marble memories

chocolate & vanilla marble cake

this is one of those cakes that i always remember seeing lined up on the counters at (jewish) neighbourhood bakeries and which invariably seemed to be found at someone's home, be it on friday nights/saturday or the holidays. the bakery type, however, was always a parve (non dairy) one so that it could be enjoyed with whatever type of meal was served.

this version is dairy. it is a bit lighter than a poundcake in that it doesn't require that much butter and uses lower-in-fat buttermilk. of course, you can use [dairy] sourcream instead, which is often seen in this kind of cake. i will revisit this cake another time with an excellent parve version — just as good as this one but with no dairy ingredients involved.

ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
3 eggs

1 3/4 c cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

2/3 c buttermilk or sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

5 tbsp [dutch process] cocoa powder
4 tbsp hot water

before starting, make sure:

• butter is softened
• eggs are at room temperature
• dry ingredients [except cocoa] have been sifted together
• sift cocoa separately to eliminate lumps

method:

preheat oven to 350 F. grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

cream butter and sugar. then add eggs one at a time and blend well after each addition.

mix flour, baking powder and salt together and sift them. separate this into 2 portions. mix in one addition and blend well.

mix vanilla into the buttermilk and add half of it and blend well again. repeat with the rest of the flour and buttermilk.

the texture of the mixture will be ribbon like. make sure to mix it enough to achieve this texture.

remove about 1/3 of the batter to another bowl and keep aside.

in a small bowl or dish, mix the hot water into the cocoa tablespoon by tablespoon to make a thick paste. add this to the 1/3 of batter you separated and mix it well.

add dollops of the vanilla batter alternating with the chocolate to the greased loafpan. you should have 4 short rows of alternating batter or 2 long rows of 4 colours, depending on how you are looking at it.

CV
VC
CV
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with a knife, swirl the batter. insert the knife deeply and drag it through but don't overdo it or you will lose the desired marbling you want.

bake for 50 minutes or until it is no longer wet in the middle.

remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes in the pan. remove to a rack to cool completely.

enjoy!

food, art, ketchup and psychology

watching television the other night, i saw something that made me wonder. the show was about expressing oneself artistically and what meanings can be derived from that expression — what secrets are revealed about a person through one's artwork.

as this is a foodblog, i thought about something similar to tie it in. does the way we arrange our food say something about our personalities? do you bother to take time to arrange things artistically or thoughtfully [everyday, or at least more often than not] to make things appetizing or do you just throw things on a plate? does placing things nicely make you feel better or say something about you? or do you save it for special occasions? does it even matter to you?

i think it does.

apparently, so does a certain psychologist [this is to be taken lightly and is purely for fun!]:

*If you want to learn the more about a person, look no further than how they pour their ketchup. From dippers and squirters, to sprinklers and smotherers, psychologist Donna Dawson has identified seven "sauciological" types.

*Those who dunk into a well of ketchup are methodical and trustworthy. But they may also be control freaks who are afraid of change. Ambitious people splodge their sauce in the middle of their food. Creative types squirt and swirl their sauce in thin lines. But deep down they are impatient and do not tolerate fools or time wasting. Those who dot their ketchup are friendly, but live conservatively and dream of adventure holidays. Smotherers are the life and soul of the party, while artists who draw faces and words on their food have an easy-going approach to life. And gourmets who keep ketchup in a cruet appear charming, but deep down may be snobbish social charmers.

fact or fiction? who knows. i thought it was amusing.

also from the same site the above was quoted, read the fascinating history about ketchup! some more here, too.

also take a look at all the different kinds of ketchup packets at the condiments packet museum. [the things you find on the internet ;p].

i don't know about you but i love ketchup! also don't know about going through 3 bottles a year though, as the article contends. here are some other ketchups from around the world.

look at some nonfood uses for ketchup.

lastly, don't spill it on you or have a disaster next time you open it. learn the right way to do it.

cuteness overload

i love finding new and fun sites, especially when they are well-done and entertaining.

thanks to ostara at stillpoint [check out her 4 legged gorgeous boy, sam!], i came across this wonderful site that will surely bring a ton of smiles to your face. if you love animals, you'll love this.

now, we interrupt this commercial break to get back to real life.... (lol).

strawberries & litchee fruit

strawberry litchee smoothie

this is one of my all time favourite blended fruit drinks. it is simple to make, never disappointing and good at any time of the day. use frozen strawberries for this. you can also freeze the litchees once you've drained them but it's not necessary.

enough for 1 serving [or 2 smaller ones]:

1/2 c frozen strawberries
4 - 6 litchees, canned *you need the juice
1/4 - 1/3 c litchee juice from can
*soy milk, vanilla flavoured or plain [enough to thin it to desired thickness]

it is hard to say exactly how many of each to put. you need to try it yourself and play around. i suggest using equal amounts of fruit and adding the litchee juice first. the litchee juice adds amazing flavour and makes it not necessary to add sugar. don't add a alot or it will be too watery — you can always adjust it later. blend the fruit and some of the juice. then add the soy milk to thin to the desired amount. if you don't like the taste of soy milk, the litchee flavour is strong enough to mask it making it virtually undetectable.

you can also fortify this by adding some soy protein isolate powder, available at health food stores. only a spoonful or two will be enough.

*you can also use other things like yogurt, milk, orange juice, almond milk, rice milk, etc. i prefer vanilla soy for this.

LOL — found these versions of vitasoy brand. who knew?!

check out the australian site for recipe ideas for using soy milk. click on the icons (books). beautiful stuff. yes, soy milk is good for you.

lemon slice sunny day sugar cookies

lemon slice sunny day sugar cookies

these cookies are very easy to make and are like regular sugar cookies, only they are cut in half and rolled in brightly coloured sugar. their texture is softer than the standard sugar cookie [at least the ones i know]. note that you need to make sure you press the sugar in well and cut them in 1/4" slices, no thinner.

makes about 48 cookies [i never count!]

ingredients:

2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c powdered sugar
3/4 c unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp freshly grated orange peel
2 tsp lemon extract, not juice [don't omit]

sugar ingredients:

1/4 c sugar
4 drops yellow food color
2 drops red food color

method:

sift dry ingredients together to eliminate lumps and distribute evenly. combine all remaining ingredients in large bowl. beat at low speed. scrape bowl often, until well mixed.

divide dough in half. shape each half into a 6 x 1 1/2 inch log. wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate until firm [at least 2 hrs].

combine sugar and yellow food color in jar with lid. cover and shake until well mixed [about 1 to 2 minutes]. remove 2 tbsp sugar; add red food color to remaining sugar. cover; shake until well mixed.

heat oven to 375°F.

cut logs in half lengthwise with sharp knife. roll 2 halves in yellow sugar and 2 halves in orange sugar.

cut into 1/4-inch slices. place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. bake for 8 to 10 minutes or til edges are lightly browned.

enjoy some sunshine!

flour primer

i have to admit, i have done a lot of cooking and baking over the years. when it comes down to it, there is a big difference between the two worlds. it is well known that when it comes to cooking, one can improvise and deviate from a recipe and add a little of this, a little of that or change things to suit one's taste. in many cases, it is not so exacting unless you're following a recipe verbatim — and even then....

when it comes to baking, however, things are really much the opposite. it is both a science and an art [though i'm sure i could get a good argument from those who only cook]. baking requires much more precision and technique to obtain the desired results. this also means using the right ingredients such as the correct type of flour.

* * * * *

baking with the proper flour called for in a recipe does make a huge difference in the final analysis. it can, however, be confusing for those who do not have experience in the art of baking or have never heard of the many different varieties.

the following is a little primer of sorts on the different kinds. be aware that outside north america, they have different names and sometimes certain types just go by numbers. they can even be difficult to find if you are not in a big metropolis or do not live somewhere with good access to a variety of foodstuffs.

i should start by saying that flour can be milled from all types of grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and even tubers [basically anything with high levels of starch]. there are many, many different types, some of which would even seem odd to many a north american or european who is accustomed to using only those made from wheat.

in terms of flours milled from wheat, the different types get their names from the amount of protein which is present in them. different kinds of baked products require different levels of protein — baking cookies with bread flour just wouldn't make sense and neither would making baguettes from cake flour.

wheat flour protein levels:

• cake flour 8 - 10 %
• pastry flour 9 - 10%
• all purpose 10-11.5%
• bread flour 11-13%
• high gluten 14% + higher
• vital gluten flour - pure gluten
  

flour can be further classified by both colour and type of grain.

it is generally categorized as white or brown and is the result of the level of refinement of the flour and which part of the wheat grain is used in milling.

• hard red winter
• soft red winter
• hard red spring
• hard white
• soft white
• durum
  

wheat flour is ground from the seed of the plant. the wheat seed (grain) is made up of 3 parts — the bran, the endosperm and the germ. from these, 3 kinds of flours are made.

• the endosperm is the starch component
  
• the bran is the fiber component
• the germ is the protein component

the three different types are of flours from these components are:

1. white flour = endosperm only
2. whole wheat (grain) flour = endosperm, bran & germ
3. germ flour = germ and endosperm only

an extremely important point is the issue of gluten. glutenin, the protein of the flour itself, is responsible for the elasticity in doughs. it is also the source of many problems for those who cannot metabolize this protein. the gluten content is the basis for flours being designated as either hard flours or soft flours. an example of a hard flour would be a bread flour or high gluten flour whereas a pastry or cake flour would be called a weak flour. to see what gluten really is (if you don't know already), do this experiment: take 1/4 c of white flour and add a few tablespoons of water to it. make a dough and knead it a bit. then let it soak in a large bowl of warm water for about an hour. drain this and refill the bowl half way. start kneading the dough. you will notice the water changes to look like milk. this is the starch being released. drain and repeat. as you keep this up, the ball of dough will start to become shaggy and gluey and change colour. drain and keep repeating the kneading. eventually the water will turn clear again and you will be left with a sponge like material which is grey and very spongy. this is the pure gluten that is responsible for making wonderful breads and pizza doughs or anything chewy. it is also called "seitan" in asian countries and is used as a protein substitute. in today's food industry, you can buy it already prepared and order it as "fake meat" at asian, vegetarian and vegan restaurants.

as an aside, it is said that countries where there are weather extremes [such as where i live (canada)] result in wheats which yield higher gluten contents in the milled flours. so using a flour which comes from canada versus a flour made from wheat in a more temperate area of the united states would make a difference. then again, flours are tested for their various contents and i am sure fortified with agents [such as vital wheat gluten itself] to bring a weaker flour up to par or it is blended with other flours with higher gluten content.

the type of wheat used is important, too. very briefly, wheat can be divided into when it was harvested and the colour of it. for example there is red wheat and there is winter wheat. for more in depth information, check out some of the wheat boards in canada or the united states. mills will use specific types of wheat for the various types of flours they produce. note, too, that some flours require certain types of wheat. end products are usually based on factors such as how the grain is milled (stone ground vs steel ground) and protein and mineral content needed to make the correct flours.

in european countries such as italy, france and germany, there are various types of flours which are usually differentiated by numbers. often here, we see recipes requiring "00" type flour. so what is that all about? these numbers refer to how much mineral content, namely ash, is left after a standardized burn test is done. these types, or numbers, however are not the same in every country.

canada and the united states do not have this system. flours here are basically sold by name, such as: all purpose, cake and pastry flour, bread flour, etc. i cannot even find the amount of protein listed on the labeling of our flours. additionally, while cake and pastry flour is different, here it is sold combined as "cake AND pastry flour". i must say, though, that i have seen a much greater variety emerge over the years. king arthur, an american flour company, produces a great assortment of high quality flours as well as selling other wonderful things for baking and providing gorgeous recipes. some of these european type flours, though american made, are available through this source.

the following is a basic synopsis of some of the different types of flours:

basic types of flours:

all purpose flour - hard wheats or mixture of soft and hard wheats [medium protein]. used in general baking.

bread flour - hard red spring wheat [high protein]; looks like AP flour but stronger. used with breads and yeasted products requiring long kneading.

cake flour - soft wheat [low protein]. low in gluten and good for making cakes, pastries, delicate cookies and crackers. cake flour can be approximated by removing 2 tbsp of flour from every cup of all purpose flour. the texture of the flour however is not the same as cake flour.

pastry flour - soft wheat, low gluten content. protein is similar to cake flour but has less starch. used in pastry making.

(high) gluten flour - spring wheat, higher protein content than bread flour. can be used with low protein or non-wheat flours. improves quality and produces breads with a high protein content. high gluten flour can be approximated by adding 2% vital wheat gluten to the total weight of flour being used, e.g. 200 gr AP flour + 4 g vital wheat gluten.

whole wheat flour - contains the germ, bran, endosperm. bran lowers development of gluten making baked products both heavier and denser.

self-rising flour - all purpose flour with salt and leavening. to maky yourself: one cup of AP flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and up to 1/2 teaspoon of salt. adjust salt and leavening in original recipe if making yourself to account for this.

bleached flour - flour exposed to chlorine gas or benzoyl peroxide ; this matures flour and conditions gluten and is said to improve baking quality. used to reduce spoilage and contamination.

unbleached flour - bleached by oxygen in air while aging leaving a product off-white in color. said to be healthier.

bromated flour - unbleached from hard wheat. this flour is treated with bromate (vitamin) and has a high gluten content.

enriched flour - per pound, it contains 2.9 mg thiamin, 1.8 mg riboflavin, 24 mg niacin, and 20 mg iron. most all purpose flour in the north america is enriched.


farina - coarsely ground endosperm from hard wheat. seen in hot breakfast cereals.

semolina - coarsely ground endosperm of durum wheat. high protein content. used to make higher quality pasta. used for couscous also. note that there are several grinds of semolina, from coarse to very fine.

durum flour - made in the production of semolina. used for noodles, various kinds of pasta, and some breads and pastries.

specialty (american) flours based on extraction rates:

straight flour - 100 percent extraction flour; breadmaking flour. used to make patent, clear, and low-grade flours.

stuffed straight flour - straight flour with some clear added to it

patent flour - purest and highest quality of commercial flour available. made from center portion of the endosperm. patent flour is classified into five categories, each having its own purpose [see link].

clear flour - by-product of straight flour remaining after patent flour removed. graded into fancy, first clear, and second clear. each has its own use [see link].

more on american flours with specific charts for protein and mineral content. they are also compared to eachother with respect to different brands.

similar flour types from a canadian source.

other specialty (industry) type flours:

biscuit flour - from soft wheat or combination of soft and hard wheat. used for making american biscuits.

cookie flour - lower-protein soft wheat flour.

cracker flour - from soft [red] winter wheat or blend of hard and soft wheats.

graham flour - specialty type flour used for crackers and other baked good. a whole wheat flour but made in specific proportions.

[there are more which i will add later! this is still "in the works!"]

aha! i knew it!!

today a couple of canadian boys are doing the cooking for you.

a few months back someone sent me a link for a recipe taken from the popular videoshare site, youtube. when i watched it, i knew that i knew the guy's accent. [i'm referring to the guy in the first 2 videos]. thing is, his english was perfect and the accent is pretty much undetectable unless you know it. when i looked at the information, i saw his name (first) and said, ha! i was right. so, you're saying — "yeah, and ..."? nothing really. i just like being right! lol.

so here are a few of the videos from some quebec boys cooking for you. the videos are all pretty much very short and with the exception of the main course type dish, they are all vegetarian.

video 1 — rice, plain and simple
video 2 — curried coconut chicken with lime
video 3 — vegetarian ramen
video 4 — good lookin' baked apples

don't expect haute cuisine here because it's not. it does look hightly edible, however.

that ain't no bagel!

i decided to start 2007 by posting about something that would be significant to the first day of a new year.

they say you should start your year off with something sweet. so, first thing in the morning, i stuffed my face with belgian chocolate and then continued my breakfast with a good sugary dose of the coconut lime "fudge" i made earlier this week. i figured a good sugar rush along with my mornign espresso should shock my system into movement if not put me into shock. looking out the window, i decided to bake something as it was rainy and cold out and everything was closed today. the question was, what to make?

it popped into my head that it is also said that we should start the year by eating something round to signify life, to remind us that everything has a beginning and an end. besides what i am posting today in relation to a new beginning of the year, i also had the ironic news of the unexpected end of someone's life [someone i know of, no relation or friend]. bittersweet, i tell you. you don't expect things like that on january 1st, do you? it reminds one to live each day to the fullest when news like that is heard.

* * * * *

today's post will be about the cousin to the bagel — the bialy. i remember the first time i had one of these in the united states. i couldn't figure it out and really didn't know about it as it's not something we commonly see here — i was intrigued by its chewy texture and its wonderful onion filling which came on the outside in spite of the meaning of the word "filling".

making these does require a few things. it takes time (mostly rising time, 4 1/2 hrs), patience, a strong food processor or mixer, high gluten flour and a very hot oven. of course, the last two can be gotten around by way of using vital wheat gluten with AP flour and a flat baking stone or tiles.

bialys

first made in bialystock, these delicious mini breads transferred to north america with waves of jewish immigrants many years ago. they are quite unique in that they were originally more of a regional specialty; today they are found in several cities. nothing beats them as their "just enough" onion-y shmeared coating and chewy texture make you want to eat another, just as you finish the last bite of the first one. they are the basis for childhood memories of many a person in cities such as new york.


makes 6 bialys (double for one dozen)

ingredients:

300 g high gluten flour or,
300 g AP + 6 g vital wheat gluten
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast
200 ml water

1/2 small onion
salt
sugar
vegetable oil

method:

making the onion paste is the first step —

take your onion and cut it in chunks.

process it until it is finely ground. you may need 2 tbsp or so of water but not too much. use your spatula to keep pushing the mixture down. you want a fine grind.

in a non stick frypan, add some oil and over medium low heat, fry the onion paste only until it is lightly golden. you may add 1/2 tsp sugar halfway through.

set this aside in a small dish but don't wash out the food processor. you will make the dough in it and this will lend flavour to the dough.

in a bowl of your food processor or mixer, place the high gluten flour or AP & vital wheat gluten mix, the salt and yeast.

blend the flour, salt and yeast together to mix well. measure out your water.

start adding the water with the machine running and let it go until it forms a ball. once it has formed this ball, let the machine run for 2 minutes. be careful as this is a strong flour and will make your machine work for every cent its worth.

remove the dough and knead this breifly for 30 seconds and let it cool down. repeat the process. you want to develop the gluten structure to its fullest. once again, repeat.

by the end of the third time, you will end up with a totally amazing texture. if it's true what they say in breadmaking instructions, then this must be what a baby's butt feels like! i prefer the earlobe analogy, thank you very much. i make a lot of bread and pastries and i can tell you that this is one of the softest bread doughs you will ever work with.

due to the higher gluten content, you will notice it is extremely sticky but forms a nice ball. in spite of this stickiness, you won't really need extra flour. place the ball of dough in a bowl and set it aside in a warm place to rise for about 2 hours or until completely doubled. i put mine in the oven with the pilot light on.

after 2 hours, the dough will have swelled up. deflate the dough and place it on a work surface.

separate the dough into 6 balls of 80 to 82 grams each. place them on a lightly floured surface with a lot of space between them. remember they are sticky and with the humidity of being covered they will seem stickier. let these rise for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

45 minutes before you bake, heat your oven to 475 F and place the baking tile in the oven. let this get as hot as it can.

take one of the balls on a floured surface [do not deflate it] and with your fingers push it out from the center towards the edge. think of an inner tube shape however you want the dough in the center to remain intact. it should stretch very thinly to make a membrane about 1/16 of an inch thick. be careful not to rip it. if you do, start over with a new ball and put that one back to rest again. try to extend it as far as you can (about 5 inches).

separate the onion mixture into 6 portions. in a little bowl, put one portion of onion and 1/2 tsp of oil. add only a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar and mix it.

add this to the center of the bialy and with fingers or the back of a spoon, gently spreadly it evenly and thinly all over.

place the bialys on the baking tile and cook for 7 to 8 minutes only. remove and let cool.

eating these while still warm is the best!

enjoy!