tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28127439475209789952024-03-13T02:23:44.689-07:00Feasty GeeksUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-61373024451987253902014-04-03T19:55:00.001-07:002014-04-03T19:55:52.686-07:00Where the Hell are Gwen & Lexi?Yeah, Yeah. We're slowing down on our blog posts. Sorry about that. The truth is that we started this blog 5 years ago and really, it was just for shits and giggles. We figured that if people loved the same things we would, they'd find us but we never, <em>ever</em> wrote this blog for attention or for the love of the audience (not that we don't love you guys).<br />
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Now that we're 120,000 (W.T.F. ?!?!?!) views in to this project, life has moved on. We're both in very different places with much less free time than we had five years ago. Lexi is now the full time owner of a legit craft distillery and Gwen has taken an Important Job in the City.<br />
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We still have ideas... and loves... and we still go to PAX and Comicon. But it's getting harder and harder to find time to create, photograph and write up posts. We'll keep on doing it but it's gonna get slower before it gets faster. Life just gets in the way, ya know?<br />
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For those of you out there who really love our work and have been die-hard fans, know that in our hearts, we're still the nerdy 8th graders who got picked on by the other kids for quoting Holy Grail lines in the hallways at school. We'll continue to lift a finger to the 'interpretive' blogs and keep it canon. For you, and for us. Maybe just not as regularly.<br />
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Thanks you guys! You're our peeps and we love you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-38717317056460954132014-01-05T23:40:00.002-08:002014-01-05T23:40:15.643-08:00Cross Country for Crabcakes, Episode Two: In Which Two Hungry Foodie Geeks Seek Out Breakfast<a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2013/12/cross-country-for-crabcakes-episode-one.html" target="_blank">In our last episode,</a> I regaled y'all with the tale of day one of our pilgrimage to Lexi's favorite seafood restaurant in the entire universe. The next morning, we woke up ravenous, and went in search of something yummy for breakfast.<br />
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Initially we wanted to try the venerable <a href="http://www.floridaavenuegrill.com/" target="_blank">Florida Avenue Grill</a>, renowned for its history and reputation as the "oldest soul food restaurant in the world". Sadly, they're closed Mondays, so we searched the neighborhood for another possibility. Just a few blocks away, past ramshackle vining roses and lines of brick row houses in varying states of benign neglect, we stumbled upon the <a href="http://blinddogcafe.com/" target="_blank">Blind Dog Cafe</a> at Darnell's.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7OEwdQZ9g18/UsoSfyzPyAI/AAAAAAAAAT4/Y1FkoCbvn68/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7OEwdQZ9g18/UsoSfyzPyAI/AAAAAAAAAT4/Y1FkoCbvn68/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Delicious breakfast goodness located at 944 Florida Street, Washington, DC</i></td></tr>
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The blind dog for which the cafe was named wasn't there (every dog has his day off, right?), but yummy breakfast sandwiches and hot coffee certainly were. Usually the Blind Dog's breakfast sandwiches are served on croissants, but that day their toaster was out, so they used crusty French bread instead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rypFsgJ4j4Y/UsoU4TyIKuI/AAAAAAAAAUE/v3ejuNtfgbM/s1600/IMG_3270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rypFsgJ4j4Y/UsoU4TyIKuI/AAAAAAAAAUE/v3ejuNtfgbM/s1600/IMG_3270.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bacon & Goat Cheese (foreground), House Roasted Pepper Pimento Cheese (background)</i></td></tr>
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Lexi had the House Roasted Pepper Pimento Cheese while I had the Bacon and Goat Cheese. Both come with a fluffy egg frittata snug in the middle. Lexi's was gooey and cheesy, with plenty of roasted red peppers lending a sweet-roasted-spicy flavor. The bacon on mine was thick and meaty, well-balanced by the creamy pungency of the goat cheese. The French bread worked well: it was sturdy enough to hold up to the sloppiness of the sandwich ingredients, but also had a nice soft middle. I actually suspect either sandwich on a croissant might have been too greasy, but as they were, they were a great start to the day.<br />
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For most of the rest of the day, Lexi and I tooled around DC, checking out all kinds of stuff in and around the National Mall. In the <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/" target="_blank">Smithsonian National Museum of American History</a> we came across this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IvZ5JkxvzP0/UsoX7R2B5iI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/0q_cAPmVQmk/s1600/IMG_3297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IvZ5JkxvzP0/UsoX7R2B5iI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/0q_cAPmVQmk/s1600/IMG_3297.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oyster plates from the mid-19th century</i></td></tr>
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Humans have been eating oysters for millennia, from China to Rome to the Americas. Always readily available to anyone dwelling reasonably close to a coastline, with the advent of refrigeration oysters could be transported further inland. In America the demand for them traveled westward with human expansion; the plates above once graced a wealthy diner's table. Note the cockle-shaped depressions, presumably to hold a little butter or mayonnaise for dipping.<br />
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After awhile, Lexi headed off to catch up on a bit of work, while I tooled around some more, visiting the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and all sorts of places in between. After a few hours our stomachs rumbled again, so with a few text messages and a short trek to the Penn Quarter, I ended up at <a href="http://www.postebrasserie.com/" target="_blank">Poste</a> brasserie, where Lexi had set up shop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U4hbCHqD8d4/UspU7FjPolI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/nkmKpGov5Qs/s1600/IMG_3343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U4hbCHqD8d4/UspU7FjPolI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/nkmKpGov5Qs/s1600/IMG_3343.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A game of Fluxx, a DC tourist map, and a glass of chilled wine to start the evening</i></td></tr>
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Next to the Hotel Monaco, Poste is tucked away in an open courtyard inside a warm stone bastion of a building. The courtyard itself is lovely: the building surrounding it is deep, its walls thick, so the courtyard itself is very quiet, despite being in the middle of an intensely busy city. Inside, the yard is ringed with containers and raised beds full of all kinds of culinary plants grown by the head chef, ranging from seasonal fresh herbs to veggies to figs and more. While we were there, the courtyard itself was set aside for a reserve party; perched at our window seats at the bar, Lexi and I could watch as the staff and chefs assembled what must have been one of their <a href="http://www.postebrasserie.com/courtyard-garden/the-poste-roast/" target="_blank">Poste Roasts</a>, though we weren't there long enough to find out for sure. And at any rate we were too busy enjoying a nosh of our own.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eD1RWuM3bkg/UspVPlTgxKI/AAAAAAAAAVs/R2OEyQ_J3Bw/s1600/IMG_3348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eD1RWuM3bkg/UspVPlTgxKI/AAAAAAAAAVs/R2OEyQ_J3Bw/s1600/IMG_3348.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The feast: saffron mussels, salted buttery rolls, pommes frites</i></td></tr>
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I'm a bit ashamed to say that I don't remember what the wine was, since I was too busy eating the food. All I recall is that it was anything other than a chardonnay (since I utterly <i>loathe</i> chardonnay), it was chilled and white and went well with the salty meaty saffrony things we were eating. See below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dYzvRxFPuLo/UspVIWcpgYI/AAAAAAAAAVk/WMoP0W-DG3M/s1600/IMG_3345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dYzvRxFPuLo/UspVIWcpgYI/AAAAAAAAAVk/WMoP0W-DG3M/s1600/IMG_3345.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>French bread slices and buttery salted rolls</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nU5ghcDccDA/UspVE-OSv1I/AAAAAAAAAVc/qlBsjnlTz7I/s1600/IMG_3347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nU5ghcDccDA/UspVE-OSv1I/AAAAAAAAAVc/qlBsjnlTz7I/s1600/IMG_3347.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mussels in white wine with saffron and mustard</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqLrhsVctms/UspVW9SzztI/AAAAAAAAAV0/iXdzuwjfhUg/s1600/IMG_3349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqLrhsVctms/UspVW9SzztI/AAAAAAAAAV0/iXdzuwjfhUg/s1600/IMG_3349.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mollusks don't stand a chance against Gwen's appetite</i></td></tr>
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Being from the Pacific Northwest I've had plenty of mussels prepared plenty of ways, but I'd never had them with saffron before. The mussels were as meaty as I expected, and the mustard/saffron combination not only provided color but also stood up to the heartiness of the mussels' flavor. I'd definitely have mussels this way again. As for the pommes frites, they were good, though not outstanding; after so much rich food it was hard to finish them.<br />
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Nonetheless we left quite satisfied, with full bellies and happy taste buds. We trundled back off to our hotel for a good night's rest, looking forward to another day of culinary adventures....<br />
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<i>STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF CROSS COUNTRY FOR CRABCAKES, IN WHICH GWEN & LEXI TACKLE DC LUNCH ON A HOT DAY</i>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-37467237397389957862013-12-23T22:52:00.000-08:002013-12-23T22:52:45.787-08:00How to Make a Glass of Sparkling Chilled Awesome in 30 SecondsStep 1: Put some ice in a glass.<br />
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Step 2: Pour in about 3 fingers of <a href="http://www.torani.com/products/rose-syrup-0" target="_blank">rose-flavored syrup</a>. (I used Torani, but there are others out there.)<br />
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Step 3: Fill the glass with chilled <a href="http://www.sanpellegrinofruitbeverages.com/int/en/default.aspx" target="_blank">San Pellegrino Arranciata</a>.<br /><br />Step 4: Stir.<br />
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Step 5: Sip orange-rose sparkling deliciousness!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VXbcdRTflTI/Urkt5V2PhrI/AAAAAAAAATk/SLTVbAVf3Hg/s1600/IMG_4934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VXbcdRTflTI/Urkt5V2PhrI/AAAAAAAAATk/SLTVbAVf3Hg/s400/IMG_4934.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Arranciata + Rose = AWESOME</i></td></tr>
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<br />Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-16823561174265533142013-12-14T14:54:00.002-08:002013-12-14T14:54:54.329-08:00Cross Country for Crabcakes, Episode One: The Saga Begins<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T5weqpZ3hPo/UqTIwyU0w2I/AAAAAAAAAR4/tow5QbEWc2w/s1600/IMG_3284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T5weqpZ3hPo/UqTIwyU0w2I/AAAAAAAAAR4/tow5QbEWc2w/s320/IMG_3284.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>WE WENT TO BALTIMORE, Y'ALL!</b></td></tr>
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Way back in May of 2012, Lexi took me on a <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/04/cross-country-for-crabcakes.html" target="_blank">cross-country trip to Baltimore</a> and DC to visit her very favorite seafood restaurant in the whole of everywhere. The trip was a decade in the making, and was so full of fun, fury, and food that it's taken until now to do a write-up about it. (I'm still having dreams about casts of blue crabs coated in Old Bay, swimming in butter and beer... mmmmm.....)<br />
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Part of Lexi's motive for the trip was to compare East Coast vs. West Coast seafoods. Both of us were raised in the shadow of Mt. Rainier on the gray rocky shores of Puget Sound. Its cold, salty waters yield up a massive bounty of delicious things to eat - foods that are not simply part of our diet, but have been part of our lives as locals.<br />
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Hunting and harvesting seafood are more than just fun activities, they're full-blown events that we've taken part in since we were kids: trips to the coast to dig for razor clams in January, putting out the crab pots during Dungeness season in the summer, grilling oysters and steaming mussels a yard from the beach where they were collected, all of these things and more form fond memories for both of us. (One of the most useful skills my dad taught me was <a href="http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/oysters/how_to_schuck.html" target="_blank">how to shuck an oyster</a>.) That doesn't even start to touch on the other culinary delights found in and around the greater Puget Sound area, brought by the influx of cultures from all around the Pacific Rim: salmon caught and smoked by indigenous people, fish stews and soups from Korea and Thailand, a gazillion kinds of sushi, Chinese fish hot pots, even the fish tacos that wandered up from the coast of California... you love seafood? We got it.<br />
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We got it... but West Coast style seafood ain't the same as East Coast style. I knew this, but Lexi (having traveled considerably more than I have) had actually experienced it. So to broaden my tastes, she took me eastward. The destination: Baltimore (and areas surrounding), where her favorite restaurant in the world is located: <a href="http://www.aaseafood.com/" target="_blank">Anne Arundel Seafood</a>.<br />
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This is the story of how we got there, and all the yummy things we ate on the way.<br />
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<b>Day One</b><br />
I hate flying. It doesn't frighten me or freak me out, it's just kind of uncomfortable, being stuffed into an aluminum can with a bunch of often grumpy strangers in narrow seats with no leg room, too much dry air, and not enough in the way of little creature comforts to make the whole thing a bit more bearable.<br />
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Fortunately, at the time we took the trip, Lexi had been traveling a lot for business, and had amassed enough frequent flyer points to get us upgrades into First Class. (SWEET.) The cabin steward was friendly, the seats were wide enough (and comfy), and at least some of the drinks were free. We played Ticket to Ride and chilled out for 5 hours, landing uneventfully in Washington, DC, as evening fell.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FowkeMsm3qg/UqTPyfv8sjI/AAAAAAAAASI/DIM4oGeZOzY/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FowkeMsm3qg/UqTPyfv8sjI/AAAAAAAAASI/DIM4oGeZOzY/s320/IMG_3246.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thank you, friendly cabin steward, for the stiffest Bloody Mary to be found at 35,000 feet.</i></td></tr>
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Of course we landed hungry, so after collecting our bags and rental car, and checking into our hotel in DC, we set out with Lexi at the wheel to find some late-night noshies.<br />
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Just off Dupont Circle, we found <a href="http://www.kramers.com/index.html" target="_blank">Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X1MIfpuE6k4/UqTRJKCBZzI/AAAAAAAAASU/sufNhWd1mJI/s1600/IMG_3251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X1MIfpuE6k4/UqTRJKCBZzI/AAAAAAAAASU/sufNhWd1mJI/s320/IMG_3251.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Books & booze at Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe</i></td></tr>
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It's a used bookstore. With a bar. And a late-night cafe. Perfect for two hungry geeks on the prowl for something yummy. We ordered drinks - Lexi got the Stormy Weather, I got a Dark & Stormy. The rum was just right and they made it with a basil garnish, which was a nice touch. Then of course we dove right into the seafood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkK9Za2SHz8/UqTX6D9kP3I/AAAAAAAAASk/SDATaeDPbQA/s1600/IMG_3256_adjusted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkK9Za2SHz8/UqTX6D9kP3I/AAAAAAAAASk/SDATaeDPbQA/s320/IMG_3256_adjusted.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>East Coast crab cake appetizer with remoulade</i></td></tr>
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First up was a round of mini East Coast crab cakes, made with lump crab and served with a remoulade. I'm a stickler about my crab cakes: I judge them in large part by how much crab there is to how much "cake" - that is, how much of it is actually crab meat, and how much is filler or binder? Some time before this trip, I'd joined Lexi on a short jaunt to Cape Cod, where she spoiled me and our hosts with a round of thick, delicious Maryland-style cakes from one of her favorite restaurants. I recalled those creamy, piping hot roasted cakes so full of crab they barely held together, and wondered: could Kramerbooks' cakes compare?<br />
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I'm happy to say that Kramerbooks' crab cakes were more crab than cake. Fried in butter rather than roasted, they had a rich, crisp exterior. Compared to the sweet-fleshed Dungeness of my home state, the blue crab in these cakes was less sweet and considerably meatier, well-balanced by the sweet-sour taste of the remoulade.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9BX7Qx8ddw/UqTkSTicY7I/AAAAAAAAAS0/1PaDr3AT-SU/s1600/IMG_3257_adjusted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9BX7Qx8ddw/UqTkSTicY7I/AAAAAAAAAS0/1PaDr3AT-SU/s320/IMG_3257_adjusted.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mussels steamed with shallots, garlic, white wine, butter, basil</i></td></tr>
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Next, we tried the steamed mussels. The preparation was pretty traditional: steamed in white wine with butter, shallots, garlic, and fresh basil. One of the reasons I wanted to try them was because of the fact that shellfish can taste radically different from one location to another, even when they're the same species. (I've noted this with local oysters in particular, which can vary in taste depending on waves, weather, content of the water, season of the year, and so on, even when harvested from the same beach.) These were blue mussels, farmed locally, the same species we eat on summer beach trips here in Puget Sound, so while the basic flavors were very similar, the brackish, slightly muddier local waters imparted a sweeter taste with less of an iodine note than mussels from the waters at home. Quite delicious, meaty and sweet as only mussels are, and the fresh basil added a nice almost floral touch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C91bTOfBHg8/Uqy31ibbCOI/AAAAAAAAATE/ToelqBotWfo/s1600/IMG_3262_adjusted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C91bTOfBHg8/Uqy31ibbCOI/AAAAAAAAATE/ToelqBotWfo/s320/IMG_3262_adjusted.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Catfish fingers with Cajun spices & Cajun remoulade</i></td></tr>
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Then it was on to the fried catfish fingers. Catfish isn't something we get very often back home, since it's not a local delicacy; it's much more something we used to eat when visiting my Southern relatives. To me it always has a slightly muddy taste, a bit like river water - perhaps not surprising, since catfish are river-dwelling bottom feeders. Nonetheless, they're delicious. As I recall, the catfish fingers were pretty good, but a bit greasy despite being cooked in olive oil (rather than, say, deep fried in lard). I kind of expected the cornflake crust to be crispier than it was.<br />
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This is how I ended the evening:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1TNEiV5YuM/UqzeSewVEQI/AAAAAAAAATU/rUyd8rX04a8/s1600/IMG_3261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1TNEiV5YuM/UqzeSewVEQI/AAAAAAAAATU/rUyd8rX04a8/s320/IMG_3261.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Original Sin Cherry Tree Hard Cider</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yup, at the bottom of a pint mug of <a href="http://www.origsin.com/cherry-tree/" target="_blank">Cherry Tree Hard Cider from Original Sin</a>. Even under the sallow yellow light of a sodium street lamp, this cider was a lovely, clear red. Made with heirloom apples and tart cherries, it was like a tart apple-cherry pie, crisp and fruity, just sweet enough and just sour enough. Delightfully, while the flavors of a traditional apple cider were strong, the cherries were just as bold, and they actually tasted like real cherries, not like some fake weird cherry syrup. Yum!<br /><br />I don't even remember if we had dessert. I just remember that, after a long day of travel, it was great to sit outside on a semi-warm East Coast evening, under a warming heat lamp, eating the first of many fishy dishes to come. Kramerbooks comes highly recommended by the FeastyGeeks, if ever you're in DC.<br /><br />Next time: Day Two, in Which Two Hungry Foodie Geeks Seek Out BreakfastGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-32952045464466026992013-10-13T22:37:00.002-07:002013-10-13T22:37:55.928-07:00Spontaneous Vacation Recipe: Gwen's Cilantro Shrimp Marinade<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45,"tn":"*G"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span>Some
of the best recipes are the ones you throw together out of whatever
ingredients happen to be in your kitchen that seem like they'd be
delicious in combination. I just got back from a long weekend with my
gentleman friend during which I whipped up the following
I-Don't-Know-What-to-Call-</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>It-But-It's-Awesome recipe:<br /> <br /> 1/2 lb. bay shrimp, rinsed<br /> Bunch of fresh cilantro, cleaned & chopped rough<br /> Jui<span class="text_exposed_show">ce of 1 lemon<br /> 2-3 green onions, chopped<br /> About a 1/2 cup each of olive oil & white vinegar<br /> Several generous squirts of <a href="http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/sriracha.htm" target="_blank">Huy Fong Sriracha</a> red rooster sauce<br /> <br />
Mix all ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic).
Cover. Chill for at least 2 hours. Spoon out onto tortilla chips and
nom nom nom.</span></span></span><br />
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Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-81851130064280519452013-09-08T18:58:00.003-07:002013-09-08T18:58:52.289-07:00The Search for the Edible Pot Noodle: Episode 1<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>I tell you one thing: I've been to a parallel universe, I've seen time runnin' backwards, I've played pool with planets and I've given birth to twins - but I never thought in my <b>entire</b> life that I'd taste an edible pot noodle.</i><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vqAnqbZwpQ" target="_blank">--David Lister, Demons & Angels</a></i></div>
</blockquote>
Ah, the humble pot noodle, that dessicated confection of instant broth, salty spice packet, and noodles that is the sustenance of broke college kids and hungry stoners everywhere. Red Dwarf fans will also know that pot noodle is the culinary bane of David Lister's existence; he loathes it so much <a href="http://reddwarf.wikia.com/wiki/RD:_Marooned" target="_blank">he'd rather eat dog food first</a>. To his surprise, on the High Red Dwarf in the episode <i>Demons & Angels</i>, Lister and the Cat encounter something Lister had never expected: an edible pot noodle.<br />
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Red Dwarf geek that I am, I had to wonder: could such a thing exist on this humble planet Earth? An edible pot noodle?<br />
<br />
Well, you know the intrepid gals of Feastygeeks. For your edification and mine, I have begun the search for an edible pot noodle.<br />
<br />
For those not in the know, pot noodle is basically a cup of dried noodles with salt, spices, and various other additives (such as bits of dried veggies or tofu). It's cheap, fast, and easy: all you do to prepare it is peel back the lid, add boiling water, let it sit for a few minutes, and eat. There is actually a brand in the UK called <a href="http://www.potnoodle.com/" target="_blank">Pot Noodle™</a>, but I don't know whether or not pot noodle is called pot noodle because the brand existed first and people just call pot noodles after the brand (the way we call facial tissues Kleenex™ even if they're a different brand), or if Pot Noodle™ trademarked a common phrase. Either way, I'm on the search for a Pot Noodle™source in the US so I can try it as well. UPDATE: I may have found a source. Stay tuned.<br />
<br />
My own personal standard for whether or not a pot noodle is <i>edible</i> is admittedly a bit elusive. What's the overall flavor and texture? Does it smell appealing? What does it look like? Is it tasty enough that I can eat the entire pot or cup? Would I eat it again? Those are some of the questions I'm going to be asking myself, in my search for the edible pot noodle.<br />
<br />
With that said, for my journey I've decided to start with the U.S. gold standard: <a href="http://www.nissinfoods.com/" target="_blank">Nissin Foods'</a> <a href="http://www.nissinfoods.com/products/CupNoodle" target="_blank">Cup Noodles</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I don't think there's actually a chicken head in there.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Nissin is the same company that makes <a href="http://www.nissinfoods.com/products/TopRamen" target="_blank">Top Ramen</a>, probably the cheapest food on the planet. It was founded by businessman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momofuku_Ando" target="_blank">Momofuku Ando</a>, whose experience with food shortages in post-war Japan led him to invent the instant noodle. In 1971 he put instant noodles in a styrofoam cup, and the cup noodle was born.<br />
<br />
Cup Noodle has been around since I was a kid, though I remember it as Cup O'Noodles. Little about the packaging has changed - it still has the bright red label, the same fat, swirly typeface, the same pretty product picture that looks nothing like the actual product.<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
And it still has more or less the same foam cup, with the same insulative properties as I remember. Lightweight, too. Plus you can make neat little patterns in the cup with your thumbnail. (Somebody tell me I'm not the only one to do that...)</div>
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And the same simple directions: Peel back the lid to the dotted line, add boiling water, close lid, let stand for 3 minutes and eat. Seems straightforward enough...</div>
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This is the sight that greeted me when I achieved step one (pulling back the lid to the dotted line). A tangle of dessicated flash-fried noodles with some bits of freeze-dried veggies (looks like carrots and peas), all coated with a yellowish dusting of flavoring. Some cup noodles come with the flavorings in a packet that you tear open and add before the hot water; Cup Noodles puts the flavoring right into the noodle brick so you don't have to go to the extra effort of adding it in yourself. Points for convenience.<br />
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And step two achieved: add boiling water. I think there's some corn in there, or maybe bits of dessicated chicken, I'm not sure which. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble...<br />
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Letting it steep for 3 minutes. I hope Spock didn't mind that I let my pot noodle steep on his face.<br />
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<br />
And the final result, ready for noshing. I ate it with a fork: yeah, I do know how to use chopsticks, but the package had a fork on it and I succumbed to American laziness.<br /><br />I have to admit here: I'm a tough nut to crack when it comes to instant soups. To my palate, most of them have WAY too much salt, and the seasoning packets rarely taste anything like what they say on the box. (Case in point: "shrimp" flavor. I don't think I need to say anything more on that.) These are my thoughts on Nissin's Chicken Flavored Cup Noodle:<br />
<ul>
<li>Texture of the noodles is just fine. They're wiggly, smooth, and a little salty, with enough oil to keep them together without falling apart in the hot water. </li>
<li>Texture of the veggies left something to be desired. The corn in particular seems like it didn't rehydrate evenly, so it was chewy in parts and very soggy in others. The carrot bits held up the best.</li>
<li>The broth was as I expected: too salty and it didn't actually taste anything even remotely like chicken. I have yet to eat any "chicken" flavored instant soup or bouillion that actually tasted like chicken, so I can't hold that against Nissin as it seems to be an industry-wide thing. There was a strong taste of turmeric, and this weird sort of industrial chalky, almost metallic taste. The amount of salt actually burned my tongue and the inside of my cheeks. Which led me to discover...</li>
<li>...one of the standards for whether or not a pot noodle is "edible": <i>can I actually finish the entire cup? </i>Can I finish it, and if I can't, is the reason due to taste, or because there's just too much soup in the bowl and I'm full? In this case, I couldn't actually finish the cup. The salt was just too strong. I managed to eat about half of it before I put it aside.</li>
</ul>
Gwen's verdict on Nissin's Chicken Flavored Cup Noodle: <b><span style="color: red;">NOT EDIBLE</span></b>. The quest continues...Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-55123556737875463782013-06-10T22:26:00.002-07:002013-06-10T22:26:09.022-07:00Red Dwarf Recipe: Chicken Marengo<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZECxTYlgt4/UbFZgqz6r9I/AAAAAAAAAOw/x_5Mh67urHE/s1600/4-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pZECxTYlgt4/UbFZgqz6r9I/AAAAAAAAAOw/x_5Mh67urHE/s320/4-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Too slow, chicken marengo! Too slow for <i>this</i> cat!" (Image (c) <a href="http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/home/index.cfm">Grant Naylor Productions</a>.)</td></tr>
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If it isn't patently obvious by now, my all-time favorite TV show is probably the BBC comedy series, <a href="http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/home/index.cfm">Red Dwarf</a>. Sure, my appreciation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python">Monty Python's Flying Circus</a> grants me automatic nerd status, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006xxw3">Blackadder</a> is hard to beat for historical parody, and <a href="http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Portal:Main">Star Trek</a> is my most beloved scifi franchise of choice (give me some Romulan ale, and I'll be waxing poetic about the virtues - and vices - of both Kirk and Picard for hours)... but there's nothing quite like the magic that is Red Dwarf.<br />
<br />
I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite character, but I must say, the Cat is in my top four. The ever-talented Danny John-Jules managed to capture the gestalt of kittiness in his portrayal of the 3,000,000-years-evolved descendant of Dave Lister's cat Frankenstein. Like a cat, Cat's hygiene is meticulous. Like a cat, his moves are lissome. Like a cat, his self-centeredness is without bounds. And, like a cat, he plays with his food.<br />
<br />
Fish seems to be Cat's favorite (being - well, a <i>cat</i> and all), but in a particularly silly moment in the Season One episode, "Confidence and Paranoia" (the very same episode which brings us <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/02/red-dwarf-food-beer-milkshakes.html">BEEEEEEEEEEER MILKSHAKES</a>!!), Cat toys mercilessly with a dish of Chicken Marengo.<br />
<br />
I've never given birth to twins, played pool with planets, or had an edible pot noodle - and neither have I ever tried Chicken Marengo. Seems it was about damn time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Marengo">According to legend</a>, Chicken Marengo was a dish concocted by Napoleon Bonaparte's chef, Dunand, after the Battle of Marengo in June of 1800. Hungry after his victory, Napoleon ordered Dunand to cook him dinner; Dunand started foraging, and managed to rustle up some olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, crayfish, a few eggs, and a rather anxious chicken. One cook pot and a rush of desperation later, Dunand had thrown together the dish now known as <i>Poulet Marengo</i>, complete with artfully-arranged crayfish and fried eggs on top. Napoleon was allegedly so pleased with the dish that he ate it after every battle from then on.<br />
<br />
The story is given added flourish with claims that Dunand dramatically cut up the chicken with a saber and helped boost the sauce with a splash of cognac from Napoleon's own flask. It's a great story, but it's probably all a load of honk. No doubt a dish was later created to commemorate the battle, but whether or not it was whipped up on the spot is the stuff of urban legend.<br />
<br />
Taking a cursory look at the description from the story, the dish is essentially chicken in a tomato sauce seasoned with herbs, onions, and garlic - a staple Mediterranean dish, with variations common from Portugal to Sicily. This one just happens to have some unusual garnishes: crayfish and eggs. Some recipes include mushrooms in the sauce, but I didn't. Here's my version.<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
3-4 lb. boneless chicken, cut into large dice or chunks <br />
2 to 3 medium white or yellow onions, sliced<br />
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes<br />
2 to 3 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into large dice<br />
Dry red wine<br />
Italian herb seasoning<br />
Garlic, minced <br />
Olive oil <br />
Salt<br />
6 to 8 really big prawns<br />
3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs<br />
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RECIPE<br />
Carmelize the sliced onions in a large, deep, heavy skillet in olive oil over medium heat. <br /><br />
When the onions are translucent and starting to brown, add the chicken, garlic, and Italian seasoning to taste (I used about 3 cloves of garlic and 2 tsp. of Italian seasoning).<br /><br />
When the chicken starts to brown and is partly cooked through, add the diced tomato. Turn up the heat a little and cook for a few minutes until the tomato is hot, stirring often.<br /><br />
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<br />
Add the red wine and crushed tomatoes. Turn up the heat until the crushed tomatoes start to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. If you want less liquid, simmer uncovered; if you want more, simmer covered.<br /><br />
At the very end, lay the prawns on the surface of the sauce. Cover and simmer until the prawns are done (about 5 to 8 minutes depending on the size of the prawns).<br />
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<br />Serve in flat soup bowls. Garnish with hardboiled eggs and 1 or 2 prawns per serving.<br />
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TIPS<br />
<ul>
<li>Take your time carmelizing the onions. Letting onions carmelize properly will make any dish taste absolutely amazing, so be patient.</li>
<li>My version had the consistency of a thick tomato stew. If you prefer less liquid, brown the chicken in a separate pan with the seasonings (herbs and garlic), drain, and then add to the onions. You can also use less crushed tomato and thicken with tomato paste, and/or leave out the fresh diced tomato entirely.</li>
<li>Don't be afraid to be generous with seasonings. Don't be afraid to use fresh herbs too, if they're available. Try oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley, savory, and basil, in any combination. Mince the herbs and add towards the end, a few minutes before steaming the prawns. They'll stay green and retain a fresh flavor that way.</li>
<li>Goes well with a dry red wine, thick crusty bread, and a green salad dressed simply (with olive oil, vinegar, a little salt, and some shaved or shredded parmesan cheese)</li>
</ul>
<br />Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-17652023308849875842013-05-26T22:43:00.000-07:002013-05-29T09:19:31.161-07:00So a Khajit, an Argonian, and an Orc Walk Into a Skooma Den...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now legal in the Ratway, the alley behind the Winking Skeever, and Washington State.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
...and get totally blasted on <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Skooma">skooma</a>.<br />
<br />
Ah yes, sweet, sweet skooma... sweet, mind-numbing, haze-inducing, brain-cell-slaughtering skooma. Loathed by uptight Imperial soldiers everywhere in Cyrodiil, you can find plenty of it while wandering the wilds of Skyrim. Buy it at any Khajit caravan, from <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Skooma_Dealer_%28NPC%29">random skooma dealers</a> encountered on the road, or - best of all - make your own with this Real Life Skooma Recipe!<br />
<br />
I did - and I will openly, immediately admit that this is a really weird recipe with a really odd mix of flavors. It's not for the faint of stomach or frail of liver. It's not going to be to everyone's taste. But it's as canon as anything else Lexi and I have concocted for this blog, and if you're a diehard Skyrim fan with Daedric-strength tastebuds, give this one a shot.<br />
<br />
Skooma in-game is made from refined moon sugar. A book from Morrowind, <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:Tamriel_Rebuilt/An_Alchemist%27s_Guide_to_Skooma"><i>An Alchemist's Guide to Skooma</i></a>, describes the recipe in greater detail (I would seriously love to meet the game designer who wrote it). In developing my own recipe, I started with the following descriptions from the book:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In Elsweyr skooma is made from moon sugar and a poisonous herb called nightshade... the preparation of skooma requires that the alchemist
dissolve some moon sugar in water and bring it to the boil. For one
pint of water you should add one cup of moon sugar. Once it is boiling,
add one thimble full of nightshade essence.</blockquote>
That right there, my friends, is simple syrup with powdered nightshade added. Straightforward, basic, and something Lexi and I have done before, in our recipes for <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2013/04/skyrim-recipe-elsweyr-fondue.html">Elsweyr Fondue</a> and the <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/03/skyrim-cocktail-2-velvet-lachance.html">Velvet Lachance</a>. Reasoning that trying to make simple syrup using <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/04/skryim-treats-moon-sugar.html">our own moon sugar recipe</a> might cause some issues with melting, I fell back on the variation we came up with for the fondue:<br />
<br />
MOON SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP<br />
1 cup granulated white sugar<br />
1 cup water<br />
1-2 Tbsp of lavender or culinary sumac<br />
<br />
Boil sugar in water. Stir until sugar
dissolves. Remove from heat immediately and add lavender or culinary
sumac to taste, usually 1 or 2 Tbsp. Let cool. (If you make with lavender, we recommend
straining before use to get the lavender bits out.) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fJTLSpTTFA8/UaLbt18IVFI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/bqJQGohqPmg/s1600/IMG_4219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fJTLSpTTFA8/UaLbt18IVFI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/bqJQGohqPmg/s320/IMG_4219.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Left: Sumac Simple Syrup (Secunda)<br />Right: Lavender Simple Syrup (Masser)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With the Velvet Lachance, we solved the issue of where we might get nightshade; the nightshade family is vast, and there are, in fact, quite a few edible plants within it: tomato and eggplant are some examples, but for spice and kick we went with peppers. And oh, there are sooo many to choose from... which ones to use?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OXLTbnN3pag/UaLdA2PDNzI/AAAAAAAAAOg/aP30afYm4lA/s1600/IMG_4210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OXLTbnN3pag/UaLdA2PDNzI/AAAAAAAAAOg/aP30afYm4lA/s320/IMG_4210.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clockwise, starting with the fresh red pepper on the left: Thai pepper, chipotle powder, ancho chili powder, cayenne chili powder, crushed jalapeno peppers, Aleppo pepper (center), Guajillo pepper (long purplish dried pepper), Sanaam chili pepper (bottom)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is where the flavor really comes into this recipe, and where you can go hog wild, picking and choosing as many (or as few) peppers as you wish. And I highly encourage readers to experiment on your own: we came up with flavors we liked, but there are so many more possible variations out there. Here's the basic recipe:<br />
<br />
SKOOMA<br />
4-6 oz. simple syrup<br />
A pinch to a teaspoon of peppers (crushed, minced, dried, powder, a mix of peppers or a single variety)<br />
Vodka<br />
<br />
Mix the peppers into the simple syrup. Let sit for an hour or two. Strain. Mix with an equal part vodka, over ice or as straight shots. Lose your mind and yowl like a horny desert cat at the moon's dim light.<br />
<br />
TIPS:<br />
<ul>
<li>Lavender has a stronger flavor than sumac, so will stand up to the stronger peppers.</li>
<li>Don't let your base mixture sit for very long. Either drink it right away, or strain out the pepper after an hour (2 hours tops). If you let it sit, it tastes terrible.</li>
<li>Fresh peppers have a milder flavor than powdered (at least the ones we tried), but may have more heat.</li>
<li>Combinations that worked reasonably well were lavender and chipotle, lavender and Guajillo pepper, sumac and Aleppo pepper, and sumac and Thai pepper.</li>
<li>Don't drink this without cutting it with vodka (or gin, if you want something sweeter and fruitier). It's too cloyingly sweet without being diluted.</li>
<li>Goes well with Elsweyr Fondue and a need to erase the bleak lawlessness of Skyrim from your mind. </li>
</ul>
<br />Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-25449608684841910572013-05-11T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-13T13:04:48.129-07:0010.10.10 Is the Number of the Feast<div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z3iB5Qc9pBw/UWwhA2X6I_I/AAAAAAAAAlg/Tp4fB9BQJtw/s1600/dontpanic_large_jpg_pagespeed_ce_JCo_QH5LeR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z3iB5Qc9pBw/UWwhA2X6I_I/AAAAAAAAAlg/Tp4fB9BQJtw/s320/dontpanic_large_jpg_pagespeed_ce_JCo_QH5LeR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Towel Day is May 25. </em><br />
<em>Have a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Party!</em></div>
<br />
Gwen and I enjoy throwing themed parties, especially long ones. The more pop cultural the better, and if we can work themed <em>food </em>in, well woe be to him who violates the theme. Like the Kung Fu Weekend of Death, complete with Shaw Brothers movies, a copious chinese dinner and dim sum breakfast. Or the Geek Movie Weekend, with back-to-back Holy Grail and Princess Bride. <br />
<br />
Tangentially: We've spent waaaayyyy to many hours of our lives arguing over what is and is not a Geek Movie [Holy Grail IS, Total Recall is definitely NOT] and devising logical tests to determine it quickly and decisively. Eventually we'll be forced to post a Venn diagram to publish our research into this heady and debatable subject. But I digress...<br />
<br />
So when October 10, 2010 rolled around, my better half and I absolutely had to throw a themed party (Gwen attended of course). We decided to make it a contest - a geek trivia scavenger hunt if you will - with clues and prizes for the first person to get it right. We thought long and hard for weeks about the clues, not wanting the game to be too easy or too hard, and using Guinea Pig Gwen to gauge their difficulty. We picked up some sweet ass prizes for the winners, including a D-n-D Red Box, Creationary (it's Lego Pictionary! Brilliant!), The Ladies of Star Wars playing cards, old USSR propaganda posters against drinking... We even prepared a <strong><a href="http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Lamuella" target="_blank">Lamuella</a> Sandwich Bar</strong>: a sumptuous buffet of fixin's for build-your-own sandwiches (including Perfectly Normal Beast, of course) and homemade mocha stout to keep everyone's spirits up.
<br />
<br />
The guests were gathered and the goal was explained:
<br />
<strong>Tell us what the theme of the party is, and why it's significant.</strong>
<br />
<br />
Clue #1: There are clues all around the house:
<br />
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<tbody>
<tr>
<td><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRsWkQvsFI/AAAAAAAAACU/iorOx0yE8tw/s1600/CIMG0769.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531665377264644178" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRsWkQvsFI/AAAAAAAAACU/iorOx0yE8tw/s200/CIMG0769.JPG" style="height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sci-Fi + Britain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</td><td><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRsMBAZ4EI/AAAAAAAAACM/-HuuJOoy_fM/s1600/CIMG0778.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531665196002172994" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRsMBAZ4EI/AAAAAAAAACM/-HuuJOoy_fM/s200/CIMG0778.JPG" style="height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dolphin, A Whale, and a Robot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRsC9-MCQI/AAAAAAAAACE/ObQ3fqpgXso/s1600/CIMG0777.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531665040568748290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRsC9-MCQI/AAAAAAAAACE/ObQ3fqpgXso/s200/CIMG0777.JPG" style="height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petunias</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</td><td><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRr2-83-oI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ah9JHkZ3yTU/s1600/CIMG0776.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531664834673244802" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q41v6KaBThM/TMRr2-83-oI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ah9JHkZ3yTU/s200/CIMG0776.JPG" style="height: 200px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 150px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottles of Bitter and Salted Peanuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Clue #2: Mice
(Hyperintelligent pan-dimensional Beings)<br />
<br />
Clue #3: Jack Handy
(As in, Jack Handy's Deep Thoughts)<br />
<br />
Clue #4: This party could only be held on 10/10/10.
<br />
<br />
The fourth clue was our favorite, and the inspiration for the party. Serious Geeks will know that in Binary, 101010 = 42. <br />
<br />
We wanted the clues to be hard enough to be challenging and tailored to the audience, which is obsessed with pop culture references and quotes. Unfortunately, we made them a little <em>too</em> hard, and nobody got it without hints. But the guests had a good time, the sandwiches were worthy of Arthur Dent, and everyone loved the prizes, which we gave out anyway.<br />
<br />
Here are some additional food ideas for future HHGTTG parties:<br />
Gwen's <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2011/01/pan-galactic-gargle-blaster-recipe.html" target="_blank">Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster recipe</a><br />
<div>
Fairy Cake<br />
Milliway Steak Bites (Ameglion Major cow) and green Salad</div>
<div>
Coconuts</div>
<br />
So this <a href="http://towelday.org/" target="_blank">Towel Day,</a> have some friends over and raise a pint of bitter to the memory of Douglas Adams. Stay Froody, Dude. We miss you.<br />
<br />
<em>Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001</em></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-35393549806604181092013-04-22T18:34:00.004-07:002013-04-22T18:56:46.016-07:00Skyrim Recipe: Elsweyr Fondue<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
There's a Khajit caravan that travels the roads and byways of Skyrim, appearing outside town from time to time to offer rare goods. I like to have my character stop by for a bit of moon sugar and some light conversation about the warm, exotic sands of Elsweyr, the Khajit homeland. But there's one thing I always wonder: just how does a desert kitty stay warm and groovy in the frozen wastes of Skyrim?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The answer, it turns out, is cheese fondue.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lysZXEzseh8/UVELMsrVxZI/AAAAAAAAAMU/EhKQa-BaEeo/s1600/IMG_4248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lysZXEzseh8/UVELMsrVxZI/AAAAAAAAAMU/EhKQa-BaEeo/s320/IMG_4248.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cheese fondue and a bottle of skooma: not just for 1970's lounge cats anymore.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
More specifically, <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Elsweyr_Fondue">Elsweyr fondue</a>, a tasty recipe made from three simple ingredients in-game: ale, moon sugar, and an Eidar cheese wheel.<br />
<br />
Beer? Cheese? Two of my favorite things! How, then, could I resist attempting a real world version? Well, lucky you: I couldn't.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fondue">Cheese fondue</a> is a very simple dish with a history dating back several hundred years. It's little more than a thick cheese sauce made with beer or wine at low heat in a communal pot, into which diners dip cubes of bread. There are literally thousands of recipes built on this simple foundation. Variation comes from what type of cheese or liquor is used, what seasonings are chosen, or the addition of thickeners or emulsifiers (such as flour or egg). <br />
<br />
As with other Skyrim-based recipes, the goal was to achieve an end result that came as close to the in-game description as possible, but was also tasty and relatively easy to make.<br />
<br />
In this case, the first challenge came with how Elsweyr fondue is depicted in-game, as compared to what your average actual cheese sauce or cheese fondue looks like in reality. This is what game designers at Bethesda thought Elsweyr fondue should look like:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-waeCDNGNaaE/UXWC1ppQNGI/AAAAAAAAANU/jYOiwR9lpaE/s1600/Stew.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-waeCDNGNaaE/UXWC1ppQNGI/AAAAAAAAANU/jYOiwR9lpaE/s200/Stew.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image copyright Bethesda Game Studios. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Aside from being a liquid almost, but not quite, entirely unlike fondue... well, would <i>you</i> eat that? I sure wouldn't. It looks like the worst, most industrial chili ever made. If the game designers were trying to convey the bleak lawlessness of Skyrim in a single meal, I think they succeeded admirably with this one. It looks like a bowl of despair, Nord style. And it's certainly uncontaminated by cheese.<br />
<br />
Which brings us to our next challenge: picking the right cheese. Take a look at this illustration of an Eidar cheese wheel:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_iPCd735t4s/UWuBEjlGYGI/AAAAAAAAAM0/JoZ7EbiNdds/s1600/200px-SlicedEidarCheese.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_iPCd735t4s/UWuBEjlGYGI/AAAAAAAAAM0/JoZ7EbiNdds/s200/200px-SlicedEidarCheese.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image copyright Bethesda Game Studios.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've eaten a lot of cheese in my day, and that picture right there just screams <a href="http://www.stiltoncheese.co.uk/">STILTON</a> to me. Stilton is a well-marbled blue cheese with a thick, brownish rind, lovely and creamy when at its most ripe. It goes very well with sweetish red wines and very ripe fruit... and it's <i>definitely</i> a stinky cheese. A wedge of the stuff, improperly sealed up, can make the inside of your fridge smell like feet, so I couldn't even imagine how rank a whole load of it would smell, bubbling away on a hot stove. <br />
<br />
So Lexi and I decided against using just Stilton for this one. Instead, we chose a combination of cheeses for flavor, meltability, and scent. We also wanted to come up with a cheese that would melt well, becoming stable and smooth without the need for any emulsifiers, since none are called for in the game recipe. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X7JT7M-IvoI/UWuD1uZ-f0I/AAAAAAAAANE/mANa1fl3lok/s1600/IMG_4243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X7JT7M-IvoI/UWuD1uZ-f0I/AAAAAAAAANE/mANa1fl3lok/s320/IMG_4243.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our family of ingredients: beer, cheese, fruit, and moon sugar.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The cheese we picked for our base was <a href="http://www.jarlsberg.com/products/sn%C3%B8frisk">Snofrisk</a>, a smooth, very mild, slightly tangy Norwegian cream cheese made mostly of goat's milk. We added a lovely, mild, soft French blue cheese (the front wedge in the image above) to stand in for the Eidar wheel and decided to pretend that Eidar Cheese would be a smooth, creamy, marbled goat cheese best represented by combining these two. Add my favorite go-to amber ale (Silver City's <a href="http://www.silvercitybrewery.com/brewery_website/ridgetop_red.htm">Ridgetop Red</a>), sumac moon sugar simple syrup... and it all melted into a magical tasty recipe that would do any Khajit proud. Here it is, in all its glory.<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
Butter (optional)<br />
1 4.4-oz. container of plain Snofrisk cheese<br />
About 4 oz. soft, creamy blue cheese<br />
Beer or ale<br />
Moon sugar simple syrup (see recipe below)<br />
Culinary sumac or lavender (to correct seasonings as needed)<br />
Bread and/or fruit wedges for dipping<br />
<br />
RECIPE<br />
1. Melt a pat of butter in the top of a double boiler over medium heat. This is optional, but can help prevent sticking.<br />
2. When the butter foams, add the Snofrisk. Whisk slowly with the butter until well blended.<br />
3. Whisk in beer or ale, 4 oz. at a time or so, until the texture is thick and creamy, somewhere between the consistency of a melted milkshake and unwhipped whipping cream.<br />
4. Add the blue cheese in bits and gradually whisk in until smooth.<br />
5. Add a tablespoon or two of the moon sugar simple syrup. This will sweeten the fondue, so check to taste before adding a whole bunch of it.<br />
6. If your moon sugar simple syrup was on the mild side, add lavender or sumac a teaspoon at a time to adjust seasonings. <br />
6. If your fondue is a bit too thick, thin it with more beer or ale.<br />
7. Mess it forth into a pre-warmed earthenware bowl or your favorite fondue pot, and eat by dipping in sliced apples or chunks of lightly toasted bread!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5sG4cOgiHA0/UXWTcelH8SI/AAAAAAAAANk/UoYbrNAibis/s1600/IMG_4245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5sG4cOgiHA0/UXWTcelH8SI/AAAAAAAAANk/UoYbrNAibis/s320/IMG_4245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It should look more or less like this, a little thicker if you wish.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
MOON SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 cup water<br />
Several Tbsp of lavender or culinary sumac<br />
<br />
Awhile back Lexi and I came up with a very serviceable <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/04/skryim-treats-moon-sugar.html">recipe for moon sugar</a> based on a microwave hard candy recipe. Initially I wanted to add the straight moon sugar to this recipe, but Lexi noted that we might have difficulties with it melting smoothly, and would end up with cheese sauce with bits of half-melted moon sugar floating in it rather than a smooth, creamy, dippable sauce. So instead, I took her advice and opted to make a simple syrup instead.<br />
<br />
The process is simple: boil 1 cup of granulated white sugar in 1 cup of water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat immediately and add lavender or culinary sumac to taste, usually 1 or 2 Tbsp. Let cool and use as you would in any simple syrup recipe. (If you make with lavender, we recommend straining before use to get the lavender bits out.)<br />
<br />
MORE NOTES<br />
Lexi and I made two different kinds of moon sugar, one for each of Skyrim's moons (Masser and Secunda). One uses lavender, the other culinary sumac; each have their own flavor qualities, and we kept this in mind when choosing ingredients for the fondue. Lavender makes a very floral, pretty flavor, but it's very strong. Sumac is more musky, like one of those flavors you've met before but just can't put your tongue on it... it's also more subtle than the lavender.<br />
<br />
So for the first workup of this recipe I chose a milder French cheese and a solid, not-very-hoppy amber ale to go with the sumac without drowning out the flavor. The breads were chose were a dark rye (as might be found in the Nordic wilds) and an Italian artisan loaf, cut into large chunks and lightly toasted on a baking sheet at about 325F for 10 minutes or so. Round it out with slices of a firm, fleshy apple (like Granny Smith or Fuji) and you can dine with the coolest cats on the tundra.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qF4pL6rVL0/UXWWWJE17WI/AAAAAAAAANs/eMOU2tZ73f8/s1600/IMG_4252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qF4pL6rVL0/UXWWWJE17WI/AAAAAAAAANs/eMOU2tZ73f8/s320/IMG_4252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And don't forget the skooma...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-24988275617526210452013-04-10T11:10:00.002-07:002013-04-10T11:25:06.346-07:00Skyrim Food That We'll Never Make<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XSULVy35N4w/UVhgX0Uh3pI/AAAAAAAAAlI/ADWGJUVHdpc/s1600/Skyrim_Boiled_Cream_Treat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XSULVy35N4w/UVhgX0Uh3pI/AAAAAAAAAlI/ADWGJUVHdpc/s1600/Skyrim_Boiled_Cream_Treat.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
DONUT!</div>
<br />
Gwen and I have been fielding some requests from readers, and seeing some requests posted on Skyrim forums around the intertoobs that we make some specific things from the land of Skyrim. But there are some things that we will never make and you will never see on this site. Here's why... <br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">WARNING: SNARKY SARCASTITRON LEVEL 3 </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span><br />
<h3>
1. Boiled Cream Treat</h3>
Because it's a fracking donut. I can't believe how much discussion I've seen online about this. "What is it? Is it a bagel? What could it be? It's fascinating!" Seriously? WTF. IT'S A DONUT. We're not going to spend our time and effort recreating something you can buy at a grocery store for 49 cents.<br />
<br />
You can read this two ways: "Boiled" + "Cream Treat", where the cream treat itself is boiled. That's just stupid. or "Boiled Cream" + "Treat". Oh, boiled cream? Like CUSTARD?! Or PUDDING?! Tell me you've never made the kind of instant pudding at home where you have to heat the milk first. In all fairness, those of you under the age of 20 may have only ever had instant pudding, but let this be the time you learn from Gramma Lexi about how things were in the olden days of 1995. Oh wait - it's not that old. You can buy it right next to the instant stuff right now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HInmnNKNVq0/UVhiOnh6fUI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ZwhTV4-yoZI/s1600/Donut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HInmnNKNVq0/UVhiOnh6fUI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/ZwhTV4-yoZI/s320/Donut.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
How exotic and mysterious!</div>
<br />
<h3>
2. Sweetrolls</h3>
Sweetrolls are everywhere in Skyrim, and everyone wants to taste them, including us. This is a legit recipe that's got some of its own interesting challenges, but frankly, it's been done. To death. We don't think the world needs yet <em>another</em> sweetroll recipe right now. Other sites did it first. And probably better.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/fHxK3vSiWrDI8MMC6EVRnZ8LUU5YeaC8krs1_47mG4aLSuDO7WqtLgMQXM2EfL9FjhG2u35J1H2Q9Q5e9rOKIGYU2w7TqPBcPBAAXsPLC56TDVoXTz4HOSQH8R-G1cRzrV6O3fLpnWCyumwyREmzzbo" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/fHxK3vSiWrDI8MMC6EVRnZ8LUU5YeaC8krs1_47mG4aLSuDO7WqtLgMQXM2EfL9FjhG2u35J1H2Q9Q5e9rOKIGYU2w7TqPBcPBAAXsPLC56TDVoXTz4HOSQH8R-G1cRzrV6O3fLpnWCyumwyREmzzbo" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.gourmetgaming.co.uk/">www.gourmetgaming.co.uk</a> - The original and still Champeen!</div>
<br />
See?<br />
<a href="http://www.gourmetgaming.co.uk/post/12553999356/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-sweet-roll-this">http://www.gourmetgaming.co.uk/post/12553999356/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-sweet-roll-this</a><br />
<a href="http://www.geekychef.com/2012/01/sweetroll.html">http://www.geekychef.com/2012/01/sweetroll.html</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWReL8P-GtQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWReL8P-GtQ</a><br />
<a href="http://toysandbacon.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-make-skyrim-sweet-rolls.html">http://toysandbacon.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-make-skyrim-sweet-rolls.html</a><br />
<a href="http://coffeelovescompany.blogspot.com/2012/10/fantasy-recipe-skyrim-sweet-rolls.html">http://coffeelovescompany.blogspot.com/2012/10/fantasy-recipe-skyrim-sweet-rolls.html</a><br />
<a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Dovahcake-or-how-to-make-a-sweetroll/">http://www.instructables.com/id/Dovahcake-or-how-to-make-a-sweetroll/</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Potage Magnifique</h3>
Because it's nasty. It's a flour gravy filled with vegetables. Potage was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potage" target="_blank">peasant food</a> in the middle ages that people had to eat out of necessity that was bland and subsistence-only food. It's also the in-game joke. The 'Gourmet' who wrote the book Uncommon Taste can't cook. His whole presence in the game is a parody of arrogant TV chefs and his recipes are bunk. This one is no exception. Sunlight Souffle without the eggs? That's not a typo, it's irony.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/bUSpogMHz6nJL4LoffK0RN-54EK-1M4p013tRx30dM-3-77nh52Rhq4zoINrWHJOeJtIC_XAVNmyHZdsSNE-WJ0MKFEeAnr-6U5HfxK8OpLYZ1YmRgEenHVV8wk" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/bUSpogMHz6nJL4LoffK0RN-54EK-1M4p013tRx30dM-3-77nh52Rhq4zoINrWHJOeJtIC_XAVNmyHZdsSNE-WJ0MKFEeAnr-6U5HfxK8OpLYZ1YmRgEenHVV8wk" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
IT'S A JOKE. IT'S <em>SUPPOSED</em> TO TASTE LIKE ASS. (Actually it looks like ass too)</div>
<br />
BTW, this goes for all the rest of the recipes in Uncommon Taste as well. Pfft.<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Boring, Common or Otherwise Uninspired Recipes</h3>
There's a lot of really interesting in-game food. Aaaaaannnd... there's a lot that's not. We're not going to make things like Beef Stew, Roast Chicken, or Clam Meat. If it's got a clear real-life analogy, there are hundreds or even thousands of recipes out there that you can try. What makes our cooking juices flow is the stuff nobody else is doing, or stuff that's super challenging. While we might do a Horker Stew with pork and lavender sometime, we'll probably not post a recipe for a baked potato. <br />
<br />
So there you have it. The Foods We'll Never Make. As an aside, although we love Skyrim, we've been itching to get back to our bloggy cooking roots and do more food from things not Skyrim related. There will be a few more Tamriel recipes, sure, but expect to see an increasing number of recipes from Britcoms, movies, cartoons and other geeky sources. We can't be one-dimensional now, can we?
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</h3>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6VVIp14y84/UTQi6mQuuGI/AAAAAAAAAkI/iBdrSaJkQzk/s1600/Scarlet_Chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6VVIp14y84/UTQi6mQuuGI/AAAAAAAAAkI/iBdrSaJkQzk/s400/Scarlet_Chicken.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Die hard fans - I mean REALLY die hard fans - of Britcoms will recognize this dish as an obscure single-line reference from the 1987 "Nob and Nobility" episode of the classic series, Blackadder. In it, the show pokes fun at the legend of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scarlet_Pimpernel" target="_blank">Scarlet Pimpernel</a>, a popular fictional story about a rich nobleman who decides to don a disguise and uses his money and skills to effect daring rescues of disenfranchised nobles from the clutches of the French Revolution under the pseudonym 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'.<br />
<br />
Sound familiar? A regular rich guy who wears disguises and uses pure skill to pursue the cause of his own vigilante form of justice? That's because this story was one of the main influences for the development of the Batman mythology. The original book, published in 1905, was wildly popular with a society that had finally come to terms with the violence and anarchy of the French Revolution, despite the book's clear pro-nobility stance. <br />
<br />
As only the supremely educated British comedy writer can, the story is cleverly parodied in the episode, and is presented as seen through the eyes of the butler Edmund. Upon visiting his favorite pie shop, he's disgusted to find that Pimpernel-inspired Francophilia has taken over London and instead of Shepherd's Pie, is offered only a selection of pretentiously French dishes by the somewhat-less-than-upper-class proprietor, Mrs. Miggins. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rl81UH-FHx0/UTQSPC5RHVI/AAAAAAAAAjg/WsZJ00C35C0/s1600/Mrs_Miggins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rl81UH-FHx0/UTQSPC5RHVI/AAAAAAAAAjg/WsZJ00C35C0/s320/Mrs_Miggins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> <em><strong>"</strong>Today's hot choice is Chicken Pimpernel in a Scarlet Sauce, Scarlet Chicken in a Pimpernel Sauce, or Huge Suspicious Looking Sausages*. In a Scarlet Pimpernel Sauce."</em></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
Blackadder doesn't have a ton of food references, and it's absolutely one of our favorite - and most quotable - TV series ever produced, so this seemed to be a good place to start. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Flowers_March_2008-19.jpg/800px-Flowers_March_2008-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Flowers_March_2008-19.jpg/800px-Flowers_March_2008-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The humble Scarlet Pimpernel, image courtesy of Wikipedia</span></em> </div>
<br />
I started (as always) by researching the main ingredients of the recipe and found that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagallis_arvensis" target="_blank">Scarlet Pimpernel</a> is a common roadside flower that grows extensively in Europe. The pimpernel family also includes an edible herb known to us Americans as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnet_Saxifrage" target="_blank">Salad Burnet.</a> Serendipitously, Salad Burnet is one of the main ingredients in the modern Frankfurt <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Sauce" target="_blank">Green Sauce</a>, a popular mixed herb sauce that dates back to the middle ages in one variant or another. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrSM-g-4YD8/UTgVtSxYtKI/AAAAAAAAAkY/YxHfl7vqZ1Y/s1600/IMG_0880%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrSM-g-4YD8/UTgVtSxYtKI/AAAAAAAAAkY/YxHfl7vqZ1Y/s320/IMG_0880%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<em>Clockwise from Top: Tarragon, Chervil, Chives, Tarragon, Parsley, Cress</em></div>
<br />
The sauce is basically a puree of fresh green herbs, lemon and sour cream or yoghurt. Since German field herbs don't grow so readily in US supermarkets, I thought it would be a good idea if I modified the recipe to used herbs and substitutions that could easily be purchased in your local grocery store.<br />
<br />
For the Scarlet Chicken, we had a couple of options. I leaned heavily on Gwen for this one, as she's got a Medieval History degree and knows everything about everything when you're talking historic food. <br />
<br />
According to her, Red spices like paprika and sumac would have been common in England during the late 1700's and used extensively to spice and flavor dishes. Citrus would have been easily imported from France or Spain (though French lemons would have been an unlikely commodity during the revolution itself, due to interrupted trade). Chickens would probably have been smaller, due to the lack of advances in genetic science during the time, so a modern GMO cornish game hen makes a nice substitute.<br />
<br />
We never got the poultry to that bright red that you see in Tandoori cuisine (incidentally, Tandoori red is food coloring), but the bird did turn a rich toasty ruddy caramel color, loaded with flavor and smelled absolutely scrumptious while it was cooking. However, they evidently liked food colored with livid hues in the olden days, so feel free to liven the meat up with some beet juice if it suits your fancy.<br />
<br />
Using generous amounts of smoked instead of sweet paprika made the hen smell and taste <em>just like bacon</em>. OMG. Bacon flavored Chicken? SIGN ME UP. The idea was to make a really french dish, but... BACON! It's close enough.<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Pimpernel Sauce</h3>
<br />
Combine in a blender:<br />
<strong>1 C Sour Cream<br />
1/2 C Heavy Cream<br />
1 Tbl Chopped Fresh Chives<br />
1/4 C Chopped Fresh Dill<br />
1/4 C Chopped Fresh Chervil<br />
1/4 C Chopped Fresh Tarragon<br />
1/4 C Chopped Fresh Parsley<br />
1/2 C Chopped Fresh Upland Cress (sub with 1/4 C Watercress)<br />
1 C Chopped Fresh Salad Burnet (Sub with Cucumber and decrease cream to 1/4 C)<br />
Juice and Grated Rind of 1/2 Lemon<br />
2 tsp Salt</strong><br />
<br />
Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust the herbs and salt to taste. Let the sauce rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Scarlet Chicken</h3>
Brine<br />
Dissolve into 3 Qt water:<br />
<strong>1/4 C Salt<br />
1/4 C Brown Sugar<br />
1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar</strong><br />
<br />
Wash and remove giblets from<br />
<strong>1 Cornish Game Hen</strong><br />
Brine for 2 hours <br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.<br />
<br />
Peel:<br />
<strong>8 Cloves of Garlic</strong><br />
Using the flat of a knife, crush 2 of the cloves to bruise and soften them.<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, mix together into a smooth paste:<br />
<strong>3 Tbl Smoked Paprika</strong><br />
<strong>3 Tbl Dried Sumac<br />
1 tsp Turmeric<br />
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper<br />
1/4 C Olive Oil<br />
1 tsp Salt<br />
1 tsp Black Pepper</strong><br />
Set aside.<br />
<br />
Peel and Slice into wedges:<br />
<strong>1/4 Onion<br />
1/4 Apple</strong><br />
Set aside.<br />
<br />
Set a raised rack into an oven proof pan so that air can circulate underneath the bird.<br />
Rub the hen inside and out with the crushed garlic.<br />
<br />
Salt and Pepper the cavity of the bird and then stuff with the Apple and Onion Wedges and the whole garlic cloves.<br />
<br />
Rub the paprika paste gently over the whole chicken (add a little more oil if it's too sticky)<br />
<br />
Roast in oven at 450 for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 375 and Roast in for 30-45 additional minutes or until the juices run clear. (internal temp of 155).<br />
<br />
You can serve the sauce on the bird or on the side, whatever your personal preference dictates. The sauce is fresh and creamy and balances the spicy/smokey richness of the poultry perfectly.<br />
<br />
<strong>Bon Apetit, Monsieur! It's French!</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*They're horse willies. No really, that's the joke. How </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/12/world/europe/horsemeat-contamination-qanda" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">prescient</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> those writers were...</span><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-44455355449902425752012-07-29T10:52:00.000-07:002013-03-07T04:14:07.057-08:00Easy Dune Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80uUqToCHFs/UBV1y76kmlI/AAAAAAAAAfs/0uOl72PaHpM/s1600/Dune_Cupcake_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80uUqToCHFs/UBV1y76kmlI/AAAAAAAAAfs/0uOl72PaHpM/s400/Dune_Cupcake_2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Spice Cake and Chocolate Sietch. </span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note the edible glitter spice blow.</span></em></div>
<br />
<em>Arrakis. </em><em>Dune. </em><em>Dessert Planet.</em><br />
<br />
I'm a huge Dune geek. I love Star Wars and Star Trek, and have great respect for Stargate, Doctor Who, Ray Harryhausen and the like. But in my heart of hearts, Dune is where my geeky little soul truly lies. I've read all the books, played the board games (both versions), the video game and heavily compared and critiqued the David Lynch movie version to the SyFy series. <br />
<br />
So when one of my oldest friends asked for Dune cupcakes for his birthday, I was compelled to oblige. My friend is a pretty avid fan himself and when he once called my then-new-boyfriend a geek, the bf simply replied, "He had a collectible sandworm figure in the original box, and then had a second one to play with. I'm not too concerned with <em>him</em> calling <em>me</em> a geek."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Occasionally, I run across really great Dune-themed cakes. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://janasfuncakes.blogspot.com/2012/04/dune-spice-worm-cake.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgbWT79G28c/UBVrjstC3HI/AAAAAAAAAek/8r0etifF2d8/s320/dunecake1-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>See this? It's awesome. Yeah, I can't make that.*</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
That cake is amazing but impossible for a mere mortal. Instead, following are cupcakes that any Fremen can make in his sietch. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Arrakis Spice Cake with Spice Frosting</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Spice Cake</strong><br />
Any spice cake recipe will do. I used the America's Test Kitchen recipe and it was delicious but crazy complex so I recommend just using a mix.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CmXfj4Dyglk/UBVwW9jlzOI/AAAAAAAAAe4/-XzuZOxzR5E/s1600/Spice+Cake+Ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CmXfj4Dyglk/UBVwW9jlzOI/AAAAAAAAAe4/-XzuZOxzR5E/s320/Spice+Cake+Ingredients.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many, many ingredients.</span></em></div>
<br />
Make the cupcakes about 2 hours ahead of time so they have plenty of time to cool. <br />
It's best if your cupcakes have flat tops, not domed ones. Makes 'em easier to decorate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EmP1c2j5pp4/UBVzGahMuSI/AAAAAAAAAfU/2DjizoHDgaQ/s1600/Spice+Cupcakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EmP1c2j5pp4/UBVzGahMuSI/AAAAAAAAAfU/2DjizoHDgaQ/s320/Spice+Cupcakes.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Flat Tops. They're not just for the 80's anymore</span>.</em></div>
<br />
<strong>Spice Frosting</strong><br />
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">2 8-oz packages Cream Cheese, softened<br />
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened<br />
2 Cups Powdered Sugar<br />
1/2 tsp Salt<br />
2 Tbl Cinnamon<br />
1/4 Cup Real Maple Syrup</span><br />
<span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">2 tsp Maple Extract</span><br />
<br />
Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the sugar and cream until smooth. Add the syrup, cinnamon, salt and extract. Set the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes to set up.<br />
<br />
<strong>Toppings</strong><br />
<em>Shai-Hulud</em>: Gummy Worms (or any kind of edible wormy thing), cut to fit on the cakes<br />
<em>Sand</em>: Vanilla Wafers or Shortbread Cookies, crushed into cumbs <br />
<em>Rock</em>: Bulk Chunk Chocolate, smashed with a hammer into small chunks<br />
<em>Spice</em>: Edible Gold Glitter, available at specialty baking shops<br />
<br />
<strong>Sietch Signs</strong><br />
Make tiny flags for the cupcakes by writing or printing the names of the sietches, cutting them into small flags and gluing to toothpicks or party picks.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LHDbv_XwQ38/UBV1M_8VFfI/AAAAAAAAAfc/YGDwvq93PF4/s1600/Sietch+Signs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LHDbv_XwQ38/UBV1M_8VFfI/AAAAAAAAAfc/YGDwvq93PF4/s320/Sietch+Signs.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Sietch Abbir</em></div>
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<em>Sietch Gara Kulon</em></div>
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<em>Sietch Jacurutu</em></div>
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<em>Sietch Tabr</em></div>
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<em>Tuek's Sietch</em></div>
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<em>Windgap Sietch</em></div>
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<strong>Assembly</strong><br />
Frost the cupcakes by hand. You can carefully sculpt dunes if you're good. I'm not, so mine were flat desert.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31L0Tbg7QxQ/UBV1xTs4-eI/AAAAAAAAAfk/9p8KF0UkmJw/s1600/Dune_Cupcakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31L0Tbg7QxQ/UBV1xTs4-eI/AAAAAAAAAfk/9p8KF0UkmJw/s320/Dune_Cupcakes.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">We'll never reach the safety of Chocolate. Well, maybe that small Chocolate.</span></em></div>
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<em>Sand</em>: Either roll the cupcake tops in the cookie crumbs, or sprinkle the crumbs from the top. <br />
<em>Rock: </em>Carefully poke in some of the chocolate shards to resemble a sietch.<br />
<em>Worm:<strong> </strong></em>Gummy worms don't bend well, so get creative. Shai-Hulud won't mind.<br />
<em>Spice:</em> Sprinkle a little glitter around the worm. The worm is the spice.<br />
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Tasty enough for the Kwisatz Haderach!<br />
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<a href="http://scifi.icanhascheezburger.com/tag/cake/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BnGWQzA9zbA/UBVrgxneGuI/AAAAAAAAAec/E1961FLrRlg/s400/Muadib_Wants_Cake.jpg" width="400" /></a>**</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>*Courtesy of Jana's Fun Cakes. Click the photo to see the source post.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>**Courtesy of setphaserstolol.com. Click the photo to see the source post.</em></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-57969189720435209602012-07-01T17:29:00.001-07:002012-07-01T17:59:36.213-07:00Skyrim Food: Apple Cabbage Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RxB84WTva8/T_DsEDDfA6I/AAAAAAAAAdg/GBhhaLc44lw/s1600/Skyrim_Stew.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_RxB84WTva8/T_DsEDDfA6I/AAAAAAAAAdg/GBhhaLc44lw/s320/Skyrim_Stew.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pardon me while I stop mid-fight to eat 20 bowls of Stew.</span></i></div>
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Apple Cabbage Stew. Sounds tasty, yeah? Well evidently in Skyrim the only seasoning anyone uses is Salt. That's fine if you're living in a fantasized medieval Nordic land, but for the rest of us non-Stoics with more than 2 tastebuds who don't actually <em>like</em> eating raw dog meat and mammoth snout, getting this recipe to the Tasty Place was tricky.<br />
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The more posts we do, the more Gwen and I feel like what makes our site special is our overwhelming (some would say unhealthy) obsession with canon. A lot of food blogs are written by cool, well-balanced people with interesting interpretations on recipes. We're not those people. <br />
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We actually debated making a common version of this stew that exists in the real world. There was discussion about things like chicken stock, onions, thyme, red wine; ingredients that would make it conventionally tasty and easy to make. <br />
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Easy? Conventional? Non-Canon? BLASPHEMY!!<br />
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I have a giant monkey brain that I use to think through creative problems. Three ingredients? No seasoning but salt? No problem. Chicken stock is for the weak.<br />
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Liberties were taken with the quantities and preparations of the three main ingredients, but no additional foods or seasonings have been added. The final redaction is a riff on traditional Northern European sauerkraut dishes. Sauerkraut (preserved cabbage) would be a very likely preparation in Skyrim.<br />
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<strong>Ingredients: Apple, Cabbage, Salt.</strong><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNkCVhFaYF0/T_DZF1HtPaI/AAAAAAAAAdA/SibtHiWkTWw/s1600/IMG_0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNkCVhFaYF0/T_DZF1HtPaI/AAAAAAAAAdA/SibtHiWkTWw/s320/IMG_0330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><strong>3 or 4 Sweet Apples</strong>, like Honeycrisp or Red Delicious</li>
<li><strong>2 lb Salt-Cured Sauerkraut</strong>, Canned sauerkraut won't do. Get the naturally cured stuff in the refrigerator section at the store made with Cabbage and Salt.</li>
<li><strong>4 Cups Apple Juice or Apple Cider</strong>, The sweeter, the better; you're not going to add any sugar.</li>
<li><strong>Salt</strong> to taste</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nuDoYalwymI/T_DZKNJbxAI/AAAAAAAAAdI/86ABlbF_-F8/s1600/IMG_0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nuDoYalwymI/T_DZKNJbxAI/AAAAAAAAAdI/86ABlbF_-F8/s320/IMG_0329.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Found these authentic Skyrim apples in a barrow. They look like they'd been there for a couple millennia.</span></em></div>
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<strong>Directions</strong></div>
<ol>
<li>Empty the sauerkraut into a strainer, rinse and drain well. Squeeze out extra moisture with your hands.</li>
<li>Dice all but one of the apples</li>
<li>Add the drained sauerkraut, apple juice and diced apples to a large pot and simmer over low heat for 3.5 hours</li>
<li>Dice the final apple and add it to the stew</li>
<li>Simmer another 30 minutes or until the stew is a nice dark golden color.</li>
<li>Salt to taste</li>
</ol>
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It's actually pretty good - it's a crunchy sweet-n-sour hot dish that can double as a side to pork. It's also vegan. The sauerkraut absorbs up the sugars from the apples and apple juice and it mellows out the tang of the kraut. The longer you cook it, the more caramelized the stew will become, and the sweeter and darker it will get.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-90495411107092219282012-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:002012-05-07T14:20:57.842-07:00May WineNOTE: This post was originally posted in 2011. It's such a great recipe and so timely for the season that we're giving it a bump.<br />
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For a number of years, Lexi and I have made our own variation on May wine as a way of heralding the arrival of spring. Traditionally associated with Beltane or Mayday, it's a light, white wine infused with the fresh flavor of sweet woodruff. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ujqLD8baVIo/TdmTaugBHcI/AAAAAAAAAG8/bBBnPkGEydw/s1600/IMG_1404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ujqLD8baVIo/TdmTaugBHcI/AAAAAAAAAG8/bBBnPkGEydw/s400/IMG_1404.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Galium odoratum</i>, Sweet Woodruff</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Sweet woodruff is a perennial ground cover with bright green leaves. It grows well in shady, moist soil, and will take over your garden if not kept in check. Every year, sometime around the end of April, it puts out little stalks with lovely, sweet-scented white flowers, which stay in blossom through May. The plant smells like fresh cut grass, due to the presence of <a href="http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/coumarin.php">coumarin</a> (the same stuff that gives vanilla and lavender their own fresh smell).<br />
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Both Lexi and I have quite a bit of sweet woodruff growing in our respective gardens. This year, my plants had the fortune of blooming first, so I brought a few sprigs down to the beach house to mix up a bottle of May wine. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May wine<b><br /></b></td></tr>
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INGREDIENTS<br />
A few flowering sprays of sweet woodruff (more flower than leaf, though a few leaves are OK)<br />
A bottle or two of dry White wine (rhines or dry rieslings work well)<br />
Honey (optional)<br />
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Don't wash the flowers, even if they have aphids on them. Use flowers that haven't been sprayed with pesticides or grown too close to a highway since you won't be washing them. The pollen is much of what gives this drink its flavor so you don't want to wash it off. Filter the wine through cheesecloth before decanting to get rid of any unwanted detreius or bugs.<br />
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DIRECTIONS<br />
Mix 1/2 cup of honey into each bottle of wine at room temperature. (I usually drink a half glass of the wine, both for quality control and to make enough room to add the honey and mix right in the bottle.) Add 4 or 5 sprigs of woodruff flowers to each bottle. Cap or recork and refrigerate overnight. Serve in a smallish glass, 1 or 2 oz. Best served the next day, but will keep in the fridge for 4 or 5 days.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>WARNING:</b> Sweet woodruff <a href="http://www.drugs.com/npp/woodruff-sweet.html">may be toxic</a> at high doses due to the coumarin. As with any recipe or food mentioned in this blog, <i>CONSUME AT YOUR OWN RISK</i>. When in doubt, throw it out.</span><br />
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<strong>Do not let the plants sit in the wine for more than 12 hours; be sure to filter and decant within 12 hours to prevent the coumarin level from getting too high. </strong><br />
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A light, flowery drink that goes well with light, flowery snacks: seasonal fruits, small cakes, creamy, herby cheeses, and spring salads.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-27684510489906502012-04-26T20:45:00.000-07:002013-12-08T11:22:26.645-08:00Cross Country for Crabcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqD5SVkND38/UqTG5cp2DLI/AAAAAAAAARs/bNXWarM9D3w/s1600/DOWNTOWN_BMORE_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hqD5SVkND38/UqTG5cp2DLI/AAAAAAAAARs/bNXWarM9D3w/s320/DOWNTOWN_BMORE_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>WE'RE GOING TO BALTIMORE Y'ALL!</b></div>
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Yup, Baltimore. To eat and post about all the great food there. YES, Baltimore. YES, for food. YES. Is this thing on? <br />
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This trip has been almost 10 years in the making. Lexi's Favorite Restaurant Anywhere is located in Pasadena, Maryland so it's gonna be a Girls' Trip to take Gwen to dinner. <br />
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Baltimore is really underappreciated as a food destination, mostly because folks have a hard time differentiating between blue collar <i>food</i> and blue collar <i>culture</i>. I know, I know, Tony Bourdain calls BTown a "Rust Belt" city. Sure, it's industrial. But it's also been situated right on the shores of Chesapeake Bay for hundreds of years and that means a rich and storied seafood tradition by folks who have learned to make the best with what they've got. And lemme tell ya, it's good.<br />
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<b>Some people may think this is what Baltimore food is about: </b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2AJLRtAk0mc/TcWm5pMIXBI/AAAAAAAAOrc/U19zQogS1eE/s400/Beefy+Tater+Tot+Casserole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2AJLRtAk0mc/TcWm5pMIXBI/AAAAAAAAOrc/U19zQogS1eE/s320/Beefy+Tater+Tot+Casserole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Those people are wrong.</b></div>
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Both of us were raised on the pebbly shores of Puget Sound, and admittedly we're totally spoiled when it comes to seafood. We grew up with clams, mussels, oysters, crab, salmon, cod and all manner of seafood practically at our doorstep. As much as we love local seafood, we're totally down for trying new experiences and new traditions when it comes to fishy goodness. Hence: Baltimore - first stop: Crabtown!</div>
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<a href="http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/files/2012/01/Dungeness_crab_close_up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/files/2012/01/Dungeness_crab_close_up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The native Puget Sound Dungeness Crab. Note the size.</span></i></div>
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In the Northwest, you get more or less 1 crab per person. The local dungeness are big, and the meat is sweet and easy to pick. It also shreds easily and getting true lump meat from a dungeness is nearly impossible. If you get just one bigger Alaskan crab off of a boat, it's a crab party for 4!<br />
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<a href="http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/images/crab3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/invertebrate/images/crab3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In the Pacific, crabs get big.</span></i></div>
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The Atlantic has smaller blue crabs. They eat 'em by the bushel in Maryland: steamed and pasted thickly with old bay, lumped into crabcakes, cooked into soups and stews. Ordering crabs by the dozen? That's crazy talk! We've gotta do it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/images/othercritters/BlueCrabth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/images/othercritters/BlueCrabth.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Atlantic Blue Crab. How tiny and cute! I'll take a dozen.</i></span></div>
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Baw'lmer is going to be a seafood tour extraordinaire. The restaurants are working class simple, with little decor and low ceilings. The drinks are stiff and the beer tends to be either Budweiser or Yuengling. And every place worth a damn has crab, crabcakes, stuffed quahogs, stuffed flounder, fried softshell crab, steamed shrimp, the list goes on and on... And Old Bay is an option <i>everywhere</i>. It's really the first American Curry. But more on that later...<br />
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The blue collar difference in the attitude about seafood is most evident in restaurants. In Seattle, you order by the plate. In Baltimore, you order by the pound. The west coast serves very spartan, usually Asian-influenced seafood dishes:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nd7I3wcB8Sw/UqTFMaRN5yI/AAAAAAAAARg/MFs2Y6HoPA4/s1600/crab2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nd7I3wcB8Sw/UqTFMaRN5yI/AAAAAAAAARg/MFs2Y6HoPA4/s320/crab2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">How it's done out West: Note the elegant photography, the restrained presentation, the clean white plate. There's a chilled glass of white wine and a clean linen napkin somewhere in there too... the wine is probably some oaky overpriced chardonnay with a pretentious name.</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.robinsweb.com/maryland/crabs08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://www.robinsweb.com/maryland/crabs08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">How it's done back East: Awwww Yeah! A big ass pile of steamy, spicy crabs dumped onto a table covered with newspaper to be picked clean by hand and served with pitchers of cold lager.</span></i></div>
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While we're gone, eating our way through the Eastern Seaboard, posting will be suspended for a week. HOWEVER, if you have suggestions for where we should go, ideas on what to eat, or just generally want to follow what we're up to, we'll be constantly on twitter @feastygeeks. If you're in the area and want to meet up, let us know!Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-43927804941486436462012-04-23T10:26:00.001-07:002012-07-01T17:59:06.987-07:00Skyrim Treats: Moon Sugar<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dEPQvcLGS_w/T5Rp7f7QrAI/AAAAAAAAALA/PcrVXqLAuho/s1600/Moon-Sugar-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dEPQvcLGS_w/T5Rp7f7QrAI/AAAAAAAAALA/PcrVXqLAuho/s320/Moon-Sugar-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Moon Sugar; sweet and mysterious</i></td></tr>
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Wander the roads and byways of Skyrim, and eventually you're bound to run into a rough encampment by the side of the road on the way into town. These clusters of tents are temporary trading posts set up by the nomadic <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Khajiit">Khajiiti</a>, a feline race from the exotic desert land of <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Elsweyr">Elsweyr</a>. Here you can buy and sell goods many merchants in town will avoid, including the less-than-licit <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Moon_Sugar_%28Skyrim%29">moon sugar.</a> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yEaPakpm85c/T4TA0DcWThI/AAAAAAAAAKw/s-wvMDQJBqE/s1600/MoonSugar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yEaPakpm85c/T4TA0DcWThI/AAAAAAAAAKw/s-wvMDQJBqE/s200/MoonSugar.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pure, uncut, from the wilds of Elsweyr. The first sample is always free. </i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image source Bethesda Game Studios.</span></i></td></tr>
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Moon sugar is described as a crystal made from the canes of certain grasses in Elsweyr. It has magical properties, can be used as an alchemy ingredient, and is a strong narcotic. It's illegal in much of Tamriel: in Morrowind many shopkeepers won't even do business with you if you're carrying the stuff (not so in the more lawless land of Skyrim). Refine it, and you have <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Skooma_%28Skyrim%29">skooma</a>.<br />
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The in-game picture shown above depicts pale but not colorless lumps or chunks of various sizes. It reminded us immediately of rock candy. Figuring that nobody really wants to wait a whole week for traditional rock candy to crystallize, eventually we found <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-microwave-hard-christmas-rock-candy-271829">this easy microwave hard candy recipe</a>, upon which we based the recipe below. <br />
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The land of Elsweyr is an exotic, somewhat mysterious desert land with a rich religious tradition, including some pretty hefty mythology about the moons of Tamriel: Masser and Secunda. There's plenty of in-game talk about Moon Sugar, but nothing specifically about which one, so it made the most sense to do a version for <u>each</u> moon. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W0U7BaHQFoQ/T5WM5m1AKzI/AAAAAAAAAbs/DpNNSp4nr2o/s1600/Masser_and_secunda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W0U7BaHQFoQ/T5WM5m1AKzI/AAAAAAAAAbs/DpNNSp4nr2o/s1600/Masser_and_secunda.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Masser and Secunda</i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source Bethesda Game Studios</span></i></td></tr>
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Masser is floral and sweet, while Secunda is dark and mysterious. The resulting Moon Sugar(s) should be laden with subtle flavors which seem familiar but foreign to the average Nord, as if one can't quite put their tongue on just what they're tasting...<br />
<br />
Early recipes started with vanilla sugar and vanilla-cardamom sugar (vanilla bean pods and/or cracked cardamom pods scraped into a cup or two of sugar and left for a week to absorb the spices). That makes a good base, but I learned after a few trials that plain hard candy made this way will have a honeylike taste which tends to overwhelm the mildness of the vanilla. So it was back to the drawing board.<br />
<br />
Eventually I came up with two good variations. The first was made with lavender sugar (made by putting two Tbsp of culinary lavender in with the vanilla sugar and letting it sit for a week, then sifting out the lavender). The end result is subtle and floral, with a lovely translucent golden color to it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhXXhL_OyfM/T5RtCBxWVWI/AAAAAAAAALI/fs-eor_5TeU/s1600/Moon-Sugar-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IhXXhL_OyfM/T5RtCBxWVWI/AAAAAAAAALI/fs-eor_5TeU/s320/Moon-Sugar-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Top: Sumac Moon Sugar (Secunda)<br />
Bottom: Lavender Moon Sugar (Masser)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I realized after I made it, however, that at least one of the recipes we came up with should fit the in-game Khajiit culture where it's made: dry, desert lands, exotic, distant, hot. Lavender is lovely, but it's a much more European herb: I always think of France when I think of lavender, and Lexi always thinks of the tundra around Whiterun. A better analog for Elsweyr would be some place like Arabia or North Africa, and the spice would be something grown and used heavily in the region. <br />
<br />
It also occurred to me that any flavor we chose would have to fit in with a future <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Elsweyr_Fondue">Elsweyr Fondue</a> recipe, which uses Moon Sugar as an ingredient. So instead of another sweet, floral herb found on the roads of Skyrim, we used Sumac.<br />
<br />
I can hear you now: "What the hell is sumac?? Isn't that the poisonous stuff that gets you all itchy if you run into it in the woods??"<br />
<br />
Well, that's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_sumac"><i>poison</i> sumac</a>, yes... but <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac">culinary sumac</a> is an entirely different animal. (Well, plant, really.) It's a small shrub which grows in tropical and subtropical zones across Africa, in dry desert lands much like the Khajiit homeland. The fruit is dried and ground into a rich purplish-reddish powder and used in Middle Eastern cooking. It's a little bit lemony, a little like cumin, and a little bit delicious and unfamiliar.<br />
<br />
Here's the final recipe. For the Masser version, leave out the sumac.<br />
<br />
MOON SUGAR <br />
1 cup vanilla, vanilla-cardamom, or lavender sugar (use standard white sugar only) <br />
1/2 cup light corn syrup<br />
1 Tbsp sumac (for the Secunda version only)<br />
Vegetable oil (a flavorless oil like canola) or vegetable shortening<br />
1-2 Tbsp powdered sugar<br />
<br />
Oil or grease a jelly roll pan. Mix the flavored sugar and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.<br />
<br />
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir. Cover again and microwave for another 2 minutes. Add the sumac at this point, if you're making the Secunda version. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv3Zi35Lxrg/T5RxFCoSg4I/AAAAAAAAALQ/dhEkgCjnw4U/s1600/Moon-Sugar-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv3Zi35Lxrg/T5RxFCoSg4I/AAAAAAAAALQ/dhEkgCjnw4U/s320/Moon-Sugar-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: red;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>WARNING: SUGAR WILL BE EXTREMELY HOT!!!</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Remove from microwave, remove plastic wrap, and pour mixture onto oiled/greased jelly roll pan.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vFFEjTTPREY/T5RyISRywRI/AAAAAAAAALY/TEVJS5g6U00/s1600/Moon-Sugar-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vFFEjTTPREY/T5RyISRywRI/AAAAAAAAALY/TEVJS5g6U00/s320/Moon-Sugar-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You can dust with powdered sugar at this point, but there's an easier way. See below.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Let cool until hard. Break into large chunks. Put the large chunks into a heavy-duty freezer bag, seal, and break them by tapping firmly with the side of a wooden spoon. Add powdered sugar to the bag and shake to coat pieces.<br />
<br />
Store in an airtight container.<br />
<br />
We can neither confirm nor deny that this recipe will have you yowling to the full moon like a wild feline on a hot summer's night. You'll just have to try it yourself.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-58358169842354695602012-04-16T08:00:00.001-07:002013-05-29T09:27:52.715-07:00Crunchy Frog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omA7VATEUv4/T4y6uSQBkdI/AAAAAAAAAbk/Az_A62XHZQ4/s1600/Crunchy_Frogs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-omA7VATEUv4/T4y6uSQBkdI/AAAAAAAAAbk/Az_A62XHZQ4/s400/Crunchy_Frogs.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crunchy Raw Unboned Real Dead Frog (to avoid prosecution)</span></em><br />
<br />
The Crunchy Frog is a standard reference for all Monty Python afficionados. The original 1969 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy6uLfermPU">sketch</a> featuring Inspector Parrot and the Whizzo Quality Assortment is classic. Tragically, there's a whole generation who aren't familiar with Monty Python and have never heard of a Crunchy Frog. At my recent visit to PAX, only a very, very few recipients understood the reference. It was a sad day in my geeky little world.<br />
<br />
But fear not, good readers! The crunchy frog is alive and well in a new modern interpretive crossover meme: the Harry Potter <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Chocolate_Frog">Chocolate Frog</a>. I couldn't decide whether to be pleased or saddened when <a href="http://penny-arcade.com/">Tycho</a>, upon recieving one of these chocolates (that were actually labled 'Crunchy Frog'), commented on Harry Potter. For the briefest of moments, I considered a wand and a well placed <strong>Crucio! </strong>But at the end of the day, the fact that these candies can be equally enjoyed by both Potter and Python fans is actually kinda cool.<br />
<br />
The main distinction between Crunchy Frog and the Chocolate Frog is this: The Crunchy Frog is a Real Dead Frog covered in Chocolate, while the Chocolate Frog is a Magic Live Frog made from Chocolate. See the difference?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SKEFrlZsqYI/T4sazeI5ZQI/AAAAAAAAAas/JmH7YNFN31M/s1600/praline_and_parrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SKEFrlZsqYI/T4sazeI5ZQI/AAAAAAAAAas/JmH7YNFN31M/s320/praline_and_parrot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Insp. Praline:</b> Am I right in thinking there's a real frog in here? <br />
<b>Mr. Milton:</b> Yes. A little one. <br />
<b>Insp. Praline:</b> What sort of frog? <br />
<b>Mr. Milton:</b> A dead frog. <br />
<br />
Since we originally went for Monty Python in this recipe, the idea was to create the experience of biting into a dead frog. Real frogs are both a) hard to come by and b) disgusting, so instead I came up with the idea of filling a chocolate frog mold with red jelly and something crunchy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SgbuF9gkumQ/T4sapNUeRxI/AAAAAAAAAak/NItKkYQDMD0/s1600/Mr_Milton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SgbuF9gkumQ/T4sapNUeRxI/AAAAAAAAAak/NItKkYQDMD0/s320/Mr_Milton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Insp. Praline:</b> Well don't you even take the bones out? <br />
<b>Mr. Milton:</b> If we took the bones out it wouldn't be crunchy would it? <br />
<br />
Honestly, the hardest part was finding chocolate frog molds that weren't cartoonish. I ended up finding a pretty good mold <a href="http://www.confectioneryhouse.com/chocolate-frog-candy-mold">here</a>. We decided to fill them with raspberry jelly and pretzel sticks, for that 'real dead frog' experience. To make the Harry Potter variation, just leave out the fillings, and make a solid chocolate frog in the mold.<br />
<br />
The addition of the candy eyes was an afterthought, but it really make them look great. Also, making your own raspberry jelly is pretty time consuming. After giving it much thought, I made the executive decision to use premade jelly sticks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients</strong><br />
16 oz Dark or Bittersweet Chocolate - Either chips, or chopped up block chocolate.<br />
8 oz Melting Chocolate, Almond Bark, or Candy Melt<br />
2 Tbsp Chocolate Thinner (available at specialty baking shops)<br />
24 Raspberry Jelly Sticks or small jelly candies<br />
Small Pretzel Sticks<br />
Small candy eyes (optional)<br />
<br />
<strong>Directions</strong><br />
1. Melt the chocolate with the melting chocolate. Directions <a href="http://www.extremechocolate.com/chocolatecandymolds.html">abound</a>. <br />
2. If the chocolate is not runny like syrup, add the chocolate thinner.<br />
3. Using a pastry brush, brush the molds with melted chocolate. This ensures that chocolate gets into all the little details in the mold.<br />
4. Let the molds cool and set for a few minutes.<br />
5. Add a broken raspberry stick and as many pretzels as you can fit into each frog mold.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8wqhNFfT80o/T4sdfWKYOYI/AAAAAAAAAbM/1DIkslN6xHw/s1600/Crunchy_Frogs_Filling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8wqhNFfT80o/T4sdfWKYOYI/AAAAAAAAAbM/1DIkslN6xHw/s320/Crunchy_Frogs_Filling.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
6. Fill the molds with chocolate.<br />
7. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to set, then pop out of the molds and place in the fridge to finish hardening.<br />
8. After hardening, Dab the candy eyes with a little melted chocolate and glue to the finished frogs.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>The Solid Chocolate Harry Potter Version</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5YSPXfCv4kM/T4sdmHR1MvI/AAAAAAAAAbY/ZZzjINfjOlM/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5YSPXfCv4kM/T4sdmHR1MvI/AAAAAAAAAbY/ZZzjINfjOlM/s320/IMG_0101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
UPDATE May 29, 2013: Just found a professional chocolatier that makes Crunchy Frogs! It's not the same recipe, but we'd like to give them a shoutout just for doing it! <a href="http://carterschocolates.com/CrunchyFrog.html" target="_blank">Carter's Chocolates in Port Orchard, WA</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-86972895215811855732012-04-09T08:00:00.000-07:002012-04-10T10:45:49.593-07:00Skyrim Honey-Nut Treats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wlioc-8Puto/T4RnZX1B1xI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/Dacj6_sKu3A/s1600/Honey_Nut_Treat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wlioc-8Puto/T4RnZX1B1xI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/Dacj6_sKu3A/s400/Honey_Nut_Treat.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Restore 5 Points of Health</em></span></div>
<br />
Honey Nut Treats can be found all over Skryim. It's a pretty simple idea, really: nuts+honey+stick = sweet, caloric goodness. Putting these on a stick totally makes sense, as they're so sticky that the Dovahkiin's hands would stick to his/her sword. Try explaining THAT to a Falmer.<br />
<br />
To be really canon, these would probably just be honey, nuts and spices mixed with boiled honey - kind of like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_seed_candy">simsimieh</a>, but it's a serious pain in the ass to make and unless you're a professional candy maker, there's no guarantee that it will actually set up. Instead, I've modified an easier marshmallow treat recipe to get a taste that's authentically Skyrim without the need for a French culinary degree.<br />
<br />
When you're making these, take the time to go to a restaurant or craft store and get Candy Apple Sticks. They're sturdy, the perfect size and look just right. In the game, these treats are the size of a baby's arm, which I put down to the game rendering. Using a Candy Apple stick produces a treat that's really just the right size for a real meat human (or Dunmer. or Argonian. or...).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzyQ4z6396E/T4Rt6ogoGwI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/W45GY4Unai8/s1600/Honey_Nut_Treat_Cosplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzyQ4z6396E/T4Rt6ogoGwI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/W45GY4Unai8/s320/Honey_Nut_Treat_Cosplay.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Nothing hits the spot right after a fight like Nuts on a Stick."</span></em></div>
<br />
<strong>Recipe (yields about 2 dozen treats)</strong><br />
3 Cups of Puffed Rice Cereal <span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(you know, the kind that's got a copyright on the name)</span><br />
3 Cups of Mixed Nuts <span style="font-size: x-small;">(salted or unsalted, per your preference)</span><br />
1/2 Cup Honey<br />
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter<br />
2 Cups Marshmallows<br />
3 Tbsp. Cinnamon<br />
<br />
Mix the cereal, nuts and cinnamon in a VERY large mixing bowl, and set aside.<br />
<br />
Melt the marshmallows, peanut butter and honey in a very large pot over low heat. Stir well until everything is melted and combined.<br />
<br />
Pour the melted mixture into the cereal and nuts, and stir well to combine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ys8mRdLcKI/T4RvmGar9LI/AAAAAAAAAac/J8vEM75HUaA/s1600/Honey_Nut_Mix.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ys8mRdLcKI/T4RvmGar9LI/AAAAAAAAAac/J8vEM75HUaA/s320/Honey_Nut_Mix.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">We used unsalted peanuts and almonds. It was kind of like tasty hippie food.</span></em></div>
<br />
Transfer the mix to a large mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. The mix is too loose to form into balls when it's warm, and needs to chill a bit to firm up.<br />
<br />
Take the mix out of the fridge and with damp hands (not soaking wet, just damp), mold the mix into balls that will be skewered onto the apple sticks. Damp hands keep the treats from sticking to you. Buttering your hands works too, but isn't as effective.<br />
<br />
At this point, depending on the heat and humidity at your house, the treats may still be too loose to stay stuck on the apple stick. If this is the case, put the rolled treats on a tray and stick them in the freezer for about 15 minutes, then try to skewer them again.<br />
<br />
These will keep for a week or more without refrigeration. Just make sure to wrap or pack them in an airtight container.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-61690373570872337162012-04-02T07:00:00.000-07:002013-03-07T04:14:43.536-08:00Zombie Easter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JS7lciN_pps/T3JB8T9hJsI/AAAAAAAAAXs/ZTXiBptEP2A/s1600/Zombie%2BEaster.jpg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JS7lciN_pps/T3JB8T9hJsI/AAAAAAAAAXs/ZTXiBptEP2A/s400/Zombie%2BEaster.jpg.JPG" width="400" /></a><i>GUMMY BRRRRAAAAIIINNNNSSSS...</i></div>
<br />
Easter is almost upon us. In honor of a holiday shared by Christians and Pagans alike, we'd like to share an ancient tradition that was started over 4 years ago by Lexi and her SO as a way to bring together friends from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds who were 'orphaned' over the Easter Holidays: folks with either no family or celebration to attend. How do you bring together a diverse group of people over a religious holiday? Simple. Just celebrate Zombie Easter.<br />
<br />
Here's how we figure it: Easter, at its most literal, is a resurrection holiday. Since we don't want any fights or arguments between our friends about the nature or purpose of resurrection, or religion, or any other touchy subjects, this holiday is all about that most fundamental expression of resurrection, Zombies.<br />
<br />
After much consideration about the tradition of Easter in America, we've culled what we think are the most universal (in the colonial sense of the USA being the entire universe, of course) expressions of the holiday that everyone can relate to. <br />
<br />
<strong>1. Have some Entertainment. A Zombie movie double feature!</strong><br />
Preferably humorous, or tongue-in-cheek. The more implausible, the better.<br />
<br />
<em>Past Double Features...</em><br />
<br />
<li>Black Sheep* + Fido</li>
<li>Wild Zero + Zombieland</li>
<li>Dead Snow + Dead Alive</li>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Vxl5Zp2l6Y/T3JCLeslZaI/AAAAAAAAAX4/tgcBV8j4Ack/s1600/Black%252520Sheep-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Vxl5Zp2l6Y/T3JCLeslZaI/AAAAAAAAAX4/tgcBV8j4Ack/s320/Black%252520Sheep-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
*Okay, okay, it's not <em>strictly</em> a zombie movie. But it's perfect for getting in touch with the for the spirit of the event.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Serve Food: Lots of snacks and traditional Easter food.</strong><br />
For that true zombie experience, serve whole, bone-in cuts of meat for the roasts. The more primal, the better. There's also a lot of sugar at this party, so having a variety of healthy, lighter fingerfoods on hand is important.<br />
<br />
Cheese and Meat tray<br />
Veggie and dip tray<br />
Fruit Tray<br />
Assortment of Chips and popcorn<br />
Easter Ham<br />
Leg of Lamb (Try Lexi's recipe <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2010/10/best-leg-of-lamb-youll-ever-eat.html">here</a>.)<br />
Potluck Side Dishes<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CNyW-JxH7cU/T3Jhtuu8HHI/AAAAAAAAAYo/eSFL_1_FUvE/s1600/LambLeg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CNyW-JxH7cU/T3Jhtuu8HHI/AAAAAAAAAYo/eSFL_1_FUvE/s320/LambLeg.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>3. Offer Easter Treats, like TONS of candy</strong><br />
Candy in bowls, candy on trays, candy displays, candy gift bags. If nobody goes into a diabetic coma, you're doing it wrong. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_bNj02kdgHA/T3JFweC2H_I/AAAAAAAAAYE/uZ9Sr0XnjTs/s1600/Easter_Candy.jpg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_bNj02kdgHA/T3JFweC2H_I/AAAAAAAAAYE/uZ9Sr0XnjTs/s320/Easter_Candy.jpg.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A great place to find crazy easter candy is at dollar, discount and overstock stores. You always find the wildest imported candies and most unexpected stuff there.<br />
<br />
<strong>4. A Fun Activity! How about Peep Mutilation?</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGwu-ZgiQ14/T3JGX-kHVkI/AAAAAAAAAYc/AQLX5t-n_98/s1600/Peep_Mutilation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vGwu-ZgiQ14/T3JGX-kHVkI/AAAAAAAAAYc/AQLX5t-n_98/s320/Peep_Mutilation.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Really, any kind of marshmallow easter treats will do. The sacrificial peep portion of the afternoon gets more and more involved each year. Put out a tray with skewers, toothpicks, raspberry jam (for blood), tiny cocktail swords, and microwave safe plates. Encourage the guests to get creative.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wOXbOLGL5Zg/T3JGRwwZz2I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/b07pjE0izgk/s1600/Peep_Mutiliation2.jpg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wOXbOLGL5Zg/T3JGRwwZz2I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/b07pjE0izgk/s320/Peep_Mutiliation2.jpg.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Peeps were boiled, fried, microwaved, sliced, diced, skewered, stigmata'ed, squished, bitten, and finally... eaten.<br />
<br />
We get more and more people at Zombie Easter every year. Our friends and family love it (Christians and Pagans alike), and <em>I</em> love the fact that we can all get together to celebrate without any pesky religious arguments. Really, isn't that what a holiday should be about?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-42785429948967838392012-03-26T08:00:00.003-07:002012-03-26T08:00:09.909-07:00Roast Chicken<div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fsR1oIASy9Y/T0ve5SvsoxI/AAAAAAAAAVU/O0dgagxzvXo/s1600/IMG_0355.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713905628115411730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fsR1oIASy9Y/T0ve5SvsoxI/AAAAAAAAAVU/O0dgagxzvXo/s400/IMG_0355.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Spicy, Salty, Crispy Roast Chicken with skin that crackles when you eat it<br /></em></span></div><br />Roast Chicken is enigmatic. It's such a simple, basic meal but can be really tricky to get just perfect. It's one of our favorite meals at our house, and the chicken rarely makes it to the table; long before it's fully rested, we're standing over the stove, tearing a the crispy skin and picking off the juicy, steamy meat, blowing on our hot fingers. The tradition of impatiently tearing apart a whole chicken, hot from the oven is handed down to me by my mother, who learned much of her cooking many years ago in the tiny village of Ardaktos on Crete. This is another tried-and-true family recipe and it's f'ing delicious.<br /><br />This chicken recipe takes all day, be warned.<br /><br />To keep a chicken moist when it's cooked, be sure to brine it for at least an hour. The salt in the brine keeps the chicken meat from releasing moisture during the cooking process, and the sugar helps to crisp and brown the skin. The recipe below is a basic unflavored brine, but you can tinker with it by using brown sugar, flavored salts, or adding crushed herbs and spices.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdMAedZDH64/TynoZl6nGWI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/XD8Cim-2wU8/s1600/IMG_0372.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704345929413761378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tdMAedZDH64/TynoZl6nGWI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/XD8Cim-2wU8/s320/IMG_0372.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Basic Brine</strong><br />1/2 C Sugar<br />1/2 C Salt<br />4 Cups Hot or Boiling Water<br />6 Cups Cold or Ice Water<br />1 Very Large Bowl<br />Note the weight of your chicken, you'll need it later<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0L1Mk1C39Q/TynpOnlWkYI/AAAAAAAAARs/sLX4DPQCVhc/s1600/IMG_0375.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704346840394535298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J0L1Mk1C39Q/TynpOnlWkYI/AAAAAAAAARs/sLX4DPQCVhc/s320/IMG_0375.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Mix the salt, sugar and hot water in a large bowl, stirring until the crystals are dissolved. If using other spices, add them to the hot mixture as well as the heat will help to release the flavors. Cool the mixture down by adding the cold water. We don't want a chicken sitting for hours in warm water, getting us all sick, now would we?<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kXH48eNxe8/Tynoqh50yFI/AAAAAAAAARU/6wrxMlyw_Ag/s1600/IMG_0381.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704346220394498130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6kXH48eNxe8/Tynoqh50yFI/AAAAAAAAARU/6wrxMlyw_Ag/s320/IMG_0381.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Remove the giblets from the cavity and set them aside for stock. Put the chicken in the brine, opening up the cavity and making sure it fills with brine. Cover and refrigerate. Brine for at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours. The longer the brining, the saltier the chicken will taste.<br /><br /><strong>Preparing the Chicken</strong><br />To get a crispy skin, the chicken skin must be dry when it goes into the oven.<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br />1 Chicken<br />1 Lemon<br /><br />1. Remove the chicken from the brine. Do not rinse.<br />2. Loosen the skin all over the chicken by gently running your hand under the skin and separating it from the meat. Be careful not to tear.<br />3. Zest 1 lemon into a small bowl. Juice half of it into the same bowl.<br />4. Gently pour the juice/zest mixture between the chicken skin and meat. Massage it around so it spreads evenly.<br />5. Pat the chicken dry inside and out and set on an open plate in the refrigerator for about an hour to dry.<br /><br /><strong>Roasting the Chicken</strong><br />Stuffing the chicken cavity with a dense stuffing will make the chicken cook unevenly. Make sure that if you stuff it, only use loosely packed herbs like rosemary sprigs or a few cloves of garlic so that the heat can circulate evenly.<br /><br />Preheat Oven to 450<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br />4 Tbl Olive Oil<br />4-6 Tbl Dried Oregano<br />2 tsp Cayenne Pepper<br />2 Cloves Garlic, Smashed<br />1 Tbl Salt (go easy on the salt if it was a long brine)<br />1 Tbl Pepper<br /><br />1. Rub the inside of the chicken cavity with 1 Tbl Olive Oil and the smashed garlic.<br />2. Rub the outside of the chicken with the remaining olive oil.<br />3. Mix the Oregano and Cayenne, and rub it all over the chicken<br />4. Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.<br /><br />Place the chicken <strong>breast side down</strong> in an open roasting pan with a rack on the bottom. By roasting the back on top for the first part of cooking, the chicken bastes itself and stays moist.<br /><br />Do not put water in the pan, and do not let the chicken touch the bottom of the pan. Circulating the hot air around the bird helps to crisp the skin.<br /><br />5. Place in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 350.<br />6. The chicken will roast for about 20 minutes per pound, but will be turned over for the last 20 minutes so set the timer for the <strong>total roast time minus 20 minutes</strong>.<br />7. Turn the chicken over 20 minutes before the roasting time is done.<br />8. Add more time if needed. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted between the breast and thigh reads 160 (the chicken will continue to cook once it's been removed from the oven - the temp you want is actually 165).<br />9. If the skin isn't brown enough when the chicken is done, turn on the broiler and crisp it up. It should only take a minute or two - watch carefully so it doesn't burn.<br /><br />Let the bird rest, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Carve and serve.<br /><br />Unless you're at our house, in which case the chicken is GONE as soon as it's cool enough to touch.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-21089420170697184252012-03-19T08:00:00.000-07:002012-03-30T16:50:51.398-07:00Skyrim Cocktail #3: The Cliff Racer<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><i><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vfPI3VrLpZo/T1pMlewINPI/AAAAAAAAAW8/HqGsNF60h-M/s1600/Skyrim_Cliff_Racer.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717966883694064882" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vfPI3VrLpZo/T1pMlewINPI/AAAAAAAAAW8/HqGsNF60h-M/s400/Skyrim_Cliff_Racer.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 341px;" /></a>The <strong>Cliff Racer</strong> from Talen-Jei at the Riften Bee & Barb</i></span><i></i></div>
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This is the third and final drink in the succession of Talen-Jei's Skyrim cocktails: guaranteed to aid you in your quest to drink yourself to <a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Oblivion">Oblivion</a>. You can read recipes elsewhere on this blog for the <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/03/skyrim-cocktail-1-white-gold-tower.html">White Gold Tower</a> and the <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/03/skyrim-cocktail-2-velvet-lachance.html">Velvet Lachance</a>. As noted earlier, these drinks are redactions based on the in-game descriptions from Talen-Jei at the Bee and Barb in Riften. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>...Last, and only for the bravest of souls, we have the Cliff Racer, which is Firebrand Wine, Cyrodiilic Brandy, Flin, and Sujamma.</i></blockquote>
Both of the previous drinks we did were elegant, beautiful, fanciful drinks. This one proved the hardest to figure out - it has the most fictional ingredients, and we just couldn't wrap our heads around what it should be.<br />
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We started by researching the game history of the drink and the ingredients.<br />
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<a href="http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Beasts#Cliff_Racer"><b>Cliff Racers</b></a> are half-avian, half-reptile monsters of Vvardenfell in <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls_III:_Morrowind" title="The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind">The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind</a>. This is ostensibly where the drink gets its name. Cliff Racers are something like perpetually cranky pterodactyls. They are highly aggressive and tend to ambush the player, attacking in swarms.
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<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Firebrand_Wine">Firebrand Wine</a></b> was the hardest to research. Other than being the subject of a side quest for the Thieves' Guild quest line in Skyrim, it was pretty open to interpretation.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Firebrand_Wine">Cyrodiilic Brandy</a></b> is clearly well... brandy. It's expensive and imported.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Flin">Flin</a></b> is also an expensive import: an Imperial Whiskey with few negative side effects that is often the subject of contentous exorbitant pricing.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Sujamma">Sujamma</a></b> is a potent Dunmer liquor highly valued as a strength potion.</li>
</ul>
So let's see.... expensive brandy and whiskey, that's not too tough to find. Some sort of fancy wine or spirits...firebrand=firewater...?? Something spicy or cinnamon flavored, perhaps? Lastly... a Strength potion. Hm... a strength potion. A stren-...Wait, Wha-!? WTF?!<br />
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OH MY GOD IT'S RED BULL.<br />
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SUJAMMA IS A FRACKING RED BULL.<br />
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We quickly came to the disturbing realization that this drink is the Skyrim equivalent of a Jaeger Bomb. Quickly redubbed the <em>White Trash Tower</em> and the <em>Skyrim Cart Bomb</em>, we set about the dubious business of designing a drink that we'd be embarrased to order in public.<br />
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Not being huge fans of Red Bull, it took a LOT of tries, and a lot of drinks down the drain to get this to a point that it was drinkable. I think it was more because of the Red Bull than the actual mix or recipe. Gwen and I...well, we don't care much for Red Bull, it seems.<br />
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By the way, you know what they say about the more drunk you are, the less you care about what you're drinking? It's not true. I was <i>plastered</i> and every sample still tasted like licking the inside of a double-wide. From 1970.<br />
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In the end, we came up with a recipe that is suitably trashy, alcoholic and energizing. This drink is served as a bomb shot, ie: a tall glass of mixer into which is dropped a shot of some high proof spirit. Because how else would you serve a classy drink like this?<br />
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Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you like), one shot didn't really make it as strong as Talen-Jei's description inferred, so we figured the answer was the solution to all of life's little problems: ADD MORE ALCOHOL. Double bomb: 1 Red Bull + 2 Shots.<br />
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"Only for the bravest of souls" is right. Be warned that if you don't like Red Bull, it's gonna taste like ass. For lovers of Red Bull, it's not bad. The cinnamon really works. Trust me when I tell you that there's no way this can taste worse than some of our failed unholy recipe testing attempts (NEVER drink box-merlot+cheap blackberry brandy+red bull+cheap whiskey unless you like drinking pee).<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fnwvS9fm09E/T3HqvGpKamI/AAAAAAAAAXI/LEx8WhNCIWU/s1600/CliffRacerIngredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fnwvS9fm09E/T3HqvGpKamI/AAAAAAAAAXI/LEx8WhNCIWU/s320/CliffRacerIngredients.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Not for the faint of heart.</i></span></div>
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<b>Recipe:</b>
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1 Red Bull in a pint glass (Sujamma)
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1 Shot Goldschlager or Cinnamon Schnapps (Firebrand Wine)
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1/2 Shot Good Brandy (Cyrodilic Brandy - sub fruit brandy)*
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1/2 Shot Good Whiskey (like Jameson)*
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<em><span style="font-size: 85%;">*Note that if you're really feeling it, you can make it a triple by changing the recipe to 1 full shot each of brandy and whiskey. Just remember that if it comes back up, the Red Bull will too.</span></em><br />
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Serve it with the shots on the side, or just make a big pitcher and fill your ale hat with it for the NasCART finals. Recommended food pairings: Doritos, <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Apple_Cabbage_Stew">Apple Cabbage Stew</a> or Hungry Man Dinners. Don't forget your WhiteSnake Greatest Hits Cassette!! Or just loop <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Ragnar_the_Red">Ragnar the Red</a> over and over again on your console.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-78164286782901450472012-03-12T08:00:00.010-07:002012-03-19T10:39:34.757-07:00Skyrim Cocktail #2: The Velvet Lachance<div align="center"><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b8BjsuQR3bE/T1gFagOKvOI/AAAAAAAAAKE/UF3TrEMZDQE/s1600/Velvet-LaChance-3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b8BjsuQR3bE/T1gFagOKvOI/AAAAAAAAAKE/UF3TrEMZDQE/s320/Velvet-LaChance-3.jpg" width="240" height="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><i>The Velvet Lachance</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Last week on FeastyGeeks... we posted our recipe for the first of three Skyrim cocktails, the <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2012/03/skyrim-cocktail-1-white-gold-tower.html">White Gold Tower</a>. This week, Lexi and m'self proudly present number two: the Velvet Lachance, named for <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Lucien_Lachance">Lucien Lachance</a>, the former Speaker of the Black Hand from Oblivion. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhLFYyQw06s">Talen-Jei describes</a> the Velvet Lachance thusly:<i> </i><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>...a mixture of blackberry, honey, spiced wine, and a touch of nightshade. Perfectly safe, I assure you.</i> </blockquote>For this recipe, we enlisted the help of our friend-and-guest-barista Jeff (of <a href="http://feastygeeks.blogspot.com/2011/02/jeffs-chicken-noodle-soup.html">Jeff's Chicken Noodle Soup</a> fame), a fine young man whose awesomeness is rivaled only by his height.<br /><div align="left"><br />Being an assassins guild, any drink named for the Black Hand should be just a little dangerous but pleasant and smooth - at first. A few sips in, you realize that you got a little more than you bargained for; is it poison? What is that taste? The final notes must be mixed with pleasure and the realization that you feel a sting like the cold steel of a blade discovered too late.<br /><br />This time, all the in-game ingredients exist in the real world. The 'spiced' wine used was a Port, redolent of dark, gothic plots and old crumbling estates. The juice of canned blackberries in light syrup gave a nice blackberry flavor without adding too much sweetness or any berry seeds. If you must use commercial syrup, apply caution since they can easily become overwhelmingly sweet.<br /><br />One of the ingredients, however, is definitely poisonous: nightshade. Since we're not interested in killing anybody (outside of the game, anyway), we had to figure out an analog for the nightshade. As with the Dragon's Tongue from the White Gold Tower, we thought about whether or not we should try to emulate the plant from the game, or figure out a real world substitute:</div><br /><div align="center"><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_BIVyfPkWWQ/T1gWzxQDTfI/AAAAAAAAAKk/-E4GfwNUBz8/s1600/Nightshade.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_BIVyfPkWWQ/T1gWzxQDTfI/AAAAAAAAAKk/-E4GfwNUBz8/s320/Nightshade.jpg" width="320" height="279" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size:85%;">Nightshade. Image copyright Bethesda, via the </span><a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Nightshade_%28Skyrim%29"><span style="font-size:85%;">Elderscrolls Wiki</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>I first considered using an edible <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylily">daylily</a>. Added to the drink as a garnish, it would probably look very lovely. But daylilies aren't in season here right now, and my spider sense told me that we really wanted something that would serve as an <i>ingredient</i>, not as decoration.<br /><div align="left"><br />Hello Wikipedia! With a little more research, I found that despite its poisonous nature, there are quite a few plants within the nightshade family that are edible. Eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes make the list, along with a surprising ingredient possibility: chili peppers.<br /><br />The idea seemed weird on the surface: chili powder has a distinct flavor and scent, and we wondered if it would blend with the other ingredients. I suggested chipotle as a possibility, since the smoky flavor seemed a reasonable pairing with the sweet blackberry and red wine.<br /><br />Our first text mixtures didn't work at all. The ratio of chili powder to everything else was high enough that the flavor of chili was overwhelming. We thought of using cayenne, just for the bite, but we didn't have any.<br /><br />And then Jeff miraculously fixed everything.<br /><br />Jeff works as a barista at a local coffee chain. He's made every coffee drink under the sun, and he's damn good at it. Not long ago he started experimenting with chocolate chili pepper mochas, heavy on the dark chocolate syrup with just a touch of chili powder. The biggest challenge was figuring out how much chili powder to add, but after some practice he got it just right. Jeff's chili mochas are heady and delicious, much like a traditional Mexican chocolate.<br /><br />The trick is to add just the lightest, barest dusting of chili powder on the surface of the drink. To get the right amount, Jeff puts about 1/16 of a teaspoon of chipotle in the palm of his hand, takes a tiny pinch with his fingers, and sprinkles it sparingly.<br />We had just the right blend of honey, wine, and blackberry. Jeff's chipotle powder elevated it to perfection. Here's the final recipe:<br /><br /><b>The Velvet Lachance</b><br />1 part port wine<br />1 part blackberry juice or flavored syrup (NOT blackberry pancake syrup!!)<br />Honey<br />Chipotle powder<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Rbdo-YtjU/T1gJZ-88kkI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Jdtyxc1LbXw/s1600/Velvet-LaChance-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Rbdo-YtjU/T1gJZ-88kkI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Jdtyxc1LbXw/s320/Velvet-LaChance-1.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><div align="center"><i>Ingredients: blackberry, honey, wine</i> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Drizzle about a 1/4" to 1/2" honey in the bottom of the glass.<br /><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kr--6CehkY/T1gJbk0w_kI/AAAAAAAAAKU/-5yS9lZtz90/s1600/Velvet-Lachance-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kr--6CehkY/T1gJbk0w_kI/AAAAAAAAAKU/-5yS9lZtz90/s320/Velvet-Lachance-2.jpg" width="245" height="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><div align="center"><i>Honey in the bottom of the glass</i></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Mix the port wine and blackberry juice in a cocktail mixer, then pour into the glass. Gently stir some of the honey into the juice/wine mixture, but don't mix <i>all</i> of it in - leave a layer of honey at the bottom of the glass.<br /><br /><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b5d6qhfwvI8/T1gOk4Z-cmI/AAAAAAAAAKc/IaxzubHRFVQ/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b5d6qhfwvI8/T1gOk4Z-cmI/AAAAAAAAAKc/IaxzubHRFVQ/s320/IMG_0061.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><i>Chipotle powder dusted on top</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Add the lightest, barest pinch of chipotle chili powder to the surface of the drink. We're talking hardly any here, just the faintest dusting, enough so that you can smell the smokiness of it, but not enough to be able to taste it. (We recommend using Jeff's pinch method, as outlined above.<br /><br />Let it sit for a minute or two, and enjoy.<br /><br />The chipotle is the stroke of genius in this drink. After a few minutes, the powder starts to sink into the liquid, eventually sticking to the layer of honey at the bottom. If you've gotten the amount right, you shouldn't be able to taste the chipotle at all, just note a slight whiff of smokiness.<br /><br />A few moments after taking a sip, our lips started to tingle and burn - the drink has bite, like the sting of an assassin's blade or a brew you realize only too late was poisoned. It gets sweeter the further down you go, as the honey gradually mixes in. It ends with a sting in its tail: the final swallow is an unexpectedly spicy taste of honey laced with smoky heat.<br /><br />The Night Mother would be proud.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-12797641159264923382012-03-05T08:00:00.002-08:002012-03-08T21:02:56.982-08:00Skyrim Cocktail #1: The White Gold Tower<div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3e2dvoj3dPE/T1QPjaAcKZI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/f8poSsMRmOo/s1600/Bee-Barb_2b.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3e2dvoj3dPE/T1QPjaAcKZI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/f8poSsMRmOo/s320/Bee-Barb_2b.jpg" width="240" height="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><i>The White Gold Tower</i></td></tr></tbody></table>There is a damp waterfront town in the world of <a href="http://www.elderscrolls.com/skyrim/">Skyrim</a> by the name of Riften. In the middle of town there is an inn called the Bee & Barb, run by two Argonians: the green-crested <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Talen-Jei">Talen-Jei</a>, and the vaguely dinosaurlike <a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Keerava">Keerava</a>. Ask Talen-Jei what's on the menu, and he describes three drinks to the player: the White Gold Tower, the Velvet Lachance, and the Cliff Racer.<br /><br />Drink recipes? IN the game? It's Skyrim! And it's Alcohol! Resistance is futile. Lucky you!<br /><br />This post is the first in a series of all three drinks. <br /><br />Lexi and I always put a great deal of thought and research into comestibles we redact from fictional sources. We're obsessed with canon, and The White Gold Tower was no exception. Our goals for coming up with the Bee & Barb drinks were to create concoctions that are delicious and yet still embody the spirit of both the game while sticking religiously to the drink's in-game description.<br /><br />We started with the verbatim <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhLFYyQw06s">in-game description</a>, from Talen-Jei himself:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>...we have the White Gold Tower, which is heavy cream with a layer of blended mead, lavender, and Dragon's Tongue on top.</i></blockquote>This is a drink which sounds sweet, smooth, floral, and elegant. I had visions of the ancient, somewhat mysterious nobility of the extinct Ayleids, as embodied by the slender spire rising pale and proud above the walls of the Imperial City.<br /><br />The ingredients seemed straightforward enough, with at least three of them readily available in the real world (mead, lavender, and heavy cream).<br /><br />Rustling up some Dragon's Tongue proved to be the first challenge. What is it, and is there any comparable analog in the real world? As it turns out, there are a couple of plants named Dragon's Tongue out there. One of them is an <a href="http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Dragon_Tongue_Beans_604.php">heirloom bean</a>, the other <a href="http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/102121/">a house plant</a> of questionable edibility. The bean is edible, but neither plant actually looks anything like the plant found while wandering the wilds of the Skyrim universe. Rather than the tiny flowers found on real Dragon's Tongue plants, the Skyrim Dragon's Tongue is a tall, orchid-like affair.<br /><br /><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5wFLiLpdEA4/T1LXQGUbXsI/AAAAAAAAAJE/TF1cj3Ku30M/s1600/Dragons_tongue_skyrim.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5wFLiLpdEA4/T1LXQGUbXsI/AAAAAAAAAJE/TF1cj3Ku30M/s320/Dragons_tongue_skyrim.jpg" width="196" height="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><i><span style="font-size:85%;">Dragon's Tongue, Skyrim. Image: Bethesda Game Studios, via </span><a href="http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dragons_tongue_skyrim.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;">the Elder Scrolls Wiki.</span></a></i></td></tr></tbody></table>With this wild image in mind, Lexi set off to find a comparable edible orchid that we might use for garnish. Her inquiries led her to <a href="http://www.emeraldcityorchids.com/">Emerald City Orchids</a>, where a very helpful young gent by the name of Ross (a Skyrim fan himself!) helped her to find a number of similar orchids but none that were exactly the same. Here's where you can get a little creative: since the flower in the game is an amalgamation of the features from various orchids but isn't a real bloom in and of itself, there are lots of options for finding a similar flower. We wound up using a sexy orange <i>Cymbidium</i>. <br /><br />For the lavender, we debated a few options: lavender-flavored syrup, lavender-infused simple syrup, or lavender-infused vodka. Lexi picked up a pre-made lavender syrup, but it tasted too much like soap. In the end I decided to make a lavender-infused simple syrup (because drinks shouldn't leave bits of lavender in your teeth), per the following recipe:<br /><br /><b>Lavender Simple Syrup</b><br />1 cup water<br />1 cup granulated sugar<br />2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender<br /><br />Put all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a near-boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat. When cooled, strain into a clean jar or other lidded container and refrigerate.<br /><br />As for mead, there are several brands on the market, each with different qualities. I picked up a <a href="http://www.skyriverbrewing.com/">Sky River</a> semi-sweet mead. An initial taste test left me thinking that, while not as cloyingly sweet as some meads can be, the drink needed a much stronger honey flavor, and the Sky River was too light. So I suggested that Lexi pick up a bottle of <a href="http://www.chaucerswine.com/mead.asp">Chaucer's</a>. She also found some dark mead by <a href="http://hiddenlegendwinery.com/">Hidden Legend Winery</a> so we could mix and match (Talen-Jei does say it's made with "blended mead", after all).<br /><br />Talen-Jei describes the drink as being heavy cream with the mead and lavender floated on top, but Lexi and I suspected that the lighter lipids in the cream would layer the drink the opposite way, with the cream on top and the mead on the bottom. Initial mixes showed some immediate issues: the cream <i>must</i> be heavy cream (36% milkfat), because a lighter cream, half-and-half, or whole milk will curdle right away, leaving the drink a sweet, clumpy, clotted disgusting mess.<br /><br /><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QoUXkbSi9ds/T1QJaN595TI/AAAAAAAAAWM/TyIV4Cl7_-w/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716204173054043442" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QoUXkbSi9ds/T1QJaN595TI/AAAAAAAAAWM/TyIV4Cl7_-w/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><b>DON'T CROSS THE CREAMS!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">After a few botched attempts, we had the brilliant idea of doing a float over the back of a spoon. The result was infinitely more appetizing:</div><br /><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UEGGDOXg_TM/T1LmMWqwhrI/AAAAAAAAAJM/HBMvJWATLm4/s1600/Bee-Barb_1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UEGGDOXg_TM/T1LmMWqwhrI/AAAAAAAAAJM/HBMvJWATLm4/s320/Bee-Barb_1.jpg" width="259" height="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><i><span style="font-size:85%;">Heavy cream float on light mead</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Once Lexi had the pour down pat, we spent more time tinkering with various mixtures and ratios, and this was the final recipe we came up with.<i> </i><br /><br /><b>White Gold Tower</b><br />1 part mead (all one brand, or a mix of brands)<br />1 part lavender simple syrup<br />Heavy cream (traditional 36%)<br />Edible orchid<br /><br />Pour the meads into the glass, letting them mix on their own (if you're using more than one mead).<br /><br />Pour in the lavender syrup.<br /><br />Invert a metal teaspoon over the liquid, bracing the tip against the side of the glass; slowly pour the cream over the back of the spoon until it's formed a layer in the mead about 1/4" to 1/2" deep. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pGrghCq7BZ0/T1QKz-QEjNI/AAAAAAAAAWY/ByCqeFiNGWg/s1600/IMG_0039%2B-%2BCopy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 247px; height: 320px; text-align: center; display: block;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716205715040013522" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pGrghCq7BZ0/T1QKz-QEjNI/AAAAAAAAAWY/ByCqeFiNGWg/s320/IMG_0039%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" /></a><br />Float the orchid carefully on the top.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOxkEprPgMk/T1QK5r4HfdI/AAAAAAAAAWk/VdTOwcOtzaA/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716205813186919890" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOxkEprPgMk/T1QK5r4HfdI/AAAAAAAAAWk/VdTOwcOtzaA/s320/IMG_0046.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The White Gold Tower is a golden, creamy drink, with silky textures and a shimmery, amber look to it. It's very, <i>very</i> sweet, best taken in small amounts, as a dessert drink or a shot. It's also quite strong.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LOxkEprPgMk/T1QK5r4HfdI/AAAAAAAAAWk/VdTOwcOtzaA/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG"></a></div><table style="text-align: center; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" class="tr-caption-container" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-khRSMMTI3k8/T1MEmYflXXI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/aEX9VgIge3c/s1600/Bee-Barb_4.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="cursor: move;" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-khRSMMTI3k8/T1MEmYflXXI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/aEX9VgIge3c/s320/Bee-Barb_4.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" class="tr-caption"><i><span style="font-size:85%;">With time, the layers of mead, cream, and lavender will swirl and settle beautifully.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Don't skimp on the lavender syrup: it adds the right floral flavor, and stands up against the strong taste of the mead. The milk fat in the cream helps balance the intense sweetness of the mead plus the simple syrup. Lexi and I recommend testing this drink with different meads - one at a time, blends, dark and light, as many as you like. Cut back a bit on the lavender syrup for more emphasis on the honey, or use lighter meads.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579970490454562160noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2812743947520978995.post-6366468658828326072012-02-27T08:00:00.009-08:002012-02-27T10:14:00.630-08:00Pork and Apple Pasta<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sigMVoBxA5g/TyngRkUywRI/AAAAAAAAAOU/smyf4ggFzIs/s1600/IMG_0641.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704336995454730514" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sigMVoBxA5g/TyngRkUywRI/AAAAAAAAAOU/smyf4ggFzIs/s400/IMG_0641.JPG" /></a><div align="center"><i><span style="font-size:85%;">Pork, Apple and Walnut Pasta with Sage-Mustard Cream</span></i></div><br />This is a really elegant recipe that's sooooo good on a cool Autumn evening (or in the early spring, when the seasonal produce isn't up yet and all that's still good are onions and apples). It's definitely a rustic dish, so make sure to rough chop all the ingredients in order to get some nice textural contrasts in each bite. Full of spicy-sweet-rich flavor, it's a great dish for company and it tastes even better the next day!<br /><br />Use a compact twisty pasta like Fusili or Bow Ties that will mix well and hold the sauce. I used fun seasonal pasta shapes from <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/home/index.jsp">World Market </a>in the photo above.<br /><br />Serves 4-6<br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br /><strong>Pasta Mix</strong><br />1/2 lb Ground Italian Sausage<br />1/2 lb Ground Pork<br />4 Cloves Garlic, diced fine<br />1/2 Onion, chopped roughly<br />1 Apple, firm, unpeeled, chopped roughly (Galas work best)<br />1/4 C Walnuts, chopped roughly<br />1 Tbl Red Chili flakes (more if you like it spicy)<br />1/4 C Fresh Sage, chopped roughly (Sub 2 Tbl dried sage)<br />Salt and Pepper to taste<br /><br />In a very large pot or skillet, saute the garlic, onion, sausage and pork for 2 minutes over medium heat, or until the onions start to soften. Add the sage and chili flakes and continue to saute until the meat is cooked through and the mixture is well combined. Remove from heat, stir in the apples and walnuts. Salt and Pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.<br /><br /><strong>Sage-Mustard Cream Sauce</strong><br />1/2 Small Shallot, diced fine<br />1 tsp Butter<br />1 C Cream<br />1/4 C Yellow Mustard (any mustard but dijon, really)<br />1/4 C Fresh Sage, chopped roughly (Sub 2 Tbl dried sage)<br />Salt and Pepper to taste<br /><br />In a small saucepan, saute the shallot, butter and sage over medium heat until the shallot softens and turns transluscent. Turn down to medium-low, add the cream and stir occasionally until the cream warms through. Add the mustard and bring the mixture to a low simmer, stirring occasionally. It should thicken - add more mustard if it doesn't. Turn down to low to keep warm and cover.<br /><br />Boil and drain the pasta, then add the pasta and sauce to the meat mixture and toss to combine.<br /><br /><strong>Garnish With</strong><br />Parmesan<br />Freshly Ground Pepper<br />Fried Sage LeavesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0