The Humans are Alive, the Computer is Dead

Shortly after my last post, we set up our desk, I immediately pulled the computer out of hiding, and then flipped it on, nearly giddy about finally returning to the internet.

Then some error message came up about the computer being really hot.

Ohhhhhh, really? Ok, I'll just ignore that.

Then I decided, just in case, to check the temperature of the computer through the bios.

I can't remember exactly what it said, but there was some panic in my mind. Something about one hundred forty something.

Like, Really super duper hot. Which is weird, because this computer has two fans.

At that point the computer decided to take matters into its own hands, because obviously I was incapable of making a real decision.

It turned off. And then never turned on again.

I haven't buried the thing yet, because I'm vacillating between kicking it in the CPU and paying a witch doctor to reanimate it.

Either way, I haven't been blogging.

I had been cooking. Lots and lots of cooking. Until last week. Now I'm lots and lots of dieting. Which is depressing when you want to cook.

I finally decided to shoot jpeg, so I have a few pictures to show for myself, even if I have nowhere to store the pictures, for now.

This is a poor place to do a review for Christina Tosi's new cookbook, Momofuku Milk Bar, but I think you should run to your nearest on-line book store and buy it. You may be temporarily baffled by the fact that you will need to locate glucose for half of the recipes, but you should do it. You should follow Every. Single. Request. Christina Tosi makes in her recipes. Because if you do, you will be rewarded. You should measure every ingredient on a scale and force your husband to drive to Foodland to buy King Arthur Bread Flour at 11pm on a Saturday Night. You should spend an entire Saturday going to three stores to find CLEAR imitation vanilla. You should study, for hours, her directions, ingredient descriptions, and the products you will need to bake her amazing desserts.

Just bring a napkin to wipe up your drool.

Follow every letter to the T, and you will be rewarded.

Amaya said, "Take a picture of me eating!" So I'm including it, even though I  botched up the focus. 
Even she has been missing being a part of my blog. 

(my instagram wannabe picture.)
Carrot Cake, graham frosting, liquid cheesecake, milk crumb, layered.

Food Writing for Food Lovers: A Workshop with Dianne Jacob

Friends, if there was ever a reason to be in Honolulu in December, this is IT.

(Aside from the great weather, beaches, water, food….)

Dianne Jacob is coming to town! A few months ago she told me she was coming to Hawaii and would we be able to put together a workshop? And I just fell over myself, immediately, because yes. I want to go to a workshop with Dianne.

If you don’t know Dianne, you should know that she is just stuffed full of amazing knowledge to help you as a food writer. Whether you want to be a great blogger, a freelance journalist, a cookbook author… She knows how to help you. In addition to keeping up great discussions on her blog, she is a writing coach/consultant, writes (books! cookbooks!), and works as an editor.

So I’m happy to announce that we have worked out the details for an honestly amazing day with Dianne Jacob at the Cupola Theatre, in the Honolulu Design Center on December 10, 2011 from 8:15am-3:30pm.

If you’re a foodie, a blogger, a freelance writer, an aspiring cookbook author or even a wannabe of any of the above, you’ll want to attend.

The schedule includes writing exercises, restaurant reviewing skills, techniques to get noticed, and she’ll give you the inside scoop about publishing and writing.

At the workshop we will have breakfast and lunch catered by Stage Restaurant featuring a buffet of options, including their famous Ahi poke with avocado, Marcona almonds, orange tobiko, spanish onions, yuzu olive oil, and wasabi. I am also particularly excited about their desserts. Their pastry chef is magical. Chocolate cream tarts and apricot frangipane are on the menu.

(plus! We have door prizes!!)

Have I talked you into it yet?

Follow the links to learn more:

Come. I’ll be thrilled to see you there.

Egg Dreams & Amuse Bouche: Savory Crème Brûlée

As a kid I distinctly remember eating sukiyaki beef dipped in raw egg. I would beat it with a fork and then land my saucy, hot beef strips into that puddle of yellow and clear liquid before bringing the chopsticks to my mouth. For breakfast I would make big bowls of rice mixed with raw egg and soy sauce. Its sticky savory flavor would linger long after I finished eating. Some mornings I would open the fridge, when it was still dark outside, and practically jump for joy when I found a cup of eggnog my dad made for me in the blender, with raw eggs. Even the best way to eat natto is mixed with a raw egg, although some people would probably argue with the entire premise of that sentence. The sticky slimy all-coating texture of natto can only be stood up to by a raw egg, as the pungent savory natto smell has already chased out everyone else.

All these foods are home, to me. My parents had taught me to eat these dishes and to trust in their wholesomeness.

As a parent I am my kids’ guide into the world of food. I’ve thought many times about those foods I ate so often as a child and I’ve not dared give them to Amaya, because of my fear of salmonella poisoning.

Well, that’s about to change.

This month I was asked to participate in Kitchen Play’s May Progressive Party. I gratefully accepted the challenge, and I was delighted with the partnership with Safest Choice Eggs. I found them easily at my local grocery store. Safest Choice Eggs is a brand that pasteurizes eggs in their shells to make them free of harmful Salmonella bacteria. Most Salmonella poisoning is caused by ingesting raw eggs.

Now I don’t have to hesitate before tasting batters or other foods that contain raw eggs. Amaya can sneak cookie dough without any worry. She already loves natto, so I’m sure the raw egg version will only sweeten the deal. I can rest my paranoid parent mind.

For the Progressive Party I was given the course of amuse bouche, which is sincerely my favorite course at a nice restaurant. I love getting that surprise bite. There’s no expectation, and the fact that the chef chooses for me just gives me a thrill.

Check out Kitchen Play’s website for more information on this month’s contest. If you recreate any of the courses, including mine, and post about it on your blog, you have the chance of winning $100 for each course.

P.S. And to make it easier for you to create one of this month's recipes, here's a link to three $1.00 coupons for Safest Choice Eggs

Amuse Bouche: Savory Crème Brûlée with parmesan and balsamic vinegar syrup

I based my recipe on the memory of a parmesan crème brûlée I ate from Perbacco with my friend Da during a trip to NYC a few years ago. I’ve been trying to justify a trip back there just to eat at that restaurant again. The balsamic vinegar syrup I could eat plain for dessert. The sharp tang of vinegar is almost completely whisked away by the cooking. All that’s left is a dark, rich, sweet resin of coating syrup. Pairs well with strawberries too.

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 4 Safest Choice Egg yolks
• 1 Safest Choice Egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsps brown sugar
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees and get out 4 4oz ramekins. In a small saucepan combine the cream and milk. Whisking often, heat over medium heat until the milk is just barely simmering. Add the parmesan and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the yolks, whole egg, and salt. When the cream has cooled slightly, whisk it into the eggs in a steady stream. You must whisk quickly or the eggs will curdle.
3. Pour the liquid into the ramekins. Set them into a glass baking pan and pour about 7-8 cups of very hot water into the baking pan. The water level should be about half way up the sides of the ramekins.
4. Carefully put the water bath and ramekins into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the middle of one of the ramekin mixture comes out clean.
5. Remove the ramekins from the oven and remove from the water bath. While the ramekins are cooling, heat the 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the liquid simmers down into a thicker syrup, about 8 minutes. It should have a molasses type consistency.
6. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the tops of the crème brûlées and heat the sugar with a kitchen torch until browned and crystallized. This can also be done in the oven under the broiler for a minute or so.
7. Serve with a drizzle of the balsamic vinegar syrup over the top. To keep with the amuse bouche spirit, put a small drizzle of syrup (1/8th or 1/4th teaspoon) into a large soup spoon and place a dollop of the crème brûlée on top of that, keeping the caramelized sugar intact. Strawberries are a good serving accompaniment, or a slice of crusty bread.

Bake Sale is Live!

If you want to bid on the HUGE array of crazy yummy stuff over at the Tomato Tart, to aide Japan… TODAY…

(including my crack pie, and Da’s alfajores pops)

Check HERE for the rules

And HERE is the list of lovely lovely yummy.

Just as long as you don’t outbid me. I wants me some preserves. I’m willing to pay big.

And my offer to send you some recipes, salt and or pottery is still up! I just found out that my local store will match any donations to The Red Cross for Japan, so I’m doubling our money. Yes!

Thank you to everyone who has donated already. Thanks to all who tweeted and showcased our efforts! I love seeing all the support. Let’s make it last.

xoxo,

The Little Foodie

Love and Mayo Sandwiches

People always ask me how I have time to blog. We all know they’re implying that I’m ignoring my children.

Usually I blog at night, but sometimes I have to finish a post or check a few things during the day. So when the baby is down for his morning nap (I say that, as if it’s routine or a sure thing), I’ll jump on the computer, leaving Amaya to her own devices.

When I’m watching her through my peripherals, she’ll find her own entertainment.

Making mayo sandwiches. She knows I don’t want her to eat it straight out of the jar, so she pretends to make it legit with the bread.

Dressing up like a “pie-reck” (pirate)

Not sure what the book is all about, but I guess pirates need them.

Using as much paint as de Kooning for an art project

Messing up her room.

When I say something about cleaning her room, she says, “It’s not really that messy you know.”

If I wasn’t actually there, I wonder how many mayonnaise jars, paint jars, and toy drawers she would go through.

I hope kids just get more interesting with age. I’d hate to lose this.

Meet Nippon Nin

Meet my parents. Cute, right?

I talked my mom into starting a food blog. She rolled it around in her head for a few days and then Saturday afternoon she started acting nervous and cooked a bunch of food. "Will you help me start my blog?" she asked.

We stayed up late and I showed her how to blog. She said, "I forgot it already. Tell Dad how to do it."

Her blog is "Nippon Nin" which means "Japanese person." 

She already has a post up, and she has the makings of a great food blog. I think she's a natural.

My dad will be the behind-the-scenes blogger tech support. They make a good team.

But I promise, all the jokes are hers. She's pretty surprising for a nippon nin.