A Life in Baking, Pastry, and Libations.
Although ricotta is ridiculously easy to make, I've never made it at work because I can buy a high-quality cheese from most of my wholesalers. I've been thinking about an olive oil, ricotta, and honey dessert but it didn't seem very exciting to plop some plain old ricotta on the plate. So, I tried making... Continue Reading →
Spurned by my great disdain for Red Delicious apples and boredom with Granny Smith apples, I've spent the last week scouring the farmers' markets and local orchards for unique apple varietals with sweet, tart and crisp flesh. Cook's Thesaurus compiled a visual guide of common apple varieties that I used as my starting point. This... Continue Reading →
Culinary Applications of Baking Powder Because leavening is instantaneous, breads leavened through acid-base reactions are called quick-breads. Generally, one teaspoon of baking powder will leaven 5 ounces of flour, 8 ounces of liquid, and one egg. If the liquid is acidic (when using cultured dairy, citrus, or honey), then the acids in baking powder will... Continue Reading →
In the days before chemically manufactured baking soda was available, ash water was used both as a leavener and as a source of potash. It seems odd to us now but using ash made sense as wood-burning ovens and fireplaces were the primary sources of cooking and heating the home. Although potash worked instantly, it... Continue Reading →
It’s hard to imagine what cakes and biscuits would taste and look like if they were made without baking powder, but in fact, baking powder is a recent innovation that did not make its first cookbook appearance until the 1850s. Sourdough or yeast, along with a helping of dregs from the wine casket, was the... Continue Reading →
Buttery. Salted. Caramel. 