One morning - two apple cakes

The overnight cake going to the refrigerator last night

The overnight cake fresh out of the oven

I noticed I had some apples that needed to be used in my refrigerator last week, so I decided to try one of the recipes on my Baking Project list - Apfelkuchen - this weekend.  Apfelkuchen is a German dessert; the word translates to apple cake.  Normally, this is a yeasted cake that contains - yes, you guessed it - apples.  I have not worked with yeast as a component of cakes before, so I was entering new territory.

I decided last night to give myself an easy start by trying a non-yeasted apple cake that uses buttermilk and both baking powder and soda combined with an overnight proofing time to replicate the traditional yeast method.  You can find the recipe here. I mixed it up and put it in the refrigerator yesterday evening.  This morning, I pulled it out and, after a "warming" period, it went in the oven and started to smell glorious.  This recipe was a big success for my personal tastes.  If I was staying at someone's house and they offered this for breakfast, I would definitely be a happy guest!  However, the apples are not a big part of the overall dish.  The recipe specifies an overall volume to add, but not the size to chop the apples.  I roughly diced them which used 1 1/2 medium sized apples, and a small piece of the cake only contains one or two pieces.  So, not a recipe to use if you are looking for something that tastes strongly of apples.

Adding my homemade vanilla to the yeasted cake

Apples spread over the yeast dough

The first piece out of the yeasted cake

The second cake was a traditional Apfelkuchen - recipe here - I chose this particular recipe because of the comments that it had the same taste as Apfelkuchen that the reviewers had eaten in Germany.  The apples are definitely more of a star in this cake.  I thought the flavor combination was a little faint though - perhaps a bit more cinnamon or lemon peel might have punched it up a bit or even a switch to honey as the sweetener.  It definitely tasted better cooler than fresh out of the oven; most cakes are the opposite in my experience.  The yeast action seemed to work correctly - I had a good rise during the proofing time - but I was left a little unsure of the purpose of choosing yeast over other rising agents in this dessert.  I'll need to do a little more research on this later to satisfy my curiosity.  So, a bit of a mixed review on this one - the recipe worked great, but my personal taste reaction was "meh".

I am hoping to get at least one more cake (possibly two) made this weekend in an effort to push myself forward with my baking project.  So ... off to the kitchen!

#57 - German Pretzels and my Baking Challenge

Waiting for the water to boil with the German Pretzels

 I've tried a new baking recipe each of the first two weekends this year, and plan to do at least one this weekend as well.  It seemed perfect to start the first recipe for my baking project with German Soft Pretzels since they were already on my DayZero list.  I had decided to make pretzels that used a baking soda bath rather than the strictly traditional lye.  After some searching on the internet, I found a good recipe candidate here.

Pretzels just out of the oven

I had made bagels in the past, so I did have some idea of how to approach the boil, then bake method.  However, I decided to stick strictly with the proofing times provided in the recipe instead of following my instincts.  This was probably a mistake as my kitchen (and house in general) is normally cooler than many people prefer.  I didn't get the best rise, but I did get a lesson in trusting your gut when deciding when something is ready.  Shaping the pretzels was more difficult than I expected; the dough did not want to cooperate with being rolled into ropes (probably due to the too-short proof) and my lengths were on the short side - less material to turn into the traditional knots.  I was VERY happy that I did follow the recipe's advice to stand back as I added the baking soda to the boiling water - I had a mini volcano for a short time that did make me worry if I would have anything left in the stockpot to boil the pretzels.

I thought the taste of the finished product was good; however, this is a recipe that I want to revisit and try to work out some of the kinks in the future.

Starting the soda bread

My second new baked good was Irish Soda Bread.  I've made soda bread before in my bread machine but never from scratch.  I choose a plain recipe from a cookbook that I generally have good results on new recipes.  This was a fairly straight-forward bake; the only wobble was that I didn't have quite enough all-purpose flour in my container when I started.  I did have more all-purpose in the freezer, but didn't want to add it in since (as referenced above) my kitchen tends to be cold already.  So, I changed proportions slightly to include more bread flour.  The end result had a bit more fiber, tasted fine, and smelled lovely as I took it from the oven.

I have heard that deeply scoring soda bread helps the bake

Warm soda bread dusted with flour

A New Year and a New Project

Though I haven't been keeping up with posting, I have completed 3 more tasks on my DayZero list since I last blogged.  And, I've also set myself a new open-ended challenge to work on that may earn some posts as well.

The first batches of vanilla - started in early June

The same bottles two weeks later

One of the on-going items that I decided was complete was my experiments with making my own vanilla extract.  I started the process in early June with 3 bottles.  I started 12 more smaller bottles in late June to give as gifts and try some different flavor combinations.  I tried using vanilla beans from three different regions - Mexico, Madagascar, and Tahiti - some bottles had a single source of beans and a few had blends from different regions.  I also used a variety of spirits - vodka, bourbon, rum, and even tequila - for the extract agents.  I used a little of the Mexican beans in vodka formula for the last of my Christmas baking, and it seemed to work quite well.  I also gave about half of my bottles away as Christmas gifts.  Though the process does take some time, it is incredibly easy and doesn't require much attention.

I also reorganized all of my recipe clippings before I started my holiday baking.  I went from three 1" binders with lots of loose bits of paper sliding out to six binders - 3 of which are 3" size.  It is SO much easier for me to find the recipes that I am looking for now.  I even separated the cookie recipes - since I have so many - into a binder of things that I have tried (with my notes on how they turned out) and another binder of ideas to try at a future time.

My last completed goal was to keep a gratitude list for a month.  I did this through the month of November in the daily journal that I've kept for years.  It was an interesting task; I did find at least one thing to be thankful for every day (although there were some stressful days in that period).  My conclusion at the end was that I am most grateful for small things in my life - my silly and affectionate cat, my family, small kind gestures from friends and co-workers, etc. - it seems that our culture promotes the big things in life as those to aspire to (winning the lottery, etc.), but I found it is the little day to day moments that really add up to make your life better.  So, I am trying harder to make time for myself and things that make me happy as well as being mindful of those moments when I can add something to someone else's life.

All of these goals are sort of combined into my new big side project - being a better baker!  I love to bake but have resisted watching any sort of food shows until recently when I started using them as a distraction while I exercise.  And, I have succumbed to the charms of the Great British Baking Show; I love how each baker seems to be concentrating on doing their personal best rather than the all out competition aspect, and I learned lots about areas of baking where I don't have personal experience.  I thought "well, maybe I haven't been giving other baking shows a fair chance."  So, I watched some others and was appalled on several levels - so much competition, lots of gimmicks, and the bakers don't seem to be all that knowledgeable about multiple areas of baking.  So, I decided that personal knowledge is a good thing and have made myself a list (which quickly became huge) of skills and recipes that I want to gain to become a better baker.  If I manage to complete a recipe a week, it will take me two years to get through it all ... I actually think it will take even longer than that because some of the things listed are probably going to need multiple attempts and there will certainly be weeks when I don't have time to make something.  Let me be clear - I'm not prepping to be a baking contestant, I just want to be better at something that brings me (and hopefully the individuals who help eat my experiments) joy.  So, expect to see a few baking posts mixed into my Day Zero adventures in the upcoming months.

#74 - New foods

I have been described by a number of people as being a picky eater.  There is some truth in that statement, so this goal was designed to expand my culinary horizons a little.  Out of the five new things I tried, I really only liked one; however, I don't see myself actually making it often.  Sadly, I did not take photos along the way, so you'll have to do with my descriptions.

The first try was roasted seaweed.  I had been given this by my brother's family, and it is one of my niece's favorite snacks.  It was very thin - almost like a gelatin sheet - and quite crispy.  However, it smelled exactly like cleaning the tank on the library's pet turtle.  Too much so for me to enjoy despite the crunch.

The second new item was daikon.  This was okay, but I can't say much more than that for it.  I tried it raw, and the taste was actually milder than I expected ... sort of like a radish.  I don't know that I would ever use it though.

The third try was clotted cream which I had with jam on a plain scone.  I had a very different picture in my head of how this would look and taste; I expected something more fluffy and with a more sweet cream taste.  On the other hand, I also had reservations that it might be like a dry cottage cheese which I don't like at all.  Instead, it was a lot like unsalted butter - which made sense after I thought about it.  However, I'm not all that interested in sweet butter as a direct addition to baked snacks, so though I don't really think I'll ever be using it.

The fourth item was my favorite - parsnip soup.  I've had (and enjoy) roasted parsnips, but I had never really thought about making them into a soup.  The one I tried was excellent - similar to carrot or squash soup.  I never use the blender for making soup though, so this might just be something that I keep my eye out for at restaurants rather than making my own.

The last new item was leek soup.  Spurred by both the success of the parsnip soup a few days earlier, and my need to stick to softer food because of having my wisdom teeth out, I tried this even though I am not a big fan of onions.  It was okay, but not something that I would seek out.

#22 - Light hearted murder

This is the mystery of the evening - box, a clue book, and the business card that one of the characters brought to promote her fictitious business.

I don't always invite my friends over for a murder... but when I do, we always have a good time!

I love taking part in murder mystery dinners - as writer, as host, as unwitting participant - they are so much fun.  However, it can be a little challenging to make everything work smoothly.  Writing one takes a large chunk of time, so I like to use the kits.  However, these pre-boxed sets are generally written for couples, and I have a  ton of great girlfriends (not all of whom have an associated partner who is willing to come along).  Last night, I used a women's only game from a company that I found on the internet (note: I purchased this several years ago, and they do not seem to be selling online any longer) - this allowed me to be in the dark about the murderer as well.

If you have not tried this sort of game, here's the general outline:

• there's a theme - essentially a reason for all of the outlandish characters to get together.  Last night, the theme was contestants in a reality bachelor show type of contest trying to convince a prince to wed.
• each character has a name that reflects their background, goals, or other personal trait.  For example, I was playing Destiny Wilbemyne - an aspiring singer/songwriter looking for her big break despite her lack of talent.
• each character has a personal agenda of why they wanted the murder victim out of the way
• the game starts with a message / statement / announcement that the victim has been murdered and the players are the suspects.
• then there are several rounds of clues - those you try to keep hidden and items that you reveal about other characters as they try to defend themselves.  This is the main part of the game as you try to figure out motives and opportunities. 
• finally, characters read (in ascending order from least opportunity / motive to the killer) a final epilogue that reveals how the crime happened

Clare (the wealthy black widow), Destiny (the star to be), Wanda (the royal do-gooder), and Lacey (the wedding planner)

I usually serve a course of food with each round.  Last night, I used the conceit that the 18 course feast promised by the prince's caterers was unexpected cut short when he died and only the first 3 courses of appetizers and a dessert had been finished.  Really, I had been looking for an opportunity to try lots of different appetizer recipes at once to get some feedback, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Our menu was:
First course (Dips):
Individual Seven Layer Dip Cups - recipe from this site
Fiesta Dip
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

The last strawberry tart

Vegetable Crudites
Blue Corn Chips
Cheesy Phyllo Crackers - recipe from this site
Pita Chips
Pretzels
Whole Grain Crackers
Cheese Tray

Second Course (Cold Appetizers):
Devilled Eggs
Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels - recipe from this site
Prosciutto wrapped dates stuffed with feta

Third Course (Hot Appetizers):
Sausage Cheddar Balls
Spanokopita
Pepper Poppers
Ham & Cheese Spirals - recipe from this site

Dessert:
Individual White Chocolate and Strawberry Tarts

Doing this recipes many did make my kitchen a disaster zone by the end of the evening, but I would make any of them again.  I was taking a bit of a gamble on trying 7 brand new recipes in one party; however, the guests pronounced themselves stuffed (in the best of ways) by the end of the evening.

The evening was great fun - three of us (including myself) did figure out who the murderer was.  Some of my favorite moments from the evening were - singing (as badly as only Destiny could) several of the clues, Jade's side stories about the lamb-ahs (llamas) on her daddy's Texas ranch, Goldie's waitress wedding dress costume, Lacey's insistence on the need for ruffles and descriptions of the weddings that she had helped to plan, etc.  My friends are so clever and had great costumes and props - I, unfortunately, did not take many photos - the off-the-cuff remarks were often much funnier than the actual written clues.  I look forward to the next party because I was reminded of how much fun I have with these games.

Mary (the self-help guru), Goldie (the waitress), and Clare

#87 - Pi / Pie Day

I like odd holidays, and "Pi Day" on March 14 certainly qualifies.  However, I've never been particularly talented at pie crust, so I usually just think about making a pie rather than actually baking one on the right day (or any other day).  This year, I had some time (due to a last minute schedule switch at work) to really focus bettering my pie skills.  I decided to try to make both my grandma's lemon pie recipe AND a recipe for apple handpies from a blogger/cookbook author I follow - here's a link to the handpie recipe.

First up was the lemon pie.  I was determined to make the crust at an acceptable level - I normally only can produce crumbs and give up before I get to the filling part.  So, I went directly to an expert and called my mom!  She did give me a couple of tips that I hadn't known, and I am pleased to report that it turned out to be the best traditional pie crust that I have EVER made.  Not anywhere near the level of my mom or grandma, but it held together and tasted like pie crust and wasn't a doughy glop under the filling and looked okay.  I really did a great job on the filling though ... the lemon curd turned out perfectly.  I was particularly happy with the bright color since I made the filling from scratch and did not use any coloring.  It just looks like a happy pie to me.

My grandma's lemon pie recipe ... our family mostly doesn't like meringue, so we rarely put anything on top of the lemon

I started to move on to the handpies.  I actually had unexpected company through most of this process which made the baking more fun.  However, it also made me pay less attention to what I was doing, so I ended up doubling the filling recipe (because I had so many apples) and then forgot to double the dough recipe to match.  So, I have a batch of apple filling in my refrigerator waiting for me to make some more dough and finish off the pies.  This dough recipe was a lot easier to work with, but I don't think I would like it in a traditionally shaped pie.  I tried several different ways of assembling the pies (only photographed one).  The filling was on the sweet side, but also quite addicting.  My guest last night asked me if there was caramel inside - there isn't, but the flavors blend to give that impression.  If the juices leak out, the pies are a bit sticky ... I may try additional shapes when I bake the rest to overcome this problem ... so, pack something to wipe off your hands if you bring them in a lunch or on a picnic.

Apple handpies made in silicon muffin tins - you can see I didn't get them to seal entirely, but none of the bottoms burned from the juice

I count this year as a very successful Pi Day!

#68 - Mardi Gras Tasting Party

The revelers with masks and the wine bottles!

Horatio inspects the decorative curtain

After my last wine tasting party, I got a lot of comments from friends that they wanted to have another round.  Adding Mardi Gras into the mix seemed like a good fit, so the Mardi Vino was announced.  This party was a blind tasting of more than just wine ... guests also sampled non-alcoholic beverages and a variety of cheeses.

Some of the many wine varieties we tried.

To keep with the Mardi Gras theme, everyone brought masks, and plenty of beads were available.  Beads were given out for correct guesses on the tastings and on the whim of the hostess :) - those with the most and least beads at the end of the evening also received prizes.  The evening also ended with a king cake and a final sip of whatever each individual had enjoyed the most to drink.

It was interesting to see how the group had favorites (or least favorites).  Among the non-alcoholic beverages, there was no clear favorite.  However, the coconut water was dubbed "yuck" and "tastes like pedialite".  The sweet tea advocates were evenly divided based on whether the individual had grown up in a region where it was served regularly.  And, the barley water was a surprising new taste - there was agreement that the lemon flavoring probably made the taste a lot better than having it unflavored.

Considering the latest taste

The wines had three top runners - the Prosecco from the Lamarca Winery in Italy, the Shiraz from Piping Shrike Winery in Australia, and the Blueberry Mead from White Winter Winery in Wisconsin.  One of the more interesting wines - but less of a "yummy, buy it by the case" reaction - was a pomegranate wine from Armenia.  The least favorite of the group by far was the rose from Skinny Girl Winery in California ... there was some speculation as to whether trying to produce a wine with less calories had led to a wine with no layered notes.

Horatio sat very quietly at the table for most of the evening - perhaps hoping to go unnoticed when the cheese course appeared!

The cheeses seemed to be a hit with everyone.  No discernible favorites here - the group liked all 10 varieties.  There was surprise that the Irish cheddar included blueberries and that the Havarti came from Denmark.  More people were correct in guessing the types of cheese than the types of wine served.

Anne finds the king cake baby

At the end of the evening, the king cake was served (with baby - to indicate who should host the party the following year.).  Beads were tallied ... and the designated driver arrived in time for a slice of king cake as well ...

Barb with her jester hat prize

Low Effort Retail Therapy - subscription boxes part 1

I haven't posted for a while ... nor have I been working much on Day Zero (though I would dearly love to have the time to work on my goals).  This is the reason why:

I've mentioned that my city is building a new library building.  Two months from today is the contract completion date, and the photo above was taken 4 days ago.  My life is just a tad busy right now with planning how to move around 35,000 books (possibly after we have snow on the ground) plus other items to the new location and making certain that all the ordered new furnishings will arrive at the new building at the proper time and all of the daily tasks that go into running a small library.

I've been looking for ways to combat stress and discovered the world of subscription boxes.  For those of you who haven't heard this term, think "x of the month" club - only the contents are usually a surprise, sometimes run in a theme, and often you can just order a single box to see if you like the contents before committing to an ongoing subscription.  I like to get surprises in the mail, so this sounds like a great way for me to do a little retail therapy for stress without actually having to spend time ... well, shopping.

Horatio's box

I did a little research and came up with a list of about 25 boxes to try.  (Note, that I don't normally spend as much $ on myself as this little project is taking; however, working extra hours EVERY week for a couple of years has cut down on my frivolous expenses in the recent past by not giving me as much time to do recreational things, so I can afford to try a lot of different companies).  My plan is to use a random number generator to choose the next box to order from my (numbered) list of options every night that I come home from work and meet the following two conditions:  I'm stressed out or exhausted by the events of the day AND there isn't already a box waiting for me in the mail.  Then, I'll try to review boxes in batches on this blog - both to keep it active until I get a chance to start working on DayZero again AND because I found other blog reviews quite helpful when putting together my own list of things to order.

Horatio selects his first toy

So, the first box that came was Bunny's Furr and Feathers Funpack.  My cat, Horatio, was firmly in favor of receiving it and had no trouble helping me open it.  This company has products for various pets, and you fill out a little survey about your pet (age, activity level, etc.) to help customize it.  I was pleasantly surprised at the level of customer service.  I had written that Horatio is picky about treats, and they asked me if he had any special favorites via email and seemed genuinely motivated to get as good a selection of items for my cat as possible rather than just whatever they sent everyone else that month.

The toy he loves

The box came 4 days after I ordered it and contained a variety of 4 toys and 2 types of treats.  Horatio has play-tested 3 of the toys and sampled one type of treat.  He really likes two of the toys.  The first one he pulled out of the box was a very fat faux-fur mouse.  Sadly, the construction wasn't solid, and he managed to rip open a seam and extract a great deal of fiber fluff while I was at work.  He doesn't eat stuff like that, so this is not a huge deal to me but might be to other cat owners.

Other items in Horatio's box

The second toy (and his new favorite) is much more solidly constructed.  He "killed" it over and over the first night - purring loudly the whole time - and multiple times since.  The top is made of mop-like material, the bottom (blue) is faux fur, and it makes intriguing crinkly noises.  I think I laughed at his antics for almost an hour with it - well worth the cost of the entire box for me.  He's also played with the boa-like toy; he has others like this, so it wasn't as exciting.  We haven't tried the last toy yet or the package of dried whitefish treats.  He eats the chicken treats (I think more because of the novelty of getting them in the living room rather than the kitchen) but doesn't ask for them.  As I said, he's very picky about treats.  I will probably order him another box from this company at a later date.

The second box to arrive was, ironically, the other item on the list that was not intended for me!  I missed a gift for my friend Nina's birthday earlier this summer, and this company seemed like one made for her.  (Note that I did not take photos of the contents because it was her gift to open.)  The company, Taste Trunk, has 4 different types of boxes; I ordered her the gourmet variety.  It came in a week.  The contents were normal (though smaller) sized food items from small companies with a variety of tastes represented.  Everything was beautifully packaged and wrapped for safe shipment.  Included were cards with information on each item as well as a few recipes.

Nina's gourmet box

The item that I found the most interesting was chocolate pasta!  Something that I did not expect to see in this box since one of the other boxes you can order specializes in sweets.  The item that Nina exclaimed the most over was a grouping of 4 dip (or seasoning) packets with recipes in English and French.  Also included - an artichoke bruschetta spread, strawberry honey mustard, and ginger sesame dressing.

If you are a foodie, this is a good box.  The price seemed fair, and the choices were an interesting variety.  The company also allows you to make your own trunk by selecting individual items to combine from their website; however, I did not see the items from the box (went looking for that chocolate pasta) included so they must be exclusive to the subscribers.

The final box which I have received to date was Graze.  These little snack packs are less expensive than most of the other companies on my list, so I am going to keep my subscription going for a while here.  I've been looking for some portion-sized snacks for work, and this company may be my answer.  This is an actual on-going subscription service (though you can opt out at any time), so you can't order only one box to try.

My first Graze box

The interesting part of the Graze concept is how they determine which snacks to send you.  You have a profile and can choose to "trash" - i.e. ask them never to send you - any of their snacks that you don't like.  You can also "love" items - which I would guess means you will have a higher chance of receiving them.  Or, you can ask for only lower calorie snacks.  You can go in and rate snacks after you receive them or pre-rate based on the descriptions.  (For example, I went through and trashed everything that included pistachios since I don't like them.)  My first set of 4 snacks looks interesting.  I plan to bring the box to work (it's about the size of a book), so I haven't tried any of them yet.  I will be interested to see how the boxes change as I rate more items that I have had a chance to try.

More items discussed in future posts as I receive them ...

#12 - Carpe Vino

The selections ready for the party

It has been a while since I've had friends over for more than just a casual one-on-one chat, so I decided a few weeks ago that it was time to turn to my DayZero list for an excuse for a party.  I had already chosen March 15th as a possible date and wine seemed to be a good match to the Ides of March.  A wine and cheese tasting party was in the works ...

Looking at one of the choices ...

I know that my friends have a wide range of experience with tasting wine - I'm on the less knowledgeable end of that spectrum - so I decided to include some more unusual wines to give the more experienced a challenge and less experienced a taste of something new.   Along with selections from my personal "cellar" (and I use that expression very loosely), I had fun one afternoon at a wine shop with a young clerk choosing some varieties that are not as commonly tried.  This led to me buying way too many bottles and needing to narrow down the choices ... I eventually settled on 9 different types.  Perhaps I'll need to have another party to share some of the unchosen ones from this round.

Personalized wine glasses waiting to go to the table.

It was a learning experience for me to find out how to order the different wines for the tasting and the serving temperature for each - plus I read a lot about how to taste along the way.  This site http://www.wine-tastings-guide.com/how-to-taste-wine.html was the most informative.  And I found a fun graphic of a wine tasting wheel that I printed out for people to have ideas on flavors that they might smell or taste.

In northern MN, March means wearing your toga with boots!

Since I had a Ides of March theme, we also had a costume prize for those guests who wanted to wear a toga costume.  I just love playing dress-up and so do some of my friends.  We had some very fun costumes.  I had a bit of spare time and wanted to do something period with my extremely long hair.  I found this wonderful article about a hair archeologist - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/ancient-roman-hair-janet-stephens_n_2925152.html - something that I never knew existed!  It had links to some great YouTube videos, and I ended up using one as a basis to do my hair up in the style of Agrippina the Younger. It worked very well!  I am used to having my hair done up and spending the rest of my day shedding pins or losing wisps from the style.  This hairstyle took a ponytail band and 2 bobby pins and didn't have any mishaps from when I put it in at 4 pm until I took it out after midnight.  Plus, it didn't feel weird on my head (unbalanced, too tight, etc.) while I was wearing it.

My "Agrippina" hairstyle

I also used my spare time to try out glass painting - with mixed success - on the base and stems of some inexpensive wine glasses so that all of my friends would have a souvenir of the evening.  I did extra glasses; a very good idea as my new kitty had a very active time last weekend and broke a couple that were sitting out to finish drying.

Intense concentration on the flavor

The tasting itself was blind - it was interesting to hear what my friends thought each wine was before the unveiling at the end of the night.  The first glass that I poured of each had everyone's eyes focused as they waiting to see what color liquid emerged.  The nine types that I chose - in order of pouring - were: sparkling moscato, sparkling pinot noir, riesling, sauvignon blanc, dry mead, moscato, summer blush (a rhubarb/strawberry fruit wine), a blended red, and zinfandel.  It was interesting to me that it seemed the least favorite of the group was one that the wine store clerk had encouraged me to buy - saying that people are hesitant to try it but generally like it a lot when they do - the sparkling pinot noir.  This was, ironically, the most expensive wine of the evening.


Some of the comments of the evening ... what is this! (about the summer blush), old band-aid! (listed as an aroma on the reference wheel I had printed), it's so clear (the dry mead), I'd go on a second date with this one (the sauvignon blanc).

Horatio watches his new mouse toy closely

Also "he's soooo cute" - in reference to Horatio, my new kitty.  I had been a little apprehensive about how Horatio would do with a group of people and lots of glassware as he has only met my friends one-on-one before last night, but he was a wonderful party member.  One of the highlights of his evening was that Heidi had brought a toy for him - a remote controlled mouse.  The other highlight was the profound relief that he showed for "his blanket"  when it reappeared on the couch after the party was over.

I encouraged guests to take home some of the opened bottles.

The cheese came out as the wine information was revealed - one of the bits of information I learned while reading about how to host wine tastings was that you should not serve more than bread or crackers (to cleanse the palate) if you are tasting specifically for the wine notes.  So, save the cheese for later in the evening and then make choices on which wines it pairs with the best.  The informal winner of the night for the cheese was the Saint Angel triple cream - a soft cheese from France.

Top group wine choices from the group were the moscato (Middle Sister winery in Argentina) and the blended red (Lost Angel winery in California) with the sauvignon blanc (Nobilo winery in New Zealand) as a close third.  I had offered a prize for the person who could identify the most types correctly; no one got more than 4.  I think some of the more knowledgeable were thrown by the information on the country of origin I had included on the tasting notes sheets; there were some expectations overthrown on which wines are grown in a particular area.  I had a great time - it was fun to try a bunch of types of wine in company.  I'd certainly host a wine tasting again - a very easy party to prep since it involved very little kitchen time - and encourage some more discussion among my friends on which wines they like most and why.

Top wines of the evening - the moscato is on the right

#81 - Bagels

I have been baking since I was old enough to help my mom roll out cookie dough and shape bread rolls.  However, my first real experience with bagels didn't happen until I was in graduate school.  I was working in a small editorial office for a major medical journal as the lone student intern, and the office manager would bring in fresh bagels once a week or so from the local Bruegger's bakery.  They tasted great, but the whole boil and bake method sounded a little odd to me.  So, I never tried to make them on my own and sort of forgot that good bagels existed after I moved on to the next stage of my life.

boiling bagels with some draining in the background

Then, a few years ago, my friend Amanda gave me some bagels that she had made - wow! ... yummy and chewy just like I remembered!  And I got the recipe from her to try myself ... but, again, I was just mentally thrown by the fact that you boil them before they went in the oven.  I'm not sure why this was such a mental block for me as I've made doughnuts many times and used to help my mom make other fried cookies like rosettes.  Plus, I've made cookies and bars where part of the ingredients needed to be cooked before adding them to the dough.  Regardless, the recipe just sat in my file.  And, since I'm not fond of commercial bread products, I basically just didn't eat bagels for several more years.

pre-boiled and ready to go into the oven

Today, I found the recipe again.  (And heaved a sigh of relief that it didn't require eggs since I was hoping not to have to go to the store).  Actually, I was fairly surprised at how simple it was ... water, sugar, salt, flour, more yeast than usual for bread, and a little bit of corn meal to bake them on.  There was an optional suggestion of malt syrup to make the browning color more appealing, but I left that out since I didn't have any on hand.  My bread machine did all of the work with the dough, and the boiling stage was very quick.  I was amazed ... bagels within half an hour of the dough cycle finishing in the bread machine.  Yummy, chewy, hot-from-the-oven bagels ... excuse me, I think I need to go have another one. ;)

out of the oven and cooling

#2, #22, #68 (part 4) - Three in a weekend

I have resigned myself to the fact that I will not, at this point, even come close to finishing all 101 goals in my final two weeks.  However, I have been trying to wrap up those goals that I can in my limited time and have completed 3 in the last week.

First, I finished making out a living will.  I found it took a considerable amount of thought to get my wishes down on paper in a way that would be clear for someone else to understand.  I used a form called Five Wishes which goes past the normal health care directives and includes items like funeral planning and how you might want to be treated in a nursing home.  I was surprised at how emotional I felt while trying to work out things even though I already had a sense of what I wanted to say when I began.

The second goal I finished was reading book #80 for this year.  I have posted end-of-the-year updates on the other parts of this goal, and, since I plan to do a second round of the Day Zero Project, I will wait to discuss the books I've read this year until December.

The third goal is in the oven right now! :)  For a year, I have been trying new recipes every month in hopes of finding some new yummy additions to the dishes that I already make.  The list was:

• May - Fiesta Dip ... Brought on by my sister Diana bringing it to a shower we were co-hosting.  Very good - a new party staple.
• June - Strawberry Fool ... I had fresh strawberries and always wanted to try making a "fool" recipe just because it sounds fun.  Perfect for those moments when I have just picked several flats of berries!

  

  Some (but not all) of the flats of strawberries I picked in June

• July - Blueberry Super Salad ... I read something about "power" foods and decided to put them all together into a recipe of my own.  It was pretty good.

  

  Blueberry Super Salad

• August - Filler-up Hotdish ... This was something that is in our family cookbook by a different name.  As you might guess, it's very filling; however, it's also very high in carbs, so I don't see myself making it often.
• September - Tacos ... Don't laugh, but this was not something my family ate and my early taco experiences were of the really disgusting school cafeteria variety!  Homemade was much better.
• October - Baked Lemon Chicken ... The biggest success of this goal; I am now making this dish regularly (2 or 3 times a month) for myself - and it's on the menu for supper tonight!
• November - Chocolate Caramel Truffles ... I was trying to stay away from sweets for this goal, but I couldn't resist trying a new candy for my Christmas trays.  I know I'll be making this one again!
• December - Chicken a la Paiva with Ceylonese Hot Rice ... These dishes were recipes from family friends (named Paiva) from Sri Lanka many years ago, but I couldn't really remember what they tasted like.  I liked them but expected the hot rice to be more pepper hot and not just spicy flavored.

  

  Chicken a la Paiva with Ceylonese Hot Rice

• January - Homemade Mac & Cheese with Ham ... Another recipe from Diana ... I had never tried making mac and cheese from scratch before.  Good, but not something I expect to make often.
• February - Green Bean Casserole ... Again you may be laughing, but another standard I hadn't made myself ... easier to make than I thought, but probably won't make it again unless for company.
• March - Cochinita Pibil ... I fell in love with this Mayan dish last year while I was on vacation.  This was the most labor-intensive recipe I tried.  It didn't taste quite like what I remembered, but was pretty close.  Definitely something to make again when I have the time.
• April - Spinach Phyllo Tartlets ... I like spanokopita, and these are pretty close.  I had forgotten how much fun I have working with phyllo dough and had to restrain myself from making baklava!  This recipe made LOTS, so I hope they freeze well.

  

  The Spinach Phyllo Tartlets just out of the oven

#50 - Baby lettuce

In an on-going effort to eat better, this goal was designed to bring some fresh produce into my life.  I planted a small planter of lettuce on a day when the outside temperature was -26* F at the time I woke up ... not the best day for planting outside.  Then I watered several times over the first week and a half.  Nothing happened.  I sort of forgot that the planter was sitting on the sill of a south basement window.  Yes, directly next to the old (possibly original to the house, definitely uninsulated) window.  However, today, I went downstairs when I was watering my normal houseplants on the off chance that something may have happened.  And here's what I found ...

lettuce seedlings next to the cold window

Obviously these little seedlings are hungry for more sunshine and probably very grateful for the water I had brought.  I think that they'll make it to eating size.  Guess the moral is that they need to be a little warmer to germinate if I try this again.

#58 - Operation Baking Gals

This time of year, I tend to go a little overboard with baking cookies.  It's become something of a start of the holiday season ritual for me.  I make a list of the types of cookies I plan to make that year, go shopping for such things as a case of butter (36 pounds for those of you who have never had reason to buy butter in quantity), and spend the better part of a week and a half in my kitchen baking.

Most of what I make goes onto trays that I give to friends and co-workers.  Since I work for a local government, this leads to such interesting things occurring as an "official" email going out saying the cookies have arrived at the city offices and the fact that I am one of a very select group of people who actually receives a Christmas card from my local public works department (how many of you can say that?!).  I set aside a few of the more interesting types to go along with me to my family's celebration.  And there are some plates that I take in to work to just hand out to people who look like their day is overwhelming them and perhaps some cookies would help.

However, there is another batch of cookies that I save to mail off to troops serving overseas.  I belong to an organization called Operation Baking Gals - yes, it is gender-inclusive despite the name - that tries to bring a little taste of home baking to the military serving overseas.  While I only participate in the winter months, there are rounds of baking going on all year.  It is more personalized than many of the other programs I've seen where you write to "any serviceperson".  There are individual teams that bake for particular soldiers or units.  Each baker can choose to join as many or few teams as they like.  You get a brief description of the person you are baking for (as well as likes and dislikes) and send the boxes directly to that person (part of joining the organization is a promise that you will not share names or addresses with anyone).  If you like to bake, it's a fulfilling organization to be a part of  .... give the website a look (the link is above) for a more complete description of how the process works.

Contents of a typical Baking Gals box that I sent out - I always try to include a book and this particular soldier wanted nuts, so there was also a can of cashews included - the rest are homemade cookies and candies.