IDEAS IN FOOD

Tinkering Troubles

I spent the afternoon revisiting an idea for noodles made with a glutinous rice flour starch paste. The difficulty with ideas that have been kicking around for awhile is the amount of hope for success I have. My plan was to create a thick noodle, in the style of udon, that could be kneaded relatively easily and could also cook quickly while producing a thick noodle chew. This was my third-ish attempt at this version of the noodle and I was anticipating a win. Despite all my hopes, and the visual cues of the dough kneading well and rolling how I wanted, the end result was a gummy mess.

I have some ideas on how to improve the noodles. The first is to use a harder wheat in the dough in conjunction with the rice flour.

Posted on January 05, 2024 at 03:30 PM in American Noodles, Approach to Cooking | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sugar Brioche

Alex made me sugar brioche today and it was one of the best gifts ever. It was unexpected and somehow exactly what I wanted. We aren't that great about giving each other gifts, so this was a total surprise.

An individual brioche is one of my favorite pastries. I don't get it very often because finding great brioche is like finding a unicorn in the desert. This was an experience. The bread was still warm, the cooling edges slowly setting up, so some bits were crisp and some were chewy. I broke the pastry open to reveal the delicate inner layers and peeled them off. They were soft and tender, substantial yet light, with those crunchy-chewy edges to provide texture and contrast. There were no glazes or fillings to distract from the crust and crumb or from the flavor of butter and sugar that carried it to the next level. I savored one by myself in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. It was one of those perfect moments that comes when we least expect it.

Posted on January 04, 2024 at 12:00 PM in At the Table, Balancing Tastes, Food and Drink, Food For Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Surprises Abound

I am constantly amazed about what we find and don't find in the supermarket.

What concerns me is the quality of the basics is degrading. Sure its fascinating to discover ingredients from Santa Stackers to A5 Wagyu rib-eyes.

But as we focus on shocking we forget about the foundations.

For instance, and this is an open question looking for actual answers, who has seen quality fish for sale at the supermarket?

Posted on January 04, 2024 at 05:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Second Day

Not that it was easy to say we were planning to document and explore again here in our digital notebook. It wasn't. But, like most things we do, the plan was not planned. We do not have a backlog of content waiting to dump here and share. We have spent years now exploring in the land of doughnutland. And some of these discoveries will be shared.

So, what will we be doing here? Exploring, testing, in my favorite way tinkering. We will write, we will observe, we will share.

Right now I am trying to get my writing muscles to work again. And I am trying to get the writing muscles to connect to the idea generating chaos that whirls around in my mind.

Today, I am getting back out there, committing to creating. Today I am working on getting words to flow and ideas begin to form.

The first day is easy. It's waking up and diving in with energy on the second day where we begin to discover.

Posted on January 03, 2024 at 06:49 AM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors | Permalink | Comments (3)

To Begin Again

I am looking for inspiration.

I am looking for ideas.

I am looking for connections.

I am looking for insights.

I am looking for improvements.

With all this attention focused on looking I am not able to see, feel, hear, smell, and taste. In looking, I have missed experiencing.

And so we start at the beginning. A fresh page.

Nothing fancy. Nothing simple. Words, hopefully connected together.

Posted on January 02, 2024 at 05:22 AM in What We Learned | Permalink | Comments (5)

Friends Who Forage

...and share their harvest are the very best kinds of friends. Finding edibles in the woods is not my forte, fortunately Judy and Andy are very good at it and gave us some beautiful ramps. Thanks guys!

In order to preserve the harvest I considered making them into pickles or kimchi. Because I didn't plan ahead, I didn't have exactly what I need for either, so I improvised. Oddly, I had no gochugaru in the house but I had a new bottle of Sriracha powder. I didn't have any fresh garlic either, so having that in the seasoning powder worked out. I made a marinade using equal parts white balsamic vinegar (out of rice vinegar too) and water, seasoned with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of Sriracha powder, 1 tablespoon of shoyu and a teaspoon of salt. It was nicely balanced, though in retrospect a splash of fish sauce would have been a nice addition, hitting all the different parts of my mouth and complementing the unique garlicky green flavor of the ramps.

I cut the ramps into the marinade, mixed it all together and packed it into a mason jar to do it's thing. They are not quite pickles and not quite kimchi, and, hopefully, the end result will be something very delicious. Time will tell.

Posted on May 09, 2023 at 09:37 AM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table, Balancing Tastes, Ingredients, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

What's Happening Right Now?

As I write this, Alex is torching a table top to create a single black table for the shop. It's made from the recycled bowling alley wood. Once he's done we're going to coat the wood and let it's natural beauty shine through.

Those of you who frequented the Spring House location will be happy to hear that Cynthia is returning as our Chef. We are very excited to have the team back together again. We have a lot more room to play in the new space and we're so glad that she's here for it.

Things are slowly coming together. The outdoor signs have been approved by the township and ordered. The floors will be finished sometime next week. And, as you can see in the picture above, the counters are taking shape. It's going to be a mad dash to the finish line and we are ready for the challenge.

You've got less than one week left to take advantage of any rewards you're still thinking about. Please share the Kickstarter campaign with anyone who you think might enjoy it. We look forward to seeing you all at the new shop!

-Aki & Alex

Posted on December 15, 2022 at 10:44 AM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, Food For Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let's Keep Moving Forward

This is a re-post of the recent update on our Kickstarter campaign.

LoveLogoFinal

Together, you have helped us reach our Kickstarter funding goal in 4 days. That is incredible. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has reached out, spread the word, donated, and continues to believe in us, in Curiosity Doughnuts, and in changing the world with doughnuts. You all are making it happen.

Now we have the opportunity to continue fundraising. Though the numbers exceed our original goal, they still have a purpose. The additional funding allows us to integrate aesthetic details and acquire equipment that are considered part of Phase Two of Curiosity Doughnuts. And, some of the funds beyond the goal will be destined for the “Oh S**t fund” for the unexpected and unplanned for costs of opening a new shop. We work hard to be prepared and know to expect curveballs, because there are always new and interesting challenges when dealing with buildings and businesses. Like discovering that your building is built on a concrete slab and the only way to realistically (due to budget and time constraints) add new drains is to get a pump to pipe the wastewater up the walls and through the ceiling to the existing drains.

Now we have 16 days to exceed our goal and make magic happen. Let’s see what’s possible and keep moving forward.

Thank you for all your support, interest, help, and passion for doughnuts.

-Aki & Alex

FYI, the Kickstarter Campaign is here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/akikamozawa/curiosity-doughnuts-the-new-shop

because for some reason the links in the post refuse to work...

Posted on December 05, 2022 at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Curiosity Doughnuts, The Kickstarter

After months of searching, we finally signed a lease. We are opening a new Curiosity Doughnuts at 800 Edison Furlong Rd, Furlong, PA (Doylestown Township). We are so excited, and to help get things up and running, we've launched a Kickstarter. We can't wait to get back into the kitchen and make doughnuts (and fried chicken sandwiches!) again. Please check out our campaign, share it if you like it, and we hope to see you at the new shop in January 2023.

Posted on December 01, 2022 at 01:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Quick, Easy, Super Delicious Benne Wafers

Benne or sesame seeds have a long history in the United States. The seeds were brought over by enslaved Africans, grown in hidden gardens, and eventually planted throughout the South. These days we mostly see sesame seeds in Asian dishes and on hamburger buns, but benne wafers are still a very popular cookie throughout the South.

I did not grow up eating these cookies. As a kid, I occasionally got to try sesame candies at parties. They were little brown logs and as you sucked on them the seeds came apart. They were crunchy and nutty, but I thought of them as candies for adults. They were a last resort candy, if there nothing better to eat. Fast forward quite a few years and the idea of roasted sesame candy is much more appealing. Roasted sesame cookies, even more so. These cookies have the soul of those candies in little round crispy bites of joy.

Southern benne wafers are a classic cookie. They come together quickly because the dough is made with melted butter and stirred together. I amplified the flavor by melting the butter with the sesame seeds, toasting them along with the milk solids until they were golden brown and fragrant. This extra step made all the difference. You can cook them cookies until they are just set and golden brown around the edges, for slightly softer, but still crunchy caramel-ly cookies or you can bake them a bit longer until they are a deep golden brown all over for crunchier cookies with notes of toffee underscoring the sesame flavor. Either way, they are delicious. The recipe makes 3 dozen and I tend to cook half of them each way, so I have an abundance of each.

These are generally made with white sesame seeds, but black seeds also work, you just need to pay attention to your nose when you're browning them in the butter. I also like to swap out 1/4 cup of chia seeds for an equal amount of sesame seeds. I like the flavor and texture that they add. But, don't blame me if you eat too many.

Benne Wafers

Makes 3 dozen

4 ounces unsalted butter

3/4 cup sesame seeds (sometimes I sub. in 1/4 cup chia seeds because I like the contrast)

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Put the butter and sesame seeds in a medium pot set over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the seeds are a pale golden brown and the milk solids are fragrant. The butter will melt and then foam as you stir. When the foaming dissipates, you are usually done. Remove from heat immediately to prevent the solids from burning and transfer the seeds and butter to a medium sized heatproof bowl. Add the dark brown sugar and salt and stir with a silicone spatula until all the sugar dissolves. Add the egg and stir quickly to incorporate. Add the vanilla and mix to blend. Finally, add the flour and stir until it forms a thick batter. Then set it aside for at least 5 minutes to hydrate and thicken.

Line your sheet pans with parchment paper and use a small sorbet scoop or a teaspoon to portion the dough. Drop scoops of the dough 2 inches apart on the sheet pans. Bake for 12-13 minutes until golden brown around the edges for classic benne wafers of for 14-15 minutes until the cookies are golden brown for crunchy benne wafers. Let cool for 5-7 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Posted on October 14, 2022 at 01:43 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table, Cookie Counter, Food For Thoughts, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mayo Marinated Five Ingredient Fried Chicken, Plus Vegetables

Okay, so fried chicken is a thing that lots of us have played with over the years. Recently, I saw our friend, Kenji, post about updating his 5 ingredient fried chicken recipe, swapping pickled jalapenos for his pickles in the recipe. He was smitten with his swap. I can agree with the move, as we did our pretzel crusted fried chicken with cherry pepper caramel sauce for years. The spice is nice.

I love the idea of simple, but, as anyone who knows me knows, I will make simple hard. My one hang-up with the 5 ingredient fried chicken sandwich is the lack of mayonnaise on the bun. Then it dawned on me. We could create a brine blending mayonnaise and cherry pepper brine. (We made a second version using giardanera, for those who aren't feeling the spice.) We scored our chicken and put it in a zip top bag with the mayo brine and refrigerated it overnight. The following morning we dredged the thighs, dripping in thick brine, in self rising flour seasoned with salt. We refrigerated the coated chicken on a parchment lined sheet pan for 6-ish hours (you could also leave it overnight and prep a day ahead) and then fried it at 375°F for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. We seasoned the fried chicken with salt.

While I fried the chicken, Aki chopped up cherry peppers and giardanera and added them to two separate containers of heavy mayonnaise to make tangy condiments for the buns. This way we could match the mayo to the brined chicken thighs.

We toasted our buns, in this case they were brioche-esque, and smeared the appropriate mayo onto the buns. Then we added sliced tomatoes and romaine leaves along with the chicken. We could have just put the chicken on the bun with the mayo to stay true to the 5 ingredients. But why stop there? We wanted to explore and enjoy. The 5 ingredient mayo model is magnificent. The final addition of fresh vegetables, a slaw or something else bright is a no-brainer in our kitchen.

You could definitely taste the difference between the two brines. The chicken had a great tangy flavor with a hint of spice. The crust was tender and crispy, while the meat was juicy and flavorful. And if you were wondering, a kimchi-mayo version is next on the list.

One more idea to explore and expand upon, what flavor is your mayo? There is such a variety of delicious condiments on grocery shelves these days, both spicy and smoked, that it's easy to add yet another layer of flavor without increasing the size of your ingredient list.

Ingredient Guidelines:

Brine:

100 grams mayonnaise

100 grams cherry pepper (GIardinara, kimchi, pickle, etc.) brine

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs scored

Self Rising flour seasoned with 1% salt

Chopped Cherry Peppers (or whatever pickled vegetable was in the brine)

Mayonnaise

Toasted Buns

*sliced and salted tomatoes

*lettuce leaves

Posted on July 14, 2022 at 08:55 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Down the Rabbit Hole

Roughly 7 years ago Curiosity Doughnuts began with a question, "What can we do with doughnuts?" The answer is still being written. Curiosity Doughnuts gets its name from our own restless curiosity. We are always thinking about new flavors and textures, bouncing around different ideas, and rotating our offerings, because we’re never satisfied with the status quo.

Curiosity Doughnuts began as a part time passion project in the Stockton Market that grew into a full time business with shops inside Whole Foods Market and beyond. We were moving from NH back to PA and we wanted to try something new. The idea of doughnuts came up, then a space magically appeared, and the rest is history. Our history began with Alex making a ridiculous 14 hour round trip commute each week for seven months while we sold our house and made the actual move and a whole lot of skepticism from everyone we knew. We’ve built a flourishing small business that makes people happy. Our goal is always to make people happy with doughnuts. We strive to do that every day we are open.

Our customers are the most important ingredients in our success. They are smart and inquisitive. They talk to us, asking questions, and sharing thoughts. We appreciate every one of you. It’s been such a pleasure to share our doughnuts with the world.

We have the best staff ever. We couldn’t have developed, shared, and eaten so many delicious doughnuts without them. Whole Foods Market has been a solid base of operations. They gave us the opportunity to share their space and we have met many incredible people throughout our relationship with them.

Curiosity Doughnuts has come to a crossroads and we are choosing to go off-road. The last seven years have been incredibly delicious, creative and inspiring. They have also taken their toll. We are hitting pause and shutting down our current locations. Our last day at Native Café will be Saturday, June 25. Princeton will be Sunday, June 26. White Horse Coffee will be July 1. Our final day will be at Spring House on Sunday July 3.

Change is necessary and we are embracing that. We are brainstorming new ways to bring the doughnuts back, but it’s a work in progress. Any new developments will be posted here and on social media. So keep an eye out. You never know where the rabbit hole will lead us…

Posted on June 22, 2022 at 03:45 AM in Approach to Cooking, Beyond the Kitchen Doors, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (1)

Curiosity Doughnuts: Six Years and

We opened Curiosity Doughnuts six years ago this weekend. I look back at what we were doing and how we did it. It was difficult and exhilarating. It was unknown. Six years later and our days still feel the same. Except now we have a few more doughs under our belts and have developed a unique style. Not knowing and being constantly curious has allowed us to discover, create and evolve. Thanks you to our incredible staff and passionate customers for keeping us moving forward.

Posted on October 01, 2021 at 08:57 AM in Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Smoked Ricotta Cavatelli

Sometimes, often times, all the time the good ideas are sitting in plain sight. The great ideas are usually right around the corner.

Posted on September 29, 2021 at 06:27 AM in American Noodles | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sourdough Pappardelle v#

Find an idea.

Picture it in your head.

Start tinkering.

Evaluate the results.

Make adjustments.

Try again.

Posted on September 22, 2021 at 04:00 PM in American Noodles | Permalink | Comments (0)

Building Blocks

I go to the grocery store a lot. I travel the aisles of ingredients. I leave empty handed because the ingredients don't look that great and I am not really inspired by anything. Have all the great ingredients disappeared? Do restaurants get the great stuff?

I am looking to spend the next couple of months, hopefully, shaping an idea. I am looking to put one of our side projects into production. The difficulty is my expectations of available ingredients and the accessibility of those ingredients to other people. This may influence how I approach the project, it may not. In the past I have allowed the availability of ingredients and there accessibility dictate my creative directions. I call this Alex's cookbook writers syndrome.

Posted on September 21, 2021 at 02:03 PM in American Noodles, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (2)

Take the Idea and Put it to Use

It has been a long time since we have written here. We have felt overwhelmed by the world of social media. We have felt a great loss of interest in our work.

We have let new-ish technology obscure our own vision. Read we let the ease of Instagram and its addictive simplicity and growing reach excuse us from doing the work and showing up to thoughtfully create.

I have felt that creativity has become clouded.

Let's see where we can go now after a bit of hibernation.

Restarting
Re-imagining
Repurposing
Remixing
Reinventing
Remastering

None of this is useful if we have not first started, imagined, mixed, purposed, invented and mastered.

Posted on September 20, 2021 at 08:46 AM in INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (5)

Fried Egg Salad To Convert The Haters

This week we're talking to Food 52"s Kristen Miglore about fried egg salad and other ideas in food...

Years Past

January 27, 2007 (2)

January 27, 2006

January 27, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on January 27, 2021 at 09:49 AM in Approach to Cooking, Culinary Conversations, Food For Thoughts, Listen to This | Permalink | Comments (0)

I Know What Love Is

Something to brighten your day in the midst of Covid.

Years Past

January 26, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on January 26, 2021 at 03:31 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, Videos | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chili Crisp Recipe

The very first time Alex tried chili crisp was at a dim sum place in San Francisco. We were there with a friend who used it liberally with his dumplings. Alex was instantly hooked on the idea of this spicy, crunchy, complex condiment.

Our recent New Year's Day ritual is to go out for dim sum. There is a pretty good place, less than an hour from home, that doesn't involve driving into Philly. This year we picked up the dim sum and brought it home. Fortunately, last year I bit the bullet and worked out a recipe for homemade chili crisp, that I never got around to posting here. This new year seems like a good time to share the recipe so everyone can make high quality chili crisp at home. I make mine with a lower proportion of oil than some because Alex eats likes a lot of crunchies when he uses it. If you like more oil, you can increase the amount in the recipe by 1/2 cup. I use roasted chick peas instead of roasted soybeans because they are easier to find and I like their flavor a little bit better. Once you have this in the pantry, you will discover that chili crisp can go almost anywhere you want some heat and crunch. If you like spicy it is a great condiment, so much better than the ubiquitous pepper mill. Fresh spices and good oil make all the difference.

Chili Crisp

1 head garlic, thinly sliced

2 cups sunflower seed oil (or other neutral oil)

4 shallots, thinly sliced

2 inches fresh ginger, thinly sliced

½ cinnamon stick

2 small pieces star anise

1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 3-4 ounce jar crushed red pepper

½ cup roasted chickpeas, soybeans or peanuts

Put the garlic and sunflower seed oil in a medium pot and set over medium heat. Fry until the garlic turns golden brown, and then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve. Strain oil through a fine sieve and return to the pot. Add the shallots and fry shallots until they are golden brown. Transfer the shallots to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve. Strain oil and return the oil to the pot and add the ginger. Fry ginger until crispy and then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve. Meanwhile pulverize spices, sugar and salt in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle to a fine powder. Put them in a medium pot and stir in the crushed red pepper. After frying the ginger, strain the hot oil over the spice mixture and stir to blend. Put the chickpeas, garlic, shallots and ginger in a blender and pulverize until they form rough crumbs. Stir into the chili mixture. Let cool and transfer to one quart or 2 pint sized mason jar(s). Store in the refrigerator.

Posted on January 12, 2021 at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Fried Egg Salad

We've spent a lot of time thinking about egg salad. Mostly about the cooking and peeling of eggs. We have our favorite method, steaming for 13 minutes and then peeling, but it's still kind of a pain. So, Alex decided to find a way to crack the eggs and this salad was born.

For our first run through, he made ham and egg salad. We do a gentle steam/fry until the eggs, and, in this case, ham and onions, are just cooked through. Cut or chop up your eggs, along with whatever else you've cooked with them, and add your mayo and other seasonings and/or cold vegetables. I like finely diced celery and onions in my version. Gently mix it all together and you’ve got egg salad to make anyone happy.

*Special bonus, warm egg salad is extra delicious.

Years Past

November 29, 2019

November 29, 2018

November 29, 2017

November 29, 2016

November 29, 2015

November 29, 2014

November 29, 2013

November 29, 2012

November 29, 2011

November 29, 2010

November 29, 2009

November 29, 2008

November 29, 2007

November 29, 2006

November 29, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on November 29, 2020 at 12:58 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table | Permalink | Comments (5)

Pasta Carbonara

Cooking with cream is kind of our thing and one of the best cream-based recipes out there is for pasta carbonara. It's not quite breakfast for dinner but it's close enough to satisfy Alex and far enough away to make me happy. Marriage is all about balance. And it's a pantry dinner that comes together quickly, which is always a good thing. We're serving four these day and this made plenty for everyone, with leftovers to make into a frittata the next morning. You need a pasta pot and a large saute pan. Yes, you have to keep the toppings separate and let people mix them in on their own, it's just better that way. It keeps the flavors separate so you can taste each ingredient and it keeps the peas from turning into mush. Best of all, everyone can add as much or as little as they would like and eat it however they want to.

Pasta Carbonara

Serves 4

8 ounces long pasta (we used Barilla Collezione bucatini above)

1 cup +1/4 cup heavy cream, separated

4 large egg yolks

1 cup grated parmigiano, plus more to finish the dish

Lottie's Traditional Barbados Yellow Hot Pepper Sauce (A.K.A. magic mustard sauce), optional

1/2 large onion, finely diced

1 cup ham, diced

1/2 bag frozen peas

1 green onion, finely sliced

Cook the pasta in boiling, generously salted water for one minute less than the time on the box. Meanwhile whisk together 1 cup of cream, egg yolks, the parmigiano cheese and a few shakes of Lottie's sauce, if using. Reserve. Put the remaining 1/4 cup cream in a large skillet or saute pan and add onions, ham, a pinch of salt and a dash of Lottie's sauce, if using. Bring to a simmer, cover and keep over low temperature as the pasta cooks. Two minutes before the pasta is done, add the frozen peas to the ham mixture in the skillet, season with salt, stir them in, and re-cover the pan. Increase the heat to medium low. Drain the cooked pasta when done, leaving about a quarter cup of cooking water in the pot. Return the pasta to the pot and add the reserved cream mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. Taste for seasoning and add salt or more cheese as needed. Once the pasta is done, turn off the heat under the saute pan. Plate the pasta and sprinkle it with more cheese and the sliced green onion. Spoon the ham and vegetable mixture over each mound of pasta and serve immediately.

Years Past

November 20, 2019

November 20, 2018

November 20, 2017

November 20, 2016

November 20, 2015

November 20, 2014

November 20, 2013

November 20, 2012

November 20, 2011

November 20, 2010

November 20, 2009

November 20, 2008

November 20, 2007

November 20, 2006

November 20, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on November 20, 2020 at 01:31 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table, Balancing Tastes, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thumbprint Cookies

There are certain cookies that I only seem to make at Christmas time. There's no reason for this, other than the fact that I must keep chocolate chip cookie dough stocked in the house at all times for Alex and we can only eat so many cookies, so my motivation to make other kinds is low. Biscotti and shortbread make more appearances than any other cookies simply because they take well to the cookie jar and don't need to be eaten quickly.

This year I decided not to wait to start making cookies. I am starting with the thumbprints and plan to make one alternate cookie a week and enjoy the hell out of them. Normally we gorge ourselves on cookies for a week or two around Christmas but this year I plan to draw out the pleasure and make my cookies last. Instead of struggling over which to pick to, I am going to space them out and savor each one.

This thumbprint recipe is a riff off of the one in Mrs. Field's Best Cookie Book Ever! My copy is literally falling apart, so it seemed a good time to jot down my changes and preserve the recipe in the cloud for Amaya. One day she may want to make these for herself. I used a hand mixer to make this batch and the dough is a little rough around the edges. I'll probably knead the rest of it a little bit to smooth things out for the next batch. Still delicious, just a little rustic in appearance.

These cookies are softly sweet and buttery, with a crisp-tender texture that makes me happy. As with all cookies, there are very few ingredients, so quality matters. If you wouldn't slather the butter on bread or eat the jam with a spoon then don't put them in the cookies. And that's all I have to say about that. These are excellent breakfast cookies, but then again, at my house all cookies are excellent options for breakfast.

"Thumbprint" Cookies

3 dozen cookies

8 ounces (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) sugar

½ teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder

½ teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea salt

1 large egg

2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla paste or extract

2 ½ cups (375 grams) all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line your half sheet pans with parchment paper.

Use a stand mixer with a paddle or a hand mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined. Add the egg and vanilla, and then mix until smooth. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.

Use a purple cookie scoop (just over 1 ½ tablespoons) or a or a spoon (roll it into balls) to scoop out the dough and set it on the prepared baking sheets, leaving two inches between each cookie. Use a ½ teaspoon to scoop out the center of each portion of dough. Press the open end directly into the center of the portion and then rotate it in a circle (as you would use a melon baller) to scoop out a small ball of dough. You can reuse these portions of dough to make more cookies. You can press the back of the spoon into the indentation if it seems too shallow. Use the ½ teaspoon to fill each indentation with jam. Bake for 22-24 minutes until the cookies are a light, golden color. Cool completely before serving.

*We have a very slow oven at the moment, so the cookies took me 28 minutes. Don’t be concerned if they take longer than expected. I have had them finish in the time listed above in many other ovens, so just keep in mind that cooking times are relative…also, the darker the cookies, the deeper the flavor. Impatience usually makes my first batch the palest gold, rather than a deep golden brown.

**And, I had the oven temperature wrong. Edited above. I still have a slow oven but not quite as slow as I thought. I did not bother to knead the cookie dough because the texture was perfect the first time around and I didn't want to mess with them.

Years Past

November 18, 2019

November 18, 2018

November 18, 2017

November 18, 2016

November 18, 2015

November 18, 2014

November 18, 2013

November 18, 2012

November 18, 2011

November 18, 2010

November 18, 2009

November 18, 2008

November 18, 2007

November 18, 2006

November 18, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on November 18, 2020 at 03:37 PM in Approach to Cooking, At the Table, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Through the Doughnut Hole

Here's the latest artwork to celebrate our life in doughnuts. Yes, that's fifteen individual doughs that we make every day at the shop. We're a little crazy like that. It's because you deserve the best and so do we. So we make it happen. Happy Friday!

Years Past

August 21, 2015

August 21, 2011

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

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Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on August 21, 2020 at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sharing a Solo Meal

We have meals that we like to eat alone. Dishes that are so visceral and specific that they don't lend themselves well to company. Things that we crave with an unreasonable passion, because they feed something deep inside of us that is hungry.

I had a craving like that recently. It's a pasta dish that I created many years ago when I was working as an au pair in Brussels. I had little time off and almost no time on my own (there were no rules back then about days off or regular paychecks) but one evening the family went out to dinner and left me home alone. I made my dinner from a box of pasta and some odds and ends and then watched tv, none of which I understood, and reveled in my freedom. It was a glorious evening.

These days, thanks to the pandemic, I never seem to get a meal alone. My mom is with us for the duration, so the evenings when Alex and Amaya go off to the climbing gym, which used to be my me-time, are now spent with my mom. My special pasta is a pantry dish. Sliced onions and anchovies, stewed down in olive oil with a fat pinch of crushed red pepper. When the onions are sweet and translucent I add a generous serving of angel hair with a splash of its cooking liquid and toss everything together with some grated parmigiano. The finished dish is sweet and salty and spicy and deeply satisfying.

I knew mom would like the pasta. Although I would have preferred to eat alone. I couldn't cook for myself and not offer her any, so I turned it into a meal for two. She thought it sounded delicious. Then as I was tossing the pasta she grabbed a handful of basil and asked me to tear it into the dish. I declined. Then she headed over to the fridge and starting pulling out bottles of hot sauce and asking me which one would be best? I gritted my teeth and suggested that she taste it before adding anything and then she could season it as she wished. She chided me for being too sensitive but left the hot sauce in the fridge. We sat down to dinner. She loved it. Ate every bite with no additions. It was one of the best versions I'd ever made. Something was missing for me though. Next time, I'll wait until I'm on my own to make it again.

Years Past

July 28, 2012

July 28, 2010

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on July 28, 2020 at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Inspired to Do Stuff

The key is finding and believing in the stuff.

Years Past

May 4, 2019

May 4, 2018

May 4, 2017

May 4, 2016

May 4, 2015

May 4, 2012

May 4, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on May 04, 2020 at 04:13 PM in INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Flower Power

It's what we experience that inspires us.

Years Past

May 3, 2019

May 3, 2018

May 3, 2017

May 3, 2016

May 3, 2015

May 3, 2012

May 3, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on May 03, 2020 at 03:54 PM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors | Permalink | Comments (0)

Large Loaves

We have adapted our no-knead pizza dough once again. This time we stripped it down to flour, water and salt. To that we added what we call sourdough base. Sourdough base is a mixture of 1 part sourdough starter to 2 parts flour and two parts water that is combined and allowed to ferment for at least 6 hours. We combined everything in a large bowl. We mixed and folded the developing dough occasionally over an 18 hour window. We put the dough into a pre-heated Dutch oven and baked it for an hour and fifteen minutes. The first 30 minutes the loaf was covered, the second 30 minutes it was uncovered and for the final 15 minutes we baked the loaf on a wire rack. The crust is crackling and crisp. The interior is moist, airy and chewy. It's been fun to revisit an old friend.

Years Past

May 2, 2019

May 2, 2018

May 2, 2017

May 2, 2016

May 2, 2015

May 2, 2014

May 2, 2013

May 2, 2012

May 2, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on May 02, 2020 at 03:46 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oven Roast Stock

I roasted the chicken legs and ham hocks in the roasting pan for over an hour. I added water and let the broth cook for hours. It's so easy it feels like cheating.

Years Past

May 1, 2019

May 1, 2018

May 1, 2017

May 1, 2016

May 1, 2015

May 1, 2012

May 1, 2006

May 1, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on May 01, 2020 at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Grits in a Can

I took a can of hominy and put it into a pot with the liquid from the can and a splash of milk. I used a stick blender to puree the hominy. I brought the mixture to a simmer and cooked the porridge until it thickened, about five minutes. I finished my quick, magic like, grits with cheddar cheese, some hot sauce and a knob of butter.

Years Past

April 30, 2012

April 30, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 30, 2020 at 02:21 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cornflakes Crullers

I loved this idea. Our first attempts proved to be an epic fail. That said, I may have to revisit this again soon.

Years Past

April 29, 2019

April 29, 2018

April 29, 2017

April 29, 2016

April 29, 2015

April 29, 2012

April 29, 2007

April 29, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 29, 2020 at 02:07 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Peanut Butterscotch

Looking at these butterscotch peanut butter cups sparked the idea of peanut butterscotch.

Time to start tinkering.

Years Past

April 28, 2019

April 28, 2018

April 28, 2017

April 28, 2016

April 28, 2015

April 28, 2012

April 28, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 28, 2020 at 02:03 PM in American Noodles, Balancing Tastes, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Power of Three

Years Past

April 27, 2015

April 27, 2012

April 27, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 27, 2020 at 01:43 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Box of Churros

These seem to be destined to top a doughnut.

Years Past

April 26, 2019

April 26, 2018

April 26, 2017

April 26, 2016

April 26, 2015

April 26, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 26, 2020 at 11:45 AM in Approach to Cooking, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pink Tonic Slushy

Amaya's new favorite beverage is a pink tonic slushy. She turns ice to snow in our Vitamix. She pops the top on Fever Tree's aromatic (pink) tonic water and pours it over, in a mason jar of course. A stir with a spoon and she is in refreshment heaven. It turns out to be extremely refreshing and crushworthy.

Years Past

April 25, 2019

April 25, 2018

April 25, 2017

April 25, 2016

April 25, 2015

April 25, 2014

April 25, 2013

April 25, 2012

April 25, 2011

April 25, 2008

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 25, 2020 at 11:38 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Braised and Glazed

Pork shanks do really well braised. I have been struggling with braised meat recently. It becomes tender but loses its flavor to the sauce. I was in need of a braised and glazed piece of meat. I reminisced to the days of slowly lacquering a piece of meat in a pan. When I came across some pork shanks in the store I had high hopes of reliving my dreams. We braised the shanks in an enriched broth. We strained the broth and let the shanks cool in it overnight. The following day we gently warmed the shanks in the broth. We pulled them out of the broth and put them in a pan on the stove and slowly started basting them in the broth, allowing it to reduce and thicken. I added additions of broth to the pan only when the initial broth was almost completely glazing the shanks. The result was a sticky shank sitting on a bed of grits with sauteed cabbage. The sliced jalapenos were my needed spice addition.

Years Past

April 24, 2019

April 24, 2018

April 24, 2017

April 24, 2016

April 24, 2015

April 24, 2012

April 24, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 24, 2020 at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Protect Your Timer

Covering the timer with a thin layer of plastic wrap keeps all the gunk out of the buttons and makes daily cleaning, especially in a doughnut shop, extremely easy.

Years Past

April 23, 2019

April 23, 2018

April 23, 2017

April 23, 2016

April 23, 2015

April 23, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 23, 2020 at 07:03 AM in Approach to Cooking, Curiosity Doughnuts, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Making Doughnuts

Years Past

April 22, 2019

April 22, 2012

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 22, 2020 at 07:00 AM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chocolate Lemon Twists

I have always enjoyed the twist, particularly in ice cream. At the doughnut shop we currently do not have the capacity to serve ice cream. We do have the ability and the resources to create and combine flavors. When we first opened we created the marble doughnut. Almost five years later we have begun exploring twists, combing the flavors of our new fashioned doughnuts. My current go to is the crushworthy combination of chocolate and lemon in a twist.

Years Past

April 21, 2019

April, 21, 2018

April 21, 2017

April 21, 2016

April 21, 2015

April 21, 2012

April 21, 2009

April 21, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 21, 2020 at 06:48 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, Curiosity Doughnuts | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Process is the Inspiration

Inspiration comes from doing.

The title alone is worth the purchase of the book. A deep dive into the pages is an eye opening reminder on how to kindle your own creativity.

Years Past

April 20, 2019

April 20, 2018

April 20, 2017

April 20, 2016

April 20, 2015

April 20, 2012

April 20, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 20, 2020 at 06:05 AM in Beyond the Kitchen Doors, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Quesadilla Omelette

I saw the videos of breakfast sandwiches being cooked in one pan on top of scrambled eggs. I wondered if I started a quesadilla in a pan and then poured the eggs around it what would happen. It turns out I have our new go to breakfast.

Years Past

April 19, 2019

April 19, 2018

April 19, 2017

April 19, 2016

April 19, 2015

April 19, 2012

April 19, 2006

April 19, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 19, 2020 at 06:04 AM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Breakfast Love

The impact of simple adjustments may be monumental if done with exacting thought.

Years Past

April 18, 2019

April 18, 2018

April 18, 2017

April 18, 2016

April 18, 2015

April 18, 2009

April 18, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 18, 2020 at 05:49 AM in Approach to Cooking, INSPIRATIONS | Permalink | Comments (0)

Microwaved Onions

I was looking for half cooked, slightly sweet onions to add to our burgers. I sliced an onion and dressed it with salt and olive oil. I put it onto a plate and covered it with a silicone drop lid. I microwaved the onions for 2 minutes. The onions became soft and pliable. They were the perfect onion for topping a double stack burger.

Years Past

April 17, 2019

April 17, 2018

April 17, 2017

April 17, 2016

April 17, 2015

April 17, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 17, 2020 at 04:46 PM in Approach to Cooking, Balancing Tastes | Permalink | Comments (0)

Strawberry Pie Season

When the strawberries perfume the grocery stores I know its time to persuade Aki to make strawberry pie.

Years Past

April 16, 2019

April 16, 2018

April 16, 2017

April 16, 2016

April 16, 2015

April 16, 2011

April 16, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 16, 2020 at 04:41 PM in Bakers Dozen | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits is iconic. As an icon it has a defined foundation: shrimp and grits. The rest of the dish is up to the discretion of the cook. The success of this version was seasoning the sauce with our homemade chili crisp and a spoonful of white miso.

Years Past

April 15, 2019

April 15, 2018

April 15, 2017

April 15, 2016

April 15, 2015

April 15, 2012

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2006

April 15, 2005

Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work

Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook

Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table

Posted on April 15, 2020 at 04:28 PM in Balancing Tastes, CULINARY EVOLUTIONS | Permalink | Comments (1)

Scallions for the Win

We marinated these lamb shoulder chops in spiced yogurt. They cooked slowly on our grill as we were running out of propane. I pulled the chops off the heat and let them rest. Aki pulled a container of sliced scallions from the fridge and liberally applied them to the warm chops. The scallions gently heated through perfuming the air and the meat with a bright aroma of sliced spring onions.

Years Past

April 14, 2019

April 14, 2018

April 14, 2017

April 14, 2016

April 14, 2015

April 14, 2012