Tips from the Test Kitchen

I was hoping to hear from all my readers with their favorite kitchen tips, and that’s the excuse I’m using as to why I haven’t posted anything for awhile.

Still waiting…

Well, it doesn’t look you guys are going to share, so I dug out one of my favorite tips books, 834 Kitchen Quick Tips: Techniques and Shortcuts for the Curious Cook. These tips are courtesy of the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, aka my friends at America’s Test Kitchen.

The theme for these tips is Innovative Substitutes.

Rather than reaching for a potholder every time you need to lift that hot lid, place a wine cork under the handle before you start cooking. The cork stays cool even though the lid gets hot, and you will have something safe – and convenient – to grab onto.

Bonus sub-tip, or another use for leftover wine corks. Know those corn on the cob holders? The ones you need to handle the hot ear of corn, the same ones that stick you in the hand every time you reach into the drawer? Yeah, those. Stick a pair into either end of a wine cork – you’ll keep them married and prevent them from sticking you again. (Another problem is that I can only usually find one when I need them, versus the requisite two.)

When you want to make a few loaves of bread, but only have one loaf pan, try this idea. Place your sole loaf pan in the middle of a 9”x13” baking dish. Place your bread dough on either side of the loaf pan if you want to make two loaves, and put some dough in the loaf pan itself in order to make three. And please don’t be silly and think this will work for quick breads. Please. I beg you.

Bonus sub-tip: Need that dough to rise in a hurry (or in a dry climate)? Turn your dishwasher on for a few minutes, just long enough for some warm water to fill the bottom. Put your dough (in a loaf pan or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, not by itself) on the bottom rack and shut the door. Make sure you have turned the dishwasher off, or else all that work mixing the dough will be for nothing. This is great for homemade pizza dough when you don’t have hours to prepare.

Have some cookies or a cake that you want to dust lightly with powdered sugar or cocoa? Instead of pulling out the messy flour sifter, place your dusting medium in a mesh tea ball. It’s neater and easier – leaving you with a lot less mess to clean.

Need to separate some fat for gravy, but don’t have a fat separator? Use a cardboard coffee cup instead. Pour the pan drippings into the cup, and place in the freezer for about ten minutes (until the fat solidifies). Using a skewer, poke a hole through the bottom of the cup and let the good drippings drain out while the fat stays in the cup.

Peeling garlic is easy when you smash the clove, but sometimes you want to keep the cloves intact. Instead of buying one of those cannoli-style garlic peelers, use a rubber grippy jar opener thing. Rubbing the cloves against the rubbery surface of the jar opener will release the paper peel with ease.

Make a homemade tiered shelf for your cabinet by stacking 2x4 pieces of lumber. You can get these cut to the size you need at The Home Depot, or you can be adventurous and do it yourself. (I’m barely allowed to use a knife, so I have to rely on the men and women in orange aprons, or my handy husband.) Buying the pre-fab version of these shelves tends to be expensive - especially for some cheap plastic at the kitchen store.  But they are great for lining up spices and jars so you can see everything in your cupboard with one quick glance, so the homemade version is highly recommended.

When you need extra counter space (which I often do in my tiny kitchen), place a large cutting board over the sink (make sure it’s secure) or an open drawer.

Use an empty six pack container to corral boxes of wraps (such as plastic, aluminum foil and parchment paper) as well as storage and freezer bags. I’ve been doing this for years, and it’s made putting your hands on what you need fast very convenient.

Want to make some homemade pasta, but don’t have a drying rack? Nor do you want to buy one for something you aren’t going to need all that often? Just use your wooden laundry drying rack. Wipe it down real good when you’re done so you don’t get flour on your clean clothes. (I was very excited to read this tip because I got a pasta attachment for my beloved KitchenAid mixer this Christmas!)

Need a nice cold cocktail after a long day of working in the kitchen, or just working for that matter? If you can’t get the thought of that martini out of your head, but don’t have a cocktail shaker handy, just use a spill proof travel coffee mug. Fill the mug with ice, and the makings of your preferred drink, and shake (make sure the sipping hole is covered or closed). Strain through the sipping hole and the makeshift shaker is as good as the real thing.


There are a few of these tips I will need to remember as I pack up my kitchen and move to my temporary one. As functional as my little condo has been over the years, the operative word has become “little” and we’re giving up on this space and moving to B’s bigger (and further away) space. His kitchen is, quite frankly, better than mine - even if that is not saying much. It is bigger and has more cabinet and counter space. And we did recently upgrade the appliances. Sure, it doesn’t have a double oven, gas range or granite counter tops. But it’ll do just fine as we wait for the perfect kitchen, I mean perfect house, to come on the market – hopefully this spring!

Irish Coffee Perfected

Last fall, I was in Dublin, Ireland on vacation. While there, I made sure to have an authentic Irish coffee at none other than the bar at the Old Jameson’s Distillery. Yes, it’s a total tourist trap. But what better place to enjoy one of the best coffee drinks around, right? I mean, these are the people responsible for the whisky – the essential ingredient!

I’ve had Irish coffee before, and I’ve even had it in Ireland before. But this version was the best I’ve ever tasted. It had just the right touch of sweetness (and this coming from a person who abhors sugar in her coffee) and decadent cream resting on top of the coffee (instead of mixed in).

I watched the bartender make Irish coffee after Irish coffee. I even got a lesson, which consisted of mixing some brown sugar with the whiskey, adding the hot coffee and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then pour the cold cream over the back of a spoon so it rests on top of the coffee.

Got it. Watched it. Wrote it down. I was on my way to making the perfect Irish coffee back home.

Except that it never worked. I tried and tried, to no avail. Well, I tried twice anyway. Each time the cream sunk to the bottom of the coffee instead of resting on top. The flavor was right, but the presentation was off. So I got bored and moved on. I gave up on my quest to make the perfect Irish coffee.

But recently I found myself with some extra cream (you know, from when you have to buy the whole container for a recipe that calls for two teaspoons), a hankering, and an idea.

Watching all those cooking shows and reading all those cooking magazines has finally paid off. I have perfected the Irish coffee. And now I will share the secret with you.

Put a small metal mixing bowl and a spoon in the freezer and let chill for about 5 minutes. Mix 1 teaspoon of brown sugar with the desired amount of Jameson’s Irish whisky in a clear Irish coffee glass. You technically don’t have to use a clear glass, but if you don’t it will be extremely difficult to admire your handiwork. Remove the chilled bowl from the freezer and pour in some heavy cream (the amount is up to you, but probably 1/4 cup per drink). Whisk the cream as fast as you can until it’s frothy, but not too thick (you’re not looking for whipped cream, but you want to get some air into it). Fill the glass with hot coffee, to about 1-2 inches from the top. Take the spoon from the freezer and hold it over the glass, bottom side up. Slowly pour the cream over the back of the spoon. Voila! Irish coffee perfected.

The Great Pumpkin... Cheesecake

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It is the ultimate foodie holiday, after all. Put another check in the “wannabe” column for this foodie… I barely did any cooking. B and I had two contributions to this year’s feast – a deep fried turkey and a dessert.

I let B handle the turkey. Otherwise, we would have been just another homeowners insurance statistic. I’m happy to report that the house did not burn down (especially since it was my brother in law’s house), and no one was hurt. And for anyone who may have read my last post and is interested in the outcome of the turkey cook off this year, rotisserie took home the trophy again this year. It was the moistest most flavorful bird of the lot.

Since B took care of the turkey, dessert was up to me. I was up for the challenge, but to be honest I didn’t face it head on. I gave some serious consideration to making a pie. I knew a pie making attempt would most likely result in a great blog post but perhaps a pretty bad pie, so I chickened out. I couldn’t take the risk of screwing up PIE on THANKSGIVING. As much as I want to entertain you all with my cooking failures, I had in laws to impress. Priorities.

Since pie was off the table, I went with – wait for it – pumpkin cheesecake. (I know you didn’t see that one coming.) Still seasonally appropriate, if not all that traditional. I’ve made pumpkin cheesecakes before, but I wanted to try something a little different. So off to epicurious.com I went.

I ended up with a Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe (courtesy of Gourmet, November 1999). Not being a bourbon drinker, I didn’t have any bourbon on hand and didn’t want to buy a bottle for the two tablespoons of bourbon the recipe called for. So I opted instead for a Jameson’s Irish Whisky Pumpkin Cheesecake. Which was great because it allowed me to slightly put my own spin on it. (Sure, I wouldn’t win any awards on Top Chef Just Desserts for swapping out bourbon for whisky, but it was Thanksgiving. No risks!)

It was delicious, and despite the length of the ingredients list, not all that challenging.

Here’s the recipe:

Crust

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted 

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (or Jameson’s Irish Whisky)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

Topping

• 2 cups sour cream (20 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (or Jameson’s Irish Whisky)
• Garnish – pecan halves

Make crust

• Butter the sides and bottom of a 9” springform pan.
• Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugar and butter in a bowl until combined well.
• Pres crumb mixtgure evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan.
• Chill for one hour.

Make filling and bake cheesecake

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla and liquor in a bowl until combined.
• Stir together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt in a large bowl.
• Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth (about 3 minutes).
• Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
• Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case it leaks).
• Bake until center is just set, 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway through.
• Transfer to rack and cool for 5 minutes (leaving the oven on).

Make topping

• Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and liquor in a bowl.
• Spread on top of cheesecake.
• Bake 5 minutes.

Cool and serve cheesecake

• Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours.
• Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours.
• Garnish top of cheesecake with pecan halves.
• Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy – and happy belated Thanksgiving!

Don't Forget to Tip Your Blogger

As promised, it’s time for the second installment of the Wannabe Foodie’s Kitchen Tip series. This time, we’re looking at Food Prep Solutions.

Today’s tips are brought to you by the editors of Martha Stewart Living and their “Good Things for the Kitchen” special interest publication. I’ve been holding on to this magazine since Winter 2007, apparently. Well, you know Martha. She’s always full of great kitchen advice. (Notice, I said kitchen. I didn’t ask her for stock tips. Hey, she served her time. Leave her alone!)

Grating Ginger. If you recall, a couple of blogs ago I mentioned my brilliant idea of putting fresh ginger through a garlic press to save myself the hassle of having to mince it. Naturally, that didn’t work out so well. Martha suggests freezing the ginger before you grate it. This helps prevent the messiness of the fibers separating from the flesh. Ginger freezes very well – buy yourself a nice piece, wrap it tightly and store it for several months.

Bonus sub-tip… this also works for fresh mozzarella. Freeze for about 20 minutes, but no longer.

Leafy Herbs. Isn’t chopping leafy herbs a pain, when all you want is the leaf and not the stem? Next time, try holding the bunch of herbs (such as parsley or cilantro) upside down, and using a chef’s knife in a short downward motion, strip the leaves from the stems.

Bonus sub-tip… those stems will come in handy when you want to add some flavor to soups and sauces. Think spaghetti sauce and chicken soup. But not together. That’s gross.

Dusting a Pan for Chocolate Cake. This is one of my favorite tips. I actually first learned it from America’s Test Kitchen, so it’s probably not that big of a secret. But here it goes… when you grease and flour a pan for baking something chocolate – cake, brownies, what have you – use cocoa powder instead of flour. It’s just as effective, and won’t leave spots of white powder on your chocolate cake. I am now feeling inspired to bake a chocolate cake.

Yolks without Whites. Don’t you hate it when you have a recipe that calls for separating eggs, but you need more whites than yolks? Well, just freeze those leftover yolks in an airtight container. You can easily defrost them in the fridge overnight, but be sure to include a pinch of salt for every four egg yolks (or, if you prefer, a teaspoon of sugar).

Leftover stock. I always buy those four cup boxes of chicken stock (or I make it homemade). But if you don’t use the whole box within a week of opening it, you’re SOL. If I’m really being honest, I’ll tell you that I still use the stuff after seven days, but I will boil the hell out of it first. But the better tip is to freeze the leftover stock or broth in muffin tins, and then place the frozen stock muffins in a zip top freezer bag. And if you use one cup muffin tins, you’ll actually know how much you have.

And look at that… turns out I did go to Martha for a stock tip! I honestly didn’t see that one coming. (Swear to God, I caught it during proof reading.)

I hope you are enjoying the tip series! As the holidays approach, there will sure to be more cooking to blog about. Last year for Thanksgiving, B and his brother did turkey three ways – deep fried, oven roasted and rotisserie grilled. We were supposed to decide which method produced the best turkey, but no one kept track of which platter was which preparation. We think rotisserie turkey won. I’m hoping for a repeat this year… I’ll keep you posted.

And this Sunday is the Patriots-Colts game. We’re planning another Tailgate Clambake, but I am not attempting clam chowder again (see October 2009’s Disaster post). We’re thinking oysters as B has become quite the shucker. And I’m a sucker for a good shucker. Sorry, couldn’t resist. No cooking involved, but I’ll whip up some mignonette that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll get Sofia to eat one.

Until then, don’t forget to tip your blogger! I’m here all week.

Seriously… tip your blogger. What’s your favorite kitchen tip that you’d like to share with the world? Or the approximately one dozen people who may or may not read this.

Introducing the Kitchen Tips Series

I’ve decided to start a “tips” series. You know, once a week post a list of cooking and kitchen tips that we can all benefit from knowing. Don’t worry – these are not my tips. What good would those be? I promise these tips are compiled from various expert sources. No wannabes allowed.

So, welcome to the Wannabe Foodie’s Kitchen Tip Series!

Today’s tips are Recipe Conundrums, and they are brought to you by Fine Cooking magazine.

What is a sprig? I always thought a sprig was a sprig, but it turns out that when a recipe calls for a sprig of a fresh herb, and they don’t specify the exact length, you can feel safe going with a sprig that is approximately 4” in length. Just make sure it’s not a sparse sprig – if it is, you may want to use a little more to compensate.

Used too much salt? I’ve become a huge fan of kosher salt, thanks to Alton Brown. But while I know that it’s not an even swap with regular table salt, I never remember (or more likely, ever knew) how to make the correct conversion. Salting “to taste” is great until you add too much salt, which I often do (sorry, Dad). So now we know… Okay, now I know. Use 1 ¼– 1 ½ times the amount of table salt when using kosher salt. You are not actually using more salt – the kosher flakes are bigger, so they take up more volume. The larger the kosher flakes, the closer to 1 ½ times you should be.

Sub-tip… Bonus! As I turn the page in the magazine, I found out what to do if I over salt a dish. If you know immediately that you added to much salt, don’t stir it in, scoop it out. If you find out that your dish is over salted after you taste it, and the recipe has an acid ingredient (such as lemon juice, vinegar, wine or buttermilk), you can try adding a little more of the acid to balance the salt. As a last hope, add some more liquid (as appropriate to the recipe) to dilute the salt. Beyond that, you’re SOL. Make sure you drink plenty of water.

Eggs to cold? Often times, recipes call for room temperature eggs. If you are like me, you probably realize this merely minutes before you need to actually add the eggs to the recipe. And where are the eggs? In the fridge, of course. Just place the eggs in a bowl of warm water, and you ‘ll be good to go lickety split. (Did I really just say “lickety split”?)

Sub-tip… Another bonus! You should crack eggs on a flat surface, and not on the edge of a bowl. This minimizes shell shatter, and reduces the chances you’ll be fishing shell shards out of your mixture.

Butter too cold, too? Room temperature butter is another ingredient that usually hangs me up. I usually turn to the microwave, and tend to get overly softened butter. But you can cut the refrigerator cold butter into small cubes, separate it into a single layer, and let it sit on the counter. It will take about 30 minutes for the butter to come to room temperature, but it’s better than nothing. And certainly better than cold or melted butter.

In a pinch? Don’t you love those recipes that call for a pinch of something? How does my pinch measure up against B’s pinch? He has bigger fingers than I do, so wouldn’t his pinch therefore grab more of the ingredient than mine would? Well, it turns out a “pinch” is technically 1/16 of a teaspoon. If you are a perfectionist, you can find measuring spoons this small. But, a pinch is so small that a little more or a little less is not going to affect the outcome of your recipe. So pinch away, and don’t ask me what a dash is. It wasn’t in the magazine.


So there it is folks. Your first five tips from the Wannabe Foodie’s Kitchen Tip Series. Check back mid-week for the next five.

These Squashes Keep Multiplying

I think I have mentioned before that B and I signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program this summer. The season is now over, and we are trying to figure out what to do with the six – yes, that’s right, SIX – butternut squashes we have. One a week for the last six weeks of the program. That’s just an awful lot of squash for two people. And believe you me, I’m not even talking about the acorn, spaghetti, and buttercup squashes we also got.

Which leads me to one question. Okay, two questions.

1) How in hell are we supposed to use all this butternut squash?

2) Is the plural of squash “squashes,” or is it just “squash”?

The answer to the first question is half easy. Give as many of them away as possible. Then experiment.

So we gave three squash away. (And I think there is the answer to my second question. Squash, not squashes.) Then we cut one up and roasted it like I roast potatoes – olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and my absolute favorite herb mix, Italian seasoning.

Yeah, not so good.

Tonight, we made butternut squash risotto. I found the recipe on epicurious.com. It got a rating of 3 1/2 forks (out of 4), and 94% of the people who rated it would try it again (out of 121). Sounds like a sure thing.

Here’s the recipe, then I’ll tell you what I learned:

Ingredients

• 1 small Butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced thin
• 1 1/4 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh gingerroot
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• Shredded parmesan cheese 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel one half and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Put remaining half, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with the diced squash, and season with salt and pepper. Bake squash in middle of oven, stirring the diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly (15-20 minutes). Holding halved squash in a kitchen towel, scoop out flesh and chop coarse.
3. In a saucepan bring broth and water to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer.
4. In another saucepan cook onion, garlic, and gingerroot in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed.
5. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until about half of broth has been added.
6. Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering and adding broth in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes.
7. Stir in chives and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Spoon risotto into 2 shallow serving bowls and garnish with chives and shredded parmesan.

So what did I learn?

Even though it sounds like it will work, you can’t really use a garlic press to press gingerroot. Unless you only want the juice. It squeezes all the juice out of it, leaving you with a pretty dry piece of solid ginger. Stick to the microplane. It’s awesome for a reason.

If you want to use a garlic press on the garlic, instead of slicing it thinly, go right ahead. It doesn’t make a difference in this recipe. In fact, it probably saves lives. Okay, well, it probably just saved me from slicing my finger open once again. But that’s important too.

On a more serious note, don’t forget to add the squash in at the midway point, as instructed in the recipe. Don’t wait until the end. Otherwise the squash won’t be quite cooked enough. Or as B said, cook it longer in the oven. Sure, great idea, B. But that’s presuming I’m going to know in advance that I’m going to miss that step.

I would probably skip the water, using more broth instead, then use even more broth. The rice was a little too al dente (meaning not quite cooked enough), and the chicken broth didn’t over power it, so I see no reason to use a combination of water and broth. Unless you run short of broth.

Aside from both the rice and the squash being slightly underdone, it wasn’t all that bad. Instead of as a main course, we ate it as a side with roasted turkey tenderloin and it was pretty good. I have some risotto left over and I plan to use it to make risotto cakes later this week. My plan is to reheat it first, adding some more broth to try to compensate for its less than cooked thoroughly aspect, then form it into cakes and pan fry. I’ll keep you posted…

That leaves us with one more Butternut squash. Any suggestions? No? Well, here’s to hoping it keeps until Thanksgiving. 

Restaurant Review - Maxwells 148, Natick, MA

B and I enjoyed dinner and the theater the other night – without leaving our little domesticated suburb.

True story. We went to dinner at Maxwells 148, a nice, elegant restaurant located just outside of the center of town, and then headed over to the community arts center for their opening night performance of John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt. It was just like a night out in Boston without having to pay for parking and tolls!

Maxwells 148 is an Itialian-Asian restaurant. I once read that it was a fusion restaurant, but saw very few fusion examples on the menu. Taking a closer look my second time around, there does seem to be more distinct Asian and Italian dishes, but there are a few fusion items to be had.

Their website describes the restaurant and your experience as:

“This wonderful treasure located in Natick, MA is the creation of partners Mitchell Maxwell and Randy Nason. Invaluable assets such as Maxwell's culinary skills and Nason's savvy business experience create the perfect duo for success at Maxwells 148. The imaginative Italian and Asian cuisine shines with the inspired glow of Maxwell's experiences with chefs from the Friuli region of Italy, and by traveling through Hawaii, Japan and south to Indonesia. Partner Randy Nason is the accomplished leader of Maxwell's staff, a superior crew providing extraordinary service. Take your time to peruse the specially selected eighty bottle wine list, a delight for wine lovers, and a tribute to Nason's wine knowledge.”

The restaurant itself is very nicely appointed – its Asian influence comes out in the décor. It’s not over the top or even really classically Asian, but it’s very calming and serene. I’d almost describe it as “zen.” It’s not a huge space, but they do a great job to make sure that the tables are not on top of each other. It’s elegant and tasteful without being too high-falutin’, and it does have a small bar. I wouldn’t say it’s an “eat at the bar” sort of place, but you can get a drink while you’re waiting for your friends to get there.

We started with a cocktail, and while B stuck to his old standard Bombay Sapphire martini, I opted for the special Ketel One martini with anchovy and bleu cheese stuffed olives. My old standard is a Grey Goose martini, dirty, up with olives. I know, not much of a stretch, especially if you do like to experiment with stuffed olives as I do. But in fairness, I was actually leaning toward experimenting with their black fig vodka martini (which I overheard is their private label vodka). I did request the martini to be made on the dirty side, and I think that prevented me from really tasting the anchovies influence in the flavor, but it was still quite a good olive.

For an appetizer, we shared a risotto cake that was served with mushrooms and some type of mushroom cream sauce. (Forgive me for not knowing or being able to describe the details… remember, I’m a wannabe foodie. Still working this stuff out.) It was delicious. But then again, I love risotto, I love risotto that has been fried or pan seared in any way, and mushrooms are the world’s greatest fungus. (There is a joke in there about fungus, but I’m writing about food so I’ll let it go.)

B ordered the mozzarella salad special, which sounded good, looked good, but I never tried and I can’t remember what else was in it. It was not a caprese-type salad which I think made it interesting, and the mozzarella was marinated. He cleaned his plate. He’s good like that.

I ordered the salad with baby greens and roasted mushrooms. It had a lemony salad dressing (by this time the martini was in my head and we were onto a lovely bottle of Italian red wine, so the details get fuzzy) and shaved Parmigiano Regiano cheese. (Notice, I didn’t say “parmesan cheese.” That’s significant. This cheese actually came from Italy.) The salad was really good, but I thought it could have used a bigger hit of the dressing to kick up the flavor. I would have salted it had there been salt on the table. (But I do love that really nice restaurants don’t put salt and pepper on the tables because their food is supposed to arrive perfectly seasoned.)

Choosing my entrée was a challenge. While it’s not a huge menu per se, there is an enormous selection of delicious sounding meals. The menu focuses on house specialties that include both Asian and Italian fare, but also has a generous assortment of other meals – pasta, fish, chicken and meat – both from the Asian and Italian side of the culinary table.

I went simple… Shrimp fra diavolo. B opted for the rack of lamb special – one of the fusion type dishes I mentioned, it came with lobster fried rice.

The fra diavolo was definitely devilish… it was spicy and yummy. I could only eat half of it. (I confess to ordering spicy pasta dishes when I’m trying not to do overdue it in an Italian restaurant. Inevitably, I cannot eat the whole thing because my mouth is en fuego.) But let there be no confusion – it was delicious. (I don’t “review” a lot of restaurants…. I’m working on my synonyms for delicious that don’t make me sound like an asshole. Scrumptious, mouth-watering, to die for… yeah, just not there yet.)

B cleaned his plate. And I’m proud to say he did this without picking up the bones and sucking them clean. (We differ on the appropriateness of this in a public setting, but he threw me a bone this time, no pun intended. And he didn’t actually throw me a bone.) He ordered the lamb medium rare, and thought it might have been over cooked. I thought it looked perfectly cooked. That then launched us into a discussion of what medium rare is supposed to look like. I say “warm red center.” I don’t know that he had a description, but quite frankly, they looked closer to rare than medium if there was an argument to be had. But his meal, his opinion. (Compromise is that thing about marriage I’m having the toughest time with… It’s hard to take an Italian-Irish girl who has been on her own for a long time and tell her she can’t always get her way.)

The one thing about Maxwells 148 where there was no debate – the service. It was impeccable. The servers were knowledgeable without being pretentious, friendly without being overbearing. I’m not 100% sure, but when we asked to order a bottle of wine that would complement both of our meals, I believe it was Randy, the co-owner, who brought the list to our table, suggested three bottles that would be good, and offered us a sample of the one that was also available by the glass. And his recommendations ranged in price – from the $90 bottle that they had a limited amount of, to the $44 bottle we ended up buying. (And not because we’re cheap… B spends a ridiculous amount of money on wine in restaurants. But now that we’re married, the show’s over… let’s rein it in, buddy. That money needs to go towards a new house with a big, fancy chef’s kitchen! Oh, just imagine the blogs… but I digress.)

The servers worked well as a team. There was never any doubt who our server was, but we had our water re-filled by a number of different people, as they didn’t just focus on their tables. They all took care of the restaurant. And what I really liked was that the chef made the rounds. I saw him in the dining room several times, and he stopped by our table to ask how our meals were and if we had any questions for him. Nice touch. Restaurants need to do that more. Well, really just the nice ones. No offense, but I don’t need to make small talk with the head chef at TGI Friday’s.

So, I highly recommend Maxwells 148 if you are ever in the Natick or Metro West area. Just one suggestion… if you order one of the off-menu specials, you might want to make sure how much they cost. We were a little sticker shocked by my $18 martini (that’s more expensive than Grill 23, and it wasn’t nearly as big) and B’s $52 rack of lamb. I still chuckle that his entrée cost more than the bottle of wine we ordered. You just don’t see that very often!

Maxwells 148 is located at 148 East Central Street, in Natick, MA.  They are open for lunch Tuesday – Friday (noon to 2:00 p.m.) and dinner Tuesday – Friday (5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) and Saturday (5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.).  You can find them on the web at http://www.maxwells148.com/.  Reservations are available through Open Table.

Something In My Freezer Smells

For the last few days, each time I open up my freezer, I get a whiff of something not so pleasant. And I can’t figure out what it is. It kinda smells like bad fish – like lying in the middle of my freezer amidst all the frozen food is a piece of defrosted, unwrapped, spoiled fish. Well, we all know that’s not possible.  So what's going on?

I emptied the freezer out, and smelled everything in it. It wasn’t the popsicles, or frozen Lean Cuisines. Even though that piece of chicken has been in there for well over a year, it wasn’t that either. Veggies all checked out. Even the tilapia filets passed the smell test. Plastic containers of homemade chicken broth remained sealed and odor free.

Ice cubes! That’s it… it has to be. Ice cubes are really the only things in there that could pick up the stench of something gross and hold on to it. Sniff, sniff. Nope, not the ice cubes. Should I throw them away and make fresh ones, just to be safe? Nah, but I will mix myself up a quick vodka tonic.

All this project left me with was very cold hands. And the realization that I need to figure out something to do with those two pounds of phyllo dough.

My freezer still smells. Everything in it appears to be guilt free. And I am stumped.

But… I did stumble across two bottles of my homemade limoncello from a couple of Christmases ago. And since it requires some lead time, and the holidays are right around the corner, I decided to share the recipe with you. (The recipe is credited to Michael Chiarello, founder of Napa Style, Food Network host, and winner of the first season of Top Chef Masters.)

       Limoncello

• 12 lemons, peel only (no pith!)
• 3 sprigs lavender (optional)
• 2 liters vodka
• 6 cups sugar
• 3 cups water

1. Put the lemon peels, lavender and vodka in a container, seal and let stand for four weeks.
2. After four weeks, strain mixture into a separate container. (Mike recommends a decanter, I’m not sure it really matters. Since I don’t have a decanter, I’m pretty sure I didn’t use one.)
3. Mix the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until all the sugar has dissolved.
4. Let cool, then add the vodka mixture.
5. Store in the freezer for up to one year.

When I made this, I did not include lavender. I bought really cute glass bottles from the Container Store, and made tags on my computer. I tied the tags to the bottles using raffia, and gave the limoncello out as Christmas gifts. I found that the color was not as creamy yellow as the limoncello you buy at the liquor store, but the flavor was better. (You know I taste tested this, so you can trust me.)

And even though the recipe specifically says that it keeps for up to one year in the freezer, and I’ve had it for at least two, it’s not what smells in my freezer.

The Prodigal Foodie Has Returned

I have been noticeably absent from my wannabe foodie blog. Okay, I’m pretty sure that I’m the only one who noticed I was absent, but even though, I’m gearing up for a comeback.

The last few months have been a bit of a personal challenge for me. In June, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, and spent the rest of the summer and into the fall getting treatment. It was a rough time, but I cannot deny that I had it much easier than most cancer patients. And I’m happy to report that my treatments are over, my long term prognosis is beyond excellent, I’m back to work (okay, maybe not so happy to report that), and I can taste and appreciate good food again.

 I’m working on a few posts to get myself back on track. Here’s a preview of what’s to come:

• Something in my freezer smells
• Cooking tips and techniques
• Kitchen cheat sheets

I hope my scant few readers are still interested in what I have to write. Laugh with me or at me… just please still read me!!

Fall Is In The Air

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. There is just something about the way the temperature changes to something remotely comfortable, slipping on your favorite pair of jeans after a three month hiatus, sleeping with open windows instead of AC, and not sweating when you drink that piping hot cup of coffee. (I don’t care what anyone says, as much as I like a good cup of iced coffee, it’s the hot stuff that opens my eyes in the morning.)

And of course, cooking season is back. Hearty soups and stews, tender roasts, and fall vegetables. (Pumpkin!) Fall began in earnest in my neck of the woods this past week, and to celebrate I prepared a lovely autumn-inspired dinner for B and myself the other night.

The inspiration for this meal came from a book that my friend Karen sent me. (Think of a Number, by John Verdon… I’m only halfway through, but so far it’s a really great, compelling read. Thanks again, Karen!) Early on in the book, the protagonist’s wife cooked pork chops braised in apple juice. We all know that pork chops and apples go together like chocolate and peanut butter. How could I resist?

Since Think of a Number is a mystery and not a cookbook, I had to use my Google skills to find a recipe. I couldn’t come up with anything that was apple juice specific, but I did find one that called for apple cider. Close enough… in fact, even better. Cider, in my opinion, is so much better than juice, and it’s definitely more seasonal. The recipe was very simple. It called for the chops, the cider and some diced onion, dried sage (which I did not have, so I substituted rosemary) and vegetable oil.

To accompany the pork chops, I decided to do something beyond the basic apple sauce. I still wanted an apple-based side. A) because, like I said, pork chops and apples go together like chocolate and peanut butter, and B) because B and I had a bowlful of apples that were on the pushing list.

Another Google search later and I had a simple recipe for homemade applesauce, and another recipe for apple stuffed acorn squash. The apple sauce was used in the stuffing, along with brown rice, celery and pecans with some ginger and onion powder. The squash was seasoned with butter and cinnamon prior to stuffing.

I may have been pushing the season just a little bit, but it was quite a delicious meal. Sadly, in all my excitement to eat the dish, I neglected to take a picture of it to share with you all. My only complaint was that the pork chop recipe was a little vague on how long to cook the pork, so it was slightly overcooked when I was done. Fortunately, while it was a little tough, it wasn’t dry and the sauce made from the braising liquid helped hide its flaws.

If anyone is interested in the recipes for the pork, applesauce and squash, just shoot me a message and I’ll share the specifics.

Happy fall, everyone!

Oh My Ricotta!

A while back I had clipped a recipe for homemade ricotta cheese from a magazine. I never got around to making it, but I remembered it recently and decided it was worth a shot. Naturally, I couldn’t find the recipe. But you gotta love the internet, because a desired recipe is never more than a few clicks away.

The recipe below is from Epicurious.com. (A highly recommended site… and if you are the proud owner of an iPhone or iPad, you can download their app for free. It’s great – especially the iPad version. VERY convenient for use in the kitchen.)


Fresh Homemade Ricotta

Ingredients:
• 2 quarts whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Special Equipment:
• Large sieve
• Fine-mesh cheesecloth

Line a large sieve with a layer of heavy-duty fine-mesh cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.

Slowly bring milk, cream and salt to a rolling boil in a 6-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about two minutes.

Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let it drain for 1 hour. After discarding the liquid, chill the ricotta, covered; it will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.


While it’s simple enough to make on your own, I will admit that it is not really cost or time effective when compared with picking up a container of the packaged stuff at the grocery store. This recipe makes about two cups of ricotta, and you can probably buy that for around $3. The ingredients will cost you close to twice that much. Plus, it doesn’t have a long shelf life so you really need to make it and use it right away.

But… and here’s the big “but.” The cheese on its own is nothing spectacular. But when I used it to make lasagna for me and B, forget about it. It was the best tasting ricotta cheese I have ever had in a lasagna. It melted perfectly and was so creamy and delicious. Never before have I tasted anything like it!

It’s up to you… a more expensive, but all natural ricotta to be used for baking, or store bought ricotta without the fuss and the muss. You can’t go wrong either way, but my vote says homemade is worth a shot, at least for special occasions. More times than not , I will buy my ricotta. But the next time I make lasagna or manicotti, I think I’m going to literally put my money where my mouth is and spend the few extra dollars to make the dish that much more memorable.

The Ultimate Beef Wellington for the Ultimate B

I know I’ve been an absentee blogger. I promise I have a really good excuse, but I won’t bore you with the sad details. Trust me, you are better off not knowing.

But I will share with you that the sad details that have kept me from writing have been accompanied by some happy news too. B asked me to marry him, and after a very brief engagement, we eloped last weekend in Vermont – just the two of us on a perfect day. (And to answer your next question, no we’re not having a baby!)

At first, we decided not to give each other wedding gifts. But then B decided that he wanted a gift after all. He wanted Beef Wellington back on the table.

Why was it off the table, you ask? It’s a long story. I’ll try to keep it brief. Last December, we were watching the Beef Wellington episode of Tyler’s Ultimate on the Food Network. B suggested that we make it for his aunt and uncle when we visit them over the holidays. Sure, great, why not?

Well, as it turns out, it wasn’t the best experience. For me. We had our first fight, I shed my first tears, and forever more Beef Wellington will be associated with that bad memory.

But B loved the meal and he’s been dying to make it again. And I have refused every time he’s asked. I told him flat out that Beef Wellington is off the table. I will never make it again.

Until now… putting it back on the table is the one thing he wants from me for a wedding gift. As bad as the memory is, there are worse things in the world and I really should count my blessings that the low point in our relationship is a bad day in the kitchen and not something much bigger.

So, I decided to be the bigger person and give B what he wants. Beef Wellington is back on the table.

And what did I get for a wedding gift from B? Diamond earrings. Hey, he had to make it worth my while, didn’t he?

Here it is folks… the recipe for Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Beef Wellington. As bad as the day was for me, I cannot deny that it was a delicious meal. Happy wedding, B. Thanks for marrying me. I love you!!!


The Ultimate Beef Wellington with Green Peppercorn Sauce

For the Duxelles:
• 3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button mushrooms
• 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef:
• 1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 thin slices prosciutto
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
• 1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• Minced chives, for garnish

For the Green Peppercorn Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 box beef stock
• 2 cups cream
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 1/2 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained, brine reserved

Preparing the Duxelles
Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Preparing the Beef
Tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board.

Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with Green Peppercorn Sauce.

Preparing the Green Peppercorn Sauce
Add olive oil to pan after removing beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then, off heat, add brandy and flambe using a long kitchen match. After flame dies down, return to the heat, add stock and reduce by about half. Strain out solids, then add 2 cups cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then shut off heat and add green peppercorns.

Takes about 6 hours to prepare, and serves 6-8 people.

The Chicken that Died in Vain

This story may not sit well with everyone, but here goes… The true foodie appreciates where her ingredients come from, and wants nothing more than to have the freshest food possible grace her plate. So when B told me that he was going to help a friend kill a couple of his chickens that reached their prime, and that we were going to get one for ourselves, naturally I… threw up in my mouth a little.

Okay. I eat meat. I understand that said meat was once a living animal and that someone had to kill that animal in order for me to eat it. But having that person be my boyfriend is another story.

But B already promised his friend, and was excited to eat fresh chicken. He is the chicken man, after all. So, I relented and said he could bring it home, as long as it was completely cleaned before I had to look at it. I honestly wanted the thing to look like it came straight from the grocery store. I even suggested he have it shrink wrapped. (I will forgive B for having to finish plucking its feathers in my kitchen sink… after I sterilize my tweezers.)

Did I mention that B recently watched Alton Brown cut up a whole chicken on Good Eats, and decided that we would need to cut up our own chickens from now on? And did I mention how I told him that I didn’t have the right kind of knife to cut up a whole chicken, so oh darn, we’re going to have to buy them pre-butchered? And did I mention that he bought a boning knife so that the problem was solved?

Yeah, that’s B for you. A real problem solver.

So needless to say, B wanted to cut up this chicken himself and roast the pieces rather than the whole bird. (Okay, in fairness, he told me it was going to be a 10 lb bird, and I was concerned about it cooking evenly at that size, so I kind of talked him into it. But since he was dying to use that boning knife, I didn’t have to talk very long.)

Armed with a series of You Tube videos and my Good Eats: The Early Years book, and our new boning knife, this chicken didn’t stand a chance. Well, actually, this chicken didn’t stand a chance 24 hours earlier when Greg and B grabbed it for slaughter. But I digress…

He did a pretty good job for a first timer (and who am I to judge, really), but practice makes perfect as the old saying goes. See for yourself:

Once the bird was fully cut up (and the remains were in the stock pot with some carrots, celery and onions), we tossed the pieces with olive oil, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Alton Brown suggested we fry the chicken, but we went with the Better Homes & Garden Method of roasting the meaty pieces.

We should have listened to Alton. I was concerned that it would be hard to cook evenly, but figured it wouldn’t be that bad. Needless to say…

How good does chicken jerky sound to you? Not that good, right? Well, then, imagine chicken shoe leather because it was just a tad drier than that.

I felt awful. B slaughters, guts, and butchers a farm fresh chicken. And yet I’m the one who killed it. I can’t believe I ruined what could have been – or should have been – the best damn chicken we’ve ever eaten. Hopefully Greg has to off another couple of birds soon, so we can make amends with the chicken Gods. This time, we’ll definitely whole roast it. It will be prepared with dignity.

As always, B was full of supportive sentiments. “We learned for next time. It’s not that bad. You can still taste that it would have been good, etc.”

And I really thought he meant it until he ate the dessert I made. We got a batch of strawberries that were definitely on the pushing list, so I made a strawberry crisp that came out awesome (despite all the mistakes and “we’ll see how this works” corrections I had to use). B said it was “redemptive.” I thought he meant that I saved the strawberries, but no… he meant that I redeemed myself for ruining the chicken.

And that is the story of the chicken who died in vain, and the dessert that redeemed this wannabe foodie.

ATK Warehouse Sale

By now you all know that I’m a big fan of the America’s Test Kitchen. I recently ordered a book from them, and the package included a flyer with the details of their warehouse clearance sale. These prices are too good to keep to myself , so here are the highlights of the sale:

The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (1st Edition). I have the second edition, but at $10.50 (while supplies last), it shouldn’t matter. This originally sold for $34.95, and was published only a year before the second edition. How different it could be? This is my go to cookbook, and if you have any doubts about how good it really is after reading about my cooking skills, spend a few bucks and check it out for yourself. The book has over 1,200 recipes, with photos.

The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. Like it’s non-baking counterpart, this is my go to baking book. It has 700 recipes and is on sale for half off at $17.50

TV Companion Books. From 2002 – 2007, and $14.95 each (or $79.95 for all 6), you can get all the recipes, taste tests, and equipment recommendations from the entire season of America’s Test Kitchen. These originally sold for $34.95 - $29.95, so the price represents a savings of 50% or more. (Hint… I just purchased the ten year anniversary book for $35 that included all the recipes from all ten seasons… so your money may be better spent on the one big book.)

How to Cook Master Series. This is a 7 book set that covers specific culinary topics such as “How to Saute,” or How to Barbecue and Roast on the Grill.” It sells for $29.95, which is 71% off the original price. I’m thinking about picking this one up for myself.

The Kitchen Detective. For $11.95, you get 159 recipes for all kinds of interesting dishes. The flyer boasts “coca cola chicken” as one of them. None of these recipes have appeared in the Cook’s Illustrated magazines or cookbooks. However, it does note that the 159 recipes includes variations.

If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, or the other ones featured in the sale (there are ten more included on the flyer), visit the ATK Warehouse Clearance Sale and use promotion code CHP10A to take advantage of these offers.

These are really great books, and the recipes are very reasonable for the average home cook. Just don’t make the clam chowder (I don’t want anyone to have to live through the same tailgate disaster of October 2009 that I did)!

Happy cooking!

No Flan For You!

I’m a little obsessed with custards right now. After my success with crème brulee, I have been determined to tackle other custard-based desserts. I love the richness and texture of custards, and the fact that they have just a touch of sweetness but not too much. The other day, it was time for flan.

B and I had a family cookout to attend yesterday, so I thought I’d make a trial flan before relying on it to impress his relatives. Once again, I turned to my friends at America’s Test Kitchen for a recipe.

Where do I start?

Okay, how about I start with the fact that I had no intention of writing about the flan. I figured I already wrote about the crème brulee, so I shouldn’t bore with you another custard story. But this was too good to pass up.

The first step is to make the caramel. The recipe said it should be a light amber when it hits 300 degrees, in 3-5 minutes. I long ago learned to rely on temperature over time, so even though it was approaching the 5 minute mark, the temperature was only around 250. It couldn’t possibly be ready.

About a half a second later, the caramel was burnt.

So I wash the pot, and start over again. This took a little longer than I would have liked because burnt, stuck on caramel takes some time to dissolve and release. But this was okay, because it gave those eggs some more time to come up to room temperature.

So, back to the caramel for round two. This time, I tried to rely on color versus time or temperature. Based on how it looked and how it tasted (not that my taste buds should be considered a reliable source after I killed most of them by tasting boiling hot caramel), it was not quite ready. But I was too afraid to leave it on the heat for a second longer. Caramel will turn on you without warning, and I just didn’t want to face round three.

So, the “caramel” is poured in the cake pan, hardening in anticipation of the custard. (Wow, that sounds a little dirty. Shame on me.) The recipe called for a 9” cake pan, but I only had 8” cake pans. And guess what? An 8” cake pan would have to do.

So the custard base, consisting of low fat milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs and lemon zest was ready and waiting. I poured it into the cake pan, half expecting it to overflow since I was an inch shy. But miraculously, the pan was perfectly accommodating and didn’t fill up to the top.

The cake pan had previously been settled in a roasting pan, so I placed the roasting pan in the oven and then added the hot water bath. This reminded me that I really need to get a kettle, especially if I’m going to continue to be custard obsessed and accident prone. Eventually, pouring boiling water from a sauce pan into a roasting pan is going to get me.

Okay, so everything’s ready to go. Close the oven door, set the timer for 35 minutes and get ready for my flan. As I wait, I imagine how impressed everyone will be by my dessert. “Oooh, flan!”

Bing! The flan’s ready. But it’s not. It’s completely liquid. Seriously? How is this possible?

Oh, I see. I somehow managed to turn off the oven. So my flan just spent 35 minutes in a warm water bath in a lukewarm oven. Yeah, that’s gotta be good for milk and eggs. Oops.

So, oven back on. Timer set for 40 minutes (the recipe said 30-40 minutes, but considering the time didn’t start at the right temperature, I gave it an extra 5 minutes for round two.)

I’m just hoping that whatever bacteria grew during the oddly inappropriate temperature stage of round one doesn’t kill us.

After the flan finishes baking, it needs to rest at room temperature for two hours, then in the refrigerator for two hours.

B and I opted to skip dessert at dinner that night to go home and sample the flan. The verdict? Not too bad. The caramel definitely tasted more like a sugar syrup than caramel, and the custard was fine – it did have a nice lemony flavor from the zest, maybe a little too lemony, but it was good. However, we determined this wouldn’t be a crowd pleaser so I didn’t make a second one for the cookout. They would have to be impressed with my flank steak marinades and grilled radicchio instead.

Here’s a picture of the flan, minus the piece that B and I ate. It looks like Pac Man.

Reminiscing...

This Wannabe Foodie has had a bad couple of weeks, and needs to take her mind off some things, including, but not limited to, the bureaucratic weasels that represent the company who employs her. And I mean the organization not the people I work directly with, just in case anyone is reading this.

But I digress.

So, I thought I’d use this time and space to reminisce about some of the great restaurants I have visited and some of the delicious food I have enjoyed since I started this blog almost a year ago. (Can you believe it’s been almost a year and I still don’t have a book deal? Ha, ha, ha…)

 Restaurants

• Grill 23 & Bar on Berkeley Street in Boston. I cannot compose a list of the best dining establishments that I have frequented without including my most favorite place of all. Tops for juicy, flavorful steaks and exceptional bar service. Plus, B and I had our first date here.
• Mesa Grill at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. I will not soon forget that barbecue duck taco. Thank you, Bobby Flay.
• Le Jules Verne on the second level of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Thank you B for not one, but two unforgettable meals in the most beautiful city in the world.
• L’Table de Joel Rubichon in Paris, France. Thank you again, B, for wearing the jacket that surely got us seated without a reservation even though I was wearing “clam diggers and flip flops.” It was another one of those unforgettable meals and an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.
• Craftsteak at MGM Grand at Foxwoods. Technically, I believe I ate here before the birth of the Confessions of a Wannabe Foodie blog, but it may have been the dining experience that motivated me to get the blog started. Yummy steaks, delicious raw bar, and really great, attentive service a la Tom Colicchio.
• Bar Americain at Mohegan Sun Casino. Before I started this blog, I didn’t even like Bobby Flay. I couldn’t stand seeing his mug every 5 seconds on the Food Network. And here I am, not even a year later, putting not one, but two of his restaurants on this list. Victory is yours, Mr. Flay. You are indeed a super chef. (Try the venison.)
• RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. There was something very special about Rick Moonen’s cioppino. I think it was the pasta that he served with it. I would go back to Vegas for no other reason than to have another taste of this dish.
• Aureole at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Truth be told, I consumed approximately two bottles of champagne (no lie) before dinner at this restaurant, that was in celebration of my sister’s wedding, and I don’t really remember the meal. But it is a family mandate that we include this restaurant on any sort of “best restaurant” list we may compile. Not that my family compiles a lot of these lists, but my mother would kill me if she ever found out.
• Gibbet Hill Grill in Groton, MA. B will probably be shocked to see this on my list. It’s a restaurant he has brought me to a few times, and I think that he thinks it’s a bit too big for its britches. (Something about Boston prices but not Boston caliber food.) But I really love it there. The food is really good, but it’s the atmosphere I enjoy most. It’s such a quaint, rustic space (and I love rustic), and it’s located on a farm. You can literally watch cattle grazing in the distance while you eat your meal. Right now, I’m considering it one of my happy places.

Food

• Since I already called out that duck taco from Mesa Grill, I need to start the list with that. If I remember correctly, and I think I do, it was melt in your mouth delicious.
• Both B and I agreed that the quail at L’Table was the best bite of food either of us ate in Paris. And since he only had one tiny bite of my tasting portion, that says a lot. It was perfectly cooked, seasoned and tender. And I will love it always.
• And as I did with that duck taco, I have to give a nod to Rick Moonen’s cioppino. Maybe it’s just that I’m used to it being served as either a stew with no accompaniment, or that accompaniment being rice (and if it’s not risotto, I don’t like rice), but his was served with this wonderful pasta. I have to admit, I can’t remember if the pasta was nice, wide noodles or thick rings (similar to calamari – I may just be remembering the calamari though), but it was some of the best pasta I’ve ever had.
• And speaking of some of the best pasta I’ve ever had, how about that pipé and Bolognese sauce from Pastapapa in Paris. Hmm hmm good.
• Oysters. Anywhere they serve them. Well, almost anywhere. B and I went to Minado for dinner one night (the Japanese seafood buffet, which in most cases is quite good) and waited about 20 minutes for the oysters. After we wrestled some oyster hog to the ground and grabbed a few for ourselves, we couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Now I’m telling you, this oyster hog was taking 20 at a time. While it was an all you can eat seafood buffet, and you do want to get your money’s worth, it was clear this man was spending $25 to eat nothing buy oysters. And they were not good. Completely flavorless. No amount of lemon juice or cocktail sauce helped. Flav-or-less. And I will eat oysters all year round (none of this limiting myself to month’s with an R in the name). These were just plain gross. The oyster hog can have them. B and I still can’t stop talking about how bad they were, and how foolish that man was.
• I’ve tried my share of new (to me) foods this past year as well… quail (first had at Craft in NY, which did not make my list), chitterlings, pigeon (good, but ewww), venison, caviar, ox heart and roasted bone marrow. It’s been quite an adventure.
• And what about the foods that I prepared myself? My recent effort at crème brulee was quite a success. That Easter lamb came out good. And we can’t forget the ultimate roast chicken. But my heart belongs to my Wally the Green Monster ice cream, even though it seems like every where I go now I see a mint flavored Oreo cookie ice cream. (And I still swear that I came up with that idea completely independently.)

So now that all the reminiscing is out of the way, what’s next for this Wannabe Foodie? This week marks the first pick up from the community supported agriculture (CSA) program that B and I joined. It’s actually with Gibbet Hill, the restaurant I mentioned as my happy place. For 20 weeks, we will get a supply of farm fresh produce that Gibbet Hill Farm grows for their restaurant, and they have promised a variety of produce that we won’t typically find in a grocery store nor through any other CSA program. I promise to keep you posted as to what we get, and how we put it to good use.

To Brulee or Not to Brulee

I finally did it. I got my crème brulee torch. It’s so cool. And you’ll be happy to hear that no injuries or fires have been reported. (Although, I did have to take it away from B. What is it with men and fire?)

The torch cost me $20 (shout out to Bed Bath & Beyond), and it came with a set of four ramekins (butane not included). So on Sunday, I pulled out my trusty America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book and found the recipe for vanilla bean crème brulee, and got things started.

The custard was not hard to make at all. I will tell you that it’s a vat of fat (or in more culinary terms, egg yolks and heavy cream), seasoned with vanilla and sugar. I steeped the vanilla bean pod (with the seeds removed and added to the mixture) in some of the heavy cream and sugar until it was brought to a simmer. Then I let it sit for a while before adding the rest of the cream, and then gradually whisked the mixture into the egg yolks. Once that was done, it was time to strain it to remove any remnants of the vanilla bean pod.

Voila! The custard is ready for the oven. I set up the ramekins in the roasting pan, only to realize the recipe called for 4 oz ramekins and clearly these were not. So I had to dig through my cabinets for some filler ramekins before I was back in business.

Okay, ramekins of various shapes and sizes are now filled and arranged in the roasting pan. Time to add the hot water bath. The recipe recommends placing the pan in the oven and then adding the boiling water. I thought that was silly until I splashed boiling hot water on me. Damnit, Beth. But at least it wasn’t the torch that caused the burn which I know is what you all predicted would happen. Ye of little faith.

Okay, custard in ramekins? Check. Ramekins in roasting pan? Check. Hot water bath filled to approximately halfway up the ramekins of various shapes and sizes? Hmmm… semi-check. Good enough.

They baked for about 35 minutes and then needed to be removed from the roasting pan and hot water bath, and moved to a separate pan (I used a brownie pan), covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least two hours.

Now, it’s time to torch. The recipe called for turbinado sugar, or sugar in the raw. Which is effin’ expensive as far as sugar goes, let me tell you. But I was committed to doing this right so I spent the $4.49 on a two pound box of sugar.

Here’s what I can tell you. When I did this at dinner the other night (oh by the way, I made roasted Cornish game hens with lemon sage butter served with sautéed baby spinach and a garden salad, thank you very much), it was easy peasy. No problems. But…

When I re-enacted this tonight to take a couple of pictures to post with the blog, the flame went crazy! I have no idea what happened, but I’m a little afraid to put the torch back in the cabinet because it seems to have some pent up energy or something. See for yourself:

But, crazy flames and the threat of burning my house down (which didn’t actually happen, so it doesn’t count), it came out really good! It actually tasted like crème brulee. In all honesty, it was more of a pain to make with the hot water bath, than it was hard to make. And this was my first custard. So I think this will only lead to bigger and better things for this foodie down the road.

If only I could get rid of that burning smell in my kitchen…

It's Gazpacho Time

A few things collided for me this weekend – a need to keep busy, a desire to go to town with my chef’s knife, and a hankering for some fresh produce. The solution? Gazpacho. Or as B likes to quote Lisa Simpson, “tomato soup served ice cold.”

I love gazpacho in the summertime. You get a nice serving (or two) of vegetables, it’s light, refreshing and full of flavor, and it’s just so fun to make. I developed my recipe a few years ago after feeling like my cookbook recipes didn’t deliver the same quality gazpacho that I would get in a restaurant – not even close. So I did my homework, researched various cookbooks and websites and pulled together my own recipe that makes me pretty damn proud.

And today is your lucky day. Because I’m going to share my gazpacho recipe with you. (You’re welcome.)

Beth's Best Gazpacho

• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 5 scallions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tomatoes, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 1/2 cups navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 6 T red wine vinegar
• 46 oz. tomato juice
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 T minced fresh parsley
• 1 T minced fresh basil
• 1/2 T minced fresh oregano
• 1/4 t salt 

In a 4 quart serving bowl, combine cucumber, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, celery, navy beans, olive oil, vinegar and tomato juice. Season with cumin, parsley, basil, oregano and salt. Adjust salt to taste, if desired. Using an immersion blender, puree approx. 1/2 of the mixture (more or less depending on your personal taste). Stir. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve cold.

Every time I make gazpacho, I tinker with the ingredients. This time, I made the following adjustments:

• Used canned whole tomatoes with puree in place of the tomato juice. I had to add some extra salt since the canned tomatoes do not have as much salt as the juice. But the canned whole tomatoes did increase the fresh flavor of the dish.
• Added some chopped red onion. I had some on hand, and wanted to give the dish a little more kick – more for B than for me, but it worked.
• Added some fresh ground pepper. Like the red onion, it gave it a little extra kick while increasing the basic seasoning of the dish.
• Excluded the diced tomatoes. In all honesty, I just forgot them. It wasn’t until I went to write this blog that I realized that. Oh well. Oops. Worse things have happened.
• Used 2 medium Italian peppers in place of the green bell pepper. I just like Italian peppers better. I don’t know why I used green bell pepper in the recipe to begin with.

It came out pretty good, despite the lack of tomatoes (perhaps the canned tomatoes instead of the juice made up for that a bit). The navy beans add some protein and fiber and make it a more filling lunch option. When serving, I like to add a dollop of reduced fat sour cream, a fresh herb garnish (chopped parsley, basil or chives are best) and a wedge of lime. A squeeze of lime adds some brightness to the fresh flavor.

And the best part is that I can puree the hell out of what’s left after my FOURTH root canal tomorrow and drink it through a straw since I’ll have a mouth full of stitches. 

Enjoy.  

Condiment Wars!

I’m really trying to eat less processed, pre-packaged foods and focus my diet more on whole, natural and home made foods. This effort led me to make my own mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise over Memorial Day weekend. I took it one day at a time – ketchup on Saturday, mayo on Sunday and mustard on Monday.

I’m going to take this a little out of order and start with the mayo.

If you are in possession of a food processor, and if it has one of those mayonnaise holes in the feed tube, it is super easy to make this yourself. And it truly tastes better. However, I felt the flavor changed a little on the second day and I got a little nervous since I used raw, unpasteurized eggs. So keep this in mind if you try it yourself… make it for immediate use and not to be stored for a couple of weeks. Or try to find pasteurized eggs. (I can’t guarantee the flavor after a couple of days with pasteurized eggs, but it should be safer to eat.)

The ketchup wasn’t too hard either, but I think this is something you need to experiment with to find the flavor that is right for you. While I love all things tomato, I loathe ketchup. French fries and cheeseburgers are the only things I can stomach having with ketchup. I was on a date years ago, in the (dark) days before B, where my date put ketchup on his steak. I almost walked out. Truth be told, I should have walked out when he brought me to Ruby Tuesday for dinner, but I digress…

Back to the ketchup. I think it’s too sweet and artificial tasting. So, if I can find the right flavor with homemade ketchup, this could be a win for me. It took about 20 minutes to prepare, and then you need to let it cook for about an hour.

As is very typical of me, I found a recipe and didn’t read it carefully. I bought all the ingredients, did all the prep, and was in the processing of making the ketchup when I noticed that the instructions called for salt, but the ingredient list did not. I added kosher salt, one teaspoon at a time, until I got to about 2 1/2 teaspoons. I also added some pepper. Even though I didn’t think the flavor was exactly right, I was concerned about making it too salty so I didn’t add any more.

The end result? It was okay. A little too sweet for my liking (you’ll see from the recipe below it calls for a lot of sugar), and it had more of a barbecue tang than normal ketchup. My niece Michelle did a taste test for me with my homemade version and a conventional (read, boring) store bought version. It was obvious to her almost thirteen year old palate which was homemade, but she did say she liked the flavor of mine better. Score one for Beth.

Now, onto the mustard. It’s a lot more expensive to make homemade mustard than it is to buy it. And it’s really not all that un-natural and processed to begin with, so there isn’t much of a point in putting myself through this exercise. But as much as I loathe ketchup, I love mustard. So I had to give it a try.

In my head, I was expecting the recipe to yield yellow mustard but it turned out to be more along the lines of Gulden’s spicy brown mustard. Don’t get me wrong, Gulden’s is good. But I’m a French’s yellow mustard kind of a girl. I think where I went wrong was buying generic mustard seeds. I see now that the recipe specifically called for yellow mustard seeds. Oops. Oh well, I bought what the grocery store carried. I should have used the internet. Or actually looked in more than one store.

Still, the homemade kind was good. In fact, it gave the store bought version of spicy brown mustard (not Gulden’s, some organic variety that I had on hand) a run for its money. In the blind taste test, Michelle guessed which one was homemade, but she said they both tasted identical. I guess mine looked a little less machine made. And I consider a tie on taste a win. Store bought mustard is good. And if I make something that tastes good, then I win!

So where do I go from here? The homemade mustard and ketchup will keep for up to a month in the refrigerator. I think I can work with the ketchup recipe to make it less sweet and more savory – it’s definitely worth trying again. (Maybe for 4th of July?) If I find mustard seeds in bulk at BJ’s Wholesale Club or on sale somewhere, I would definitely make it again. And maybe this time I’ll try to find yellow mustard seeds to see if I can take on French’s. As for the mayo, if I’m ever having a get together that requires me to put out some mayonnaise, I’m definitely making it from scratch.

The recipes are below. Give it a shot, and let me know how it worked for you. Condiment wars are on!

Mayonnaise
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 1/2 C canola oil
1/4 t salt, or to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the lemon juice, egg and egg yolk. Pulse until smooth. With the processor running, add the oil using the feed tube and the mayonnaise whole so that it is incorporated in a slow, steady stream. Process until smooth. Season with salt. Transfer the mayo to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Ketchup
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes in puree
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T olive oil
1 T tomato paste
2/3 C packed dark brown sugar
1/2 C apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste (I used 2 1/2 t)

Puree tomatoes (juice and all) in a blender until smooth. Cook onion in a 4 qt heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until softened (about 8 minutes). Add pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar and salt. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, for about 1 hour. Stir more frequently towards the end of cooking to prevent scorching. Puree ketcup in 2 batches in blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Makes about 2 cups.

Mustard
1/2 C yellow mustard seeds
3/4 C apple cider vinegar
1/3 C water
1 1/4 t sugar
1 1/2 t salt

Soak mustard seeds in vinegar and water at room temperature for 2 days. If seeds are not submerged, add just enough additional water to cover. Puree mixture in a food processor with sugar and salt until almost smooth, about 2 minutes. Thin to desired consistency with additional water and season with salt. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Our Week in Paris

B and I got home from Paris on Friday, and I’m still full. It was a solid week of food – much of it amazing, some of it interesting, and a couple of things that were just plain wrong. Where shall I begin?

I should start by saying that even though I lived on them when I was in Paris four years ago, I limited myself to only two jambon and fromage sandwiches (I have since been reminded that it is actually called a mixte sandwich). It’s so simple, but so good – ham, emmental cheese (which is known as Swiss cheese where we come from) on a buttered baguette. As much as I love this sandwich, I cannot bring myself to forego the mustard, pickles, and tomato when I’m home. Not sure why.

Here is a rundown of the things I learned about food in Paris:

Joel Rubichon is a culinary God. There is a reason why he was named Chef of the Century. B and I ate at L’Table and chose his 7 course tasting menu. Here are two words that can be used to describe his food – absolutely amazing. I won’t bore you with the details of every course, but I will say that everything was delicious, prepared perfectly, and presented flawlessly. I chose the quail (over the lamb) for my entrée and it was mouth-wateringly scrumptious (yeah, I said scrumptious). In fact, it was my favorite of everything I ate while in Paris. (B’s too, and he only had one bite of mine.) I was reminded of the first time I had quail, at Craft in New York last fall. I remember commenting that it was too salty, and being a bit disappointed in Tom Colicchio. After eating Joel Rubichon’s quail, I now understand why Chef Colicchio indicated that he was intimidated by Chef Rubichon on an episode of Top Chef Las Vegas last season.

France loves foams. I’ve never actually been served a dish with a foam before. I think the first time I even saw one was on Top Chef (season two, Marcel used them constantly, and he got mocked relentlessly for it). First of all, in my opinion, foams look gross. Seriously, like cat vomit on an otherwise beautiful plate. Now, close your eyes and take a taste. Every foam I was served was delicious and full of flavor. But still, they look gross. And I half expected Marcel and his mile high hair style to come out and present every dish with a foam on it to me, only to be followed by Ilan (the season two winner) who would bitch slap him for making another foam.

Le Jules Verne and the Eiffel Tower are pretty great. B took me to Le Jules Verne for lunch and dinner on my birthday. I was overwhelmed. For lunch, we chose the prix fixe menu over the tasting menu (choosing to reserve the latter for dinner). It included a starter, a main course, and a dessert. The portions were not huge, but they were served very slowly over the course of two hours. We had a one o’clock reservation, and didn’t get out of there until after three. I wasn’t even hungry by the time we returned for our eight o’clock dinner reservation. I have to admit, it was a little hard to get through dinner because I was so full. So forgive me for struggling to take more than a bite of the pigeon course. Yes, that’s right. Pigeon. I took a bite, because I wouldn’t be worth my wannabe foodie salt if I didn’t at least try it. I will admit, it wasn’t that bad. It actually tasted pretty good. But I could not get over the fact that I was eating a rat bird, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was one of the hundreds of pigeons that patrol the grounds of the Eiffel Tower. (I am literally shuddering as I recall this.)

They refer to starters as an entrée on their menus. That can be pretty confusing when you are used to ordering an entrée as your main course.

Steak is made to be eaten in America. I had steak twice, and it was pretty not good both times. Very fatty and difficult to find any lean bites. (I am not a person who can eat the fat. Yuck.) And they don’t get the concept of rare, despite the fact that tartare was featured on almost every menu I saw and it’s only a few minutes away from being rare. At one restaurant, they served the steak on a piece of slate. While it was an attractive presentation, every piece I cut was like nails on a chalkboard. Seriously. Who was the Einstein who came up with that idea?

Day trips to London can result in some interesting food experiences too. I read the first page of an article that was featured in the Best Food Writing of 2009 (“The Cranky Connoisseur,” by Timothy Taylor) that referred to a restaurant called St. John Bar and Restaurant in London. St. John was ranked 16th on the San Pellegrino’s 2008 list of the 50 best restaurants, and as I learned from Mr. Taylor, was named by Anthony Bourdain as the place at which he’d rather eat than anywhere else on earth. This was all I needed to know before making a lunch reservation. St. John represents nose to tail eating, meaning they utilize as much of the animal as possible, and feature a lot of dishes with offal (things like tongue and tripe). I played it safe for my first course and got the cauliflower, leeks and broad beans with a lemony-parsley dressing (yummy), but took an adventurous step forward with my second course – chitterlings. What are chitterlings? Pig’s intestines. These ones happened to be sautéed in duck fat and served with turnips. The pieces of chitterlings that were crispy tasted an awful lot like bacon. Nothing wrong with that. The other pieces were a little too chewy and texturely felt more like chewy bacon. (For the record, I prefer my bacon very crispy.) B was much more adventurous than I was. For his first course, he got the roasted bone marrow and parsley salad (taste wise, I thought it was good; but the texture was a little too fatty for me). He liked it more than I did. I was satisfied with the one taste, but B cleaned his plate. For his second course, he got the ox heart and beets. The ox heart was very tough, but tasty. Sadly, they tasted a little like Steak-Ums. But they were good. We opted to skip dessert. I can’t imagine what that would have looked like.

Even in France, I need Italian food. Pasta and pizza are my go to dishes when international food gets old to me. By Wednesday night, I just needed some comfort food. I couldn’t even think of anything else braised in butter, or sautéed in duck fat. So we pulled out the trusty iPhone and found Pastapapa. B ordered a pizza and I ordered some pasta with Bolognese sauce. The pasta was fresh and the sauce was delicious – just the right amount to stick to the grooves of the pasta. B’s pizza was great too – calabrese salami with peppers and olives. We figured out (alright, B figured out) that they seasoned both the bottom and top of the crust with salt and pepper, and a touch of extra flavor with every taste. After the quail, this was our second favorite meal in Paris. (We are considering food only as we conclude this… you really can’t compete with the ambience of the second level of the Eiffel Tower for overall dining experience.)

And there you have it – the highlights of the 20+ meals we ate during our week in Paris. It was an amazing week – the food, the experiences, the sights, and most of all the company. It was the best birthday present ever. Not only did I get to spend a week in what I think is the most beautiful city in the world, I got to spend it with an amazing guy who gave this wannabe foodie a lot to write about. And a lot to remember for the rest of her life.

Au revoir!