Delicious Summer Pasta
It’s true, I eat a lot of pasta. But can you really ever eat too much pasta? The other day, I found myself with a great mix of flavors and textures to make a typical bowl of pasta feel gussied up. This could easily be …
Devouring life, one bite at a time
It’s true, I eat a lot of pasta. But can you really ever eat too much pasta? The other day, I found myself with a great mix of flavors and textures to make a typical bowl of pasta feel gussied up. This could easily be …
My good friends know that I have trouble transitioning into summer drinks, given my passion for porters, stouts and whiskeys during the cooler months. Don’t get me wrong, I love a cosmo or a gin and tonic as much as a gal can, but finding …
Last weekend I made my first trip to the Asian grocery store in town. It’s time I get away from my Euro-American cooking comfort zone and explore some new terrain. I asked my friend Chuck if she needed me to pick up anything. “Maybe just …
More photos discovered from the New York trip! Today, it’s from Grant’s Tomb. Did you know that not only is it right in New York City, but is also the largest mausoleum in the country? I was happy to cross this off my old history …
Boil the cream and pour over the chopped chocolate in bowl. Cover with Saran wrap and let it steam before you start stirring (stirring cools it down too fast without giving the chocolate the chance to melt completely).
Wait a few minutes to stir in the chocolate completely, then add your whiskey and butter. Make sure the butter is chopped up in little pea-sized pieces or it takes a surprisingly long time to melt and your ganache will risk having butter streaks in it. Every ganache recipe is better with butter incorporated- it leaves a silkier texture and adds a little salt to bring out the flavor.
Mix well. Then let it harden in the fridge with a layer of plastic to prevent condensation.
When it is set, you can start to roll it into balls. Don’t worry about them being even because they are meant to be uneven and look like real truffles from the ground. Roll out all of the ganache and put into a freezer. It’s okay if they’re lined on a sheet pan or stacked in a bowl. This is where I strongly recommend wearing a pair of latex gloves. It keeps the chocolate from sticking to your skin and provides an extra layer of insulation between the cool ganache and your warm hands. It also will prevent fingerprints later when you pick up the truffles and make your life a whole lot cleaner.
Chocolate is messy and does not have a long wait time, so make sure you have an assembly line ready to go. The more organized you are, the more fun it will be to make them.
I have all the ganache rolled out so you don’t have to worry about having to remelt the chocolate. This way you get it all in one shot. Since tempering chocolate is its own beast, I have the melted chocolate a little on the warm side and the cold ganache makes them set up almost immediately. I like lining a sheetpan with plastic in case of drips. Start at the farthest end and line up the finished chocolate towards you so the new ones aren’t dripping over.
Put a little melted chocolate on your palm and roll the truffle in it. It’s that easy and you can see how quickly it sets up when the truffles are cold to start. You can also see how messy it is, even with the gloves! I find them essential.
Please share your experience making them and let me know if there were any directions that needed clarification.
Real women love ribs. And barbecue. And hot sauce. Yesterday I had my first barbecue in far too long for a meat enthusiast to admit. Chuck and I met a couple friends in Calistoga for a luxurious day of mineral pools and hot springs. At …
When you’re in college, there is nothing less appealing than relatives trying to pawn off their housewares onto you, especially when they’re family heirlooms from aging relatives. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate my Uncle Clarence thinking of me. It was more of a what …
Notice the detail to use a different grain to cast a shadow.
Our curator shone light on one edge to show a better example of the 3D effect. This would be extraordinary if created now in the age of power tools.
Next came embroidery from Louis XIV. These are not tapestries, mind you. This was all done by hand, not loom.
Can you see the silver thread?
Another example of elaborate inlay using ivory, tortoiseshell and ebony.
Rococo chandelier.
Scallop shell armchairs with original tapestry from the mid-18th century. Take the oldest buildings in our country, and this chair is even older.
Lacquered desk of Louis XV, all part of a fascinating process of tapping trees in Southeast Asia for the effect.
Marie Antoinette’s chair.
Can you see her insignia? It’s in the center under the cabinet top.
A raised desk with compartments and a book slant for more comfortable reading. Kind of robotic for the neoclassic period.
By 1710 porcelain was made in France during the reign of Louis XV by the famed company Sevres. Porcelain was of particular interest with royal furniture because it retains its color over age. This furniture was intended for the women of the court.
The carvings on the side panels are Wedgwood.
I snapped these as I walked through Medieval art to catch up with the next tour.
Now I’m appreciating my Aunt Ettorina’s wedding china she passed on to me. It has patiently waited in my father’s garage for at least five years, and now it will be used everyday in my new little kitchen.
Stay tuned for the excitement! I don’t think it’s Sevres, but it’s antique as far as I’m concerned.
Okay, how much do you know about Islamic art? Because I know nothing. So to continue with neato things from the Met, here are some snapshots from the tour of Arts in the Islamic World. Notice the importance of symmetry, arches, and the use of …