Putting the Cook Back in Cookies and Pumpkin Semifreddo November 4, 2009

After a visit to the Ithaca farmer’s market on Saturday, I made some awesome bacon chocolate chip cookies!  This time, however, I substituted lard for half of the butter.  Besides giving a slightly different flavor, the lard kept the cookies a little more structured (like Crisco does) than butter alone.  The bacon was also very delicious, especially with 60% Ghiradelli chocolate.

A few days ago, I also made a pumpkin semifreddo.  The backstory is that I don’t have an ice cream freezer, but I really wanted to do something with pumpkin creme anglaise.  So, after making the anglaise, I beat two or three eggwhites and sugar to a meringue and folded in about half to two-thirds of a cup of the creme anglaise.  This gave a lighter but spiced and definitively pumpkin flavor and froze very well; it was not crystalized at all.  I plated it with an apple cider reduction and salted pumpkin seeds.  Not only did they make for great presentation, but it was a tasty combination!

Finding Protein and Some Sweet Stuff October 28, 2009

I recently found a tidbit of time to go to a Grocery store and to the Ithaca farmer’s market.  At the grocery store, I bought some Murray’s organic bone-in chicken breasts and some couscous.  At the farmer’s market, I got some apples and squash as well as some purple potatoes.  I haven’t yet made the squash or potatoes, but I have made:

Morrocan spiced chicken breast with raisin and pumpkin-seed couscous.  The chicken was juicier than a lot of chicken breast I’ve ever had.  I rubbed it with cumin, allspice, thyme, and cinnamon.  After searing it, I finished it in the oven.  Along with the couscous, it was delicious:

I also made cookies for Halloween to continue the spirit in the dorm.  Here are some of the delicious sugar cookies, both jack-o-lanterns and beer bottles (college style):

I did not have a pastry bag, so you’ll forgive their inherent flaws…at least they cannot get eaten by squirrels.

This morning, after waking up at six and showering, I found the time to make an apple pie.  I used the rest of my lard from The Piggery in my crust, and the filling had sliced granny smith and a Japanese variety of apple.  I was curious about Jeffrey Steingarten’s assertion that using spices in apple pie detracts from the apples’ flavor, so I only added some lightly spiced cider reduction that I made the other day, along with some flour and sugar.  The pie baked up beautifully, with a crust that is more delicately flaky and crisp than anything.  Here it is, presented on my cluttered dorm room desk:

I hope I can keep up the cooking; my new strategy involves cooking very early in the morning–the time other students use to sleep–this seems to justify my alternate use of time when I am not studying!  I’ve also devised the best method for enjoying breakfast: eating with a bamboo spork in a warm hat.  It makes me feel comforted for at least a small part of my day:

Bon appetite!  I have to go study…

According to my Site, my Last Post Was Almost a Month Ago: What Have I Been Doing All This Time? October 19, 2009

Here is a list of my current culinary muses and wanderings:

1)  Yesterday, I got in the Halloween spirit.  After watching It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, I made a pumpkin cake decorated as a jack-o-lantern:
2)  After helping out with Cornell’s homecoming tailgate, I took the extra hotdog buns home to make bread pudding.  Not just any bread pudding–cinnamon-chocolate-cayenne with bananas, chocolate chips, and caramel bread pudding!

3)  My favorite new farm that supplies at the Farmer’s market is The Piggery.  Last time I went to the market, I bought pork belly from them and roasted it to go with my homemade applesauce.  This applesauce was smoked (because I burnt the bottom and saved the rest).  Mistakes are the mother of invention.

4) You might be wondering how I am faring with the dining hall food.  It is mediocre, I have to admit.  The main problem I have with it is that there is no friggin meat worth consuming!  Incinerated burgers? No.  Chicken nuggets?  No.  Gross tasting grilled chicken.  No.  ”Pork” casserole with chips and rice?  Does that count as meat?  The only protein I get is from chickpeas and cottage cheese.  Help!

I  cannot assume a cake-atarian lifestyle, and I’m not a fan of eating pasta every night…or stir fry.  It’s as though my meal plan is forcing me off a healthful diet unless I only want to eat fruit, oatmeal, and salad.  Joy.

5) I am excited for Thanksgiving.  That is a day of good eating.