So, I registered with myspace.com. When my daughters were home for the holidays last December, they both showed me the site online and the pages they had created. I was intrigued.
After hearing more about the site and its creator, Tom, I decided to give it a spin.
I picked my name (that was easy; I picked Ellen), filled in all the info about my favorite movies, books, interests, and clicked to register.
Bam. I had one friend immediately: Tom.
I called up my daughter; I was so excited.
“I’m on myspace.com and I have a friend already: Tom.”
“Mom, Tom is everyone’s friend”, she assured me as she burst my bubble.
Sure enough, back at myspace, I found out that everyone who registers with myspace has Tom as a friend. Tom has 64,489,839 friends. It must be rough for him when Christmas rolls around.
The next day, I invited both my daughters to be my friends.
Each day, I would check myspace for a reply and none came. Days went by and I emailed them both reminding them I was waiting to be their friend.
Finally, two weeks later, I opened up myspace on the computer and found a reply from Juliet. I now had 2 friends—Tom and my daughter.
I clicked on Juliet’s name and her myspace window opened up. She had a really nice background to her site, loads of photos, “daft punk” music playing, and 106 friends.
The next day when I opened up myspace, I had a new friend request—from a 22- and a half-year old in Albany who thought I was cute. I told Juliet.
“Delete him,” she said.
“But he wants to be my friend”, I whined.
“He doesn’t want to be your friend, mom.”
“But, you have 106 friends!”
“Yeah, but I know them,” she assured me.
“You can’t possibly know 106 people”, I blurted.
Back on Juliet’s site, I clicked on her sister’s photo (that would be my other daughter) and found comments from Juliet on Geneva’s site.
“Oh my God. Mom is on myspace. When are you going to “friend” her?”
Well, it’s been a month now and I have 3 friends, Juliet, Geneva, and Tom. I found out how to change the background of my site and add music and photos.
Every day I check on my site. There are no new friends, and no comments. It’s a lot like renovating a building, redecorating, and opening up a shop in which no one visits.
I’ve spent hours redecorating myspace, picking out great music to play, and I’m the only one seeing it. It’s disheartening. I’m starting to get depressed.
In all honesty, though, even if I did have more friends on myspace, what exactly is supposed to happen? Do we have a myspace party? Do we visit each other’s myspace to see what we’ve done with the place?
Maybe if I redecorate, more friends will come. Maybe, I need to serve tea.
http://www.myspace.com/ellenverni
Friendly Moroccan Mint Tea
The preparation and serving of tea in considered an art in Morocco. The teapots come in 3 sizes, and are crafted of tin, brass, aluminum or silver. Depending on social rank, teapots might be engraved silver or gold-plated. Almost all but the poorest families will have an elaborate tea set including a decorative tray and glasses. Tea is almost always prepared in front of the guests so that the tea set and service can be admired. The offering of a glass of green tea with mint is a symbol of friendship, welcome, and hospitality.
4 teaspoons Moroccan or green tea leaves
24 fresh spearmint leaves
4 to 5 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1 quart boiling water
Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Add boiling water to a teapot that holds about 4 cups of water, and swirl to warm the pot. Discard the water and add the tea, mint leaves, and sugar to the teapot. Pour the quart of boiling water into the teapot and swirl once or twice to dissolve the sugar. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
Pour the tea through a strainer into small decorative Moroccan glasses or teacups. Garnish with several fresh mint leaves, if you like. Serves quite a few friends. Multiply ingredients accordingly to serve 64,489,839 friends.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Kitchen Alchemy
Browsing through a store last week, I came upon a great find: miniature wire-bail (swing-top) canning jars. I’m always on the look-out for sweet little jars to hold dried herbs and spices. These miniature wire-bail jars are perfect for holding spice blends.
I already have every conceivable spice and dried herb, so it’s a waste of money to buy blends when I could mix up my own from what’s on hand.
In the warm months, I grow many herbs, many of which I am able to pot up and take inside for the cold months. The basil is looking forlorn about now, but I’m still able to use it fresh.
The rosemary is doing great, and I’ve been able to get to the parsley by uncovering it in the snow-laden herb garden. All the other herbs grown in the summer are dried in the fall for winter use.
I fill in the gaps of what herbs I don’t have by buying them and spices dried.
I really encourage you to make your own dried herb and spice blends. I feel like an alchemist in the kitchen when I’ve got my jars of spices lined up with my measuring spoons.
Many of these blends have as many variations as there are cooks who use them. I generally use the classic versions, however all are open to interpretation.
For the most aromatic result, start with whole seeds and berries. If you’re ambitious, you can grind the spices with a mortar and pestle or use an electric coffee grinder. I generally take the short cut and use the ground spices on hand when I can.
One spice blend that I use most often is curry powder. You might think that curry powder is just the grind of one spice, curry. Alas, though there is a curry plant, it is an aromatic herb and not a spice used in this blend.
Curry powder is in fact a blend of spices, varying according to regional preferences. As a result, there are literally, thousands of “curry powders.”
There is sweet curry, hot curry (Madras), Maharajah-style curry, Balti seasoning, Garam Masala, Tandoori seasoning, Rogan Josh and Vindaloo seasoning.
Curry Powder
I like my curry hot, so I use the Madras curry blend. To maximize flavor, dry-roast the whole spices in a hot pan over low heat before grinding them. To make this curry milder, eliminate the dry-roasting.
2 teaspoons turmeric, ground
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
12 cloves, whole
1- 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1- 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
1 teaspoon chili powder, ground
Grind all ingredients to a coarse powder in a coffee mill, or follow tradition by using a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 1/3 cup.
Herbes de Provence
This blend consists of the herbs commonly grown in the southern region of France. The mixture varies according to the availability of the herbs. This herb blend is most often used with roasted or grilled meat and poultry dishes.
3 tablespoons dried marjoram
3 tablespoons dried thyme
3 tablespoons dried summer savory
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Bam Creole Essence
Use on grilled meat, poultry and fish. Or sprinkle on any cooked food when you want a kick.
2- 1/4 tablespoons paprika
1 to 2 tablespoons salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 2/3 cup.
Italian Seasoning
I use this in soups, stews, tomato sauce, and over salads and pizzas.
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried sage
In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 1/2 cup.
A few tips on storing dried herbs and spices:
• Tightly close containers after using what you need to keep the fresh aroma from escaping.
• Do not put a wet spoon into a jar of dried herbs or spices or shake out contents over a steaming pot. You will introduce moisture into the container, which hastens deterioration and may make the herbs and spices moldy.
• Do not store them in the refrigerator.
• As a general rule, you will need 3 to 4 times more fresh herbs than dried. Keep that in mind when substituting fresh for dried and dried for fresh.
I already have every conceivable spice and dried herb, so it’s a waste of money to buy blends when I could mix up my own from what’s on hand.
In the warm months, I grow many herbs, many of which I am able to pot up and take inside for the cold months. The basil is looking forlorn about now, but I’m still able to use it fresh.
The rosemary is doing great, and I’ve been able to get to the parsley by uncovering it in the snow-laden herb garden. All the other herbs grown in the summer are dried in the fall for winter use.
I fill in the gaps of what herbs I don’t have by buying them and spices dried.
I really encourage you to make your own dried herb and spice blends. I feel like an alchemist in the kitchen when I’ve got my jars of spices lined up with my measuring spoons.
Many of these blends have as many variations as there are cooks who use them. I generally use the classic versions, however all are open to interpretation.
For the most aromatic result, start with whole seeds and berries. If you’re ambitious, you can grind the spices with a mortar and pestle or use an electric coffee grinder. I generally take the short cut and use the ground spices on hand when I can.
One spice blend that I use most often is curry powder. You might think that curry powder is just the grind of one spice, curry. Alas, though there is a curry plant, it is an aromatic herb and not a spice used in this blend.
Curry powder is in fact a blend of spices, varying according to regional preferences. As a result, there are literally, thousands of “curry powders.”
There is sweet curry, hot curry (Madras), Maharajah-style curry, Balti seasoning, Garam Masala, Tandoori seasoning, Rogan Josh and Vindaloo seasoning.
Curry Powder
I like my curry hot, so I use the Madras curry blend. To maximize flavor, dry-roast the whole spices in a hot pan over low heat before grinding them. To make this curry milder, eliminate the dry-roasting.
2 teaspoons turmeric, ground
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
12 cloves, whole
1- 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1- 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground
1 teaspoon chili powder, ground
Grind all ingredients to a coarse powder in a coffee mill, or follow tradition by using a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 1/3 cup.
Herbes de Provence
This blend consists of the herbs commonly grown in the southern region of France. The mixture varies according to the availability of the herbs. This herb blend is most often used with roasted or grilled meat and poultry dishes.
3 tablespoons dried marjoram
3 tablespoons dried thyme
3 tablespoons dried summer savory
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Bam Creole Essence
Use on grilled meat, poultry and fish. Or sprinkle on any cooked food when you want a kick.
2- 1/4 tablespoons paprika
1 to 2 tablespoons salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 2/3 cup.
Italian Seasoning
I use this in soups, stews, tomato sauce, and over salads and pizzas.
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried sage
In a small bowl combine ingredients. Spoon into a tightly-lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place. Makes about 1/2 cup.
A few tips on storing dried herbs and spices:
• Tightly close containers after using what you need to keep the fresh aroma from escaping.
• Do not put a wet spoon into a jar of dried herbs or spices or shake out contents over a steaming pot. You will introduce moisture into the container, which hastens deterioration and may make the herbs and spices moldy.
• Do not store them in the refrigerator.
• As a general rule, you will need 3 to 4 times more fresh herbs than dried. Keep that in mind when substituting fresh for dried and dried for fresh.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
We All Need a Little Coddling
I’m not Irish, but I love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. I think it’s because the holiday falls so close to the first day of spring, and the theme color of green is the color of new growth and new hope.
When I lived in NYC, I tried never to miss the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and loved getting my green bagel in the morning. And, wherever I am on the holiday, I try to get my annual dose of corned beef and cabbage, either from a community-funded dinner or in an Irish pub.
I don’t make corned beef and cabbage at home, but I will bake Irish soda bread, and put up a large pot of slow-cooking Irish stew.
The Irish get such a bad rap when it comes to their cooking. They just can’t seem to get away from the corned beef and cabbage stereotype.
There is so much more to Irish cooking. Dishes in Ireland are prepared with wonderful fish and seafood, such as prawns, scallops, mussels, crab, and their wonderful salmon.
Delicious chicken dishes are also featured, as well as those with bacon, sausage, beef and pork, including Limerick ham (cured leg of pork baked with juniper berries, cloves, mustard and sugar).
Coddle is traditionally made in Ireland with sausage, bacon, and potatoes or sliced carrots.
And, like England, Ireland has adopted the cuisine of other cultures into its own. Boxty, a traditional potato pancake fried on a griddle gets a makeover with grilled vegetables and goat cheese.
This week get your annual dose of corned beef and cabbage like I do, but try these other traditional Irish recipes as well.
Irish Lamb Stew
Traditionally cooked in layers, serve this hearty stew with thick slices of soda bread or buttermilk biscuits.
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 large turnip, cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 fresh sprigs of thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 sprigs fresh parsley (save some for a garnish)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a large, heavy pot, place lamb cubes and water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a dish. Pour the broth into a separate bowl and set aside.
Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the same pot. Cover with half of the onion slices, and then top with all of the turnip slices. Distribute the lamb evenly over the turnips and top with the thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Top with remaining onions and finally the remaining potatoes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve over the potatoes.
Bring to a low boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer gently until the lamb is tender when pierced, about 2 hours.
Spoon into bowls, discard the cooked sprigs of thyme and parsley and garnish each serving with fresh parsley. Serves 4 to 6.
Dublin Coddle
A quick main course, or served with eggs this dish makes a yummy breakfast.
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound breakfast sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth
Arrange potatoes in the bottom of a large, heavy saucepan; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Top with onions; sprinkle with another tablespoon of parsley. Top with sausage and bacon. Pour broth over. Season with pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pan; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender and sausage is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Uncover pan. Boil until liquids are slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 6.
When I lived in NYC, I tried never to miss the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and loved getting my green bagel in the morning. And, wherever I am on the holiday, I try to get my annual dose of corned beef and cabbage, either from a community-funded dinner or in an Irish pub.
I don’t make corned beef and cabbage at home, but I will bake Irish soda bread, and put up a large pot of slow-cooking Irish stew.
The Irish get such a bad rap when it comes to their cooking. They just can’t seem to get away from the corned beef and cabbage stereotype.
There is so much more to Irish cooking. Dishes in Ireland are prepared with wonderful fish and seafood, such as prawns, scallops, mussels, crab, and their wonderful salmon.
Delicious chicken dishes are also featured, as well as those with bacon, sausage, beef and pork, including Limerick ham (cured leg of pork baked with juniper berries, cloves, mustard and sugar).
Coddle is traditionally made in Ireland with sausage, bacon, and potatoes or sliced carrots.
And, like England, Ireland has adopted the cuisine of other cultures into its own. Boxty, a traditional potato pancake fried on a griddle gets a makeover with grilled vegetables and goat cheese.
This week get your annual dose of corned beef and cabbage like I do, but try these other traditional Irish recipes as well.
Irish Lamb Stew
Traditionally cooked in layers, serve this hearty stew with thick slices of soda bread or buttermilk biscuits.
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 large turnip, cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 fresh sprigs of thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 sprigs fresh parsley (save some for a garnish)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a large, heavy pot, place lamb cubes and water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a dish. Pour the broth into a separate bowl and set aside.
Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the same pot. Cover with half of the onion slices, and then top with all of the turnip slices. Distribute the lamb evenly over the turnips and top with the thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Top with remaining onions and finally the remaining potatoes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve over the potatoes.
Bring to a low boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer gently until the lamb is tender when pierced, about 2 hours.
Spoon into bowls, discard the cooked sprigs of thyme and parsley and garnish each serving with fresh parsley. Serves 4 to 6.
Dublin Coddle
A quick main course, or served with eggs this dish makes a yummy breakfast.
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound breakfast sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bacon slices, coarsely chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth
Arrange potatoes in the bottom of a large, heavy saucepan; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Top with onions; sprinkle with another tablespoon of parsley. Top with sausage and bacon. Pour broth over. Season with pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pan; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender and sausage is cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Uncover pan. Boil until liquids are slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 6.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Serving Memories
Some time ago, I was invited to new friends’ one evening. When I arrived, and after all the handshakes and kisses were exchanged, the host said hors d’oeuvres would be ready in a few minutes.
The oven timer buzzed and he took out a tray of English muffin pizzas, and I thought, “I really like these people.”
Oh sure, there’s sushi, and fussy canapés, and the ever-present hummus dip (which I do love), but sometimes there is just nothing like an English muffin pizza.
I couldn’t find the exact origin and time that English muffin pizzas first made their appearance, but I recall making them when I was a teenager; that would make their debut in the 1960s or 1970s. If anyone knows the answer to this query, please let me know.
I actually found recipes online for making English muffin pizzas, as if one needed specific instructions. Although, to be fair, there is one step in the creation of these tasty concoctions that might be skipped: the toasting of the muffin before layering the sauce and cheese.
Now, I used to just pop the halves in the toaster to lightly toast them. However, recipes say to place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted, and then place the layers on the untoasted side.
There’s also debate as to the state of the mozzarella cheese before broiling. I have found that if you slice the cheese and place it over the sauce the whole slice comes away with the first bite leaving you with an English muffin spread with tomato sauce.
Therefore, I grate the mozzarella and sprinkle it on top of the sauce and it’s just perfect. And perfect it really is: a wondrous little snack of muffin, cheese, and tomato sauce so nice and hot.
In lieu of English muffins, you could use split pita bread or flat bread, but it’s just not the same. You could even make them ultra miniature by using crackers, slices of baguette, or Melba toast rounds.
I made a very interesting canapé recently using grated apple and cheddar mixed with a little mayonnaise and mustard and then placed on Melba toast rounds and broiled briefly.
Now that I think of it, though, with all the grating, mixing, broiling, and serving them quickly before they cool, I would have done better had I served English muffin pizzas.
English Muffin Pizzas
4 English muffins split in half
1/3 cup marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Dried oregano to taste
Place muffins, cut side down, on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted. Spread the cut side of the muffins with marinara sauce and season with oregano. Top with the shredded mozzarella. Return muffins to broilers for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serves 4.
Sweet Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini
16 slices baguette, cut 1/2-inch thick
4 ounces Gorgonzola or bleu cheese, crumbled
1 small ripe pear, cored and sliced very thin
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat broiler. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil 4 or 5 inches from the heat for 30 to 60 seconds or until bread is lightly toasted. Turn each bread slice, and top with some of the Gorgonzola. Broil 30 to 60 seconds more or until cheese is bubbly and bread is toasted. Top each bread slice with a pear slice, and drizzle with a little bit of honey. Serve at once. Makes 16 appetizers. Now wouldn’t it be easier to make English muffin pizzas?
The oven timer buzzed and he took out a tray of English muffin pizzas, and I thought, “I really like these people.”
Oh sure, there’s sushi, and fussy canapés, and the ever-present hummus dip (which I do love), but sometimes there is just nothing like an English muffin pizza.
I couldn’t find the exact origin and time that English muffin pizzas first made their appearance, but I recall making them when I was a teenager; that would make their debut in the 1960s or 1970s. If anyone knows the answer to this query, please let me know.
I actually found recipes online for making English muffin pizzas, as if one needed specific instructions. Although, to be fair, there is one step in the creation of these tasty concoctions that might be skipped: the toasting of the muffin before layering the sauce and cheese.
Now, I used to just pop the halves in the toaster to lightly toast them. However, recipes say to place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted, and then place the layers on the untoasted side.
There’s also debate as to the state of the mozzarella cheese before broiling. I have found that if you slice the cheese and place it over the sauce the whole slice comes away with the first bite leaving you with an English muffin spread with tomato sauce.
Therefore, I grate the mozzarella and sprinkle it on top of the sauce and it’s just perfect. And perfect it really is: a wondrous little snack of muffin, cheese, and tomato sauce so nice and hot.
In lieu of English muffins, you could use split pita bread or flat bread, but it’s just not the same. You could even make them ultra miniature by using crackers, slices of baguette, or Melba toast rounds.
I made a very interesting canapé recently using grated apple and cheddar mixed with a little mayonnaise and mustard and then placed on Melba toast rounds and broiled briefly.
Now that I think of it, though, with all the grating, mixing, broiling, and serving them quickly before they cool, I would have done better had I served English muffin pizzas.
English Muffin Pizzas
4 English muffins split in half
1/3 cup marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Dried oregano to taste
Place muffins, cut side down, on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted. Spread the cut side of the muffins with marinara sauce and season with oregano. Top with the shredded mozzarella. Return muffins to broilers for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serves 4.
Sweet Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini
16 slices baguette, cut 1/2-inch thick
4 ounces Gorgonzola or bleu cheese, crumbled
1 small ripe pear, cored and sliced very thin
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat broiler. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil 4 or 5 inches from the heat for 30 to 60 seconds or until bread is lightly toasted. Turn each bread slice, and top with some of the Gorgonzola. Broil 30 to 60 seconds more or until cheese is bubbly and bread is toasted. Top each bread slice with a pear slice, and drizzle with a little bit of honey. Serve at once. Makes 16 appetizers. Now wouldn’t it be easier to make English muffin pizzas?
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Mellow Mallows
I’m taking a break from sneaking political opinion into this food column, because it’s just too stressful. Writing is not too stressful; it’s all the latest political intrigue that’s stressful.
I’m starting to have nightmares. Just last night, I dreamt I had climbed a whole lot of steps at an almost 90° angle up to a building. And when I reached the top, George Bush was there. I glanced warily over my shoulder at the long drop down the stairs (heights scare me lately), and said to George, “It’s a long way down.”
Whereupon (not too many people use that word these days) he said, “Yup, it is.” And he stuck his finger at me and pushed me over the edge. Luckily, I awoke at the 50th step and third bounce down.
Too stressful.
And then just the other day I was watching Scott McClellan duck questions from the press; all I could think of was the time my parents took me to the circus for the first time. One of the acts was a man tied to a spinning circle while his partner threw knives at him. I’m worried for Scott. Eventually, one of those knives is going to hit him, and he’s going to have to answer a question. I don’t think he could handle it; I know I can’t.
So, this week, since politics and global happenings are just too stressful and because I’ve had Scott McClellan on my mind, I’m going to write about marshmallows.
You might ask, “What exactly is a marshmallow?”
I asked my computer the very same question. My computer replied that it is a confection made of sugar or corn syrup, gelatin, and flavoring. The original recipe used an extract from the root of the marshmallow plant (a shrub like herb) and was enjoyed by the Ancient Egyptians.
Marshmallows were produced commercially in the late 19th century. The mixture was pushed out a tube, cut into sections and rolled in a mixture of cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar.
Life would be dull and unamusing without marshmallows. There would be no roasting marshmallows around a campfire and watching them go up in flames and reduced to the charred gooey mess that we all love.
Personally, I like it when they are just lightly browned all around. It takes years of practice to perfect the placement of the skewered marshmallow over the flame so that it does not ignite.
From roasting marshmallows, it’s a short jump to making S’mores. No one knows who started this phenomenon; however, in the 1927 Girl Scout Handbook there is a recipe combining marshmallows with chocolate and graham crackers.
Without marshmallows, hot chocolate would be just a bowl of heated chocolate and milk. With marshmallows, cocoa becomes an event. And if you’re lucky to find colored marshmallows, well, life just doesn’t get any better.
There are some trendy cafes now that serve cups of hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows. Sure, they’re overpriced, but when the wind has been kicking up and the cold is going through you like a knife; when the vice-president is trying to kill people, and when the president is selling our ports to the Arabs, it’s a luxury that is well worth it.
If you want to make your own marshmallows at home, here’s a recipe that makes a really close clone to those specialty café confections.
Marshmallows
3 envelopes unflavored, unsweetened gelatin
1/2 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment. Let stand 30 minutes.
Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a small heavy saucepan; place over low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. If you have a candy thermometer, clip it on the saucepan, and raise heat to high. Cook syrup without stirring until it reaches 244° (the firm-ball stage). Immediately remove the pan from heat.
With mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully drizzle syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase speed to high; beat until mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla (if you want to tint your marshmallows, this would be the time to add food coloring). Beat again to incorporate vanilla.
Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan with butter and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Pour marshmallow mixture into pan and smooth top with a spatula. Dust top with confectioners’ sugar; let stand overnight, uncovered, to dry out.
The next day, invert the pan on a cutting board that is lightly covered with confectioners’ sugar. Release the marshmallow from the pan by pulling from one corner and working it loose from the pan.
An easy way to cut the marshmallows is to use a large wet pizza wheel, dredging each piece in confectioners’ sugar until the sides are not sticky anymore. Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand overnight to dry the surface slightly. Store in an airtight container and they will keep for a month. Makes about 40 large marshmallows for enough cups of hot chocolate until the spring thaw.
I’m starting to have nightmares. Just last night, I dreamt I had climbed a whole lot of steps at an almost 90° angle up to a building. And when I reached the top, George Bush was there. I glanced warily over my shoulder at the long drop down the stairs (heights scare me lately), and said to George, “It’s a long way down.”
Whereupon (not too many people use that word these days) he said, “Yup, it is.” And he stuck his finger at me and pushed me over the edge. Luckily, I awoke at the 50th step and third bounce down.
Too stressful.
And then just the other day I was watching Scott McClellan duck questions from the press; all I could think of was the time my parents took me to the circus for the first time. One of the acts was a man tied to a spinning circle while his partner threw knives at him. I’m worried for Scott. Eventually, one of those knives is going to hit him, and he’s going to have to answer a question. I don’t think he could handle it; I know I can’t.
So, this week, since politics and global happenings are just too stressful and because I’ve had Scott McClellan on my mind, I’m going to write about marshmallows.
You might ask, “What exactly is a marshmallow?”
I asked my computer the very same question. My computer replied that it is a confection made of sugar or corn syrup, gelatin, and flavoring. The original recipe used an extract from the root of the marshmallow plant (a shrub like herb) and was enjoyed by the Ancient Egyptians.
Marshmallows were produced commercially in the late 19th century. The mixture was pushed out a tube, cut into sections and rolled in a mixture of cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar.
Life would be dull and unamusing without marshmallows. There would be no roasting marshmallows around a campfire and watching them go up in flames and reduced to the charred gooey mess that we all love.
Personally, I like it when they are just lightly browned all around. It takes years of practice to perfect the placement of the skewered marshmallow over the flame so that it does not ignite.
From roasting marshmallows, it’s a short jump to making S’mores. No one knows who started this phenomenon; however, in the 1927 Girl Scout Handbook there is a recipe combining marshmallows with chocolate and graham crackers.
Without marshmallows, hot chocolate would be just a bowl of heated chocolate and milk. With marshmallows, cocoa becomes an event. And if you’re lucky to find colored marshmallows, well, life just doesn’t get any better.
There are some trendy cafes now that serve cups of hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows. Sure, they’re overpriced, but when the wind has been kicking up and the cold is going through you like a knife; when the vice-president is trying to kill people, and when the president is selling our ports to the Arabs, it’s a luxury that is well worth it.
If you want to make your own marshmallows at home, here’s a recipe that makes a really close clone to those specialty café confections.
Marshmallows
3 envelopes unflavored, unsweetened gelatin
1/2 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar
Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment. Let stand 30 minutes.
Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a small heavy saucepan; place over low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved. If you have a candy thermometer, clip it on the saucepan, and raise heat to high. Cook syrup without stirring until it reaches 244° (the firm-ball stage). Immediately remove the pan from heat.
With mixer on low speed, slowly and carefully drizzle syrup into the softened gelatin. Increase speed to high; beat until mixture is very thick and white and has almost tripled in volume, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla (if you want to tint your marshmallows, this would be the time to add food coloring). Beat again to incorporate vanilla.
Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan with butter and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Pour marshmallow mixture into pan and smooth top with a spatula. Dust top with confectioners’ sugar; let stand overnight, uncovered, to dry out.
The next day, invert the pan on a cutting board that is lightly covered with confectioners’ sugar. Release the marshmallow from the pan by pulling from one corner and working it loose from the pan.
An easy way to cut the marshmallows is to use a large wet pizza wheel, dredging each piece in confectioners’ sugar until the sides are not sticky anymore. Place the marshmallows on a cake rack covered with paper towels and let them stand overnight to dry the surface slightly. Store in an airtight container and they will keep for a month. Makes about 40 large marshmallows for enough cups of hot chocolate until the spring thaw.
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