It’s the last day of the year, and not surprisingly, some of my resolutions involve food! That is, teaching and learning about cooking and food. The food journey is never over! Here are a few things I want to do:
Teaching: I’ll help a friend get over her fear of cooking fish. And, I’m planning to introduce a new set of women to the concept of food swapping (cooking in groups of 2 or 3 and then getting together to swap the food)
Learning: A friend and I have decided to learn together how to really decorate cakes. Another friend is teaching me to cook the foods of her native country of India.
Please let us know if you have food resolutions this year, we’d love to hear them. Have a happy, safe, warm New Year’s!!
You are so right, the food journey is never over.
For starters, in 2010, I’d like to roll my own california rolls, make a souffle, get Persian tart berries and make crab cakes using only the finest lump crab meat from my childhood state of Maryland (even if that means driving to the Eastern Shore of MD and back in one day!).
Of course, I’ll be recruiting friends to join me!
Happy New Year everyone!
Alison
If interested, here is a recipe from a Minorcan
family in St. Augustine, Fl.
Nougat Ice Cream
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 large egg white
pinch of salt
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted, chopped
1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped
Stir honey, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring, 1 minute.
Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg white with pinch of salt in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually pour hot syrup over egg white mixture, beating contantly. Continue beating meringue until very stiff, about 4 minutes. Let stand until cool, about 10 minutes.
Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into merigue. Fold in all chopped nuts. Spoon mixture into 11x7x2 inch glass baking dish. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.) Spoon into bowls and serve.
I also use this as a filling between 2 ginger
cookies, as an ice cream sandwich.
MInorcans were one of the earlier settlers of
St. Augustine. They also have a wonderful Clam
Chowder, called, of course, Minorcan Clam Chowder.