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Sunday 24 May 2015

Friday 22 May 2015

Basil,tomato and parmesan Tacos nibble

Basil,tomato and parmesan Tacos nibble
Our first course was a two-parter
Toasted coffee on passion fruit and rum parfait  accompanied with a beetroot meringue
Naturally, it wasn’t as straightforward as it sounds.
You’ll have to go to check it out.
Great blog from Gazing and Grazing link below
http://gazeandgraze.com/wordpress/category/graze/

Thursday 21 May 2015

Jon Hole it is "Turkish" coffee.

Jon Hole it is "Turkish" coffee. The foam comes from caramelizing sugarcane and spices. The sand is a extremely heated. Sand gives an even heat that caramelizes the sugar and boils the coffee in seconds. http://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/watch-magic-coffee-brewed-hot-sand
http://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/watch-magic-coffee-brewed-hot-sand

Spring time Cake


Spring time Cake

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

Almond,Orange and Olive Oil Cake

"Almond blossom, sent to teach us
That the spring days soon will reach us."
Edwin Arnold.   

I so liked the idea of using olive oil ( New to me :) in cake making here is my first one
As i have 20 litres of pomace olive oil hanging around 2nd grade oil but great for cooking with a lot cheaper. 
( Olive pomace oil is the oil that is extracted from the olive pulp after the first press. Once the mechanical oil extraction of olive oil is complete approximately 5-8% of the oil remains in the pulp)

Recipe

Recipe
250g Plain Flour
200g Ground Almonds
2 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 Oranges
3 Table spoons Orange Flower water
5 Eggs
400g Castor sugar
1/2 pint Olive oil (I used Pomace olive oil)

Method
1. Zest the oranges, then squeeze 4 of them. 
3. Sieve  together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl 
4. In a large bowl  beat the eggs on medium speed 
 Add in the sugar and beat 2 minutes.Turn down adding the flour mix and oil slowly.Add the orange juice, zest and orange flower water, beat for a few seconds to mix 
5. Pour the mix into greased and floured cake tin and bake at 350f / 170c  1hour 15 mins or there about. Cool 10 mins
6. Turn the cake out onto the rack and cool completely 

Buttercream icing
140g butter, softened
280g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft.
2 Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
3 Add the remaining icing sugar and one tablespoon lemon juice and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth. Beat in the lemon juice if necessary, to loosen the mixture.

Marie Colvin what a lady R.I.P

Marie Colvin what a lady R.I.P
What a story released to-day.
#Gospelprism #Mariecolvin


Originally shared by Gerald Weaver

Marie Colvin carried the original manuscript of Gospel Prism on her final assignment, in her small knapsack.  Gospel Prism is dedicated to her and twenty percent of the royalties will go the The Marie Colvin Memorial Fund.  Gerald Weaver and Marie Colvin met at Yale almost forty years ago.        Purchase Gospel Prism here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gospel-Prism-Gerald-Weaver/dp/0992994330/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428134659&sr=1-1&keywords=gospel+prism

See the full story at gospelprism.com and at  https://www.facebook.com/gospelprism

See also:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLL7dl6xILI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my0Hw1RVLN0

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Saffron in the 10th century BC.


Saffron in the 10th century BC. saffron threads were woven into textiles, ritually offered to divinities, and used in dyes, perfumes, medicines, and body washes.
Saffron threads would thus be scattered across beds and mixed into hot teas as a curative for bouts of melancholy.

Non-Persians also feared the Persians' usage of saffron as a drugging agent and aphrodisiac.

During his Asian campaigns, Alexander the Great used Persian saffron in his infusions, rice, and baths as a curative for battle wounds.

Alexander's troops imitated the practice from the Persians and brought saffron-bathing to Greece.
#Saffron

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

Saffron Zaafaran, Azafrán, केसर, ज़ाफ़रान.
Aromatics for Food and Music 
Saffron is rather unique among spices in that its main aroma and colour components are water-soluble;
therefore, the stigmata may be soaked overnight in water, filtered and the water then added,.
Another method is preferred in Persia and India:
The spice is powdered and then extracted with a little milk; after half an hour, the milk has the deep colour of egg yolk and is added to biriyanis or sweets.
Using the dry spice  directly for cooking is not favourable, as it releases its fragrance too slowly, and prolonged cooking should be avoided for loss of aroma.
Thus, it is best to prepare an extract with cold liquid and add that extract to the hot foods.

Full Article  at Digital Food @ http://goo.gl/H22VKm
With Spice music by Galina

#spices   #saffron

Monday 18 May 2015

Coffee time


Coffee time

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

FIRST ADVERTISEMENT FOR COFFEE—1652
Handbill used by Pasqua Rosée, who opened the first coffee house in London From the original in the British Museum

It reads :
The Vertue of the COFFEE Drink
First publiquely made and sold in England, by Pasqua Rosée.

The Grain or Berry called Coffee, groweth upon little Trees, only in the Deserts of Arabia.

It is brought from thence, and drunk generally throughout all the Grand Seigniors Dominions.

It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a Drink, by being dryed in an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before, and not Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured; the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any Blisters, by reason of that Heat.

The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much corrected by this Drink.

The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet It neither heats, nor inflames more then hot Posset.

It so closeth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat within, that it's very good to help digestion, and therefore of great use to be taken about 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in the morning.

It much quickens the Spirits, and makes the Heart Lightsome. It is good against sore Eys, and the better if you hold your Head over it, and take in the Steem that way.

It suppresseth Fumes exceedingly, and therefore good against the Head-ach, and will very much stop any Defluxion of Rheums, that distil from the Head upon the Stomack, and so prevent and help Consumptions; and the Cough of the Lungs.

It is excellent to prevent and cure the Dropsy, Gout, and Scurvy.

It is known by experience to be better than any other Drying Drink for People in years, or Children that have any running humors upon them, as the Kings Evil,&c.

It is very good to prevent Mis-carryings in Child-bearing Women.

It is a most excellent Remedy against the Spleen, Hypocondriack Winds, or the like.

It will prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit for business, if one have occasion to Watch; and therefore you are not to Drink of it after Supper, unless you intend to be watchful, for it will hinder sleep for 3 or 4 hours.

It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not trobled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvey, and that their Skins are exceedingly cleer and white.

It is neither Laxative nor Restringent.

Made and sold in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill, by Pasqua Rosée, at the Signe of his own Head.

#coffee   #coffeethursday   #21stcenturydigitalfood

Friday 15 May 2015

Umami all the way.

Umami all the way.

Umami /uːˈmɑːmi/,
a savory taste, is one of the five basic tastes (together with sweet, sour, bitter and salty).

A loanword from the Japanese (うま味?), umami can be translated as "pleasant savory taste".

This particular writing was chosen by Professor Kikunae Ikeda from umai (うまい) "delicious" and mi (味) "taste". The kanji 旨味 are used for a more general sense of a food as delicious.

People taste umami through receptors for glutamate, commonly found in its salt form as the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG).
For that reason, scientists consider umami to be distinct from saltiness.
#Umami

Originally shared by Lynn Keller

Why You Should Hard-Cook Lots of Eggs and Soak Them in Soy Sauce
After peeling the eggs, you move them to marinate in the fridge in a small vat of soy sauce, sherry vinegar, and sugar for a few hours. (I’ve left them overnight too, which I actually found to be extra salty and delicious.)

The soak isn't just about salting them, but a more rounded seasoning—a little sweet, a little tangy, but mostly a lot of umami. You can vary the marinade as you like—add sake, scallions, ginger, mirin, garlic, chiles, or rice wine vinegar. What’s to stop you?

Since these will be your new weekly fridge companion, you’ll have plenty of opportunity.

Momofuku's Soy Sauce Eggs
Adapted slightly from Milk Bar Life by Christina Tosi
Makes 6 eggs

6 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¾ cup soy sauce
6 large eggs
Maldon or other flaky salt, for serving
Black pepper, for serving

#eggs   #hardcookedeggs   #momofuku  
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/05/14/momofuku_s_soy_sauce_eggs_recipe_the_perfect_protein_supplement_for_any.html?wpsrc=fol_tw

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Mmmm Super Choc ♥♥♥

Mmmm Super Choc ♥♥♥

Originally shared by Lynn Keller

Yes.

Ingredients
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp. Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
4 oz. good-quality bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona), coarsely chopped, plus shavings for garnish
2 eggs, plus 2 yolks
Instructions
Using a hand mixer, beat cream, confectioners' sugar, and Grand Marnier in a bowl until stiff peaks form; refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat oven to 450°. Grease four 6-oz. ramekins with butter and coat with half the granulated sugar; place on a baking sheet. Melt butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over low; add chocolate and let sit for 2–3 minutes. Stir until chocolate has completely melted; cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine remaining granulated sugar, the eggs, and yolks; beat on medium until thickened and pale, 3–5 minutes. Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture, whisking until combined. Divide the mixture among ramekins and bake until just set, about 8–10 minutes. The tops will puff up slightly like soufflés but the centers will be deliciously soft and gooey. Cool on a rack for 10–15 minutes before serving, or bake before dinner and serve at room temperature.
To serve, arrange ramekins on dessert plates and top with whipped cream; garnish with chocolate shavings.
#chocolatelovers   #saveurmagazine   #dessertrecipes  
http://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/bittersweet-chocolate-pudding-cakes?4ZR2im0xJICp9o0g.30