Groans of pleasure were all that broke the concentrated silence amid the clattering of spoons against glass as...

Groans of pleasure were all that broke the concentrated silence amid the clattering of spoons against glass as mouthfuls of smooth, silky Panna Cotta were scooped up
#PannaCotta   #Recipe   

Originally shared by Jamie SCHLER
http://www.lifesafeast.net/vanilla-rum-panna-cotta-with-rum-roasted-cherries/

Get the #Oven On

Get the #Oven   On
#Tansy  

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

To make a Plain Tansy
A New and Easy Method of Cookery by Elizabeth Cleland (1755)

TAKE a fine stale Penny Loaf, and cut the Crumb in thin Shaves;
Put it in a Bowl,
Then boil a Mutchkin of Cream and when boiled, pour it over the Bread
Then cover the Bowl with a Plate and let it lay a Quarter of an Hour

Then mix it with eight Eggs well beaten
Two Gills of the Juice of Spinage,
Two Spoonfuls of the Juice of Tansy

Sweeten it with Sugar, Nutmeg, and a little Brandy

Rub your Pan with Butter, and put it in it; then keep it stirring on the Fire till it is pretty thick
Then put it in a buttered Dish ,you may either bake it, or do it in the Dripping-Pan under roasted Meat

Notes on Tansy : The scent is similar to that of camphor with hints of rosemary.
The leaves and flowers are toxic if consumed in large quantities
The volatile oil contains toxic compounds including thujone, which can cause convulsions and liver and brain damage.

Some insects, notably the tansy beetle Chrysolina graminis, have resistance to the toxins and subsist almost exclusively on the plant.

In the 15th century, Christians began serving tansy with Lenten meals to commemorate the bitter herbs eaten by the Israelites.

Tansy was thought to have the added Lenten benefits of controlling flatulence brought on by days of eating fish and pulses and of preventing the intestinal worms believed to be caused by eating fish during Lent.

Henry Dunster, the first president of Harvard University was buried wearing a tansy wreath in a coffin packed with tansy; when “God’s Acre” was moved in 1846 the tansy had maintained its shape and fragrance, helping to identify the president’s remains.

By the 19th century, tansy was used so much at New England funerals that people began to disdain it for its morbid association with death.

During the American colonial period, meat was frequently rubbed with or packed in tansy leaves to repel insects and delay spoilage

Tansy was frequently worn at that time in shoes to prevent malaria and other fevers.

During the Restoration, a "tansy" was a sweet omelette flavoured with tansy juice.

In the BBC documentary "The Supersizers go ... Restoration" 
Allegra McEvedy described the flavour as "fruity, sharpness to it and then there's a sort of explosion of cool heat a bit like peppermint

However, the programme's presenter Sue Perkins experienced tansy toxicity.

According to liquor historian A. J. Baime, in the 19th century Tennessee whiskey magnate Jack Daniel enjoyed drinking his own whiskey with sugar and crushed tansy leaf.

Ps My kind of oven in the picture.

#Tansy

Champagne with foaming whirls as white as Cleopatra's melted pearls Lord Byron

Champagne with foaming whirls as white as Cleopatra's melted pearls   Lord Byron
#Champagne   #Oysters  

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

Coffee time fcuk the coffee
Champagne and Oysters break the fast time.
Champagne with foaming whirls as white as Cleopatra's melted pearls
Lord Byron

Oyster Eating
"Australopithecus, one of our ancient pre-human ancestors, ate oysters.
A shoreline diet of nutrient-rich oysters and other shellfish was one of the most significant opportunities in history that allowed our cranially challenged ancestors to grow big, juicy brains.

It wasn’t man who ate the first oyster; it was oysters that caused Australopithecus to become man.
As we climbed the evolutionary ladder, we brought the oyster along with us.
All over the planet, archaeologists have discovered man-made middens, massive garbage dumps heaped with thousands of oyster shells, which have been well-preserved thanks to the alkaline properties of oysters.
Careful excavation offers clues to the past in food scraps, human waste and other nifty tidbits.
More importantly, it shows we came up as social, nomadic creatures who liked to eat lots of oysters at big get-togethers.

As our nomadic social ancestors settled into a civilized society, they built up walls and we became enclosed like oysters.

The trouble with landlocking ourselves too far inland is that we cut out iodine-rich shellfish.
This caused iodine deficiency, resulting in fatigue and preventable mental retardation.
Today, many countries are legally obligated to add iodine to table salt to avoid the serious consequences of iodine deficiency.

It took some serious adapting to make civilizations work.
The clever inland civilizations made thoughtful efforts to acquire shellfish.
The Romans farmed oysters in the Mediterranean.
But they really made the grade when hydraulic engineer Sergius Orata figured out how to transport live oysters from the abundant coasts of Britain and France."
Credit  Pierre Lamielle
@ http://www.avenuecalgary.com/November-2013/All-There-is-to-Know-About-Oysters/

Swallow or Chew ? 
The myth is that true connoisseurs don't chew oysters – they tip them straight down their throats.
I suspect this one was made up to help oyster virgins get the whole experience over with as quickly as possible because, as well as breaking food down, chewing helps us to appreciate its flavour more fully.
Swallowing oysters whole, therefore, is surely akin to dousing them in Tabasco – it means you don't have to taste them.

The swallow-only camp, however, argues that oysters are a sensual experience that's more about the 'mouthfeel' than flavour

Swallow or chew ? 

Madame de Pompadour once said, Champagne is the only drink that leaves a woman still beautiful after drinking it

#Oysters   #Champagne

Panchkuta which literally means five ingredients

Panchkuta which literally means five ingredients 
is made with Ker, sangari, kumat, gunda and mathania mirch 
Exclusive to desert regions of Rajasthan in India

Rajasthan  (literally, "Land of Kings" or "Land of Kingdoms")
Is culturally rich and has artistic and cultural traditions which reflect the ancient Indian way of life.

There is rich and varied folk culture from villages which is often depicted and is symbolic of the state.
Highly cultivated classical music and dance with its own distinct style is part of the cultural tradition of Rajasthan.

The music is uncomplicated and songs depict day-to-day relationships and chores, more often focused around fetching water from wells or ponds.

Rajasthani cooking was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region.

Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred.
Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on the cooking.

Interesting ingredients/food from Sanjeeta KK  amazing blog below
#Rajasthan   #India    

Originally shared by Jon “the chef” Hole

Panchkuta which literally means five ingredients 
is made with Ker, sangari, kumat, gunda and mathania mirch 
Exclusive to desert regions of Rajasthan in India

Rajasthan (literally, "Land of Kings" or "Land of Kingdoms")
Is culturally rich and has artistic and cultural traditions which reflect the ancient Indian way of life.
There is rich and varied folk culture from villages which is often depicted and is symbolic of the state.
Highly cultivated classical music and dance with its own distinct style is part of the cultural tradition of Rajasthan.

The music is uncomplicated and songs depict day-to-day relationships and chores, more often focused around fetching water from wells or ponds.

Rajasthani cooking was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region.

Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred.
Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on the cooking.

Interesting ingredients/food from Sanjeeta KK amazing blog below
#India   #Rajasthan  
http://litebite.in/recipes-ker-sangri-panchkuta-subji/

Brussels sprout

Brussels sprout 
Forerunners to modern Brussels sprouts were likely cultivated in Ancient Rome.
Brussels sprouts as they are now known were grown possibly as early as the 13th century in what is now Belgium.
The first written reference dates to 1587.

The edible sprouts grow like buds in helical patterns along the side of long, thick stalks

Sprouts are considered to be sweetest after a frost.
Consuming Brussels sprouts in excess may not be suitable for patients taking anticoagulants since they contain vitamin K, a blood-clotting factor.

In one such reported incident, eating too many Brussels sprouts may have countered blood-thinning therapy

My favourite plain boiled (salted water0 not over cooked with plenty of butter and loads of freshly
grated nutmeg.
Great recipe from Nancy Josland Dalsin 
#BrusselSprouts  

Originally shared by Nancy Josland Dalsin

~Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries~
~Side Dish~

1 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup of Brussel Sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
1/2 pound of bacon, diced into bite size pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 shallots, diced
1/4 cup moist dried cranberries

Cook bacon in pan until crisp.  Remove to paper towel with a slotted spoon.  Add the oil and butter to pan and sautee garlic and onions for a minute.  Add cranberries and Brussel sprouts and cook until Brussel sprouts are golden brown and cooked through.  Add bacon back to pan, give all ingredients a stir to mix.

*Goose and chicken liver parfait*

 *Goose and chicken liver parfait*
with Onion Jam, Beer Bread and Apple Jelly.
Apparently ...really popular last night @ the kildrummy inn 
Well i am off to find out mmmmm... diner cooked for me ;)
#Dinner  at the #KildrummyInn   #Scotland  

Coffee time with Kaak spice

Coffee time with Kaak spice
Kaak spice has it all,
Anise,
Cloves,
Nutmeg,
Cinnamon,
Mahlab, (See note 1)
Sesame seeds
and just a hint of black caraway seed.

Kaak cookies are also known as "Kaak El Eid" or "Kaak El Abass".
Its made with flour, sugar, yeast, sesame seeds, baking soda, butter, milk and kaak spice.
Nothing tastes better than a warm kaak cookie covered in labneh with olive oil drizzled on top and a steaming hot cup of coffee

Mahlab (note 1)  is an aromatic spice made from the seeds of a species of cherry, Prunus mahaleb (the Mahaleb cherry, aka the St Lucie cherry).

The cherry stones are cracked to extract the seed kernel, which is about 5 mm diameter, soft and chewy on extraction.
The seed kernel is ground to a powder before use.

Its flavour is similar to a combination of bitter almond and cherry.
It is used in small quantities to sharpen sweet foods.

It has been used for centuries in the Middle East and the surrounding areas as a flavouring for baked goods.
In recent decades it has been slowly entering mainstream cooking in English.
#Kaak   #Spice  in the #G+VermouthCafe 





 
http://arabic-food.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/eid-kaak-with-dates-recipe.html

Sweet Tater Pie

Sweet Tater Pie

'gredients & 'structions

º preheat oven to 180ºC.
º Boil half a kilo of sweet potatoes in their skins until soft
º Combine 1 cup almond meal, 1 cup self-raising flour and 1 cup of brown sugar with 75 grams of melted butter.
º Press mixture into a springform tin.
º Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, cool.
º Rinse potatoes in cold water, remove skins.
º Mash potato with 1/3 cup of honey (or maple syrup - if that's at hand).
º Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
º Mix one cup of milk into potato mash until smooth.
º Add two eggs, one at a time.
º Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, result should be a bit wet but not liquidy.
º Cool, remove from tin, slice, serve with a tartish yoghurt, more ground nutmeg and cracked pepper.
º Enjoy.

Pinging Paul Pavlinovich as the base of this will work perfect for your caramel slice that I'm making in November.
Pinging Nikki C because #Bluety  and this is my favourite plate - it's the last of six and I keep it at my office so I can have treats at work on blue.
Pinging Ted Ewen because Sweet Tater Pie.

Also, I've started a new collection - Foodz  
https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/EFKKDB
If you'd like to receive notifications for this collection, please visit the collection, follow it if you have not already done so and then click on the bell icon. Easy. Do the reverse when you're ready.

#Blue   #Bluetiful   #SweetPotatoPie   #SweetTaterPie   #Pie   #Food   #Noms   #Recipe   #Foodz

The #G+VermouthCafe

The #G+VermouthCafe
"Material, social and illusional."

Originally shared by Mee Ming Wong

Édouard Manet (1832 – 1883)
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, 1882
Courtauld Gallery, London

This was Édouard Manet’s last painting before his death and ever since it was first exhibited, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère has generated great interest and discussion about the relationship between reality and illusion; space and time.

The painting is presented as three layers, the bar with still-life at the bottom, Suzon the barmaid in the middle layer and the illusionary space of the mirror behind her. All three layers contain elements of material, social and illusional.

Suzon, the barmaid is front and centered, blankly staring at the viewer, her reflection in the mirror is shown in parallax – deflected sideways to the right, dislocated. The reflection shows her leaning toward and engaging with the gentleman/viewer, which conflicts with the posture that we see. What is in the mirror is not a reflection of what we are seeing in front of it. This tension renders mystery and intrigue between the real and the illusionary world.

The richness of the glittering scene is incongruent with the absence in Suzon’s eyes. Her gaze is blank, lifeless, a beautiful depiction of the death of the soul. Her expression is one of the most famous and mysterious in art.

In this painting, Édouard Manet captures the essence of the complementarity of space and time, forty-five years before Niels Bohr, a physicist. Bohr proposed the complementarity principle, the view that matter can be described as particles or waves, a duality.

Manet’s painting is filled contrasts and contradictions. We see the Folies-Bergère from two different angles, the reality in front and the reflection in the mirror. The information we see in each view do not correspond. He has shown us different points in space and different moments in time.

To be able to see two opposing aspects of reality brings about a new dimension, it deepens our understanding and brings us closer to truths.