Sunday, May 25, 2008
Cooking with Mary, European Adventure: Paris, Laduree
A few years ago my mom and dad told me about this macaroon shop and how people were lined out the doors to get a taste of these delicious sweets. They even took them to dinner that night. The waiters were so impressed that they teased my parents by trying to steel them off the table, because they were such a delicacy in Paris. I had to go find the shop for myself.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Cooking with Mary, European Adventure: Paris, Cheese
Upon arriving in Paris, France, I hit the streets in search of cheese. Well that didn't take long, and I just happened upon one of the oldest and well renowned Fromageries in all of Paris – Marie-Anne Cantin. There I met Tom and he showed me around the petite but busy shop.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Cooking with Mary, European Adventure: Cooking with Tito at Gandarias Restaurant
Tito is wonderful... however, the Blood Pudding was a stretch for me. Check in to see what else our wonderful Tito has in store for us. Tomorrow we are off to Paris, and we have a lot in store for you.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Cooking with Mary, European Adventure: Cooking with Tito at Gandarias Restaurant
Tito, a delightful Spanish waiter/chef/bartender, shows us the tricks of the trade with Basque Cuisine.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Market in San Sebastian
There is nothing like discovering a new city. San Sebastian has beautiful markets that offer the freshest ingredients possible from all of the local farmers.
After a very hard day of travel and arriving at night, we were anxious about our sleeping arrangements. Luckily, once we arrived we realized there was nothing to worry about. The Pension Amauir is a perfect place to feel at home in a foreign country. It is run by Paolo and Virginia, who are eager to welcome you and give you direction on anything you might want to see. Our visit to the markets was a highlight!
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Friday, May 16, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Cooking with Mary, European Adventure: Churros
Chocolatier San Gines
Madrid, Spain
Famous for their traditional chocolate that is rich and delicious, their deep fried churros are perfect for dipping. After all the churros have been slathered in chocolate and heartily consumed, the chocolate is finished off on a spoon – or sipped as a hot beverage.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Cooking with Mary, European Adventure
Our first Day in Madrid. Our adventure begins with tappas bar hoping. It's a ritual that Spanish culture has become famous for, and is finding its way to the States. We went to four bars, and at each bar, when you order a drink, you are given a tasty sampling to have with your beverage of choice. A perfect way to begin our trip!
Happy Travels!
Mary
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Backpacking Europe!
New "On the Road" webisodes coming soon!
We're hitting the road and traveling
through Europe all of May. Stay tuned!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mother's Day Recipes
Capresse Frittata
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325. Crack and beat eight eggs, add a touch of salt and a bit of pepper. It is helpful to let the beaten egg mixture run through a strainer (this will help to mix the white and the yellow parts of the egg together). In a non stick oven safe pan heat with olive oil on medium high heat. Add cherry tomatoes whole, cook for a few minutes. Then add your eggs, turn it down to a medium low heat and add in the rest of the ingredients. You can let your kids put the basil and cheese into the pan .
Put this into the oven for 12-15 minutes. It should be solid if you move it around, and slightly golden brown on top. Take it out, let it cool. Place a plate over top and turn the pan over flipping the egg onto the plate. It is a very easy dish for you and your kids to make and you can make it ahead of time and let it rest. It tastes great even at room temperature.
*Chiffonade: Roll the leaves of basil and then make very thin slices with a very sharp knife.
Painted Pancakes
Ingredients/supplies
Directions
This very fun and interactive. A great way to let kids feel involved. The adult will make the pancakes and the kids will paint on the pancake for mom. It’s edible art.
In a large bowl mix together all of your dry ingredients, and then add in the egg, milk and only 2 tbsp of the canola oil (the rest we will use to grease the pan), mix together. On a nonstick pan or griddle add some of the cooking oil to a towel and grease down your pan. (You should do this before you each pour). Cook 1-2 minutes per side on a medium low fire (once you see bubbles coming up in the middle you know it is time to flip).
Ingredients
- 8 eggs
- 1 bunch basil chiffonade*
- ½ cherry tomatoes
- 4-5 slices of buffalo mozzarella
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325. Crack and beat eight eggs, add a touch of salt and a bit of pepper. It is helpful to let the beaten egg mixture run through a strainer (this will help to mix the white and the yellow parts of the egg together). In a non stick oven safe pan heat with olive oil on medium high heat. Add cherry tomatoes whole, cook for a few minutes. Then add your eggs, turn it down to a medium low heat and add in the rest of the ingredients. You can let your kids put the basil and cheese into the pan .
Put this into the oven for 12-15 minutes. It should be solid if you move it around, and slightly golden brown on top. Take it out, let it cool. Place a plate over top and turn the pan over flipping the egg onto the plate. It is a very easy dish for you and your kids to make and you can make it ahead of time and let it rest. It tastes great even at room temperature.
*Chiffonade: Roll the leaves of basil and then make very thin slices with a very sharp knife.
Painted Pancakes
Ingredients/supplies
- 1 cup AP flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk or water
- ½ cup canola oil
- a few different food colors, and paintbrushes
Directions
This very fun and interactive. A great way to let kids feel involved. The adult will make the pancakes and the kids will paint on the pancake for mom. It’s edible art.
In a large bowl mix together all of your dry ingredients, and then add in the egg, milk and only 2 tbsp of the canola oil (the rest we will use to grease the pan), mix together. On a nonstick pan or griddle add some of the cooking oil to a towel and grease down your pan. (You should do this before you each pour). Cook 1-2 minutes per side on a medium low fire (once you see bubbles coming up in the middle you know it is time to flip).
After you make your pancakes, the kids get to decorate. On a plate, put a few drops of different colors and let your kids paint with paintbrushes on the pancakes. It is better if you use thicker food coloring found in the jars. Mom will love it.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Ingredient of the Day: Smoked Salmon
In my house, we always have a delicious tray of smoked salmon set aside for a little bite before dinner. We break out the lemons, capers, crème fraiche and dill and simply indulge ourselves in this culinary delight. My dad is a huge fan of this tradition, and when we are together, we anxiously await the treasured 5PM arrival of one of the most delectable appetizers in the world.
For many years, before I had actually tasted smoked salmon, I was afraid to prepare it, or even try what looked like an extremely slimy fish. The chewy consistency scared me at first, however, after learning more about how it is prepared, I realized there was nothing to it. Plus, after one bite, I was hooked for life.
Smoking salmon is a four-step process that starts with filleting the salmon. Next, the salmon is salted to draw out any moisture. The third step is curing the salmon, and this is done with a combination of salts, sugars and nitrates, along with the smoking process (some people consider the smoking step to be a fifth step in the preparation, but for our purposes, we’re including it in the curing section).
The final, and most important step in preparing smoked salmon is slicing it properly. Smoked salmon should sliced on a bias (angle) and sliced extremely thin. Then break out your bagels and serve!
It’s really fun to make this wonderful treat, but if you’re not up for it, never fear. It’s also very easy to buy at almost any store.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
For many years, before I had actually tasted smoked salmon, I was afraid to prepare it, or even try what looked like an extremely slimy fish. The chewy consistency scared me at first, however, after learning more about how it is prepared, I realized there was nothing to it. Plus, after one bite, I was hooked for life.
Smoking salmon is a four-step process that starts with filleting the salmon. Next, the salmon is salted to draw out any moisture. The third step is curing the salmon, and this is done with a combination of salts, sugars and nitrates, along with the smoking process (some people consider the smoking step to be a fifth step in the preparation, but for our purposes, we’re including it in the curing section).
The final, and most important step in preparing smoked salmon is slicing it properly. Smoked salmon should sliced on a bias (angle) and sliced extremely thin. Then break out your bagels and serve!
It’s really fun to make this wonderful treat, but if you’re not up for it, never fear. It’s also very easy to buy at almost any store.
Happy Cooking!
Mary
Monday, May 5, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Ask Mary: Missing Ingredients
Ask Mary: Missing Ingredients
Dear Mary,
I store recipes that I want to cook in a box in my kitchen, and try to remember to take them with me to the store, but sometimes, when I am in a hurry, I forget. That means I may also forget to buy certain ingredients. If I forget an ingredient or two, can I still make the recipe? And what happens if I can’t find a certain ingredient at the store in the first place?
Thanks, Kit
If only I had a dime for every time someone asked me this question. This actually happens to me quite a bit, especially when I’m in a rush. The reality is that it really depends on what you forget.
For instance, if you forget to buy fresh parsley you can sub dried parsley, or you can leave it out. If you forget to buy shallots, you can always sub it for something similar like garlic, or leave it out all together.
But if you are looking for hominy, and come back with chickpeas, you’ll find yourself in a bind. In some cases there are no good substitutes, and you’ll have to figure that out through trial and error. If your store is missing a certain item, ask the store manager to help you find an alternative ingredient.
Hope this helps,
Mary
Dear Mary,
I store recipes that I want to cook in a box in my kitchen, and try to remember to take them with me to the store, but sometimes, when I am in a hurry, I forget. That means I may also forget to buy certain ingredients. If I forget an ingredient or two, can I still make the recipe? And what happens if I can’t find a certain ingredient at the store in the first place?
Thanks, Kit
If only I had a dime for every time someone asked me this question. This actually happens to me quite a bit, especially when I’m in a rush. The reality is that it really depends on what you forget.
For instance, if you forget to buy fresh parsley you can sub dried parsley, or you can leave it out. If you forget to buy shallots, you can always sub it for something similar like garlic, or leave it out all together.
But if you are looking for hominy, and come back with chickpeas, you’ll find yourself in a bind. In some cases there are no good substitutes, and you’ll have to figure that out through trial and error. If your store is missing a certain item, ask the store manager to help you find an alternative ingredient.
Hope this helps,
Mary
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Tip of the Day: Juicing Lemons
Juicing Lemons
It is beneficial to roll lemons around on a hard surface before you juice them. You should do this with the palm of your hand to loosen all of the juices. When you cut open the lemon the juices will be released easily. This is a simple trick that can make you look like a pro.
It is beneficial to roll lemons around on a hard surface before you juice them. You should do this with the palm of your hand to loosen all of the juices. When you cut open the lemon the juices will be released easily. This is a simple trick that can make you look like a pro.
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