deliciousness! also--cat video?
I somehow persuaded myself, earlier in the week, that I posted on Monday. Oh hello, not really! I just THOUGHT ABOUT IT, you know, like one does.
Now I will tell you about some stuff. Today's theme is DELICIOUSNESS.
1. I was trolling around in the clearance at Barnes & Noble the other day and found this awesome dessert cookbook: Gorgeous Desserts
Why do I love it: THE DESSERTS IN THIS BOOK ARE SO FREAKING BRITISH. It's the American edition of a British cookbook, and all that's changed are the measurements. Although I adore cakes, pies, and cupcakes, I also love the weirder desserts that don't get as much play in American cookbooks. This cookbook has:
a. an entire chapter on Trifles
b. another on various forms of gelatine (blackberry and tea! whisked wine!)
c. blancmange! (Author: "I bet a surprising number of us have aunty's Victorian mousse or blancmange mold squirreled away in the attic..." Me: What? Where is my blancmange mold?)
d. STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING
e. Brown bread ice cream, is this a thing? ("As a child I wanted to emigrate to America, the land where you get marshmallows in cereal, so this version of brown bread ice cream has a certain trans-Atlantic appeal for me." Um, wait, it's the marshmallows that are weird in this recipe?)
2. I'm already in love with our new CSA farmer and her vegetables! However, she did throw me a curve ball with a dozen turnips in the first box. If you've ever done a CSA you know--sometimes there's a vegetable you suspect you like but don't know how to cook. For me that vegetable is turnips.
In desperation I consulted Mark Bittman's cookbook, and LO, HERE IS A MOST DELICIOUS WAY TO MAKE TURNIPS!
WEIRDLY DELICIOUS TURNIPS WITH MUSTARD SAUCE:
1. Peel your lovely turnips and cut into pieces about the size of a radish.
2. In a pan large enough to hold all turnips in a single layer, heat a bit of oil. Add some shallots if you want (I did). Put in turnips and saute over medium heat, stirring once in a while, until they begin to brown.
3. Add to the pan enough stock (chicken, vegetable, whatever you have) to cover the turnips. I always dilute commercial chicken stock with equal parts water btw.
4. Sprinkle 1 tsp or so of sugar over the turnips; stir everything to combine.
5. Cook uncovered over medium heat, not disturbing them much, until the liquid has cooked down to a glaze.
6. Remove from heat and stir in a couple of teaspoons of dijon mustard. Toss to coat.
7. OMG HOW DELICIOUS ARE THEY? DEVOUR THEM.
Yesterday we got more turnips and I'm so excited now. YAY MOAR TURNIPS!
3. Not actually on the theme of deliciousness, but this video of a cat investigating an iPad is fairly adorable.
Now I will tell you about some stuff. Today's theme is DELICIOUSNESS.
1. I was trolling around in the clearance at Barnes & Noble the other day and found this awesome dessert cookbook: Gorgeous Desserts
Why do I love it: THE DESSERTS IN THIS BOOK ARE SO FREAKING BRITISH. It's the American edition of a British cookbook, and all that's changed are the measurements. Although I adore cakes, pies, and cupcakes, I also love the weirder desserts that don't get as much play in American cookbooks. This cookbook has:
a. an entire chapter on Trifles
b. another on various forms of gelatine (blackberry and tea! whisked wine!)
c. blancmange! (Author: "I bet a surprising number of us have aunty's Victorian mousse or blancmange mold squirreled away in the attic..." Me: What? Where is my blancmange mold?)
d. STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING
e. Brown bread ice cream, is this a thing? ("As a child I wanted to emigrate to America, the land where you get marshmallows in cereal, so this version of brown bread ice cream has a certain trans-Atlantic appeal for me." Um, wait, it's the marshmallows that are weird in this recipe?)
2. I'm already in love with our new CSA farmer and her vegetables! However, she did throw me a curve ball with a dozen turnips in the first box. If you've ever done a CSA you know--sometimes there's a vegetable you suspect you like but don't know how to cook. For me that vegetable is turnips.
In desperation I consulted Mark Bittman's cookbook, and LO, HERE IS A MOST DELICIOUS WAY TO MAKE TURNIPS!
WEIRDLY DELICIOUS TURNIPS WITH MUSTARD SAUCE:
1. Peel your lovely turnips and cut into pieces about the size of a radish.
2. In a pan large enough to hold all turnips in a single layer, heat a bit of oil. Add some shallots if you want (I did). Put in turnips and saute over medium heat, stirring once in a while, until they begin to brown.
3. Add to the pan enough stock (chicken, vegetable, whatever you have) to cover the turnips. I always dilute commercial chicken stock with equal parts water btw.
4. Sprinkle 1 tsp or so of sugar over the turnips; stir everything to combine.
5. Cook uncovered over medium heat, not disturbing them much, until the liquid has cooked down to a glaze.
6. Remove from heat and stir in a couple of teaspoons of dijon mustard. Toss to coat.
7. OMG HOW DELICIOUS ARE THEY? DEVOUR THEM.
Yesterday we got more turnips and I'm so excited now. YAY MOAR TURNIPS!
3. Not actually on the theme of deliciousness, but this video of a cat investigating an iPad is fairly adorable.