cheese, I will make a bigger batch. If you're going to make the mess, you might as well make lots, right? I'm going to continue to experiment with the easier stuff for a while - cream cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, and of course more mozzarella! Watch for future updates!

Cheesy Broccoli Goodness!

It was a long day of work for both Kat and I and neither of us felt like investing too much time in the kitchen this evening. We needed something quick and easy for dinner tonight.

Kat called me on her way home and reminded me that we had several small crowns of broccoli in the refrigerator from our recent produce haul and requested that I make a pot of Broccoli Cheese Soup. I was all over that idea like stink on garlic!

 

The thing is, I’ve never made Broccoli Cheese Soup before so this was going to be something new. I figured it couldn’t be too hard and I had everything I needed right in the refrigerator. To add creaminess, I could have used cream or half-and-half but chose to use evaporated whole milk instead. Using chicken stock and wine are key to the rich flavor, though vegetable broth could be used instead of chicken stock, if that’s what you prefer.

The following recipe is small, the two of us had a hearty dinner and had a small serving left over. Start by making a roux with:

3 T butter

3 T flour

Combine and cook over medium heat until the roux begins to take on a nutty scent. Add to this:

1/2 c finely chopped onion

a pinch of salt

Stir the onions into the roux and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add:

3 c chicken stock

Blend well, thoroughly combining the flour into the stock. When the soup begins to simmer, stir in:

about 2 c chopped broccoli florets

1/2 c white wine

1 T lemon juice

1/2 t black pepper

salt to taste

Allow the soup to simmer until the broccoli is “al dente.” Slowly stir in:

3/4 c evaporated milk

Reduce heat to low and, a little at a time, stir in:

2-1/2 – 3 c shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese

a pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Stir until the cheese is melted and serve.

Simple and fast, the whole meal took about 30 minutes to prepare. And best of all, Kat raved about it and made me promise to make it again. That’s a promise I plan on keeping - often!

Thursday's Appetizer Spread

This Thursday I have agreed to supply the food for a gathering at Sekhet-Maat, the local OTO lodge. Featured will be Richard Kaczynski, author of the the book Perdurabo. He will be reading and autographing, I will be cooking.

The menu as it stands right now will mainly consist of finger foods and the like. I thought I would start off with a Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, served with pita bread. Hummus is a staple around the lodge, I kind of felt obligated to some degree. I will be toasting whole cloves of garlic in olive oil, and also making Candied Pecans. These will be served along with dried figs and dates. I am considering a cheese plate with several varieties of cheese, including brie, blue cheese, a Belgian washed rind cheese, and perhaps a goat cheese with herbs or something like that. I will then be baking a Spinach Artichoke Dip and serving it with sliced and toasted baguette. Finally, I will make a couple loaves of my Lemon Poppyseed Bread, a strong flavored, amazingly satisfying dessert bread that will be easy for people to eat by hand.

Today I begin with shopping - at least 3 markets. My budget is only $50 for the entire affair and I have no real way of knowing how many I will be feeding, as the event is free and open to the public. I anticipate 30 or so. Tonight I will make the Lemon Bread and the Candied Pecans. I will be posting both recipes along with photos later.