This is the face that makes us smile every morning...our little Darla.
2012/08/27
More Mariebelle
You cannot resist! Thick, syrupy Aztec chocolate goodness in demitasse cups...made at home. If you don't have Mariebelle chocolate on hand and want something comparable, try this:
Chop 3oz of good dark chocolate (Green & Black, Scharffen Berger, etc - at least 72%) and begin melting in a double boiler. In a glass measuring cup, heat a mixture of 1/3 C milk and 1/3 C whipping cream until just past warm (do not boil) - about 140 degrees. Slowly pour into the chocolate, incorporating it as you go with a whisk (slow movement, don't beat it). Incorporate 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon with the mix. When everything is smooth, pour into espresso cups and serve.
Mariebelle Chocolate
Quite possibly the best hot chocolate you will ever have. Served very thick, the syrupy concoction is actually not that sweet, with a hint of cinnamon. From Mariebelle's in SoHo, New York City, now available at home.
Image by MadeForJen
2012/08/26
Frenching
I discovered very early on that Jen and I both love lamb chops. Lamb is such an excellent meat - succulent flavor, soft and buttery, and goes with so many things. Lamb chops are the pinnacle of elegant dining meats if you ask me (debatable I guess) and the best way to serve them is Frenched.
Frenched chops simply means that the meat and fat around the rib bone has been removed. It's pretty simple to do with a little practice but it makes a ton of difference in the presentation. The reason its good to learn is that you can buy pre-Frenched chops but they will cost you at least 25% more. The only time that I recommend having them pre-Frenched is if you buy a whole rack, simply because it is more complicated to do.
Start with your chops on a poly cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, begin to scrape the meat from the base, right where the chop widens into the meat. If you scrape with the sharp edge dragging at a 30 degree angle, by the time you are about 1/2" or 3/4" up the rib, you should be able to peel the rest off because of the muscle layer that runs along the rib.
Clean them off as best possible. If you want them really clean, you can use a variety of DIY methods including a clean steel sponge or brush or just continue to scrape more.
Images by MadeForJen
Frenched chops simply means that the meat and fat around the rib bone has been removed. It's pretty simple to do with a little practice but it makes a ton of difference in the presentation. The reason its good to learn is that you can buy pre-Frenched chops but they will cost you at least 25% more. The only time that I recommend having them pre-Frenched is if you buy a whole rack, simply because it is more complicated to do.
Start with your chops on a poly cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, begin to scrape the meat from the base, right where the chop widens into the meat. If you scrape with the sharp edge dragging at a 30 degree angle, by the time you are about 1/2" or 3/4" up the rib, you should be able to peel the rest off because of the muscle layer that runs along the rib.
Clean them off as best possible. If you want them really clean, you can use a variety of DIY methods including a clean steel sponge or brush or just continue to scrape more.
Images by MadeForJen
2012/08/24
Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving for three reasons. First, it's one day that a good chunk of the USA acknowledges and prays to God (aside from Easter and Christmas). Second, it's the one time that family and friends really try to put away junk and be together. And third, of course, there's the food.
Last Thanksgiving we were blessed to share our weekend with Jen's sister and her friend. Jen decided to express her creativity in gold. So out came the tablecloth, which got painted with gold spots, then the gold stemware, the candles. I may cook well but I don't do tables. Thankfully, the table came out nicely.
Images from MadeByGirl
Last Thanksgiving we were blessed to share our weekend with Jen's sister and her friend. Jen decided to express her creativity in gold. So out came the tablecloth, which got painted with gold spots, then the gold stemware, the candles. I may cook well but I don't do tables. Thankfully, the table came out nicely.
For my end, the menu. OK, maybe this was a bit much for four but hey, it's Thanksgiving.
A little extra not on the menu ... asparagus.
Potato mash with sundried tomatos and fried leeks.
Cornish game hens with rosemary-raisin bread stuffing (will post recipe soon).
Flourless chocolate cakettes with berries.
Images from MadeByGirl
2012/08/23
Tea Rice
I am half Chinese and one would think I love rice but the fact is I find it pretty bland. In fact, growing up, I almost always put something on it - soy sauce, hot sauce, butter - anything to flavor it (and don't laugh but if you've never tasted it - try brown rice with yellow mustard).
I'd seen this done before but never tried it so I figured I'd give it a go. There is a Japanese dish - "ochazuke" - that uses green tea and short-grain, but I prefer the taste of jasmine rice and tea, which is much more fragrant and has an almost flowery taste. You can use pretty much any brand, for this test I used Rishi Silver Needle Jasmine, which has a strong scent.
Ingredients:
1 Tb loose jasmine tea
2 1/4 C water
1 1/2 C jasmine rice (or other long-grain)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Boil the water and steep for 4 minutes, then discard the leaves. Put the brewed tea in a saucepan and bring to a boil, add the rice, cover and reduce to low. Cook rice until tender - about 15 minutes.
Serve with, well, anything that strikes you!
I'd seen this done before but never tried it so I figured I'd give it a go. There is a Japanese dish - "ochazuke" - that uses green tea and short-grain, but I prefer the taste of jasmine rice and tea, which is much more fragrant and has an almost flowery taste. You can use pretty much any brand, for this test I used Rishi Silver Needle Jasmine, which has a strong scent.
Ingredients:
1 Tb loose jasmine tea
2 1/4 C water
1 1/2 C jasmine rice (or other long-grain)
1/4 tsp sea salt
Boil the water and steep for 4 minutes, then discard the leaves. Put the brewed tea in a saucepan and bring to a boil, add the rice, cover and reduce to low. Cook rice until tender - about 15 minutes.
Serve with, well, anything that strikes you!
2012/08/22
Lemon Pepper Chicken
This is a fresh, basic lemon-pepper chicken but instead of that crummy dried powder seasoning, we're making it from scratch for something a little more special.
Being in NYC and without a grill (which I would've normally recommended), instead we're using a broiler for this one. Also, you can use a baking dish but for the best result, use a heavy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet - they distribute the heat much more evenly and give the chicken a nice crust.
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken thighs
2 lemons
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 Tb butter
1 tsp fresh chopped parsley
Preheat the broiler (low setting) and put a seasoned cast iron skillet in it. Squeeze one lemon into a ceramic or glass bowl, add a good 1/2 tsp of pepper and the salt. Add the chicken breasts and marinate for 5 minutes while the oven heats.
When hot, put the chicken into the skillet and put back into the broiler. Broil for 15 minutes on low. Squeeze the other lemon over the chicken and drop the butter into the pan, then crank it to high. Broil for 2-4 more minutes until golden brown.
Serves well with rice and a vegetable or salad of choice.
Being in NYC and without a grill (which I would've normally recommended), instead we're using a broiler for this one. Also, you can use a baking dish but for the best result, use a heavy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet - they distribute the heat much more evenly and give the chicken a nice crust.
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken thighs
2 lemons
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 Tb butter
1 tsp fresh chopped parsley
Preheat the broiler (low setting) and put a seasoned cast iron skillet in it. Squeeze one lemon into a ceramic or glass bowl, add a good 1/2 tsp of pepper and the salt. Add the chicken breasts and marinate for 5 minutes while the oven heats.
When hot, put the chicken into the skillet and put back into the broiler. Broil for 15 minutes on low. Squeeze the other lemon over the chicken and drop the butter into the pan, then crank it to high. Broil for 2-4 more minutes until golden brown.
Serves well with rice and a vegetable or salad of choice.
2012/08/21
Children's Cup
Every day that Jen and I sit to eat, we thank God for the fact that we even have food on our table, let alone the luxury of being able to enjoy that food and all that we've been blessed with.
All of us have seen the commercials and frequently we turn a blind eye to it. There are people starving everywhere. Yes, here in the USA, it's a problem with over 15% of people under the poverty line. Living in NYC it is prevalent - walking just between our home and the train we pass homeless, hungry people all the time. Jen is particularly heartfelt about this - it is rare to not see her give something, whether its money, a prayer, a bottle of water, something.
People have commented to us that we shouldn't turn a blind eye to the problem in our own country in favor of those in other places and I don't deny that we need to solve the problem here. The difference is that in the USA, despite all its problems, we have things like social services and welfare and missions that are a last line of resort for many. In other places - Africa, Central and South America, parts of Asia - there isn't any such thing so those without are literally without.
Children's Cup is a donation-based Christian ministry whose mission is to take both humanitarian and spiritual aid to devastated and neglected parts of the world and give children some hope, some food, and with God's grace, a fresh start. We learned this weekend just how little it costs to feed, clothe and educate a child for a year and the amount is so small, I couldn't help but think that even a collaborative effort to help one person is mercy in and of itself.
I am in the tech world and I watch Kickstarter projects amass contributions to get incredible projects off the ground. I think its an amazing and bold initiative that might just possibly have saved us from the 1999 bubble. But at the same time, just an iota of that money towards helping someone who is desperately in need and you've saved more than just an idea, you've saved a life.
So please, next time you are about to donate $10 to that project, think about possibly just giving it to Children's Cup, or any other organization truly dedicated to bringing a change, and bring a little grace to someone's life. And if you want to stay closer to home and live in NYC, check out Liberty City - I'll write about that another day :)
Images from Children's Cup
Follow on Twitter @childrenscup
Children's Cup on Facebook
All of us have seen the commercials and frequently we turn a blind eye to it. There are people starving everywhere. Yes, here in the USA, it's a problem with over 15% of people under the poverty line. Living in NYC it is prevalent - walking just between our home and the train we pass homeless, hungry people all the time. Jen is particularly heartfelt about this - it is rare to not see her give something, whether its money, a prayer, a bottle of water, something.
People have commented to us that we shouldn't turn a blind eye to the problem in our own country in favor of those in other places and I don't deny that we need to solve the problem here. The difference is that in the USA, despite all its problems, we have things like social services and welfare and missions that are a last line of resort for many. In other places - Africa, Central and South America, parts of Asia - there isn't any such thing so those without are literally without.
Children's Cup is a donation-based Christian ministry whose mission is to take both humanitarian and spiritual aid to devastated and neglected parts of the world and give children some hope, some food, and with God's grace, a fresh start. We learned this weekend just how little it costs to feed, clothe and educate a child for a year and the amount is so small, I couldn't help but think that even a collaborative effort to help one person is mercy in and of itself.
I am in the tech world and I watch Kickstarter projects amass contributions to get incredible projects off the ground. I think its an amazing and bold initiative that might just possibly have saved us from the 1999 bubble. But at the same time, just an iota of that money towards helping someone who is desperately in need and you've saved more than just an idea, you've saved a life.
So please, next time you are about to donate $10 to that project, think about possibly just giving it to Children's Cup, or any other organization truly dedicated to bringing a change, and bring a little grace to someone's life. And if you want to stay closer to home and live in NYC, check out Liberty City - I'll write about that another day :)
"4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
Images from Children's Cup
Follow on Twitter @childrenscup
Children's Cup on Facebook
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