Look what was buried under the snow in the yard. Some spring cleaning help, my little woodland scavengers? Okay, Tika said he’d help.
endless snow and baking
Getting mad baking skills with the endless snow this winter…. Rye batard today—fresh out of the oven.
first sign of green
Winter 2016-17 has been a snowfest. It’s mid-March and the forecast is for another foot of snow this week to add to the 4-6’+ of snow already on the ground, depending where you look. Last year this time spring garden prep was already underway. The indoor potted chives on the window sill are a good early indicator spring is around the corner, though. The first couple of flower buds popped up this week!
plant burger review
Is this burger made from plants as good as a beef burger? Actually, no. I like it better. I was in Seattle recently, which is one of the test markets for The Beyond Burger. Grill a few minutes on each side, and quicker than a beef burger, I’ve got a medium-rare looking, thick patty to put on my bun. It has a nice char flavor, along with the hint of umami and meaty chew I expect from a beef burger. It’s not quite as dense in texture as beef, which I prefer. It doesn’t have that slightly metallic muscle juice flavor of medium-rare beef either, which I do miss a little
February 28, 2017
sous vide vs oven roast beef
Bottom round is a flavorful, inexpensive — and tough! — cut of meat. It comes from the well-used muscle of the steer’s upper rear leg. There are a couple good methods for cooking bottom round roast beef to keep it tender and tasting good: cold oven and sous vide. Option 1: “Cold” oven method The best oven-cooked way I’ve found to make roast beef edible starts with preheating a oven to 500F. Once preheated, place your roast in the oven and cook for 5 minutes per pound. Then turn off the oven, and don’t open the door! Let your beef sit in the “cold” oven for an hour. Remove after an hour, slice it very thinly — using a
January 26, 2017
crusty boule
I’m getting closer, but still working on mastering artisan bread making. The crust is crunchy, and the inside “crumb” is bouncy this round. I’m going for a bit more crunch in the crust, and bigger holes with a chewier interior next. I’d love to master a great sourdough flavor, too. Mine is a tiny bit sour, but lacks the depth of flavor and slight tartness of a great artisan sourdough. Plenty of winter baking time left for practice, fortunately!
new year’s truffles
Chocolate truffles are easy to make and a crowd favorite. These are made with dark chocolate ganache and a dark chocolate coating. Dark Chocolate Covered Chocolate Truffles Recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup heavy cream 18 oz. dark chocolate (high-quality chocolate chips or chip your own) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Instructions: Heat cream and butter until lightly boiling. Add 8 oz. of the chocolate chips. Stir chocolate until melted. Whisk until smooth and shiny. Place the ganache in the refrigerator for 4+ hours until firm. Tempering the chocolate for the coating: The easiest way to temper chocolate is to start with two deep pots filled with water, a vacuum sealer, and a sous vide
December 31, 2016
beehives in winter
Bees seem to be surviving the winter so far, even with as many sub-zero days we’ve had. Ear to the hive you can hear a faint hum of thousands of bees shivering their flight muscles to generate heat in the hive. My only job this time of year is to keep the entrances free of snow. With the hive cover propped open slightly, and the front entrance unblocked, the hive will hopefully have just enough ventilation to let moisture evaporate and keep fresh air in the hive without making it too hard for the bees to maintain the hives’ internal temperature. Fingers crossed, both hives will make it through their
December 29, 2016
montana christmas
Montana-themed Christmas gingerbread and sugar cookies — homemade from the neighbor kids….great job, guys!