BWJ: Pizza Rustica

Something happened here.  A great sounding Eastery recipe; ricotta and parmesan and eggs with prosciutto blended and baked in  a slightly sweet pie crust.  What’s not to love?  Apparently a lot.  Even the teenage boys said,”Acceptable, but I don’t wanna eat it again.”  A funky texture, and a crust that was a little too sweet led to leftovers, which I tried refrigerating in the hopes that the flavors would meld, and it would all come together cold.  No such luck.  Probably will not try this one again.

BWJ: Irish Soda Bread

This is a recipe I would  have passed over if I were not part of the “Baking with Julia” group.  Just four simple ingredients; flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk, and magically, out comes bread.  OK, more like …out comes a giant scone- but still very yummy!  My dough was a little wet (oops, I spilled the buttermilk) and I didn’t want to toughen the dough with more flour, so I just spooned it into the bowl, gave it a pat,shoved it in the oven, and thought, “Oh,well, I’ll make another one.”   But it rose beautifully, and two teenage boys devoured the whole loaf while it was still warm.  I guess I’ll be making this one often!

The fish sauce is here! The fish sauce is here!

I heard the FedEx truck and ran to the door.  I ripped open the box and tore the plastic from around the top of the bottle.  Would it be?  Could it be….   YES!!!!   You know you’ve tried to make Pad Thai at home.  It just doesn’t taste….  well…..right.    This is the illusive something, the deep, clear, briny taste  that  makes Pad Thai so delicious.  Red Boat Fish Sauce, made with only anchovies and salt by a small, artisanal producer, is a must have product in your fridge for all your Thai dishes. It’s pretty tasty on  fried rice and stir-fry vegetables, too.  Order it from Red Boat directly, or (of course) from Amazon.

BWJ: Rugelach

Abundantly stuffed. Excessive. Generous. Lauren Groveman describes her rugelach recipe accurately! ( p. 325 in Baking with Julia)
I love rugelach, and I anxiously awaited these plump beauties. But they were, if you don’t mind my saying so, a little TOO much. I’m willing to take the blame here- maybe the fruits and nuts were not of good enough quality, maybe I left them in the oven a smidge too long? I don’t know, I just wanted a clearer taste. Perhaps just walnuts and apricots, or macadamias and chocolate (Hawaaian rugelach, anyone?) I love the dough, though. It was  quick and easy. And the lekvar was simple to make and will go nicely on Saturday morning French toast.  

Pad Thai, here I come!

I’m so excited! I just ordered the Red Boat Fish Sauce featured in the New York Times.  Made from only black anchovies and salt, it is a true artisanal product from Vietnam.  No alcohol, preservatives, MSG, wheat or soy!  Just fish sauce, the way it was meant to be.  I can’t wait til it arrives.  I’ll let you know………

Baking with Julia Update

Chocolate Truffle Tart

The chocolate truffle tart ( I made a single 10 inch instead of several small ones) turned out wonderfully. The dough is easy to work with and the filling simple but amazing. You could definitely experiment with different biscotti or flavorings; perhaps even some espresso powder in the filling!

Welcome!

My first post is going to send you to another blog!  My dear friend David is an excellent cook, photographer, artist and all-around creative.  His blog Cocoa and Lavender is full of wonderful recipes, photography, and all things food about Tucson!
Enjoy!