Sweet Umbrellas — New Content Posts Wednesdays

Chocolate Mint Christmas Cream Cookies

2011-12-18T11:10:00.003-05:00

My office hosts an (unofficial) Cookie Day every year during the holiday season. This was the first year I was able to participate, so I wanted to make a cookie that would make a great presentation and impress my co-workers. So I went with a chocolate cookie with pastel buttermints.

What's great about this recipe is that is requires ingredients you might already have in your pantry: chocolate chips, brown sugar, butter, and flour. It doesn't require extract, and you don't need to soften the butter. The only ingredient you need to go out and buy is the bag of buttermints. However, it's possible to use an alternative, because any candy or treat will work with this recipe. (Pastel candies look best, of course.)

The cookies take four minutes to bake. You can whip through the pans in no time, making this a great last minute Christmas cookie.

I had my mom e-mail me the recipe. I've copy and pasted her e-mail here:

Chocolate Mint Christmas Cream Cookies

Here is your recipe:

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

6 TBL butter

1 TBL water

1 6 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips----1 cup

1 egg

1/2 to 3/4 pound pastel cream mint wafers or kisses

Stir together the flour and baking soda. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the water and the brown sugar, then melt in the chips, stirring mixture until chips are melted. Do this over LOW HEAT, so as not to burn the mixture. Remove from heat, pour into a mixing bowl, and cool--approximately 15 minutes. When cool, beat the egg into the mixture. Stir in flour mixture till well blended. Dough will be soft. Cover and chill for 2 hours or till easy to roll into balls. (I tend to chill dough overnight.)

Shape into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cooky sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 6 minutes. This will depend on your oven. You will want the cookies to be set but not hard. If using a non stick pan, this baking time will be shorter. Remove from the oven and immediately top with the mint buttermint wafer or kiss. Let sit a moment and then swirl with a knife to "frost" the cookies.

Sometimes it is necessary to return the pan to the oven to help melt the mint topping, but I tend to not do that. If you opt for that method, be sure not to overbake the cookies. Also, I do not always "ice" the cookies--sometimes I decide they look pretty without spreading the mint, though if you do spread it, you get mint in every bite of cookie. You will have to decide. This mints can be purchased at the Hickory Farms Christmas stand or some specialty stores. Sometimes I get pastel mints from The Candy Kitchen, and sometimes, if we do not have them that year, I get the white kisses with green and red sprinkles from Hickory Farms.

This recipe is from my Better Homes And Gardens Cookies For Christmas cookbook that Aunt Renee and I both received from Grandma Genny for St. Nicholas Day in 1988. One day while walking through the Kirkwood Mall, Grandma saw a table outside Montgomery Wards which had been set up to sign up people for a Montgomery Wards charge card. If you signed up, you received a free cookbook. Grandma Genny really wanted these books, so she signed up for a card. She then insisted Grandpa John also sign up for a card so Aunt Renee and I could both have a book. Grandpa John hated Montgomery Wards and did not want their charge card, but Grandma insisted, so he did, we got the books, and they never used their cards.

Love, MOM

2011-11-09T09:33:00.024-05:00

I went to Ikea last weekend and came home with the DRÖMMAR muffin tin. I liked how it was small, like a mini muffin, but long and narrow.

I needed to know how I felt about this tin as a new member of my baking arsenal, so I picked up a box mix on the way home from work at Trader Joe's. I bought the yellow cake mix and the chocolate frosting. I used half of each, and though I was disappointed with both products (the cake has a cornbreadlike texture, and the icing is great on the beater but does not match the cake well), was pleasantly surprised with the tin's affect on cake batter:

(These were both shot with my iPod. My apologies.) Naturally, the cake batter rose over the top of the tin. This gave the cupcakes a narrow body and a full, round head. I was disappointed until I pulled the cupcakes out of the tin and realized that they looked like toadstools. I'm not big on turning cupcakes into things (making half of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes completely useless), but this pan might turn out to be incredibly handy.

I also came home with chocolate-filled French toast, and against my better judgement, barbecue pork buns.

Barbecue Pork Buns: Bahn Me Inc.

2011-11-03T10:03:00.000-04:00

I wrote about Bahn Me Inc. two weeks ago. This little establishment sells baked buns too, and the baked buns are an entirely different product. Sometimes I want to eschew the steamed buns in favor of the baked good instead.

DATE OF CONSUMPTION: October 12, 2011
VENDOR: Bahn Me, Inc.
LOCATION: Tribeca (71-73 West Broadway)
RATING: 4

I love these buns. They're best when warm, but reheat extremely well. The buns are much larger than their steamed companions, and the bread is (as expected) fairly sweet, but matched with the almost-tangy barbecue filling--of which there is much within--it's a superb combination.

These buns are a nice size, too. One alone can round out a small meal, which is also a nice bonus. They handle well in City Hall park with a small Coke.

Not that I have plenty of experience...

Barbecue Pork Buns: Hong Kong Street Cart

2011-10-26T12:00:00.022-04:00

I should announce the bad news first: as far as I can tell, Hong Kong Street Cart only appears for Madison Square Eats, which ended last Friday. I can't find a way to eat its food now, or confirm that the booth will appear during the Square's holiday market. This is a huge bummer for me too, because this is my favorite bun yet, and it didn't even feature pork. It wasn't even shaped like a bun!

DATE OF CONSUMPTION: October 6
VENDOR: Hong Kong Street Cart
LOCATION: Madison Saquare Eats
RATING: 5

The soft, doughy buns here are taco-shaped, just like the buns as Momofuku Ssam Bar. (Which I also prefer.) I would rather have a handheld bun than a taco-like bun, but this bun was too good for me to care. For this level of happiness, I don't mind the cost at $4.

So this product is a slab of duck (with skin, should that matter), slathered in hoisin sauce, and sprinkled with onions. The overall product is a little sweet, but it's also juicy, moist, and savory. My only regret is that I only had one bun before the fest closed.

Barbecue Pork Buns: Bahn Me Inc.

2011-10-19T19:35:00.000-04:00

I head to Bahn Me Inc. when the days are cold, lonely, desolate, or stressful. I used to visit this stop, located at 73 W Broadway (between Murray and Warren Streets) for weekly bahn mi sandwiches, but the last month has been dedicated to roast pork buns.

I have worked my way through the menu, by the way. Bahn Me also served vegetables buns—both small and large buns—plus bean paste buns, and bean baste buns. I haven't had the dumplings yet, but the coconut shrimp rolls are delicious, and I'm a huge fan of the recently added baked buns. (A review forthcoming.)

DATE OF CONSUMPTION: October 12, 2011
VENDOR: Bahn Me, Inc.
LOCATION: Tribeca (71-73 West Broadway)
RATING: 3

Bahn Me Inc. is connected to Mangez Avec Moi Express (71-73 W Broadway), which sits next door. The buns and rolls are produced in the kitchen next door. The Yelp reviews are unforgiving, but because of its proximity to the office, and its guarantee for soft, warm, pork buns—plus an unfailing dedication to serving customers quickly and friendly—I remain ever devoted. Even if the buns are, on a grand scale, mediocre.

That doesn't mean they aren't delicious. I am addicted, figuratively, to these buns. The bun is soft, and rarely dry. I hate when the bun is so thick it takes two bites to get to the meaty center. The buns are small, and I'm often lucky enough that no time is wasted in pursuing my desire for barbecue pork.

Mmmm. These buns meet everything I need. They're close to the office (and there are no buns near my house), they're affordable (two for $3.25), and I never regret my decision. So far, these are my favorite.

I'll Take All Of the Steamed Barbecue Pork Buns You Have

2011-10-08T20:57:00.000-04:00

Hello!

I haven't posted here in almost a year. This may not be my victorious return.

I moved to New York over a year ago. I have consistently eaten delicious food, in restaurants, and occasionally at home. I've eaten a lot of food from [gourmet] carts, and a lot of spaghetti. I'm sorry I haven't written about it, as my hope for this blog was to improve upon my food writing.

In an effort to write more, I've vowed to review and rate every steamed pork bun I eat. I don't eat pork buns every week, but I know I wish I could. Now I have an excuse to eat more pork buns, and hopefully, the motivation to write more.

When I have something to discuss, I'll post on Wednesdays. Subscribing to the RSS feed is the easiest way to stay updated.

The inaugural pork bun, which is certainly not my first, was consumed Wednesday night at Momofuku Milk Bar in Brooklyn.

DATE OF CONSUMPTION: October 5
VENDOR: Momofuku Milk Bar
LOCATION: Williamsburg, Brooklyn (Metropolitan at Havemeyer)
RATING: 3 (Would probably order again, but prefer not to)

David Chang's Momofuku Milk Bar has four outposts, with one serving Brooklyn in Williamsburg. The Milk Bar specializes in milk shakes, crack pie, and compost cookies, but also serves steamed vegetable and steamed pork buns.

Apparently the Williamburg shop is across the Knitting Factory, where I spent several consecutive Mondays drinking and watching Freaks and Geeks in the months after my move in 2010.

Oops.

The pork buns sell for $8. The buns are large, topped with pickled cumber and an optional fried egg, and filled with mildly sauced pulled pork inside. I was disappointed by the pork--I expected more flavor from a David Chang-affiliated establishment. (The Momofuku Ssam buns are delicious.) I ultimately drowned my pork in yolk out of necessity rather than desire.

The overall experience, however, was very pleasant. The Milk Bar also sells Mexican Coke. Controversy or not, I was happy to sit inside the store, exchange chit-chat with the very sweet, very friendly, employees, and eat my food while I read. I just wish the bun's contents were more exciting.

I am still eagerly anticipating the pork bun at the Upper West Side outpost. Here's hoping it will meet my meager expectations.

Marshmallows

2010-11-17T10:21:00.000-05:00

I'm out of time again, so let us bask in the glow of these marshmallows:

They were just hanging out at the American Museum of Natural History's cafe. Seeing this glass jar made me deliriously happy.

I hope to see you next week! I've been letting my hunger govern my life in New York, so I have plenty to share.

2010-11-10T10:00:00.005-05:00

My apologies for not posting last week. I've fallen behind on my personal deadlines. (Lessons for Old People has a new post each day, by the way.) I've been eating mostly waffles from Wafels and Dinges, anyway.

I have seen that the McRib is back. In the interest of science and journalism, I'll try it, as soon as I find my courage. I would like to know how McDonald's can bring back the McRib yet only provide vanilla ice cream. There's not a single Dairy Queen in this city, and a chocolate Oreo McFlurry is the closest thing I can get that's like a Blizzard. COME ON, YOU GUYS.

A Day at Brooklyn Flea

2010-10-27T10:00:00.002-04:00

I went to Brooklyn Flea last month, and though the Saturday (and Sunday) afternoon event is for shopping, the Flea offers a dreamy smorgasbord. A person go for food alone and leave satisfied.

My intention that Saturday was to try a lobster roll from Red Hook Lobster Pound (they also have a truck in DC), but faced with so many options, I ended up vowing to eat my clandestine lobster roll on another day.

My first treat was a chocolate egg cream from Brooklyn Farmacy and Soda Fountain. I had planned to get an egg cream before my lobster roll anyway, so at this point, I was still on track. The egg cream was $4. It was probably the best egg cream I've ever had (and I've had my share of egg creams). The set up at the booth a little awkward—there were four people behind the counter (three were employees), but only one person capable of serving beverages. Everyone was pleasant, however, so a few minutes of awkward waiting was worth it.

Serving the drink with a pretzel rod is the traditional way of serving the drink. You're supposed to stir the soda with the pretzel, but I was too busy slurping to follow protocol.

You can visit Farmacy in Brooklyn at 513 Henry St. If Red Hook Lobster Pound wasn't already in an ice cream factory on Thursdays, I'd go there after I got my roll. Oh, New York, why do you present these difficult decisions?

It was in line for the lobster roll that I jumped ship on my plan. (I hadn't remember an ice pack for leftovers, so this wasn't the worst thing that could happen.) I turned and saw Porchetta behind me and realized it was time for a new plan.

I've wanted to try porchetta for more than a year, ever since the pork's introduction from The Amateur Gourmet. (Getting my mom to let me make it has been a bit of a struggle.)

The sandwich was an affordable $5. The sandwich was moist and delicious, and just perfect for my needs. (Peckish but otherwise not hungry.) There was plenty of meat:

I'd happily go back for more. Eaters with a larger appetite might need more than one sandwich, and getting a larger portion at the restaurant doesn't look like a problem.

Porchetta is located at 110 E. 7th St. A sandwich there is $10.

I finished my gastro tour with a bittersweet chocolate milkshake from Milk Truck. I was unaware of Milk Truck's reputation before the market. I was drawn only because I heard another young woman murmur, "Ooh, milkshakes!"

Yes, I thought, a milkshake is always a great idea.

It totally was. It was an expensive milkshake at $6.50, but it's also the best milkshake I've ever had, and I'm a certified expert.

Milk Truck offered a berry shake, a vanilla shake, and a bittersweet chocolate shake. I opted for chocolate. It was a long wait, because Milk Truck is wildly popular. (The booth also serves gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.)

Many customers waited behind the booth, in an eating area, to get their food. I waited in the back too, because it gave me a view of the behind-the-scenes:

When my milkshake was ready, I popped up, grabbed my shake, and left. I slurped it all the way to Target, and now that I'm writing about it, I'd like some more.

You can only visit Milk Truck at the flea markets, every Saturday and Sunday. You can read more about that here.

2010-10-24T11:11:00.000-04:00

If it's Gifford's you want, you need to go to York Castle Tropical Ice. They own the original recipe. (It was sold separately from the Gifford's name many years ago.) Just trust me.

The patties are great, too.

250 Classic Cake Recipes

2010-10-20T10:00:00.043-04:00

In addition to going home with the marachino cake recipe featured last week, our family friend lent us a booklet titled 250 Classic Cake Recipes. Published in 1954 by the Culinary Arts Institute, and edited by Ruth Berolzheimer (then director of the Institute), the booklet features "Successful Cakes", spongecakes, budget cakes, chocolate cakes, white cakes, party cake, angel food cakes, "cakes with fruit", "cakes in general", upside-down cakes, fruit cakes, and fillings and frostings.

I scanned a few pages for my archives, and again look forward to sharing those pages with you.

First, advice and general information from the booklet:

I scanned these pages for the Lady Baltimore cake. Look at the fantastic photograph on the right!

And I made sure to get the rolled cakes. Our friend seems to have referenced these pages often, so I think this was probably a good decision.

The reason we borrower 250 Classic Cake Recipes was so my mom could have a copy of the burnt sugar cake. My grandmother made a great burnt sugar cake (she had to burn the sugar twice before she could make the cake), and we thought this recipe might be similar. (If it sounds like we don't have any of my grandmother's recipes, that's not the case! We do.)

I thought it might be a good idea to snag the caramel icing recipe.

Same thought for the divinity icing recipe. I don't like seven minute icing (too tacky) but my family likes it.

The book provides very little commentary, so I think the caption above (These funny little figures will be welcome at any party) is fairly pleasant.

Marachino Cherry Cake

2010-10-13T10:00:00.026-04:00

My mom's tenth birthday cake was a maraschino cherry cake. She made the cake for my birthday one year, in a time where everyone saved his or her files on floppy disks. The recipe has been lost, and there has been much to-do and hand ringing as a result.

We visited a family friend in late August. Mom asked if she remembered the cake from her tenth birthday, and our friend stood up, walked to her kitchen, and procured the recipe above. We made the cake, and my mom thinks this is the recipe. We used Crisco instead of Spry, and my mom thinks she'll use butter next time. (There's a difference between butter and vegetable shortening, but my mom thinks her mother used butter.)

Spry, by the way, was a vegetable shortening introduced in the mid-1930s and phased out by the 1960s. (Wikipedia says 1950s, but that would make this recipe ineligible for my mom's birthday, and she's certain Spry was used.) I stray from recipes requiring shortening (or lard and sometimes even vegetable oil), so I'm not sure what to do here.

Alternatively, I could buy Spry from Cyprus, where it is available. (Manufactured for Unilever!) Surely the Internet could come through for that.

A Long List of Disgusting Foods

2010-10-06T10:00:00.033-04:00

Sometimes television journalists gather 'round and get to taste test cupcakes. (Or Kathy Lee and Hoda get to try Serendipity's Golden Opulence Sundae.) Well, I want to do that too! I want one bite of each disgusting, appalling, sandwich.

In the pursuit of journalism and adventure, I want to sit down at a big table and take just one bite from the following:

Deep fried cherry pie, which my friends say was banned for its glutinous content. (Chipshop; I am afraid of the deep fried bagel and the deep fried hamburger).
The Double Down (KFC)
The Frenchie/Frenchee (The Wood House; Bismarck, ND) A deep-fried grilled cheese. As I recall, I hated it, but I'd like to give it another go, since my family loves it.
The Fried Cheese Melt (Denny's)
Frito Pie
Macatacahodo 360 (Wigu; More here)
The McRib (McDonald's)
Suicide Wings (Buffalo Cantina, Brooklyn)

I'm available for freelance, bemused editors! With your permission, I'd like to bring Marty with me, as he is a fearless man willing to try new things.

Taqueria de los Muertos

2010-08-31T21:54:00.000-04:00

I took a long, uncertain wander through my neighborhood Sunday, assuming it would lead me to tacos or the Brooklyn Museum. It didn't. (I turned one block too early.)

I took a second, longer, more certain walk tonight for tacos. I found the Brooklyn Museum along the way, and established the beginnings of a relationship with the neighborhood taqueria.

About a mile and a half from my home, Taqueria de los Muertos serves standard taco bar fare: tacos (steak, chicken, pork, tongue, turkey, mushroom, and squash; $3.50-$5), guacamole ($3-$6), rice and beans ($2-$5), nachos (regular, super, deluxe, and dessert from $4.50-$7), quesadillas ($4.50-$5), burritos (huge in a soft flour tortilla, with standard fillings or unwrapped and smothered in cabbage salad; $6.50-$7), tostadas ($3.50-$4.50), and brunch (so grand a menu I will have to return). Death Taco also sells Mexican hot chocolate, horchata, and juice.

I ordered two regular pork tacos. I also ordered a side of beans, which ended up inside my tacos. (Que misterioso!) I also ordered a Tecate, which I enjoyed with great glee. (And I ordered a second taco for lunch tomorrow.)

I really like Taqueria de los Muertos. The restaurant was cold inside, the decor was pleasantly themed with small skulls on the wall, and the staff were incredibly friendly. There was only another diner, who was reading while eating a massive burrito, but there was plenty of takeout, and I liked that I was able to quietly drink my beer and do a crossword puzzle over dinner. (So I'm glad it was quiet and I'm assuming there's enough business to stay open.)

Taqueria de los Muertos is located at 663 Washington Ave. in Brooklyn. The restaurant makes free deliveries and offers brunch on the weekends, from 10 a.m. to an astounding 4 p.m.

Squirt

2010-08-29T22:47:00.000-04:00

As previously shared, Squirt is hard to find for me in Maryland. I took a long walk through Brooklyn today and found...

...SQUIRT!

Yes, this is New York, where anything is at your fingertips. This supermarket had a lot of food my supermarket in Maryland would have called "ethnic." The fact remains, however, that Squirt exists in New York. I couldn't find a six pack, or even a small bottle, but that doesn't mean it isn't somewhere else!

The Great Red Velvet Brownie Disaster

2010-08-27T22:05:00.000-04:00

I tried to make Spike Mendelsohn's red velvet brownies tonight. I think they came out OK in the end, but getting to the final product was not without drama and peril.

I used Mendelsohn's The Good Stuff Cookbook, but Good Morning America has a recipe online.

My first head scratcher, or volley of muttered expletives, was Mendelsohn's request that I heat chocolate chips and dry ingredients in a double boiler:

To make the brownies, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in the top of a double boiler over boiling water (do not allow the bottom of the pan to touch the water). Add the chocolate chips and cook, stirring, until the chocolate metls and the mixture is smooth.

This is the smooth mixture:

It is not smooth and it is not a mixture.

Infuriatingly the incredibly soft butter did not blend with the ingredients. I didn't think to heat the buttermilk, so it looked like this:

I threw in the towel and decided to do things my own way. I tossed in the powder and beat the hell out of the batter. I ended up with a ton of batter and delicious brownies:

The brownies are red, by the way, because I didn't add all of the food coloring. I'm sure that can have an affect on the batter, too. By the time I got that far it didn't matter any more.

Korean BBQ Round Two

2010-08-21T18:28:00.000-04:00

We went to the farmer's market today. I made sure to make a parting visit to Go Go Go-Gi Truck. We got chicken skewers again. (I felt pretty bad after I ordered, because then I realized it's probably the dominant order, and I like to prove that I'm an adventurous eater, and I want to prove Frederick isn't all bland eaters.)

There was a bowl of hot sauce on the counter this time, so I gleefully dumped several spoonfuls into my chicken box.

I'm sorry I said I was let down by the lack of spiciness. The sauce was perfect. It was hot and spicy, and it burned pleasantly without making me feel like I was going to die. (I'm more of a mild girl, but in my adventurous spirit, wish I liked food as spicy as possible.)

And in unrelated news, I had my first Baltimore County sno-ball of the season this week. I ordered "rainbow" and my friend ordered pina colada. Mine really was a rainbow too, and it was awesome. The other sno-ball tasted yellow. (And therefore awesome.)

I Need Ice with Syrup, Please

2010-08-18T10:00:00.001-04:00

I went to a monster truck show last month (detailed here, if you're curious), and the grand stands were full of small children slurping snow cones (there was a heat wave). We really wanted a snowball, and they looked especially attractive in commemorative light up cups and mugs.

...Unfortunately, the snow balls were $10. Eventually I vowed to get one anyway (I really wanted that mug, too), but the mugs never appeared, and we went home without snow balls.

Frederick County, Maryland is not the snow ball haven Baltimore is. In Baltimore, there's practically a hut, truck, shop, or stand on every corner. (If you've ever been to Oregon, snow balls are to Baltimore what coffee is to Oregon, minus the drive through lanes.) In Charm City, it's always a sno-ball, never a snow cone, and there's often marshmallow pumped on top of the product. Henry Hong for City Paper explained the importance of a sno-ball in Baltimore's culture in 2009, and how they're served:

The shaved ice made for effortless consumption and better syrup retention (and more in line with the "sno" part of the term), and the Styrofoam cup it was served in was more durable, better insulating, and more voluminous than a paper cone. Other advancements included utensils--a spoon straw (to handle the initial solid and final liquid phases), and toppings, namely marshmallow and chocolate syrup.

He also describes the snow cone of my childhood, which is what I really desired:

My first such icy treat was the Good Humor Snow Cone. Kids from the '80s will recall that it was crushed ice flavored in bands of blue raspberry, lemon, and cherry, in a leaky wax-paper cone. So the "cone" part made sense, but "snow" not so much--the exposed dome of already crunchy ice particles invariably hardened into a tooth-rattling, syrup-less barrier. Chiseling down to the money zone--within the cone, where the syrup mingled with melting ice--took actual work, delaying gratification. Plus, the flimsy paper always fell apart, resulting in precious syrup lost down one's arm, or worse, irretrievably to the pavement.

Any colored ice reminds me of the tri-colored cone, and it reminds me of the National Zoo and its sizzling heat. The National Zoo always seemed like the hottest place in Washington, DC when I was little, and though I'm not sure I ever had a snow cone at the zoo more than once, the two are forever entwined in memory.

The difference between the two products almost doesn't matter now, because retrieving either product in Frederick is nearly impossible. Frederick has a Rita's, but it's not the same, and Frederick has plenty of ice cream shops, but Frederick has nary an authentic sno-ball stand or snow cone hut. My rural town has a shaved ice truck, but the chipped ice swims in a sweetly sick pool of sugar water, and I knew my nostalgic dreams would be crushed under a poor imitation.

Which isn't to say I wasn't willing to settle for something. Plus, at some point, I'll have to let go of Baltimore. Luckily, Beef N Buns N Paradise, which serves not only burgers, but also ice cream, shakes, ice cream pies, sandwiches, and sno-cones.

In this tropical-themed establishment, sno-cones (also called "penguin ice") are shaved ice and flavoring in a Styrofoam cup. I ordered a cherry ice, and my mom ordered a lime ice. We asked the woman behind the counter which flavor was the most popular, and she said all flavors were the most popular, with a variety of flavor combinations. Post-consumption, I realize this friendly, year-round establishment would probably pump toppings, too.

Beef N Buns is one of the few places in town for ice 'n' syrup. A Google search yielded only Beef N Buns, and the establishment said many people are returning because their options are limited!

If I return for marshmallow, I'll let you know.

Rice to Riches

2010-08-11T10:00:00.049-04:00

In addition to my clandestine visit to the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck last month, I was presented with the momentous opportunity to try rice pudding. I grew up in a house that would only consider instant pudding, served cold, or add to a cake mix '70s style. (So that means I've never had bread pudding, either! I bet it's delicious but I'm too scared to find out. What if everyone is right?) This is all a shame, because now that I've visited Rice to Riches in Nolita, I realize I've squandered the last 24 years, because I love rice pudding.

Located at 37 Spring Street, between Mott and Mulberry Streets, and very close to Lombardi's, Rice to Riches mimics the frozen yogurt craze with a bright, friendly interior, multiple flavors of a product, and many toppings.

I arrived just before 11 a.m., when Rice to Riches is scheduled to open (oops!), and saw only a few flavors. (I was puzzled, but I understand now.) This made it easier for me to make a decision, given my predilection to struggle with choosing flavors (or places to eat—never ask me to pick where we're eating dinner). Of the flavors, I can confirm I saw Cinnamon Sling with Raisins, Category 5 Caramel, and Hazelnut Chocolate Bear Hug.

I politely asked for a taste of the Hazelnut Chocolate and was instantly smitten. The pudding if soft, smooth, and light. The rice is also smooth—I hate having chunky items in my food, but the rice did not stand out or provide a weird texture.

Choosing a topping was more difficult. I felt inclined to order something, because the signs in the store strongly encourage conformity. The woman behind the counter recommended mixed nuts, but I chose toasted coconut.

A single serving (SOLO) is $6.95. Sizes increase dramatically, and all sizes are available for local delivery. A five serving, 40 ounce SUMO is available for overnight delivery for $55. (I'm seriously considering placing an order.) My single serving was huge. I couldn't possibly eat all of it, and ended up throwing the rest out (because I couldn't bring myself to throw out the container).

The problem now, of course, is that I don't know where to find chocolate hazelnut rice pudding in Maryland or DC to tide myself over until I'm ready to order.

Mini Blizzards Are Here

2010-08-04T20:16:00.000-04:00

Miniature Blizzards are finally here! They're itty bitty and perfect as a single serving treat. (A bit over priced at $2.95.) Unfortunately, there are no Dairy Queens in New York City, so the miniature Blizzards have not arrived in a manner that would satisfy me.

Andrew W.K. Likes It Spicy

2010-08-04T10:00:00.000-04:00

When I was in high school I met with a woman in my tiny exurb for an early Saturday morning discussion about her life in India. It's where I learned that the Indian food in town was both "lame" and not spicy, and that in her culture, it's rude to say "no thank you" to tea. As I got older, I realized that all the "spicy" food in town wasn't spicy at all.

...And Andrew W.K. agrees. In a May interview with The Village Voice he said of New York dining:

A lot of Indian restaurants I've been to around New York are good, but it's really hard to get food spicy, even when you ask. I think it's because people might come in and ask for something spicy, and it comes back spicier than they thought they wanted it, and they send it back. A lot of places I would come in and say, "I would like my curry very, very spicy," but now I know better and say, "I would like it spicy like you would make it spicy for an Indian person" and that's usually worked a little better.

Andrew has a lot of interesting ideas and food experiences. Make sure you read the interview for more.

Go Go Go-Gi BBQ Truck

2010-07-31T16:50:00.000-04:00

I've waited a long time for Frederick to welcome food trucks with the same aplomb as major metropolitan areas. Until recently, the only truck was Blues BBQ, but it's with great joy that I tell you that Frederick has two BBQ trucks!

Go Go Go-Gi, a Korean BBQ truck, serves barbecued meat Saturdays at the West Frederick Farmers Market. (Last week the truck was at the Grace Community Farmers Market, Middletown Farmers Market, and North Frederick Farmers Market.)

The truck offers four options: chicken skewers ($3 each, two for $5), and Gogi bowls. The bowls are meat and rice, featuring rib eye beef ($6), chicken ($5), or pork ($5). Samples were available in front of the truck, and I tried the chicken and the pork. The chicken was sweet and savory, and the pork was a little spicy.

The truck takes some pride in its spicy sauce, which I admire! I was also pleased that the food wasn't spicy, because Frederick isn't known for its love of spicy ethnic food.

We ordered chicken skewers (I'll get a bowl next time). The chicken was dark meat, moist, and delicious. My mom says, "They were tender, very flavorful, but that doesn't do it justice. They were easy to eat, and they were very light on your stomach."

The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck

2010-07-28T10:00:00.004-04:00

Today's post, like other posts on this blog, is also posted on my personal blog.

I wrote an essay (if you can call it that) when I was four. It was about ice cream, and my grandpa, and it won me a trip to California to tour the Edy's factory and taste test ice cream. My sister wrote an essay and won too, and since we were minors, Edy's paid for our Mom to go, so we all got on a plane with my other sister and met my grandparents in California. I was a well-behave plane passenger, ate spaghetti in a hotel, and promptly fell asleep. Over the next three days I went to Disneyland (I spent most of the rides with my head buried in someone's lap), toured the ice cream factory, and tried every Edy's flavor for sale and in development.

This experience means that I am supremely qualified (or regular qualified) to judge ice cream, eat ice cream, and pursue ice cream.

This is exactly what I did in New York last week. In town for something entirely different, I took a bus to the Other Greatest City, and walked a mile to The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (BGICT) at the corner of Broadway and 17th, near Union Square upon my arrival.

The BGICT is a Mister Softee truck in New York. It opened in June 2009, and is operated by Douglas Quint, a professional bassoonist, and his partner Bryan Petroff. A big draw to the truck is the choinKwich, a chocolate cookie ice cream sandwich with Nutella and carmelized bacon, but the truck also offers a variety of specials and unique toppings. Wasabi pea dust, crushed Nilla wafers, and cardamom are only a few examples of what the truck offers.

Reviewers on Zagat call the truck "the best ice cream truck ever" and another writes, "I defy anyone to find any food service establishment with friendlier, more personalized service anywhere." The New York Times calls the truck "charming." The truck has also been lauded by Vanity Fair, The Onion A.V. Club, and NPR.

This press has made me a hungrier enthusiast, as I've been a BGICT follower for a long time. (Quint provides frequent updates via Twitter.) I've been trying to go to BGICT for a long time—I've been to New York at least twice and unable to go both times, so I was determined to make it this time:

I mad a frantic dash to the truck with plenty of time to spare, where I was faced with numerous options and no line:

Would you like cardamom, cayenne, peppermint syrup + cacao nibs, or olive oil and sea salt? Or maybe you'd like the Bea Arthur (dulce de leche, crushed Nilla wafers), the Salty Pimp (dulce de leche, sea salt, chocolate dip), the Cococone (toasted curry coconut), the Belgian Slipwich (a choinkwich without the bacon), or the Monday Sundae (Nutella lined waffle cone, dulce de leche, sea salt, whipped cream)?

I had a Salty Pimp. I ordered with excitement, and my order was received with excitement, and Doug lived up to all that had been said about him and more. I don't think I've ever met anyone in New York so friendly, and I've always felt like New York was one of the friendliest cities I've ever visited.

I asked Doug some questions about the choinkwich so I may make a sandwich in my own sandwich, and he gave me plenty of tips. When I make my sandwich, I'll write a post here for your consideration. (Or I may move before I have to, in which case, I'll let you know.)

Dogs Eating Ice Cream

2010-07-22T22:59:00.001-04:00

Making a Daisy

2010-07-21T10:00:00.037-04:00

I made my mother a lemon cake with lemon buttercream for her birthday this month. I procured five lemons, and promptly juice all of them. Because I only used a minimum amount of juice, I put some of the leftover juice to make a whiskey daisy.

Daisies are a basic cocktail that take any liquor as a base--you can make a gin, brandy, vodka, or whiskey daisy. A brandy spirit seems to be the most traditional liquor, making the following concoction, borrowed from Esquire's drinks database the original daisy:

1 1/2 ounces brandy
3/4 ounce yellow Chartreuse
3/4 ounce lemon juice

The pre-birthday daisy I served varied. Some recipes, such as the lemon daisy, call for seltzer and or 7-Up. Whether or not seltzer is included varies. The aforementioned Esquire article says to top off the cocktail with seltzer. Most modern recipes call for it, while traditionalists claim it's important not to dilute the booze. (I'm torn. I love carbonation, but I'd rather not dilute my booze. Ultimately, I choose soda.)

A lemon daisy replaces spirits, but liquor seemed necessary by the time I was mixing drinks, so I went with the whiskey daisy instead:

1 shot lemon juice
1/2 shot grenadine
1 shot whiskey
soda

Porportions vary, but this is much easier to remember. I used a regular drinking glass, so I also added more soda.

The daisy is sweeter than a sour, but otherwise just as delicious. It has less bite, and the whiskey was less noticeable than in a sour (mostly as a result of the added soda).

One down, several to go!

Mastering Cocktails

2010-07-14T10:00:00.010-04:00

In May I shared the food related items on my Life List. Item No. 18 was mastering cocktails.

To consider this completed, I'd like to know at least one cocktail for each spirit. Of course, that still doesn't cover the basics—and I'm not much for tequila—and there's plenty of others I'd like to know. I'd like to know these without looking them up, but I'm accepting that this is almost impossible.

A list, in alphabetical order, of what I'd like to know by heart, and the cocktails I think I have a grasp on:

Brandy Alexander (COMPLETE)

Cosmopolitan

Daisy

Dark and Stormy

Eggnog

Fizz

Gimlet

Hot Toddy

Julep

Mimosa (COMPLETE)

Mai Tai (COMPLETE)

Manhattan

Martini

Mojito

Negroni

Old Fashioned

Pina Colada (COMPLETE)

Side Car

Stinger

Whiskey Sour (COMPLETE)

White Russian (ALMOST THERE)

It's more than I expected to have mastered, so that's a good sign.

Making Creme Brulee

2010-07-07T10:00:00.002-04:00

(Originally published here.)

I wanted to make crème brûlée because it seemed like a dessert that is easy to do but sounds complicated. This is my thing: Magnolia-style cupcakes, ganache, petit fours, etc.

I used this recipe from Martha Stewart:

Ingredients
Serves 8
FOR CUSTARD
4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
7 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
FOR TOPPING
3/4 cup sugar

Directions
Prepare oven and baking dishes: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Bring a kettle or pot of water to a boil. Place eight 5-ounce baking dishes in a large roasting pan.
Gently heat cream: In a medium saucepan, combine cream and half the sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons). Scrape vanilla bean seeds into pan, then add pod. Heat over medium just until mixture starts to bubble around the edge of the pan, 7 to 8 minutes (do not let boil).
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with remaining sugar and the salt.
Temper eggs: Use ladle to pour a small amount of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk to combine. (This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from curdling.) Add two more ladles of cream mixture, one at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Gradually whisk in remaining cream mixture. Strain through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup (to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked bits of egg).
Bake: Divide custard evenly among baking dishes. Place pan in oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake until custards are just set (they should tremble slightly in center when shaken), 30 to 40 minutes.
Chill: Remove pan from oven. Use tongs to carefully remove dishes from hot-water bath and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days) before serving. The custard will finish setting in the refrigerator. If you like, transfer the custards to the freezer 15 minutes before serving to ensure they stay cold after being bruleed (this is especially important if using the broiler).
Caramelize tops and serve: Sprinkle about 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar over each custard. Working with one at a time, pass the flame of the torch in a circular motion 1 to 2 inches above the surface of each custard until the sugar bubbles, turns amber, and forms a smooth surface. Serve immediately.

From The Martha Stewart Show, February 2009

(I'd like to try this recipe from Ina Garten next.)

I'm writing this the night I made the dessert (ed note: dessert made and written about on June 9), so I'm feeling less victorious than I expected. The custard was great, and I'm glad it turned out well. (I was suspicious when I had nothing to strain post-tempering.) But I used too much sugar for the topping, so there was a thin layer of granulated sugar under a thick, slightly burned, candy shell. (So thick that it didn't crack on first spoon impact, and that's the whole point.)

Oh well.

American 'Ethnic' Aisle

2010-06-24T21:05:00.000-04:00

In the video below, posted on YouTube (via Buzzfeed), simoneharuko shows the American Ethnic aisle in a Berlin grocery store. She finds cake and muffin mixes, V8, Swiss Miss Newman dressing, mayo, marshmallow fluff, ranch dressing, mac and cheese, mustard, BBQ sauce, and Crisco.

The Best Waffle I Ever Devoured

2010-06-02T09:00:00.002-04:00

At the recommendation of my dad, my mom planned a top secret Sunday morning adventure to the Palisades Farmers Market for waffles. She extended the invitation by asking me to reserve a Sunday morning for an adventure. "Bring your own fork," she said.

Mom and I drove to the market Sunday, braving Memorial Day traffic in pursuit of waffles (and adventure—I didn't yet know why I needed my fork) and produce.

We found ample produce. We came home with an armload of rhubarb, red currant jam, jostaberry jam, and honey from Nob Hill Orchards. George, the man from Nob Hill (see his smiling face online here) answered all of our questions about honey (the bees are mostly kicking it with fruit trees, plus some clover) and jam.

I had to hold back from pouncing on the Les Caprices de Joelle stand when we approached it. The Jessup-based catering company is responsible for the hand held waffles (plus paella, soup, turnovers, quiche, and more), and several golden Belgian-style waffles were just hanging out at the table when we arrived. Like, No big deal guys, we're the best waffles of all time, but we're no rush for you to eat us or anything.

We ordered one waffle each and quickly consumed the treat. I don't like Belgian-style waffles because they're dense, heavy, stomach-turning tasteless bricks. I prefer thin, crisp waffles that can hold up under the pressure of a little maple syrup and butter. These waffles put other waffles to shame. They are uniformly crisp on the exterior yet light, hot, and fluffy inside. They are mess-free, with (we suspect) cinnamon, butter, and sugar in the batter when it hits the iron.

If my devotion hasn't sold you, here's how The Washington Post described the waffles in January:

Caterer Joelle Paelinck, who began selling at the market only this season, mixes a heavy dough studded with imported pearl sugar designed to melt into the waffles as they cook. The result is a dense, palm-size treat with crisp, caramelized edges. The smell alone is worth the trip.

The waffles are $4 each or three for $10. One waffle is filling, but you can't be faulted for ordering more than you can reasonably eat.
The Palisades Farmers Market is located in the Palisades neighborhood in Washington, DC, at 48 Macarthur Boulevard NW, next to the Palisades Safeway. Hours are 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Because I have the brain of a third grader, I sang the song to myself all day:

You're welcome.

My Food To Do List

2010-05-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

In January, as the result of unemployment and impending boredom, I wrote and published my "life list" (or "bucket list"). I've made small inroads by getting my passport and attending my first monster truck show. Of the 100+ items, 19 are food related. I'll discuss these in more detail later, but for now, my food-based conquests are as follows:

No. 15: Eat a Choinkwich from the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck.
No. 18: Master most cocktails.
No. 31: Flip pancakes and crepes perfectly. Or at least edibly.
No. 36: Finally eat a hot dog from Hot Doug's
No. 42: Eat a Jucy Lucy at Matt's Bar in Minneapolis.
No. 43: Learn to make kimchi.
No. 46: Create my own cocktail, the lucha libre.
No. 47: Drink Malört at the Green Mill.
No. 48: Eat shaved ice and red beans at Matsumoto Shave Ice in Hawaii
No. 60: Eat street food in Paris.
No. 67: Get brunch at Prune.
No. 69: Get acquainted with raw meat: learn to bone and get comfortable with raw meat, cooking it, and handling it.
No. 70: Organize the family recipes so that I may archive my favorite recipes for myself.
No. 90: Eat breakfast at Tartine.
No. 93: Eat a Top Pot Doughnut.
No. 97: Eat a Voodoo Doughnut.
No: 103: Make crème brûlée.
No: 107: Gormandize at Veselka.

I'm in New York today, and it's my hope a few of these goals are accomplished.

Julia's Fortune Cookie Vocabulary Lesson

2010-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

Julia and I went out for Chinese food this month before we caught Beach House in Charles Village, Baltimore. Her fortune was uninspired, but her lesson in Chinese surely made up for it when it taught her French fries.

I ended up with tiger. I usually end up with nouns like tree, flower, water, or lake. (My fortune, by the way, was, You can see through people or, you can see people through.)

Popovers

2010-05-12T09:00:00.009-04:00

There are a few recipes my father is known for, that are so great, no one dares try. Over time, the task has been sometimes relegated to someone else, and to my surprise I've been sometimes asked to make my dad's popovers.

Our popovers—which are actually a recipe from the back of a box—are a simple, no frills recipe. I say this because my sister makes great popovers too, that involve spices, cheese, and fresh vegetables, and I've copied several recipes from Everyday Foods that are seemingly more involved.

Our popovers taste best plain, right out of the oven. I like to add butter, and sometimes jam, but they're great without condiments. If you serve yours with a roast, they also make a creative vehicle for your meat, au jus, and potatoes.

Popovers won't grow stale right away, but they aren't very good after the next day's breakfast. (They heat well with a quick zap in the microwave for rushed oversleepers.)

Finally, we own two popover pans, but you won't need to buy some if you're concerned about clutter. Before we invested in our pans, we used small glass Pyrex dessert dishes. And oven-safe vehicle, or probably a muffin tin, will work for you.

Dad's Popovers

1 cup milk
1 cup flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Preheat the oven with your empty pan in it. (Note: I forgot to do this with my last attempt.) Combine ingredients and blend on high speed until bubbles form, about 10 seconds.

Fill pans 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Bake 20 minutes at 425 degrees, then 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

The Blues BBQ Co.

2010-05-05T11:39:00.000-04:00

Last week I "reviewed" the Roys Rogers tumbleweed burger. Though this blog is more about my sugar-based escapades in the kitchen, I'd like to talk about Blues BBQ Co., which has a food truck in Frederick.

Blues BBQ Co. opened in 2004, with a truck in Frederick and an investment from brothers Patrick and Chris. Blues BBQ Co. now has a location in Roanoke Va. Its Web site says a location in Jacksonville, Fl. is coming soon. (We asked last week if Blues BBQ would open on Carroll Creek and the woman behind the counter said the deal "feel through.")

The Frederick truck is located at 5800 Urbana Pike. The lot is large and has a feel unshaded picnic tables.

On our first visit, Mom and I split the Carolina style pulled pork ($6.50; "pulled and served in a spicy apple vinegar sauce"). It was large, but we didn't realize it was the size of my head until we ordered a second sandwich the next week. The pork sandwich was delicious. It was my first Carolina-style BBQ, and I made the brilliant, well-informed, decision to have my slaw on the sandwich. It turns out this is something I should have done a long time ago, because I've always longed for more than soft meat on a bun. These buns, by the way, hold up under the arduous pressure of copious amounts of heavy meat.

We wanted to order the sweet scallion hush puppies ($4) on our first visit but the kitchen had run out. We resolved to return, and when we did, found it reasonable that the kitchen would run out. The golf ball-sized corn fritters were quite large, and filling, and extraordinarily delicious. One order yields ten hush puppies and we found it hard to eat more than two at a time. Luckily, the hush puppies re-heat well in the toaster oven should you have a limited sharing audience.

When we went back for the hush puppies, we also ordered the pit beef ($6.50). I was on my own for the sandwich later than night on a dinner break at work, where I realized the sandwiches were as big as my head. The beef is stacked impossibly high, and the meat is lightly slathered in a red rub-turned sauce (I think), which adds a burst of hot, spicy flavor. This sandwich reheated well too, and was worth looking forward to the next day for lunch.

Blogger decided the focused photo was not up to par, but this one was.

Blues BBQ Co. also offers a pit ham sandwich ($6.50), brisket ($7), chicken ($6.50), ribs ($13–$22), fries ($4–$6), coleslaw ($3.50), meat by the pound ($12.50–$13) and onion rings ($4–$10), wings ($7.95), Memphis pulled pork ($6.50), which I am looking forward to on future visits.

Fast Food "Review"

2010-04-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

My friend Marty is what I liken to a "junk food connoisseur." He is a curious gormandizer, and not adverse to trying new things. He likes healthy food, too I wouldn't want to mislead you, but when I think of something that is "not healthy" I know I can turn to Marty for a mature discussion. So Friday, when I told Marty what I was having for dinner, I found myself promising a report. This content isn't my intention for Sweet Umbrellas, but I wouldn't want to let a friend down.

First, I'd like to report on the main course: Roy Rogers' Tumbleweed Burger:

Alternatively, it should look like this:

The tumbleweed burger is a standard Roys patty with cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce, and onion straws. There are some pretty great things going on here: the cheese isn't sharp (how I prefer if) but it's not the standard gross, weak cheese on most fast food burgers. The onion straws are not too big, and if they were, I wouldn't be able to bite my burger. I hate little more, in my epicurean adventures, than a burger too tall for me to bite. I shouldn't have to unhinge my jaw to eat, you know? I think the burger would taste better if the onions were crispy, because nothing brings down an onion like sogginess, and nothing is as gross as moist fry material. I think it would also be great if Roys would toast their buns. Otherwise, this Deliciously Bad Decision in fast food is a gluttonous treat.

Second, I'd like to report my findings regarding the caramel brownie Blizzard:

Blizzards were buy one get one for 25 cents through Sunday, so I let Marty help me pick a flavor before I went. He recommended this month's flavor, the caramel brownie ("Gooey caramel, rich fudgy brownies and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve.")

The blizzard was pretty OK. There are two Dairy Queens in Frederick, with one in a mall, and one a mile from my house. The DQ near my house has been plagued with a problem since its opening: the ice cream is never cold. The blizzard was delivered to use via drive through with the consistency of a McDonald's milkshake, hence the consistency pictured above.

This is a one-way ticket to bummertown, because I think the blizzard would taste better if it were cold enough to hold upside down. I think the temperature may also explain the weird consistency of the brownie chunks. (Bad brownies are hard and tasteless, good brownies are fresh and gooey.) They had an odd cookie dough-like consistency. Disheartening, since I hate commercial cookie dough.

This is still a blizzard of course—and I stored mine in my home freezer until Saturday night—so I'll survive.

That's it for now! See you next Wednesday.

Boska (Russian Easter Bread)

2010-04-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

Boska, or “Russian Easter Bread”, is a saffron and anise flavored bread of great significance in my family. Of five immediate family members, only two like licorice-flavored items, and only three like saffron. One hates both, but loves boska, and another, somewhat unenthusiastic with both, is the bread's biggest proponent. I'd like to note that the bread does not taste like anise, or saffron, or licorice.

Boska is usually filled with raisins, baked in one or two-pound coffee cans, and then iced with sweet pastel icing. My freshman year r oommate claimed to know what boska was based on its icing and raisins, though I wonder now if she was thinking of kulich, which is decorated in a similar way. We have a neighbor up the street whose sister-in-law bakes boska but calls it “Russian Easter Bread.” (Most Internet searches yielded kulich, but this recipe is quite similar, and includes whiskey. I'm not sure how to interpret the “bohemian” ethnicity, but it's also the only correct find called boska. I don't think the author/submitter is related to my mom's family.)

Our neighbor said her in-laws decorate the rounded top (meant to mimic Russian church domes) with a doily, which is coated in icing, and never eaten. (She said it's buried instead.) Her in-laws are Russian Othodox. We refrain from icing because we don't really like it, I guess, and more importantly, icing prevents us from toasting the bread, which allows the warm, yeasty, comforting flavors to become more pronounced.

We make it every spring—though I successfully encouraged that we baked it in the winter at least once—for Easter. We make 1.5 batches, as one batch does not provide enough loaves for sharing. We send at least one loaf to my grandpa and my aunt, and my mom sent loaves to her daughters when they were in college. Invariably, other people come across our path who are given loaves too—employees, neighbors, and friends. I'm not very religious myself, so you're welcome to make this whenever you want, provided the weather and environment is friendly to bread making conditions.

In addition to toasting, my family recommends using butter as a spread. Peanut butter is considered a sacrilege here, but I think melted peanut butter tastes pretty good, so I encourage it. (We've already removed the raisins and the icing, so I don't see what the harm is by now anyway.)

Recipe

Boska

From the Kitchen of Grandma Helbling

Mm mother's 1 ½ calculations are in parentheses. If the numbers don't seem scientific, rest assured that my mother has adjusted the recipe over the years to ensure a perfect final product.

2 packages dry yeast, fast rising Red Star or Fleishmans ONLY (3)
1 cup warm saffron water (1 ½)
1 TBL. Sugar (1 ½)
1 tsp. salt (1 ½)
1 cup flour (1 ½)

Mix with spoon and let rise 30 minutes.

2 cups cool potato water (3)
1 cup + 2 TBL sugar (1 ½ + 3 TBL)
½ cup butter, melted (¾)
½ cup vegetable oil (¾)

Add to yeast mixture.

12 egg yolks-stiffly beaten (18)
1 TBL sugar (1 ½)
1 tsp. salt (1 ½)
½ c. whipping cream (¾)
4 tsp. anise (6)
1 TBL yellow food coloring (for a more brilliant yellow) (1 ½)

Beat together and add to yeast/potato water mixture.

Add flour (approximately 12 cups—18 if double) to make dough.

Let rise till double, and work down twice.

Grease cans with SOLID Crisco. (NOT spray Crisco.) Fill ¼ can and let rise one hour.

Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees—then 25 minutes (or until golden brown) at 300 degrees.

Notes

You can start advance preparations one day in advance. My mom says it saves as much as an hour in the morning. This is important because I once waited until 11 a.m. to start and was waiting until after midnight for the bread to bake. You can make the potato water and egg mixture in advance, and of course, you can measure dry ingredients, too. If make the egg mixture in advance mix everything but the anise and refrigerate. Don't forget to add the anise in the morning.

To make potato water, use three potatoes and five cups of water. (Some water will “cook off”, so you will need more than three cups of water in advance to ensure you have three cups of potato water.) Cook potatoes. When I was little my mom saved the water from potatoes she served at dinner.

Drain potatoes. Make sure the water drains into a large bowl. Remove one potato chunk and mash in to the water. Add butter, sugar, and salt. Cover.

For saffron water, use ½ tsp. saffron threads and 1 ½ c. water. (I like saffron and am more generous. Most recipes want a “scant” teaspoon, whereas I prefer an “almost teaspoon.”) Bring water to a boil and add saffron threads. Lightly press the saffron against sides of the pan (like you would with a teabag) and let steep for fifteen minutes.

Cover and set aside until you are ready to add to the the yeast. When you are ready, remove the wet saffron threads.

When you separate the egg yolks, you can save the whites in an ice cube tray and freeze for future use. I use whites for macaroons, and Mom saved them this time for a meringue cake.

Heat saffron water (if made in advance) add yeast. Stir carefully, and make sure the only lumps are the ones on your spoon. (Then scrape and de-lump.) Add yeast water to flour mixture and stir carefully. Let rise 20–30 minutes on a warm stove.

Beat egg mixture and add anise. Beat until thick, fluffy, and “lemony.” Add yeast mixture when it has risen, and carefully add 8–10 cups of flour using mixer. We can usually get approximately 8 cups before the mixer has had too much. The dough is then poured onto a clean surface, and I knead in the remaining two (or so) cups.

This dough requires “three” punchdowns. After the third round of kneading, use a large knife to separate the dough. (Mom pulls a lump and slices it.) You'll know if you're done kneading by looking at the dough. Are there a lot of holes?) We use 11 oz. coffee cans to bake the loaves. You want to fill one-third to one-fourth of the can. The dough lump is the size of a grapefruit. Let the dough rise to the top of the cans before baking.

After the loaves are removed from the oven, rub a paper towel with Crisco over the top. (My sister asked why and my mother said, “I don't know. Because Grandma did it.”) This is optional. Let the loaves sit a few minutes, and then using a long metal spatula, run it around the edges of the loaves, between the bread and the coffee can, to loosen the bread. Tip the cans carefully over a towel. (If you tip the cans upside down, quickly turn the bread upright so the top isn't crushed.) Let cool.

The bread tastes best the next day after it has had time to sit. Loaves can be frozen for several months, but good luck with that. You'll want to eat it all before you get the chance.

DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake

2010-03-20T16:03:00.001-04:00

We're making boska today (look for a post later this month), and while making notes and taking photographs, I have been trying to think of a newer, better title for this "not yet launched" blog. Until I figure that out, enjoy this video of Art Brut performing "DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake" ("Some things will always be great!") from Seattle's KEXP. The lyrics are below.

Life is especially hard
When no one trusts you with a credit card
I love the taste of cereal
I have it for almost every meal
Five people to a tea bag?
My life never really got that bad
Not while we still had...

DC comics and chocolate milkshake
Some things will always be great
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
Even though I'm 28
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
I guess I'm just developing late
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
I never got over that amazing taste

I've been accused of some things
I'm not sure what they've meant
Peter Pan syndrome, and arrested development
Now I've been working since I was 10
But the money's always gone by the weekend
Delivering post to serving beer
I've never had much of a career
So I made sure I was always near...

DC comics and chocolate milkshake
Some things will always be great
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
Even though I'm 28
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
I guess I'm just developing late
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
I never got over that amazing taste

I'm in love with a girl in my comic shop
She's a girl who likes comics;
She probably gets that a lot

DC comics and chocolate milkshake
Some things will always be great
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
Even though I'm 28
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
I guess I'm just developing late
DC comics and chocolate milkshake
I never got over that amazing taste

(DC comics and chocolate milkshake)
Some things will always be great
Even though I'm 28
I guess I'm just developing late
I never got over that sweet, sweet taste

Freez King for Sale

2009-01-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

I am so very very sad. Freez King, a locally owned business, is FOR SALE. A sign has been at the edge of the property for a few weeks, but I have stubbornly told my mom to KEEP DRIVING, IT MIGHT BE THE GAS STATION INSTEAD, FLOOR IT WOMAN!

Freez King opens in March, when it is still "too cold" for ice cream. The establishment sells soft serve (chocolate, vanilla, twist) and food. There is a big park across the street where I worked for a few summers, and we'd take the kids in the afternoon once a week. It was, of course, the day with the highest attendance. When I was little we'd drive past it on the way home from school and we'd stop in the spring. When I was older, we'd go on the last day of the season because it was usually near or on my birthday. When my sister was in highschool, down the street from Freez King, she'd get a cone for breakfast. I remain jealous. I did not go to the same high school and there was no soft serve ice cream for breakfast.

Here's the article from The Frederick News-Post:

Josh Roames described Freez King as “a little neighborhood staple that offers a good family environment.”

The neighborhood landmark at 13th and East streets in Frederick is up for sale, more than 40 years after opening on March 11, 1966.

“The neighborhood is going to miss it,” Roames said. “My six-year-old and I always went there.”

Without Freez King, Roames and others in the neighborhood would have to walk about six blocks to the ice cream shop at East and Church streets, he said.

A sign on the Freez King property reads, “Sorry, closed for the season, will re-open March 6, weather permitting.”

The property also sports a “for sale” sign.

Freez King owners James and Mary Lou Thomas have owned and operated the business for 40 years. They are getting older and combined with health problems, “it’s no use fighting it,” James Thomas said.

The Thomases also want to sell a rental house nearby. There’s a lot of interest in the property, said Amy Castle, associate broker with Gloria and Roland Castle at Real Estate Teams and listing agent for the property.

“The Thomases are not actually interested in selling the business itself but would consider it,” Castle said. “They want to sell the land so if somebody wants to operate a different business, they could. But if someone wants to buy the business, they would sell the machinery separately, which is typical in a real estate sale.”

For more on this story, check out Wednesday's edition of The Frederick News-Post.

Brilliant Idea

2008-10-23T10:11:00.001-04:00

I respect my own need to disguise my inability to focus or dispel boredom with a completely meaningless and unnecessary task. And if I hired employees (doubtful, my fantasy recognizes my inability to make a substantial financial gain, however, I’d let my family—who will unknowingly and unwittingly be roped into my hijinks!—sharpen their pencils) I’d respect their need to wander to a meaningless task.

Because I write nearly everything in pencil anyway, it would look like a legitimate task! I stray toward mechanical pencils but I could go to all manual pencils in favor of a hand crank.

SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE PINK FROSTING

2008-09-15T20:30:00.000-04:00

Because my job is almost directly related to the economy, I'm an exhausted young blogger, and aiming to be as brief with this post as possible.

New York-based choreographer Sue Hogan is apparently unfond of the gentrifying West Village and its bakery Magnolia. Hogan's written a piece to express her angst, which, by way of Gothamist, has delivered some angst of my own. First, the video:

OKAY LET'S ROLL THROUGH THIS, I HAVE BAKING TO DO:

1. I'm with you, Sue Hogan! I think those upscale mainstream boutiques are better suited in New Jersey.
2. But I think your Sex in the City-based vitrol is better placed elsewhere. Like in the Coach, Louis Vuitton, and Jimmy Choo stores, not with a local bakery. I know, having the sidewalk full of pedestrians—and having a narrowered sidewalk around the corner of the bakery is only wide enough for single file—can be irritating after work or during a hangover, but, Sue, if I may call you that, I bet if the West Village looked like Hollis you'd be singing a different tune.
3. They're cupcakes! Why the hate, Sue? Is it because you've been hosed and missed out? They're worth waiting for, I promise. If you don't want to wait, Sue, I have the cookbook. You come over and I'll make you some.

We Have a Cake Misunderstanding

2008-08-30T20:21:00.001-04:00

Graul's needs to employ literate employees!
Originally uploaded by cyclopsrock

When my friend Rachel went to pick up the birthday cake for her stepfather's surprise birthday party earlier this month, she expected a large expensive sheetcake with a blue house.
The cake she received had a blue horse.
Rachel told me she was sent to Graul's, a Baltimore-based grocery store to pick up the cake her mother ordered. She sent her with money for the cake (which ended up priced more than expected at almost $50!) and instructions to bring it home. That should have been easy, right?
Except the cake was wrong... Rachel was far more understanding than most, and said the mix-up wasn't stressful or infuriating.
Probably because the order sheet clearly stated "HOUSE" instead of "HORSE," thus clearing confusion that could be attributed to a phone miscommunication.
No, it turns out Graul's just has illiterate cake illustrators, Rachel said. She said she had a good giggle in the store while the employees tried to sort out the confusion, find a replacement cake (the official store decorators—professional cake artists—were off that day), and fix the error.

It's a pretty cake anyway, right? (Though the horse isn't very blue. In Graul's defense, I guess they wanted the blue horses actually are, which is like a cobalt grey, but if I ordered a blue horse I want a blue horse.) I'm actually very impressed with the artistry. After a summer of toiling at Moxley's in Towson, MD I'm astonished with any form of illustration on a cake. I can't even write names in gel appropriately. ...We actually had a request for us to draw a horse on a cake and the entire store panicked. Despite two art majors employed at the ice cream establishment (and I was on) no one could convincingly draw a horse. We eventually persuaded—to the customer's fury—to use an edible photograph of an illustration instead.

In the end Graul's was apologetic, offering the cake for free. Rachel's cake was featured on Cake Wrecks last Friday, promising it a lifetime of infamy. (Congrats, Rachel!) She said Joe, her stepfather, didn't mind either. Maybe he was just happy to have the cake. :)

Life is so Unfair

2008-08-28T13:45:00.001-04:00

I love Squirt. But I can’t get it on the East Coast. When my mother, sister, and I embarked on the arduous journey to Indiana for a wedding this summer we returned with cases of the refreshing citrus soda. I quietly rationed my portion of the caffeine free carbonated joy in a can but I think I drank the last soda last week. I was sufficiently bummed but I wasn’t disappointed until I realized the blatantly ownership by Dr. Pepper Snapple (which in turn is owned by soda conglomerate Pepsi). From Dr. Pepper Snapple Group.com’s entry on Squirt (emphasis added for spoiled drama, my own):

THE BEGINNING OF THE BURST

The time was 1938 and America was facing the Great Depression.

It was a time for new ideas and hard work. A man who advanced one of those ideas was Herb Bishop, who experimented with Citrus Club, a regionally popular non-carbonated soft drink bottled in Phoenix, Ariz. Bishop created a new carbonated drink that required less fruit and less sugar. In Bishop’s opinion, it was the freshest, most exciting taste in the marketplace. He named it Squirt.

Bishop and his partner, Ed Mehren, understood the need for promotion and advertising to compete in the soft drink marketplace. In 1941, they created a likable character and named him “Little Squirt” to personify the brand. The appeal of “Little Squirt” was immediate and Bishop subsequently broadened the brand’s attraction to consumers and trade alike.

With unique advertising, Squirt became a popular soft drink in many parts of the country.

In addition to being a well-liked soft drink, Squirt established itself as a mixer in the 1950s.

In 1977, Brooks Products, a bottler in Holland, Mich., purchased Squirt from Bishop. Brooks reformulated Squirt and Diet Squirt, updated Squirt’s logo and repositioned it as a mainstream soft drink. In 1983, taking advantage of the new low-calorie soft drink technology, Diet Squirt became the first soft drink in the United States to be sweetened with aspartame.

Squirt was acquired by A&W Beverages, Inc. in 1986. A&W made a commitment to support Squirt with outstanding advertising, marketing, service and innovation. Under A&W’s leadership, Squirt became one of the fastest-growing soft drinks in America. Through careful repositioning as a superior thirst-quenching soft drink, and the addition of contemporary packaging graphics, Squirt has shown dramatic sales growth since 1987.

Today, the Squirt brand is part of Plano, Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., an integrated refreshment beverage business, marketing more than 50 beverage brands throughout North America.

What’s in a name?
The soft drink seemed to “squirt” into your mouth, just like a freshly squeezed grapefruit. For Herb Bishop, the soft drink could have only one name.

To add insult to injury, Dr. Pepper Snapple has relinquished some control over Crush for mass distribution by Pepsi. Soon Crush will be everywhere but my beloved Squirt will not. But wait, there’s more! Dr. Pepper Snapple is in talks to get Big Red, a gross fruit beverage from Texas. If my shelves are filled with Big Red and not Squirt I’m going to start a protest. (I don’t know what I’ll give up—the only available product I like is Yoo Hoo—but it’s the action that counts. Or the shouting.)

Of course, Dr. Pepper Snapple also has holds on Hires Root Beer, Sun Drop, Vernors, and Penafiel, products I’ve either never seen before (Penafiel is Mexican mineral water) or gasp at the opportunity to consume. Still, can’t I be just a little spoiled and have it as available as Snapple, Dr. Pepper, Welch’s, 7 Up, Cana Dry, Hawaiian Punch, and Yoo Hoo?

Unfortunately further research led me to “investigating” brominated vegetable oil. Even if Wikipedia’s entry includes positive health effects, some things are better left knowing only fuzzily at best.

By the way, Internet, be careful how you Google Squirt. The first return (and many following) are uh…all porn sites. Ew.

[UPDATE: My mother reports there are two twelvepacks remaining. Hooray!]

CAKE

2008-08-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Wow, I am hungry for cake. Or pancakes? Maybe waffles? This video was featured on Cake Wrecks, a blog featuring Cakes Gone Wrong. Misinterpretation of directions, creepy cakes, lopsided cakes, and the occasional artistic representation are featured here. I love it but live in fear that the cake I obliterated by way of ugly handwriting will appear one morning. That's not the kind of ignominy I'm looking for, Internet.

My Omnivore 100

2008-08-17T21:32:00.000-04:00

Though I don't consider this blog to have launched, I couldn't resist responding to this list. I thought that when I do get my act together and finish the "design" of this blog the list would serve as a small source of information for anyone who visits Sweet Umbrellas.

Very Good Taste blogger posted a list of 100 foods he thinks every omnivore should eat at least once. I found this through other blogs, so it's my first experience with VGT. Because it's described as "...the experience and discovery of food and drink" I expect to find that I enjoy it very much very soon, since that is sort of my objective with Sweet Umbrellas. (The other goal to be an on-going account of my food-based experiments--from baking to eating.)

I was surprised to find out how much I had tasted. I was also surprised to find out that many of the items on here have been offered to me; usually as an option with something else I chose instead. I think if my sister filled it out she would have bolded almost every item.

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.

Here’s what I want you to do:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (note: I hate hot dogs and find this love inexplicable--they just taste different)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. ~~Chitterlings, or andouillette~~
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. ~~Roadkill~~
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. ~~Spam~~
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. ~~Catfish~~
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake