Category: Recipes

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making and baking ladyfingers

home made ladyfingers or Savoiardi
home made Ladyfingers or Savoiardi are delicious!

Do you know what I love about many professional recipe makers, chefs and test kitchen cooks? In truth, I have a great deal of respect for many… but few tell their ‘secrets.’ My grandmother was far more blunt, she would often say,” when it comes to disclosing our recipes, we all lie!” Anyone who has tried to make a good meringue by following a cookbook recipe knows exactly what we mean!

When so many recipes try to discourage you from making your own ladyfingers, I should have known that something foul was afoot!

Obviously, I had to play around with all the of the self described ‘classic’ recipes to find something that would be acceptable. In addition, I planned to use these in my own Tiramisu so I wanted something nicer than store bought. The basic physical techniques for making ladyfingers are all very similar regardless of the recipe; however, it is the proportions and the fact that the recipes are incomplete that is so interesting.

Here’s how I made them!

Tomorrow we’ll discuss Tiramisu.

Bon appetite

Roger

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the many signs of spring

Here it is January and it is starting to feel like spring  in San Luis Obispo, California. Personally, I think my apple trees have one major season called ‘flowering’ and the remainder of the year it bares apples. Too bad, more apple pies to make! (click on the above photo for the recipe) It’s also nice to shed some of the rain gear and break out  the Harley!

Spring isn’t here yet, but it’s peeking  around the corner!

Roger

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baking ahead for Saint Paddy’s Day

keeping the spirit of Saint Paddy's Day alive!

Last year I posted my corned beef pie recipe and it generated much discussion.  Meat pies are very popular everywhere the British land and pop up often at picnics and special occasions. Most American’s are unfamiliar with any corned beef pie and this is why it is so special.

Laura remarked that she thought a corned beef pie appeals to women’s almost inherent desire for carbohydrates, vegetables and pastry, while men love the sheer meaty satisfaction. It’s hard for almost anyone to leave a meal of corned beef pie unsatisfied. The key to making a great corned beef pie is using the best corned beef ( I make my own), the best vegetables, a great gravy and a perfect crust!


This pie is now nicely tucked away … but I am sure I’ll have to make many more!

Roger

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recipe development

should I make or steal a recipe?

I have always learned in recipe development that many great works are made with much trial and error. However, like all great endeavors they are often built on the works of others. If you know what was in the mind of the recipe’s creator then you might understand some of the trade offs that went in it’s creation. Sometimes, the  today’s substitute has no resemblance with the original creation.  Chicken Tetrazinni and Beef Stroganoff are not the same thing with different meats and they never meant to be created with Mushroom soup.

Many recipes you find are the result of a committee. One chef says it should have this or that for ease in preparation, another will say that certain ingredients must be substituted due to cost and a few might throw in some products for no reason that they are a sponsors own preference. Why should we be bound by any of these constraints if indeed you wish to make something extraordinary? As said in the “Last Holiday”:

“the SECRET of Life is BUTTER!”

I would add, that it also contains wondrous cheeses, meats, cream and many long forgotten spices.

So, before you splash in that recipe some condensed milk, replace it with heavy cream … before you make that pie with cinnamon alone, think about how more delicious it might be with hints of nutmeg, cloves, cardamon? Have you ever tried ‘savory?’ or  ‘fenugreek?’ in anything?…  and there is so much more.

Enjoy the discovery.

Roger

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baked alaska made easy

Baked Alaska Made easy!

I am always amused at how simple recipes often intimidate… when there really is no reason.

Baked Alaska is a simple cake and ice cream dish with a flare for meringue and sometimes a little showmanship of lighted dark rum! If you look closely in the top right part of the above photo collage, you will see the flames rising from dark rum splashed on top of the meringue.

The brownie cake base was a simple one and I am sure your own nutty and heavily chocolaty version would probably work well. I prefer using a heavy cake as it needs to support the weight of a couple of quarts of ice cream. I used three mixed flavors of ice cream pressed together in a Neapolitan style. The superior meringue was the traditional one we use in all our pies.

the Bombe Alaska Chefs clowning around the merengue prep.
Family Chefs Clowning around while making Meringue

In case you were wondering… it was delicious!

Roger