I bought icing sugar in bulk about 4 months ago in expectation of my next cake. Maybe to you that's ridiculous, but to me that's prudent planning. I didn't know what the cake would be at the time, and there's no way I could have suspected it would be a 6 egg yolk cake from the … [Read more...] about Lemon Buttercream
Orange Custard from the 1948 Joy of Cooking (aka “6 Egg Yolks Later”)
Irma Rombauer's instructions for 'Orange Filling' (aka custard, but not really, since her actual orange custard recipe comes later and includes sectioning whole oranges) are as follows: Stir and cook in a double boiler until thick: 1/2 tsp grated orange rind 1 tbsp lemon juice 6 … [Read more...] about Orange Custard from the 1948 Joy of Cooking (aka “6 Egg Yolks Later”)
The 1948 Joy of Cooking and My 12-Egg Yolk Yellow Cake with Orange Custard Filling and Lemon Buttercream
This one takes the cake, so to speak... For my friend's birthday I made her an angel food cake. It took 12 egg whites. I was not about to throw out 12 egg yolks and there's no way I could eat enough mayonnaise, zabaglione, or bechamel to get through these things in the short … [Read more...] about The 1948 Joy of Cooking and My 12-Egg Yolk Yellow Cake with Orange Custard Filling and Lemon Buttercream
“Heavenly Hosts”: The 3rd Annual Christmas Party
When I first described the Christmas party I planned for my family two years ago and immediately called it the "First Annual Watson/Volk Christmas party" my parents laughed a little. Wasn't I getting a bit ahead of myself? Work on one before assuming there'd be more. But I never … [Read more...] about “Heavenly Hosts”: The 3rd Annual Christmas Party
Roti Chanai, Take 2, with Roasted Squash and Jalapeno Pickle
I'm all about eating locally, and Indian food is not exactly what immediately pops to mind. I'll tell you, though, everything in this dish was local, from the chili peppers to the squash, to the flour for the roti. Last time my roti turned out pretty ugly, but delicious. This … [Read more...] about Roti Chanai, Take 2, with Roasted Squash and Jalapeno Pickle
Salad! Finally! (With Persimmon and Pear White Balsamic Vinaigrette)
You must think all I eat are pickles and jam with the occasional chestnut thrown in for good measure (it is historically the poor person's protein, and that's what most people think of as "lentils" today, and I eat a fair bit of those too...), but no, I eat a well-balanced diet. … [Read more...] about Salad! Finally! (With Persimmon and Pear White Balsamic Vinaigrette)
Persimmons and Pears with Cinnamon and Star Anise: The Season’s Last Adventure in Canning
I love the Atwater library. Anywhere I can walk in and take books out for free is a miraculous thing to me. Atwater just happens to be the version of that system closest to my house. There's actually a membership (which I think defeats the purpose of "free lending"...I actually … [Read more...] about Persimmons and Pears with Cinnamon and Star Anise: The Season’s Last Adventure in Canning
Inexpensive Moong Dal and the Montreal Metro’s Helpful Spice-Grinding Tips
So I was in the metro yesterday and looked up at the big MetroVision screens in the subway that tell you when the next train is coming and give you some generally uninformative news headlines, when lo and behold, I read the following: "To grind spices in a mortar and pestle, … [Read more...] about Inexpensive Moong Dal and the Montreal Metro’s Helpful Spice-Grinding Tips
Cupcake Camp Montreal 2010 Round-Up: On the Hunt for Dairy-Free Baked Goods
My personal challenge for cupcake camp Montreal 2010 was to hunt down all the dairy-free, vegan, and/or refined-sugar-free cupcakes. The idea was that this would keep me away from all the butter and cream that would make me sick for days, but allow me to enjoy the festivities … [Read more...] about Cupcake Camp Montreal 2010 Round-Up: On the Hunt for Dairy-Free Baked Goods
Dates, Leopoldo, and Tania
The final Jean-Talon fruit vendor test was dates. Medjool, not dinner and drinks. In fact, I've had worse dinners than these dates before. I won't get into it, but trust me, sometimes you're better off with medjools. Now, I've gotten picky with my dates recently (lets focus on … [Read more...] about Dates, Leopoldo, and Tania