Potlikkery

cocktails in the [dry] workplace

Earlier this week my library closed half a day for training. That's my workplace, the academic library. We need lots of libation and lubrication after a day here. It's not the work, or the population we serve. It's the politics, the red-tape, you know how it is. The actual connecting with students and serving them is fantastic. 

Part of the morning's FUN was when several of us shared our passions with our colleagues.Topics ranged from making a gorgonzola cream sauce from scratch (with bonus wine pairing) to Japanese cinema. And my passions are many, that is why librarianship is a perfect pairing for me. What occupies much of my time these days is twitter and television.

Haven't found an engaging book. My kitchen is so depressing spending time cooking in it would send me into such a downward spiral and my spirits are so low about other things in life that fast food solves the "must eat" problem in a pinch at this moment. Wish it wasn't so. But, enough about that!

Nevertheless I presented two topics to the training organizer: twitter or cocktails. 

She chose cocktails. 

I schooled my people on the origins of the word, OED origins, where it developed in the USA, and the best cocktail experience: New Orleans, at the best bar Carousel Bar, at the best hotel, Hotel Monteleone. Filled them in about Tales of the Cocktail, an entire week devoted to mixology, seminars, awards, panels, and trends in cocktails, such as how bartenders use the martini glass to concoct drinks called "martinis" that are not martinis.  

Naturally, these are my opinions--that is, about New Orleans being the penultimate cocktail experience. You may disagree. And I'm open to your suggestions and willing to travel and barhop in other cities for research purposes.

I've swilled excellent cocktails elsewhere but touring from bar to bar in New Orleans cannot be beat. New Orleans kicks ass. The people are fantastic, the camaraderie cannot be beat. Oh, except for that Mother's Day shooting. Long exhale. 

And remaining at the Carousel as it turns, turns, turns, and line-item ordering down its extensive menu isn't a bad idea either.

In my very limited time, I educated them about the sanctity of the martini (gin + vermouth) and threw in a delicious Dorothy Parker quote and had them recite how James Bond likes his.

Don't think they appreciated the Parker quote. Bunch of prudes, really. In the past, my boss asked me to tone down my snark and one student found me disturbing (okay so she didn't love The Walking Dead like I do). I'm okay with being myself. Jesus loves me just as I am. Letting my freak flag fly. No self-censorship here.

Twas delightful, plus I plugged my new fav, Cardinal Gin and told them it was an essential purchase for their drysink. Since we're a dry campus (except for when the president pours it behind closed doors for his big donor cronies) I couldn't stream samples. In closing, I suggested they remember to drink like a Gatsby.

Perhaps I piqued their interests about cocktails. There was one question about whether I'd sampled the Jonge Bols from my colleague native to The Netherlands. Sadly, no. I reiterated my search for Pisco and how it isn't distributed in the southeast and how I traveled to central Florida to buy a bottle to re-create Marvin's fantastic Pisco Sours from the Carousel. 

smitten kitchen (book review)

Yeah, yeah, ever late to the party. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook rocks, but you already know this, right? So I contacted SK's publicist ages ago (last fall) and received gallies and worked with the recipes for a few months and they're awesome. If you didn't buy everyone on your list a copy for winter holidays or mother's day, well father's day is coming up and there are always birthdays. And maybe it will be in paperback soon, or there's always the kindle edition, but who wants an eBook cookbook? not I. 

Deb Perelman's recipe's and photography are just that fantastic. You should own this book. Her pizza dough recipe is OUR house pizza dough recipe now. I've been making the dough recipe that accompanied my pizza stone a decade ago and once I tried hers, well, I'm never going back. For one, that recipe takes too long, and for two, her recipe is tastier. 

Her quick and dirty pizza dough recipe rocks, and honestly I always do that one. It's ready in less than thirty. But, she offers a longer one that you have to let rise for a Loooooooong time. But why wait? If you've got the time, I suppose you could do so. Like if you're also watching your grass grown in your yard. Whatever floats your boat. 

And I don't love popcorn, but her popcorn cookies are freakishly good. The popcorn and cookie combination somehow works. The cookie dough batter is irresistible. Just work up a batch of that and spoon it up. Slowly, while you watch your grass grown and wait on your pizza dough to rise. 

True confession: I rarely eat cookies, either, and I couldn't help but snarf these left and right one after the other. So, I actually haven't made them again, because both the batter and the finished product are too dangerous to my waistline. 

Since I had the gallies, the photos were in black in white, so I had to imagine how drool-worthy Deb's photos were, but since you're undoubtedly familiar with her blog & online presence, you can imagine the book's real beauty. After Smitten Kitchen Cookbook appeared at bookstores I leafed through a copy and yeah, it was tremendously well-produced. Lovely paper, typography, and photography. 

Why are you still reading this blog post? Buy a copy, or three, already. 

I received gallies of this book from her publicist, just to let you know, so I'm in accordance with the new FTC regulations, but otherwise, I received no other form of compensation for this review. It's just what I do. I love to read. I love to write. I love to eat. Sometimes cook. And I love to share my opinion.

you be sweet (cookbook review)

This book threw me for a loop. I wasn't sure if the stories inside were real or made up, but does it matter? They're lovely and accompany the recipes to a T. You Be Sweet: Sharing You Heart One Down-Home Recipe at a Time is crowded with southern standards I couldn't wait to bake in my just-barely-hanging-in-there oven. Amy Lyles Wilson and Patsy Caldwell collaborate in crafting this collection of sweet, quirky tales depciting southern life which is never devoid of food. We all know that nothing of any import happens unless there's food, or at least until dessert arrives at any gathering. At least, that is the way it should be.

I tried so many pies out of this book, that my family--well, okay, just Ian and I, were swimming in pie. Elsa hasn't developed her pie palate yet. She will. But wait, there's more than pie in this book. It's just that I like pie. No, I LOVE pie. We're a pie-centric household.

So the Chocolate Banana Caramel Cream Pie was yummy. Totally. I'm never a fan of meringue, but this was nice. Every bite, was a delight. 

And this was my first sweet potato pie, I've ever eaten, or made. I've been converted. It was delicious. I could make one every week and live on sweet potato pie alone. Swear. Dollop a bit of fresh whipped cream on it, and it's killer. The recipe is a keeper. 

What else? Now all the recipes I tried were not my favorite. Like in the book the authors say that the Banana Butterscotch Bread is such a winner. They always have folks asking for the recipe. I made it. Neither Ian or I loved it. Couldn't get Elsa to eat it. Yeah, she's almost five, and still particular about what she eats. Usually fairly good about trying any carbs though. She's like her mother; she'll eat bread easy. But she said no to the BBB.

Surprise Coconut Pie WAS a surprise indeed. My main problem with this pie was that I constructed it in stages. As a mother who works outside the home, I can't spend as much time baking as I'd like, so I didn't have time to make this in one day. Unforunately, I set it aside in the fridge and then finished and baked it the next day. So my surprise was that the crust, which was supposed to be lovely and crisp, was soggy as... insert your choice of noun there. And instead of using typical shredded coconut on top of the meringue, I used this frou-four shaved coconut I got at the frou-frou organic store, so that's what.

Oh, and this Blackberry Crumb Pie was probably one of my favorites. Love blackberries. They're probably my favorite fruit of all. And soon it will be blackberry season. Hey, by the way, local people, Scott's Strawberry booths are popping up everywhere, so we'll have strawberry abundance before long. And maybe I can concoct a Strawberry Crumb Pie!

Basically all I made from this book was pies. There were other recipes I was drawn to, like the Red Velvet Cheesecake and the Bread Pudding made from doughnuts. I simply ran out of time. Regardless, this cookbook entertained me for at least a month as a flipped back and forth picking out recipes to try. No glitches with measurements. Everything came out well. Good eating and I've added this one to my permanent cookbook collection. 

I received a review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, just to let you know, so I'm in accordance with the new FTC regulations, but otherwise, I received no other form of compensation for this review. It's just what I do. I love to read. I love to write. And I love to share my opinion.

all apologies soup

Never-mind the three month absence. That's what this soup recipe is clearing up. The crippling fatigue I felt all fall, which prevented me from blogging, and cooking anything of note...well, the blogging about it part, at least, wasn't because of a lingering flu, like I imagined. 

My blood pressure soared to heights it never reached when I was pregnant. Too much stress at home. Too much stress at work. 

Last night I made this yummy roasted cauliflower, mushroom, and arugula soup. I based it on Ina Garten's roasted potato leek soup, which I made about two weeks ago. Successfully, I might add, all but fore the crispy shallots.

Where the heck am I supposed to find shallots?

And I'm gonna shout it out to the world: I LOVE LEEKS!!

During my down time--I took about two weeks off from work after Christmas just to do nothing-- I kept the Food Network on in the background and reveled in the Barefoot Contessa. 

Surely, that I what I hate most about being a "working woman" well, one who works outside the home, at least--I don't get to watch back-to-back episodes of Barefoot Contessa everyday on Food Network. That might be my real dream, afterall.

Btw, my mom gave me BC's newest cookbook for Christmas. I bought two pounds of carrots and a bunch of marscapone to make that carrot cake recipe. BUT, then my labs came back from my PCP visit and my cholesterol is SO high that I don't know if I dare make the cake or not. 

That's why the soup. Trying to reform my fried and fatty food ways. Eat more fiber. I've always eaten good fats. Methinks it's the too much eating out that drove my cholesterol sky-high...during the deep-fatigue months of autumn. Also, I have inherited high cholesterol.

But enough about that. You came for the recipe, right?

Hope I can remember it. Much of my cooking is by feel and taste; not exact at all. 

All apologies soup

One head of cauliflower, rinsed & cut up
One container of mixed mushrooms, rinsed
handfull of arugula, rinsed
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
64 oz organic chicken stock (two boxes)
1/2 cup half & half
2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
1 cup white wine, separated

Heat oven to 400. Spread cauliflower evenly on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 2 T olive oil. Roast about 40 minutes. Check every 10-15 minutes and turn. At last 10 minutes douse with 1/2 c white wine and sprinkle arugula over top and let it wilt. 

As your cauliflower is roasting you can be working on the mushrooms. Saute mushrooms with remaining olive oil in Dutch oven. Pour in one box of chicken stock and let simmer about 15 minutes, then add half & half. Stir and continue to simmer. 

At 40 minutes, remove baking sheet from oven. Be sure to wear an oven mitt. Scrape cauliflower and arugula (and leavings) from baking sheet into Dutch oven and stir to incorporate everything into the soup. Add whipping cream, nutmeg, wine (I used a Toad Hollow Chardonnay I had on hand and it was divine, though Sauvignon Blanc is typically suggested for cooking purposes), and second box of chicken stock. Simmer another 10-15 minutes until ingredients are warmed together. 

You could always use a hand-blender to pulverize this into a thicker, condensed soup, which is what Ina Garten recommends with the roasted potato leek soup this is based upon. But I prefer a more rustic soup with hearty pieces of cauliflower floating around, more like a stew. 

my girl loves dough

Anytime I have a flour + water combo on the table kneading it into a shape, Elsa sniffs it out and wants to get her fingers doughy. She loves helping make pizza, or biscuits, or anything. Her middle name should be Helper instead of Marie. But who knew she'd be an astonishing helper? That she'd love to be in the kitchen?

Developing her kitchen skills is my main goal this year but I'm at a loss as to what direction to head. Normally I throw caution to the wind and end up letting her tackle much more than she's ready for because I overestimate her manual dexterity. 

While she's nowhere near ready for knife skills (nor AM I!), we're priming her for the day when she can learn to cut carrots and cheese and other items with a knife. 

But, one thing is for sure: I've a ready supply of dough keeping her busy. But we all know that overworked dough doesn't always equal something we want to eat. I keep a bit of "play" dough on hand for her to wiggle her digits through so we have tender bread to sink our incisors into. Otherwise, we'd be throwing our bread to the dogs, and they'd love that.