Spice Dish

Chocolate & Champagne

I think I had decadence on the mind because for this round of recipes, I busted out not only the chocolate but the champagne as well.

 

By special “request” (read: Designated Eater Mimi demanded) that I made another batch of chocolate. I willingly conceded and made a batch of the immaculately rich, super fluffy, decadently rich and creamy Milk Chocolate Ice Cream (pg 31). For a little extra decadence I chopped up an espresso bean studded piece of dark chocolate to mix in. Oh so good.

 

Do I like grapefruit? Not really. Do I like champagne? Hells yeah. Do I really love the Pink Grapefruit-Champagne Sorbet found on pg 118?? Oh yeah. This is actually a flavor I remember from my childhood. There was a very fancy French restaurant my dad would take me to for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries… all those life biggies.

One night the chef made a champagne-grapefruit sorbet as a palette cleanser and I fell in love with it. From then on, whenever we called to make a reservation the chef would take note that we were coming in and he made sure to make it for me… special. Lucky girl. While making this recipe I had one of those ‘I hope this holds up to my childhood memories’ moment. It did. Oh it did. It’s clean, crisp, fruity, refreshing and somehow oh so decadent all at the same time. 

So pink , so pretty.

Enjoy!

Erin

Just  a reminder... all recipes in this project can be found in David Lebovitz' Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments

Peachy Keen

Cookin' Peaches

Have I mentioned the farmers market lately? Have I?? Because it is a springtime wonderland these days. Last trip I snagged a bag full of plump, juicy peaches and big, fat blueberries. I knew that I absolutely had to put them in ice cream (but basically these days I think that everything belongs in ice cream) I was too impatient to wait 24 hours between bowl freezes to use both the peaches and the blueberries so I figured that Peach Ice Cream with Blueberry Sauce on top was the way to go.

 
Look at it! LOOK!

David claims that peach ice cream is the “first ice cream that springs to mind when people recall hand-cranked. Old-fashioned fruit ice creams from their past.” He’s 100% right. The very first ice cream I tried to make in my handy-dandy new maker… peach. But I was over-confident in my skills and went sans recipe. I ended up with an icy ‘cream’ full of fruit rocks. Ho hum.

David’s version of Peach Ice Cream (pg 89) is so very unlike my first attempt. It’s rich, creamy, tart and sweet with pieces of fruit that are just the right texture.

 
Boozy, gooey goodness

The Blueberry Sauce (pg 182) was the perfect use for the blueberries. The method allows for luscious, plump berries whose color becomes a rich, deep, very non-blue, ‘cabernet’ color. The added liqueur allows for a slightly boozy flavored sauce.

On top of the peach ice cream?? Oh man. Best breakfast ever.




Enjoy!

Erin

Fan Letter… to My Mom

Sarah from Pink of Perfection has done it again. Her monthly project, this month? To tell someone we care about “just how exquisite they are.” She asks that participants “scrawl it on a college-ruled page or make a pilgrimage to a stationery shop” in order to let that special person know just how they have affected your life. So here goes.

Fan Letter… to my mom

That's my mom

First off, this post is waaay overdue. I should have done it at Mother’s Day. Not because I don’t tell my mom how awesome she is regularly… but because I haven’t told you people how amazing she is. I know she’ll read this too because she’s supportive like that.

She has been teacher to me, beyond being a parent, a friend, a role model, and a mentor. She’s now, and always, an inspiration. She’s strong, supportive, independent, freakin’ adorable, supportive, understanding, supportive, loving… did I mention supportive?

I haven’t always made the most parent-approved decisions in my life, but she’s supported me no matter what I’ve decided to take on. Become a bartender after she spent thousands of dollars on a college education? Ok sure. Start a real career and then drop it all to move to New York… shortly after 9/11… go ahead! Move back a year later with no money? C’mon home! Accept whomever I was dating at whatever time? Why not? Like I said… my mom rocks.

 

One reason she rocks…. Take Mother’s Day for example. Some moms require jewelry, flowers, champagne and their kids doting on them with loving, perfect eyes. My mom? Fish n’ chips and a beer at a little pub she likes by the beach. Seriously.

 

Cameron’s in Half Moon Bay is a crazy English pub with a double decker bus parked outside. They’ve got a massive menu but mom always orders the fish n’ chips.  During a fun lunch where we played 20 questions (the little electronic kind) did she drill me with inquiries as to when I’m going to have a kid? Nope. “How about we toddle through town… “ was her only request. Half Moon Bay is a small town. Once you’ve popped in the shops the only left to do is stop for ice cream. “Okie”. See… she’s easy that way.

 

My mom has been through a lot in her life. Family stuff, career stuff, relationship stuff… all the ‘stuff’ women of her generation had to figure out how to do… in a new way. She’s always stood on her own two feet. She’s always cared for others before herself. She’s always been there when her family needed her. And she’s also promised never to make meatloaf or tuna casserole ever again.

Through everything, she's kept her sense of humor and her own sense of self. My mom.... well she's amazing and I love her.

Erin

Triple Threat

Yup obsessed. I know it too. After going 2 whole days without making any ice cream... I had to make 3. Well... two frozen desserts and one sauce to put on top. The impetus? On Thursday I went to my beloved Crocker Galleria Farmer's Market where I picked up a mixed basket of locally grown, organic strawberries and raspberries. I basically ran home to throw them in the mixer.

Gettin' Juicy

I decided that the berries had to be made into something as simple as possible-- sorbet. Strawberry Sorbet. And the raspberries? Chunky Raspberry Sauce of course. I was going to want to put that sauce on something decadent so Vanilla Ice Cream it was to be. This was going to be amazing vanilla ice cream-- the whole cooked egg custard kind. I began with macerating the berries for the sorbet and the sauce. While they sat and stirred in their juices (and a little brandy) I got started on the custard. As the vanilla bean was infusing it's rich, velvety flavor into some warmed milk-- I began processing the strawberries. The recipe for Strawberry sorbet is very similar to the pear or melon. Fruit, sugar, blitz, & freeze. After I blitzed the berries, I strained them for an extra smooth sorbet. I put the strawberry 'soup' in the fridge to hang out overnight and I turned my attention to the custard... which came together beautifully. 

Cream. Sugar. More Cream? Check!

However, i was here that I had my first "Oh Crap" ice cream making moment.  Everything was going along swimmingly. I made the custard, flipped on the machine and poured the mixture in. I figured, for once, I actually get the dishes done. As I scrubbed the machine whirred along. I snuck a peak after about 15 minutes. It wasn't fluffing up! It was dense, and not frozen! I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I mean... the bowl was frozen, and I knew it wasn't the recipe. I mean it's David's!! I scraped the sides with a rubber spatula... the sides were solid.... OH CRAP. I forgot to put in the friggin' paddle!!! I put it in hoping it would at least fluff up the mixture a little. It did. But very little. The result was a super-dense, ridiculously intense, frozen vanilla custard.

Raspberry Soup

I was a bit disheartened, but I cleaned the bowl and put it in the freezer so that I could make the straw berry sorbet as soon as possible. I focused on the Chunky Raspberry sauce, which is ridiculously easy, and fantastically delicious. Basically it's berries, sugar & blitz. The sauce did those raspberries proud. I poured some sauce over the decadent custard and served it to Designated Eater Mimi who declared (rightly so) "This tastes like raspberry shortcake... but you don't need cake." It did....and you didn't.

Raspberry Shortcake

The next day after work I set to making the sorbet-- which didn't take me any more effort than pouring the soup into the mixer. After 15 minutes it was done! It was as if I was bathing in fresh strawberries. I honestly can't tell you how BIG the strawberry flavor is. I can tell you though... we're ruined on store bought ice cream around these parts. Never again. 

Have you ever seen anything so pretty?

Enjoy!

Erin

Sorbetastic!

Check Out My Melons!

So my freezer is filling up fast. I’m making batches of ice cream quicker than I can eat them or even give away. I’ve decided that unless I know I’ll be sharing with a large group… I will be making half-batches. With that said… I’m glad the last batch I made prior to this decision was David’s Cantaloupe Sorbet on pg 111. I’m in love with this.

 

I was really excited to make this flavor. On the way home I stopped by one of my favorite markets (an amazing Mexican/Vietnamese/Thai hybrid place). I made my way past the mangosteens, durians and sweet lemons and headed to the pyramid of melons. I used David’s tips for picking out just the right cantaloupe and I headed home.

This insanely easy recipe yielded sorbet that offered the fruitiest taste I’ve ever tasted. Fruitier than fruit. Seriously.

The color is this amazing light creamy orange color, and it smells like summer. I highly recommend using a white wine. I had a Robert Mondavi Moscato open so I used that. It added a lovely backdrop of sweetness. I’ve been eating this like it’s going out of style.

I loved the cantaloupe so much I decided to go round two with the sorbets. Since I’d committed to making half-batches and I had two ripe Bartletts staring up at me from the fruit bowl… I decided that Pear Sorbet would be next. The process is pretty much the same as with the cantaloupe but you briefly cook the pears prior to pureeing and chilling.

The recipe doesn’t call for white wine (sparkling or otherwise) so I didn’t add any. Next time I make this (and there will be a next time) I’ll add champagne I think. I mean… I am a boozehound… but I think it really would have added a nice layer of flavor. Even without the booze though—the pear sorbet is light, luscious, refreshing and comforting all at the same time.

 

 

If you want to give David’s Cantaloupe Sorbet a try it can be found on pg 111 of The Perfect Scoop:

Cantaloupe Sorbet
One 2 lb ripe cantaloupe
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbs dry or sweet white wine or Champagne (optional… but not really)

Peel the rind from the melon, removing any traces of green, Slice the melon in half and scrape out the seeds. Cut the melon into 1-inch pieces. Puree in a blender with the sugar, salt, and lime juice until smooth. Taste, and add additional lime juice if desired and the wine, if using. Chill the mixture thoroughly then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.


Enjoy!

Erin

Wok Wizzin'

Over the weekend I treated myself (and Designated Eater Mimi)to a Wok Wiz Tour. Wok Wiz is a fantastic culinary walking tour of San Francisco’s Chinatown founded by Shirley Fong-Torres.

 

It was difficult to get up early on a Sunday morning but it was worth it. We met in the lobby of the Chinatown Hilton where our very friendly tour guides greeted us, split us into two groups and hustled us out the door. Our guide Gimmy was really great.

Gimmy

She made the tour personal by sharing images of her family and interweaving her family’s personal history with the historical notes and facts she gave. It really helped to connect the history with a living, breathing human.

Gimmy shuffled us through Portsmouth Square, which is the heart of Chinatown. It’s here that even native San Franciscan’s feel like they’ve been transported to China. Little no English is spoken and sound of the men playing gambling games is pretty intense…especially on a Sunday morning. From there we visited paper-making shops, Buddhist temples, herbalists, bakeries, delis and other points of interest.

Each cookie...by hand!

I have to say that among my favorite stops was the fortune cookie factory where you are given a warm cookie to munch on while you watch the (somewhat gruff) ladies fold each cookie by hand. I also liked the Chinese hospital, which truthfully, I never knew existed. Gimmy made this stop more than just a spot of architectural interest by letting us see copies of the bill her mother received when our guide was born there.

 

I really enjoyed stopping off at Red Blossom Tea Importers as well. Peter, the son in this family run business was funny, charming and captivating as he explained the tea trade and brewed us a sample. The tour concludes with your group having lunch at a Chinese restaurant where you munch on dim sum (Heart’s Delight) and a few staple, “non-exotic” (read “not scary for Midwesterners”) dishes.

 

I do wish I had opted for the more culinary intensive (more expensive) “I Ate My Way Through Chinatown Tour” but I enjoyed myself. The tourists in my group had a grand time and I really would recommend taking out-of-town visitors here or if you come for a visit… taking the tour yourself.

The cost of the basic Wok Wiz Tour is 40$ (includes lunch). More information can be found at:
www.wokwiz.com
1-800-979-3370

Enjoy!

Erin

As the World Churns

So it's all David Lebovitz' fault that I now own a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. I also happen to own a copy of his book The Perfect Scoop. It was a short hop in my mind to put these together in a what will be my summer project. I will try each and every recipe in The Perfect Scoop and share my results with you all! This won't be any punishment mind you. We eat ice cream in this house each and every day. We love it. We just do.

To Every Season Churn Churn Churn....

Starting next week and continuing through the summer you will get to see an array of ice cream's, sherbets, sorbets and frozen cocktails. I can't wait. The only thing left to do is shop for ingredients and pick recipe #1. Put in your vote now on which recipe I should start with!

Happy Churning!

EB

How do you say Ole?

 
Patatas Bravas. Bravo!
 

Did you know that the Spanish translation for 'the perfect weekend breakfast' is Picaro? It is. Look it up!

Why is it perfect? Fresh fruit, eggs fried in olive oil, brioche french toast, omelets with Serrano ham and goat cheese... I could go on.... but I haven't mentioned the sangria yet or the mimosa's rimmed with cinnamon. Oh! Oh! Or the absolutely fabulous little back patio that makes you momentarily forget that you're in the middle of the city. This little slice of heaven has dragged me out of bed many a weekend (I've been here every one for the past month.)

Ahhhh sunny space

Every breakfast dish I've had has been fantastic. My guests have been bowled over by the super-friendly staff, the tasty hangover busters (the patatas bravas specifically), and the fact that for 7 bucks you will walk away a happy, rosy cheeked camper.

Big, fluffy and oh so just the thing

It really is a fantastic, not yet discovered, breakfast gem. If you want to try Picaro yourself you can find it at:

3120 16th St (btwn Valencia & Gurerro)

Enjoy!

Erin