I’m a baker, as you probably know. I’ve regularly made bread, cakes, pies, and all sorts of things for friends and family. About a year ago, someone in the family was diagnosed with a severe allergy to gluten, and within days we removed all gluten products from the kitchen, began … Click to continue reading this post
The good news (following from last post) is that it worked out! I was almost short of the amount I needed to cover the pie, and so that left nothing for my usual decoration… but it was a hit at dinner and for left-overs today, so that’s good!
The delicious chaos that (almost always) eventually tames into a tasty flaky pastry crust… it’s always a worrying mess to start out, but you trust to your experience, and you carry on, with hope. #thanksgiving
I’m sitting, for the second night in a row, in a rather pleasant restaurant in Oxford, somewhere on the walk between the physics department and my hotel. They pour a pretty good Malbec, and tonight I’ve had the wood-fired Guinea Fowl. I can hear snippets of conversation in the distance, telling me that many people who come here are regulars, and that correlates well with the fact that I liked the place immediately last night and decided I’d come back. The friendly staff remembered me and greeted me like a regular upon my return, which I liked. Gee’s is spacious with a high ceiling, and so I can sit away from everyone in a time where I’d still rather not be too cavalier with regards covid. On another occasion I might have sought out a famous pub with some good pub food and be elbow-to-elbow with students and tourists, but the phrase “too soon” came to mind when I walked by such establishments and glanced into the windows.
However, I am not here to do a restaurant review, although you might have thought that from the previous paragraph (the guinea fowl was excellent though, and the risotto last night was tasty, if a tiny bit over-salted for my tastes). Instead I find myself reflecting on […] Click to continue reading this post
Taking a little time to step aside and into the kitchen for Thanksgiving cooking! Here are some colourful steps in the prep of a pumpkin pie, including some pre-baking of the pie shell (covered in foil, weighted with beans). -cvj
Yesterday’s kitchen science experiment was this morning’s breakfast! In explaining to my young son about microorganisms that we live with (in our bodies, and as tools of transformation we deploy in various applications like cuisine) I suddenly remembered trying to make yogurt when I was myself very young (although not … Click to continue reading this post
Replenishing critical supplies of cinnamon-raisin bread for the household, a couple of days ago. Not a bad result, given that it is so long since I’ve made this kind of loaf. The recipe turned out a little raisin-poor for my tastes, and it was a little dry (possibly my fault), … Click to continue reading this post
When looking for an excuse to have some custard, simply whip up an upside down cake built on a bit of fruit, spices, and whatnot you might have (here: apples cooked in butter, basking on caramel, with toasted walnuts, cinnamon…etc). –cvj
Well, you know the saying: When life hands you several apples, some blackberries, and a chunk of pastry left over from your last pie-making… you make another apple-blackberry pie, taking the opportunity to make it even better! (No? Never heard that saying? Huh.) -cvj
And so it began… All this butter had to end up inside this little bit of flour/water mix. But in lots of tasty layers of deliciousness! (And I’ll do this four times, and so that’s my morning.) More later. I love puff pastry! –cvj
It was Chutney time here! Well this was a few weekends back. I’m posting late. I used up some winter-toughened tomatoes from the garden that remained and slowly developed on last year’s vines. It was time to clear them for new planting, and so off all these tomatoes came, red, … Click to continue reading this post
So I usually do this joke when I’m in an elevator with someone who Is carrying a gift wrapped item or a bunch of flowers or similar. I do a pretend surprised expression and say “oh is that for me?!”, and receive a variety of responses from the person. Most usually get the joke. This guy, who turned out to be a delivery guy, smiled politely and said “not unless you are Dr. Clifford.” On the back foot, I paused, and then recovered with “er… actually I am!”. I got out my ID and showed it to him. We were both genuinely stunned by how this turned out. Nice little lift after a really unkind day… #hoistedbymyownpetard #theardmore
It’s time for a visit to the kitchen. This time the result was a spontaneous coconut tart, made from childhood memories… (and a bit of pastry). Here are two composite photos and their captions (from my instagram account) to tell the story:
The fig trees in the garden are in full production mode. (As was my wife on the pancake side of things*.) Made for a delicious combination for family breakfast! There’s something magical about eating figs fresh from the tree that are still warm from the sun.
By the way, there are some major changes coming up for the garden which should allow me to expand some of the variety of things I grow there. I’ll fill you in on this later…
-cvj
*Thanks aef! Click to continue reading this post
So here’s some big USC news that you’re probably not hearing about elsewhere. I think it’s the best thing that’s happened on campus for a long time, and it’s well worth noting. As of today (4th August, when I wrote this), there’s a Trader Joe’s on campus!
It opened (relatively quietly) today and I stopped by on my way home to pick up a few things – something I’ve fantasized about doing for some time. It’s a simple thing but it’s also a major thing in my opinion. Leaving aside the fact that I can now sometimes get groceries on the way home (with a subway stop just a couple of blocks away) – and also now more easily stock up my office with long workday essentials like Scottish shortbread and sardines in olive oil, there’s another reason this is big news. This part of the city (and points south) simply don’t have as many good options (when it comes to healthy food) as other parts of the city. It is still big news when a grocery store like this opens south the 10 freeway. In fact, away from over on the West side (where the demographic changes significantly), there were *no* Trader Joe’s stores south of the 10 until this one opened today**. (Yes, in 2017 – I can wait while you check your calendar.) I consider this at least as significant (if not more) as the Whole Foods opening in downtown at […] Click to continue reading this post
