Al Dente

Hey Lovers! February 14 Is Not Just About Chocolate

Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love chocolate as much as the next sweet tooth, but it's good to remember that something savory is a must before diving into dessert. Right?

That's why every February, I dust off my trusty copy of Intercourses: An Aprhrodisac Cookbook. While flipping through this gorgeous piece of work, I invariably kick myself. This book is too good to limit it to a Valentine's Day feast. I'm declaring 2011 the year of sensual cooking. While Intercourses was written more than 14 years, it's still fresh and fun and the recipes turn out beautifully.

I recently caught up with Intercourses author Martha Hopkins and posed a few provocative questions:

So much fuss is made about chocolate on Valentine's Day, but I love savories. What's your ideal dinner for Feb. 14?

Martha: First, I'd say, it's dinner at home. The whole universe eats out on that day. All restaurant kitchens are going to be slammed and it's a ideal time to hunker down for some good home-cooked food. Now, whether it's elaborate or simple is, frankly, your call. You will likely be coming home from work, so I'm going to suggest a make-ahead dinner this year. And because it won't seem to get above freezing, even though I'm in Austin, Texas, I'm going to suggest something warm. Braised Beef Short Ribs with Black Mission Figs. Make them on Saturday, and spend Sunday drinking coffee and reading the Times.

I think I'd probably serve the short ribs with some slow-cooked grits and a glass of red wine. To start, I'd probably make a simple mustard vinaigrette and toss it with some whole leaves of butter lettuce. For dessert, I'm going to have to go with the Orange Blossom Panna Cotta, maybe with mango on top instead of peaches, since there's no peach in my grocery store I'd be willing to eat this time of year. Pour the panna cotta into martini glasses or demi-tasse—not too much—this dinner's already rich enough without adding too much dessert. Oh, and keep the wine to a minimum and serve only half the portion of what you would normally eat on those short ribs. Unless, of course, you're fine with simply falling asleep after you eat.

If you don't have time to make the short ribs, the Honeyed Duck Breast with Dried Cherries takes just minutes to prepare and makes you look like you know how to cook.

Another fun thing for Valentine's would be the Steamed Artichoke with Green Goddess Dressing. People are scared to death of fresh artichokes, when really all the have to do is cut off the stem so the artichoke will sit on a plate, and then cut off the top third. Really, you don't even have to remove the thorns or, in this case, the choke. Just put the artichoke in a glass container with a bit of water and microwave for about 7 minutes to steam, and then let sit for another 10 minutes. Make your dressing or melt some butter. Share a single artichoke as an app; serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold. How easy is that? When you get to the choke, throw it away and save the artichoke bottom for Tuesday. Top with a bit of goat cheese and thyme, pop it under the broiler, and you have a delicious two-bite app for the next night.

Your book has achieved classic status. If you could, what would you add to update?

Funny you should ask: I was just thinking the other day, "Why didn't I include pomegranates and mussels?" These are absolute must-haves in the aphrodisiac world. Like the artichoke, pomegranates play hard to get. But goodness, there's nothing like a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds. So crunchy juicy yummy! And mussels, wow. The way they look is over-the-top sexual, but that's really nothing compared to the sweet taste of their plump flesh. (That sounds dorky, but it's true!) 

I especially love that they're so high in protein and low in fat. You can make a fantastic meal just by steaming them with some diced carrot, celery, shallots, and white wine. Add an extra-toasty slice of a multi-grain boule or baguette. A glass of the same wine you used in the mussels. It's so light and good, plus it can be sensual finger food to boot. Unlike heavier dinners (even including the Valentine's meal I recommended!), your body will not need to divert all its energy and attention to digestion after a like meal like this.

What's on your plate these days?

Uhhhh . . . on my dinner plate or my work plate? Dinner plate: I'm all about roasted sweet potatoes. Love those things! Work plate? Art directed a photo shoot with Penny de los Santos, a fantastic photographer based in Texas who shoots for Saveur and tons of other folks. Working on a couple of non-cookbook books. Eating wayyyyyy too much dark chocolate. Compensating by drinking excessive amounts of white tea from Steven Smith's in Portland. Dating a great guy with a 1961 red caddy convertible. (Warm weather, come soon!) Just got some requests from a Rachael Ray producer. Looks like they're considering me for a segment, but who knows what'll happen there!

-- Leslie Kelly

Find Luxurious Chocolate for St. Valentine's Day At Mink

Greetings From Canada! I'm in Vancouver, British Columbia for the Hot Chocolate Festival, and I do believe that after all the hot chocolate I've imbibed, liquid chocolate has begun to course through my veins. 

One of my stops was at Mink, a chocolate cafe that serves up a delightful chocolate fondue spread, dark or milk, with pound cake and fresh fruit for dipping, as well as a variety of hot chocolate drinks and pastries.

There are beautifully arranged boxes of colorful bonbons too, and stacks and stacks of ganache-filled chocolate bars with names that are impossible pass up.

"Ginger or Maryanne?" is a hand-made organic dark chocolate bar with organic candied ginger. "Of Course Siam" is made with passion fruit puree and Thai coconut milk in a milk chocolate ganache, and "...By Any Other Name" is a white chocolate bar with organic rose petals.

Don't tell my husband that "Open in Case of Emergency", which features fresh mint and Kentucky bourbon in chocolate ganache, is his Valentine's Day present this year.

And "Greetings From Canada--Wish You Were Here", made with caramelized pecans in maple syrup chocolate ganache, well, I'm saving that for myself. If you're looking for a witty chocolate treat to send to your true love this year, go for something luxurious, check out the chocolates at Mink.

What is your favorite chocolate bar for St. Valentine's Day gift-giving?

--Tracy Schneider

Candy Dish

A Red Hot Rating For This Breville Wok

 
When I was given a Breville Hot Wok as a sample by my editor at Al Dente, I was anxious to test drive this large electric non-stick appliance. I enjoy cooking Chinese food at home, but  I’ve always been somewhat hindered because I have an electric stove. Hence, the heat doesn’t get high enough and it can be difficult to control the temperature of the wok once I’m in full swing.

When I got the wok home last Thursday, I read the outside of the box. There’s a large red pepper on the box and  a statement imprinted on the pepper. The statement says, “Crisp stir fries are cooked fast to seal in the flavor.” Hmmm. I made a mental note and wondered if the wok would really hit that mark in my little home kitchen.

I’m happy to report that  Breville Hot Wok did.  It is an outstanding appliance that performed seamlessly in my busy family kitchen over the weekend.  When I removed the attractive  wok from the box, I was immediately impressed.  The heavy electric cord is grounded and locks into place for safety. The Cook'n’Look Lid makes it easy to see what’s going on in the wok while cooking.  The wok’s interior surface is made from Quantanium, so it is very scratch resistant and easy to clean.  The wok bowl detaches from the base and is dishwasher safe. The manual is comprehensive. The recipes are simple yet versatile.

Last weekend,  I  made three different dishes. On Saturday night, I cranked out Thai Green Curry Chicken. I found the recipe in the owner’s manual. It was excellent, although I cut the quantity of coconut milk and increased the quantity of curry paste.  Served over brown basmati rice, it was an outstanding curry that hit the spot on a cold rainy evening.

Then on Sunday evening, after a busy day of chores, I made a Vegetable Chow Mein and Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry. The sukiyaki beef, purchased at Seattle’s Uwajimaya, seared beautifully on the wok’s highest setting. Then, when I made the chow mein,  the vegetables (snow peas, asparagus, bok choy, carrots, and baby corn) were easily tossed and stirred in the wide wok. All of the vegetables stayed crisp, colorful,  and fresh even after they were tossed with the sauce and noodles.  An  added bonus was that the six-quart wok let me cook large quantities of food in a short period of time. This, of course, is a huge selling point when you are cooking for a family of five, especially if  some of them are teenagers! 

So, in a nutshell, this is an excellent product that deserves a red hot rating.  Here are some additional thoughts:

Food For Thought

Let There Be Heat!

The wok boasts a 1500 watt heating element that butterflies around the bowl. This creates even heat throughout the bowl and results in a superior end product. The food cooks evenly and quickly.  The temperature control probe has fifteen settings and the high setting is called High Sear. This setting mimics authentic Asian-style gas cooking. Indeed, the wok sizzles continuously until the dial is adjusted.

How To Stir

Even thought the wok’s non-stick surface is very durable, it is best to use silicone spatulas to toss the ingredients while cooking.  A pair of tongs that feature silicone tips would be useful too.

How To Wash

I washed the wok bowl by hand in the sink. It cleaned up beautifully with a sponge and hot soapy water, but it is dishwasher safe as well.

How To Store 

The wok is quite large so some folks might find it difficult to store. I, however, think it is worth clearing a space on a utility shelf or in a cupboard or pantry.  If the wok is kept in a convenient location,  it will be used more often.

Go Global 

Don’t limit yourself to stir fries. Use the wok for Indian food or Asian soups. It is apparently useful for deep frying, though I haven’t tried that yet.

--Melissa A. Trainer

 

 

Get Your Hot Cakes For Valentine's Day!

Every Sunday my family and I walk to our local Farmers Market in West Seattle for fresh fruits and vegetables. We talk with vendors selling cheese, fish, eggs, meat and bread. And then we talk with Autumn.

Autumn Martin is the high priestess of chocolate. Formerly Head Chocolatier at Theo Chocolate, she now heads her own business, Hot Cakes Confections, offering up sweet treats like her signature Take N Bake Molten Chocolate Cake in a Mason Jar, her perfect Pocket Pies (shown here), and her amazing Chocolate Cookies. We cannot resist. 

Since you may not make it to our market anytime soon, Autumn has agreed to share her super chocolaty Chocolate Squared Cookie recipe--which calls for both cocoa powder and chocolate chips--with us. I think it's the perfect cookie for Valentine's Day. But I'll let you be the judge!

Chocolate Squared Cookies

Ingredients:
8 ounces butter, softened
1-1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons espresso powder
1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut butter into small chunks and allow to soften on the counter.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat soft butter and sugars until light and smooth.

4. Add vanilla and espresso powder.

5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition and beat until smooth.

6. Add flour in a large spoonfuls, mixing well after each addition. Mix well.

7. Add the chocolate chips and nuts and mix until just combined.

8. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least an hour before baking.

9. Scoop dough using a small ice cream scoop or spoon onto cookie sheet.

10. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until edges are slightly crisp. Center should be a bit gooey.

 --Tracy Schneider

Cookie sheet 

How Are You Celebrating National Hot Breakfast Month?

Thanks to my trivia-loving buddy, Jim Baymiller, I'm now aware that February is National Hot Breakfast Month. Think I'll grab a short stack to mark the occasion. (Which I believe was cooked up by the late Jimmy Dean, to promote his sausage.)

When it comes to traditional morning meal options, I almost always choose savory over sweet. If I do for something like French toast or flapjacks, there better be some bacon on the side. And, sorry, I just cannot abide whipped cream before noon.

I love going to Mom-and-Pop diners, where there are a variety of starches available to partner up with eggs. I'm a fan of crispy hash browns or cottage fries. And I love grits. At home, I recently grabbed my wok and made fried rice for a Sunday breakfast, with a fried egg on top.

Frying a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg has been an elusive goal for me over the past year or so. I've even asked chefs to show me how it's done. Of course, they make it look so easy. But, then again, they have access to a salamander, a powerful broiler found in professional kitchens.

I've tried cooking eggs on high heat and on low, even somewhere in between. And then finishing them off under the broiler. The key, though, is to break up the alum, the part of the white nearest the yolk. To gently pull it toward the non-stick cooking surface. Without disturbing the yolk. I think I'm getting closer to success. My latest -- on the fried rice -- had a nice, runny yolk and a firm white.

Now, hot breakfast in Seattle's International District means something else. But my favorite version of congee -- rice poridge -- came with a delicately cooked egg on top. It reminded me of eggs and grits.

What's your favorite hot breakfast food?

-- Leslie Kelly

Sipping Pretty On Valentine's Day: Chocolate Ice Cream Sodas

I'm always looking for fun ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, and this year I'm planning a special after-school Valentine's Day treat for my family--chocolate ice cream sodas.

I grew up sipping ice cream sodas with my mother, who showed me numerous times how to make them.

"Pour this much U-Bet chocolate syrup into a glass," she would say, measuring about an inch with her thumb and forefinger. "And then this much milk," she would continue, measuring another inch with her fingers. "Pour in some seltzer, and stir it up."

Then she would drop two scoops of vanilla ice cream into the glass and pour in more seltzer until the glass was full. One more stir, and it was ready to go.

My favorite way for us to drink this elixir was with my grandmother's special spoon/straws. I had never seen anything like them before, a spoon and a straw in one. With this single utensil, I could both drink the soda and eat the ice cream, and I did, every last drop. I can't wait to do the very same thing with my daughter. 

How about you? How will you celebrate Valentine's Day with the kids in your life?

--Tracy Schneider

Mexican Drinking Chocolate for Your Lover

As a gift for your loved one on Valentine's Day, candy is dandy and liquor is quicker. 

But a gift from the heart--made by your own hands--is the most special gift of all.

The idea of making something for my sweet husband this year came to mind when I read a December post written by my fellow Al Dente scribe, Tracy Schneider. Tracy had taken a cooking class given by award-winning Portland-based cookbook author and culinary instructor Diane Morgan when Morgan was in Seattle promoting her latest tome: "Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving." 

In her post, Tracy suggested that "Gifts Cooks Love" would not only be useful for holiday gift-giving, but for Valentine's Day, too. And boy, was she right!

"GIfts Cooks Love" (Morgan's fourteenth title), is a glorious compendium of gift ideas from sweet to savory and everything in between. You'll discover homemade jams and marmalades, lemon curd, and chutneys in the Sweet Preserved Gifts chapter. 

Savory Preserved Gifts include Butter-Braised Onions, Pickled Cherries, and Arrabbiata Sauce. 

As you might expect, you'll find all sorts of baked goodies for gifting such as Double Fudge Brownie Pops, Cinnamon-Coated Graham Crackers, and even Panforte. Yum! 

The chapter on Confections & Chocolate Gifts is particularly decadent. 

There are even chapters featuring No-Cook Gifts and Drink Gifts. The final chapter shows readers how to pull it all together in Make-a-Gift Kits that include a S'Mores Kit, Pasta Kit, and Retro Popcorn Kit!

Throughout, Diane's book abounds with gorgeous four-color photos and recipe headnotes and instructions oozing with her warm and encouraging voice, like a good friend guiding you through the gift-making (and packaging) process.

Mexican Drinking Chocolate

Ingredients

1¼ pounds (20 ounces) bittersweet chocolate (61 to 66 percent cacao), finely chopped
2¼ cups heavy (whipping) cream
2 soft, plump whole vanilla beans, split and scraped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon almond extract

Implements
Four (½-Pint) Decorative Glass Jars with Tight-Fitting Lids, Kitchen Scale, Cutting Board, Chef’s Knife, Large Heatproof Glass or Stainless-Steel Bowl, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Paring Knife, Medium Saucepan, Silicone Spatula

Irresistible, especially on a cold winter’s day, this hot chocolate drink is deeply rich, vanilla-perfumed, and chile-charged—an ideal gift for friends who ski, snowboard, or ice skate. You make the decadent base, pour it into jars, and refrigerate until it sets like a firm ganache. Tie the decorative jars with ribbon and attach a recipe card. Spooned from the jar into a warm mug, the chocolate is stirred with hot or steamed milk for an indulgent, après-ski treat by the fire—a cozy, delicious gift.

Prep Time: 20 minutes  |  Cook Time: 5 minutes  |  Makes four (½-pint) jars of drinking chocolate

Wash the jars, including the lids, in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the jars through the regular cycle of your dishwasher; wash the lids by hand.

Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring the cream, vanilla beans (seeds and pods), cinnamon, and chipotle chile to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Using a silicone spatula, press the vanilla pods against the side of the pan to remove any remaining seeds and cream. Discard the pods.

Immediately pour the cream mixture over the chocolate, stirring constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Add the corn syrup and almond extract, stirring until incorporated.

Pour the chocolate ganache into the prepared jars, dividing it evenly and leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and secure the lids. Label and refrigerate.

Storing: Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Gift-Giving Tips: Tie each jar with raffia or ribbon and attach a recipe card. To turn this into a gift basket, consider including small mugs or even cappuccino cups and saucers, along with a fine-mesh shaker filled with a specialty cocoa powder for dusting the top of the drinks.

Recipe Card: Create a card to package with gift

Mexican Hot Chocolate

This homemade Mexican Drinking Chocolate was made on [give date] and can be enjoyed for up to 2 weeks. To make a cup of drinking chocolate, use a spoon that has been warmed under hot water to scoop and measure ¼ cup of the chocolate into a preheated mug. Add ½ cup of hot or steamed milk and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle a little cocoa powder over the top. Serve immediately.

—From Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving by Sur La Table and Diane Morgan/Andrews McMeel Publishing

 

Are You Jumping On the Vegan Bandwagon?

I don't usually watch daytime TV, so I had no idea about Oprah's vegan challenge until my friend Monica filled me in the other night. My first reaction when I hear the word "vegan" is a combination of eye-rolling and disinterest. Not dissimilar to this brutally honest woman who participated in the challenge. Clearly vegans do not love food the way I do, I think. But many people go vegan out of concerns about our factory farm system and the environmental impact of raising meat. If you've seen Food,Inc., you know how, well, gross those farms can be. So, I can respect that. And then there are people who do it out of health concerns. Just this morning Padma Lakshmi startled me with this post in her Twitter feed: "Consumption of calories continues to increase: Daily consumption per person will be 3000 kilocalories by year 2030." 3,000 calories? Also gross! So, I can respect a person who would go vegan for health reasons, too.

Monica and I agreed that we couldn't see ourselves as completely vegan beings, but wouldn't be opposed to incorporating one or two days of vegan fare into our weekly routine. After all, it's not like we eat a ton of meat, anyway. For me it would be the dairy that would be harder to give up: no butter? no smelly cheese? no whipped cream? *Gasp*. Who knows, maybe one day veganism will be de rigeur, and the Loving Hut will overtake McDonalds as the fast food purveyor of choice. Until then, I will happily indulge in the occasional plate of carnitas, filet mignon, and prosciutto S. Daniele. And a cheese plate for dessert, please.

 What are your thoughts on veganism?

*Oprah's vegan starter kit

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

How Are You Celebrating Valentine's Day? I'm Thinking Decadent And Delicious!

Facts are facts. Valentine's Day is on a Monday this year, and though you may have plans for a romantic weekend, the fact remains that Monday is actually the big day. So do you know what you're going to do? Well, I've got a plan.

Even if you don't have time for a grand Valentine's Day extravaganza this February 14th, there's no question that there should be some acknowledgement of the actual day, and that it should be decadent, delicious and drowning in chocolate. For me, that means Nanaimo Bars.

On New Year's Day I had a chance to sample a family recipe for Nanaimo Bars that had me swooning, and ever since I've been waiting for the appropriate time to recreate that magic. Nanaimo Bars are a holiday tradition at the Steele household, and the family makes them from Thanksgiving to New Year's, but I think they're perfect for Valentine's Day too, with three layers of sweetness that include coconut flakes, walnuts pieces, creamy custard and luscious chocolate. Are you with me?

While the recipe isn't difficult to make, it does take time and timing to get right, so it's a perfect treat to make on Sunday and give on Monday, for St. Valentine's Day. Special thanks go to Kathleen and Larry for sharing the family recipe with all of us. Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Nanaimo Bars

Use an 11 by 7 inch pan for this recipe. Double the recipe if using a 13 by 9 inch pan. 

First Layer
Beat together:
1/2 cup butter (melted)
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 egg*
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together the following, then add to the above mixture:
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Smooth mixture over the bottom of pan. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

Second Layer
Cream together:
1/2 cup butter (melted)
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups powdered sugar

Spread over first layer. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Third Layer
Melt together:
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter

Spread over second layer.  Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes, then cut into bars. Cover and refrigerate again for 40 minutes more. 

*Please note that the U.S Food & Drug Administration advises against eating raw eggs in any form.

 --Tracy Schneider 

13 by 9 inch pan

Inspiring Ways To Make A Clean Start

I've never been much for New Year's resolutions or diets or sweeping changes. What works for me instead are ways to improve my habits. I like to be inspired and taught, not browbeaten and shamed. And inspiration is what I got reading through "Clean Start" by Terry Walters. It's got basic, sensible advice on eating food that's better for both our bodies and our planet -- if you're a Michael Pollan fan you're already on board. The book is attractive and has a nice solid feel. But what really got me was my slow realization, after browsing through recipes like crunchy wasabi-spiked green beans and polenta pizzas, that the recipes are all (1) vegetarian (2) dairy-free (3) gluten-free (4) free of refined sugars. 

Whoa.

Frankly, although I own and love many vegetarian cookbooks, eat less meat than your average person, and enjoy many gluten-free and dairy-free recipes, I would have passed on a book that blared all those properties on the cover. The combined list wouldn't have sounded tempting. It would have sounded, to a person with no allergies or intolerances, like a lecture.

I'm not sure why this is true. "Good for you" shouldn't carry that whisper of suspicion with it. Regardless, I'd rather make recipes like Daikon Carrot Salad with Cilantro and Peanuts because they sound so good, not just because they're so good for me.

Got any insights? Ponder and share while brewing one of Walters' "Heart Warming Winter Drinks":

Green Tea With Lemongrass and Ginger

Ingredients:

2 stalks lemongrass (bottom 4 inches only)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cups water
4 green-tea teabags
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice

Directions:

1. Trim dry ends from lemongrass and discard. Peel outer leaves, and slice remaining stalks lengthwise into thin strips.

2. Place strips of lemongrass in pot, add ginger and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Add teabags to mixture and steep 3-4 more minutes (longer steeping will yield a more bitter tea).

4. Remove tea bags, lemongrass and ginger and discard. Stir in pomegranate juice and serve.

Serves 4.

-- From "Clean Start" by Terry Walters

-- Photo credit: Gentl & Hyers

-- Rebekah Denn 

Dishing Out Advice To Beginners: Harder Than It Looks

There's nothing quite as thrilling as getting a call from an aspiring young cook, asking for advice. This weekend, I had long conversations about how to roast a chicken and how to make ribs in the oven. One call was from my daughter, another from the son of family friends.

The tricky part about serving up suggestions on cooking is that when you're an old salt like me, there are certain things you take for granted that people know. But for beginners, those instructions need to be spelled out in detail. For instance, when I told my daughter to brine her bird in salt water for a bit before roasting, she asked: "Hot salt water?" No, start with cold and put it in the fridge.

That exchange took me way back to a class I took at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. A decade ago, I won a scholarship to attend a course called "Intro to the Professional Kitchen." It was meant for working stiffs -- and curious food writers -- who were thinking about changing careers or hoping to sharpen their skills. One of the first things we learned was that we had been doing things terribly wrong in our home kitchens, starting with making stock. "Always use cold water when starting stock," our instructor said. Something about getting a cleaner-tasting stock at the end of all the slow-simmering. Yes, simmer it slowly, don't let it boil like mad.

I learned so much and looked forward to passing the information along to my daughter, but she was never much interested in cooking or, for that matter, food. When she was little, she even turned down desserts, saying: "It's too rich."

Those days are long gone, and now I'm guiding her from afar, as she experiments in her first kitchen. I'm hoping that a string of successes will encourage her to branch out and get excited about the prospect of exploring more challenging recipes. But, in the meantime, I think it's essential to have a kitchen reference book that she can turn to if I'm not available to offer cooking advice.

I was surprised to find a real void in contemporary titles that offer the most basic of basics without leaning heavily on canned cream of mushroom soup as a foundation for throwing a meal together. Yet, in the mix of titles I browsed through on Amazon, there was one that stood out. It was, indeed, my very first cookbook, gifted to me by the mother of a dear friend. Better Homes and Gardens Anyone Can Cook offers step-by-step instructions with photographs. It's a good place to start. Any other suggestions?

-- Leslie Kelly

For Valentine's Day: Hot Chocolate

It's countdown--to Valentine's Day--and for this special day of the year, I'm all about chocolate. Let others talk about oysters and champagne or honey and figs. Though tempting as it may be, it's really chocolate that I desire. How about you?

Last week I went with a group of friends on a "hot chocolate crawl", sampling the hot chocolate drinks offered in four restaurants and chocolate shops in downtown Seattle. What an experience, tasting hot drinks made with various types of chocolate paired with milk, cream, butter and sugar. 

Some were thick like pudding (my favorite), reminding me of late nights and early mornings in Spain when I ate churros con chocolate. Others were marvelous sippers that blended the finest chocolate, with sugar and milk in a perfect balance.

I'm an equal opportunity chocolate drinker. I love nothing more, after a long day of skiing, than a hot cocoa from one of those enormous machines that spray hot water and chocolate into a paper cup, the sudsy, chocolaty foam rising to the top. 

And then there is the Mexican hot chocolate that I sometimes make at home, hot milk with a wedge or two of Ibarra chocolate, flecked with sugar and cinnamon, that I pulse in a blender. Mmm...

This year Valentine's Day falls on a Monday, and even if you don't have time for a full-fledged Valentine's Day meal with all the trimmings, why not treat yourself to something warm and wonderful, a mug of hot chocolate? 

What's your favorite?

--Tracy Schneider

Ibarra Chocolate

Sunday Snaps: Jose Andres's Mini Brioche with Quince and Foie Gras

I made my second trip to the Bazaar a couple of weeks ago with my bestie Monica for an extremely belated birthday celebration. Both of us love to eat (duh, otherwise she wouldn't be my friend!), so I was anxious to have her try some of my favorites from my previous visit.

Now, pair foie gras with pretty much anything and I am going to like it, but I could eat dozens of these petite sandwiches: creamy, salty foie gras layered between sweet quince paste and buttery, airy brioche. To steal a phrase from a famous stylist: I. Die.

You can see more enticing food photos in the Al Dente Flickr pool. While you're there, why don't you add some of your own?

Enjoy the game today.

Photo credit: StellaCadente*

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Basic Cookery Videos From BBC Good Food

 
Last week, I wrote a post on how to handle food inflation. In that post, I suggested that folks watch cooking videos in order to gain extra insight and skills.

This morning, I decided to hunt down some high-quality online videos. I was delighted to discover that BBC Good Food has a comprehensive collection of online videos.  I subscribe to this British magazine and am always pleased with the quality of their recipes, which are carefully tested and edited. Hence, I was confident that their videos would be top notch as well.

The collection boasts more than fifty videos and is broken up into categories,  such as Baking, Basics,  Desserts, Meat, Sauces, Fruits and Vegetables.  I started in the Basics department and watched the video on Making Pasta. Jane Hornby uses a Magimix food processor and a pasta maker to crank out a batch of pasta dough. The whole thing looks remarkably simple, and Hornby gives some excellent tips. Some of the basic videos worth watching are:

Cooking Steak

Preparing Mussels

Preparing Avocados

What is your favorite resource for cooking videos? YouTube? Food Network? Epicurious?

--Melissa A. Trainer 

Super Bowl Special: Last Minute Tricks With Dips

I've been planning all week for our Super Bowl party, but even if you haven't, you can still offer up some fun snacks that are easy to make and guaranteed to please. The secret ingredient? Cream cheese!

No doubt you know all about pimento cheese, the Southern tradition that includes, according to Paula Deen, cream cheese along with cheddar and Monterey Jack. 

But have you ever heard of candied jalapenos and cream cheese? Thanks to Al Dente reader Diffus, I learned about this recipe yesterday, and Diffus says that it's a sure winner. Simply mix half of a jar of candied jalapenos with half of a brick of cream cheese in a blender. It sounds great.

Years ago I learned another easy peasy cream cheese trick. Pour some Fischer & Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce over a brick of room temperature cream cheese. Yum.

Spread these dips over your favorite cracker. Triscuits. Wheat Thins. Ritz. Whatever you like. Do you have a favorite cream cheese dip you can share with us? 

--Tracy Schneider

Are You Celebrating World Nutella Day Today?

In 2007 Italian-based American blogger Sara Rosso declared the first World Nutella Day and recruited her pal Michelle Fabio to help her spread the word. They've aggregated 500 Nutella-based recipes on the Nutella Day blog, in case you require any inspiration. This gluten-free chocolate Nutella cake recipe looks especially intriguing. If you are a true DIY type, you can try making your own Nutella at home by using David Lebovitz's handy guide. (Hmm, I think I smell this year's homemade Christmas presents.)

My favorite ways to eat this creamy chocolatey hazelnut spread: on a slice of rustic Italian bread, with bananas in a crepe, or simply by the spoonful straight out of the jar. What's your favorite way to eat Nutella? 

You can follow the Nutella Day festivities on Twitter @nutelladay hashtag #nutelladay.

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Time For A Quick Dip

I've been putting together my Super Bowl menu this week. Homemade pretzels, with a variety of mustards, from Cynthia Nims' Gourmet Game Night. Hot wings thanks to Franks RedHot Sauce. Espresso Bean Chili from Rozanne Gold. And a Super Bowl Sidecar, a newly-discovered cocktail made with Pear Brandy that I recently drank at a dinner with friends Sara and Tim.

It seems to me that the only thing missing is chips and dip. What are you dipping into this Super Bowl Sunday? My daughter typically wants tortilla chips with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and lately she's asking for bean dip too!

I like going Greek--hummus, babaganoush and tzatziki with lots of veggies and pita for dipping, maybe some feta on the side. And I can count on my husband to ask for everybody's favorite, potato chips with onion dip. Thanks to Lipton, that may be the easiest thing to prepare on my Super Bowl menu.

Are you more adventurous? Will you be making olive spread or curry dip? And what's on your Super Bowl Sunday menu?

--Tracy Schneider 

Oh Baby! Time For Some King Cake

Like many people who love food and drink, I have a big soft spot in my heart for New Orleans. I don't know if I've ever been to a place where people care so passionately about what they eat and the long-held traditions that surround many dishes.

Now, I've eaten King Cake loads of times, but this treat never tasted sweeter than when I went to the city after Hurricane Katrina to work on a project to rebuild an iconic restaurant called Willie Mae's Scotch House. (A project featured in a documentary film called Above The Line: Saving Willie Mae's Scotch House by my uber-talented friend Joe York.) I'll never forget making that first trip, post-Katrina and the sick feeling I had, looking at the widespread devastation. Even the dramatic photographs could not capture the vast sad state of affairs.

But, here's where the story takes a sweet turn: Though the city had taken a punch to the gut, its spirit still shined bright. People were friendly and the food tasted better than ever. You could actually get a table at some of the famous restaurants. It was going to be a long road to rehab New Orleans, but New Orleaneans are a resiliant bunch, so proud of their wonderful city.

On that February day in 2006, after a day of tearing out moldy dry wall in Dookie Chase's, another landmark restaurant, around the corner from Willie Mae's, my friends and I ate oysters and crawfish and later went to a Mardi Gras parade. The next morning, we stopped for coffee at a bakery just outside The French Quarter. Since it was Carnival Season, of course, they were serving King Cake. This brioche dough is sprinkled with cinnamon and nuts, rolled and braided. It's symbolic of the three kings who visited the baby Jesus on the 12th night. A plastic baby is usually tucked into the cake and finding it is considered good luck. Plus, a sign that it's your turn to host the next party. That king cake was so good that day, it brought tears to my eyes. I bought an extra to take home.

If you can't find King Cake in your neck of the woods, here's a recipe from one of my very favorite New Orleans cookbooks. Cooking Up A Storm is a stirring collection of recipes, recovered after Katrina by Marcella Bienveau and Judy Walker. (The book's subtitle is Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans.) About this recipes, the authors write: While king cakes are easy to come by in New Orleans bakeries during the Carnival season, there are those who choose to make their own. Every year during the holiday, The Times-Picayne always receives requests for king cake recipes. This one is a classic and appeared in the newspaper in 2003. The recipe, unlike the French king cake, is made with a yeast dough.

King Cake
 
Dough
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs

Cinnamon Filling
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 red bean, pecan half, or small plastic baby figurine

Frosting
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Purple, green, and yellow paste food coloring (or other colors depending upon the occasion)

For the dough: Pour the warm water into a large warmed bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and stir until it dissolves. Stir in the warm milk, butter, sugar, nutmeg, and salt.  Add 1 cup of the flour and blend well. Stir in the eggs and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Lightly flour a flat work surface, and turn out the dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour if the dough sticks. Put in a large greased bowl, and turn to grease the top of the dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

For the filling: Punch the dough down. Transfer to the lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll into a 30-by-9-inch rectangle. Brush with the melted butter. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Beginning at the long end, roll up tightly, as for a jelly roll. Pinch the seam to seal. With a sharp knife, cut the roll in half lengthwise, and carefully turn the halves so that cut sides face up. Join the ends, pinching them to form one ring, keeping the cut sides up so the filling is visible. Transfer the ring to a large greased baking sheet.

If using a red bean or pecan half, push it into the underside of the dough to hide it. (A baby charm will go in after baking.) Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove the cake from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack. If using a plastic baby figurine, push it into the underside of the cake.

For the frosting: In a small bowl mix together the sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Divide among three smaller bowls. Tint one mixture purple, the second one green, and the third one gold, mixing each one well. Drizzle each color over the top of the cake.

-- Leslie Kelly

The Mighty Manhole Cover...

 
If you do the majority of the cooking in your house, then you probably do the lion's share of the kitchen clean up as well. This aspect of cooking involves doing the dishes and cleaning the sink. If you get tired of cleaning miscellaneous food scraps from the drains, then you might check out this nifty Mighty Manhole Cover. Selling for less than $7, it looks authentic and seems to do the trick.  Apparently, it's particularly appealing to men. This, of course, is a mighty good thing!

--Melissa A. Trainer

The Super Bowl Sidecar. I'll Drink To That!

As game as I am to eat those standards chili and wings on Super Bowl Sunday, when it comes to beverages, I'm in the mood for something a little more unexpected. So in addition to a chest of cold beer, we're pulling out our cocktail shaker for a drink we've only recently come to know, the Pear Brandy Sidecar.

We were at our friends Tim and Sara's for dinner just the other night. Sara is a wonderful cook and always whips up, seemingly without effort, delicious fare for parties of six or eight or ten.

There were ten of us at the table that night, for a meal which culminated in cocoa angel food cake drizzled with raspberry sauce and served with a dollop of whipped cream, (more on that at another time), and began with an assortment of crackers and dips and this lovely Pear Brandy Sidecar, made with Clear Creek Pear Brandy, that everyone drank, and then drank some more. What can I say, we finished that bottle! 

I asked Sara how to make the Pear Brandy Sidecar, and here's what she told me:

For each drink, pour 1 ounce pear brandy, 1 ounce pear nectar, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, and 1/2 ounce lemon juice (fresh is best, but if you accidentally knock over the glass of fresh squeezed lemon juice, you can certainly use bottled) over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake, pour, drink. Repeat.

It's good advice for Game Day--or just about any day. Drink responsibly.

--Tracy Schneider

Cocktail Shaker