Traditional Spongecake with Almonds & Apricot Glaze

I was given Mastering the Art of French Cooking for my graduation. It's a kitchen essential and now my cookbook library has officially begun. French cooking has always been a reach for me. I grew up cooking but everything I made was sort of thrown together and I saw French cuisine as sophisticated, requiring precise measurements and strict abidance to many a rule I was ignorant of.

As a part of growing up, I think we make internal realizations about life and people that explain a lot of things. It's the "ah-ha" moment. My most recent "ah-ha" moment is that most people do not know what they are talking about and it's the manner in which they present themselves that convinces you. For example, people will respect you more and are more willing to listen to you if you have good posture. So now I have the means to start French Cooking all I have to have is the attitude to present it. I'm pretty sure I've got the attitude down.

So with my new cookbook in hand, I set off to make a traditional French Spongecake. Yes, it did have directions that I followed precisely but, it was so easy to make!

Butter Spongecake (from Mastering the Art of French Cooking)

4 Tbsp. butter

2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (2 separate measurements)

4 eggs, separated

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

3/4 cup cake flower

The directions are spelled out for you, word for word on page 669 of MAoFC, but I'll tell you how I did it.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.

Butter and flour a 10" cake pan, set aside.

Melt the butter, set aside.

With an egg beater, beat the sugar into the egg yolks, gradually. Continue to beat "until mixture is thick, pale yellow, and forms ribbons." This means that when you turn the egg beater off and lift it out of the bowl, the mixture will stick to the egg beater and then slowly fall off, forming a ribbon-like lump on the remaining mixture in the bowl. Do not overdo it.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt together until soft peaks form. Then add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

The next step I believe is the most important and must be done right. Take about one fourth of the egg whites and add them to the egg yolk-sugar mixture. Sift one fourth of the flour over this and very gently fold until just partially blended. Repeat, this time adding about one third of the remaining egg whites and one third of the remaining flour. Again, gently fold until just incorporated. Repeat again, this time with half of each remaining ingredient. And one last time with the remaining egg whites, flour, plus half of the slightly cooled, melted butter. When partially blended, fold in the remaining butter, paying close attention so as to not add the milky substance at the bottom. Do not overmix! The volume of the egg whites is necessary for a fluffly, spongy texture.

Turn into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. "Cake is done when it has puffed, is lightly brown, and has just begun to show a faint line of shrinkage from the edges of the pan."

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least an hour before frosting or glazing.

I did an apricot glaze and slivered almonds along the edges of the cake. Take apricot jam (I used homemade that I found in the fridge) and run it through a tea strainer to get rid of any chunks. Let it simmer in a small frying pan for a good 10 minutes, set aside to cool. Gently roll the outer rim of the cake in the cooled apricot glaze and then gently roll it over a plate with slivered almonds. Set on a platter and glaze the top of the cake.

Voila!

Strawberry Surprise

We bought several pounds of strawberries at a local fruit stand in Gig Harbor. We decided to make strawberry jam.

We washed, hulled and chopped pounds upon pounds of strawberries.

We then looked up several recipes, and in my typical fashion, I announced that I knew how to make strawberry jam, and no, we didn't need pectin. My mom made it all the time growing up and didn't use pectin, I'd watched her. I called her. She didn't answer. Oh well, we proceeded.

We added sugar to the hulled and chopped strawberries, brought them to a boil, and canned um up! That simple! Well, kind of. Let me tell you, that is how you make delicious Strawberry Topping, but that is NOT strawberry jam. We made about 24 1-quart jars of this Strawberry Delight as we came to call it.

Christina was a great sport and assured me she would buy pectin as soon as she got home to salvage them. We visited her grandmother and aunt the following week and popped open a can of Strawberry Delight. We had it over vanilla ice cream, and it was great, as a topping, but like I said, it certainly was not jam.

When I returned home to San Diego, I shared my Strawberry Delight with my brother. "Seriously Sally?" I get this from him a lot. It's the big brother, you're better than this tone. I like it, it keeps me on my toes.

"Don't you remember when mom used to make this when we were little? She would let it simmer all afternoon. How long did you boil it for?" brother

"Oh, yea, I just brought it to a boil and then poured it." me

"Here, we'll fix it." He poured one of the jars out onto a large frying pan and let it simmer for about half an hour until it was the perfect jam consistency! It was like magic. Or common kitchen sense, you choose.

So I have it for you now:

Pectin-Free, Simple Strawberry Jam

3 cups granulated sugar

2 pounds hulled strawberries

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl mash up the strawberries to your desired consistency. I prefer leaving big chunks but it's personal preference, really.

In a big saucepan add all the ingredients over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Now simmer for a long time. I've read in some recipes that they measure their jam and once it gets to 220˚ F then it's done, but I say just keep simmering and stirring, simmering and stirring until it reaches jam like consistency.

Pour it into sterilized jars, leaving enough head space(Home Canning FAQs: What is Headspace?). And close, you can place them in a water bath to airtight seal them for long term preservation (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art2816.asp, great info for home canning!) , or if you are going to be eating it in the near future, you can simply put it in a jar, let it cool and refrigerate it.

Can't Donate Blood, Again.

So I really like to donate blood. It may seem weird. There's something satisfying about going to the blood bank that I have been going to for years, first with my father, and then alone once I turned 16 and was able to go by myself, not only because I then had the freedom of my own set of wheels, but also because that is the age at which one can donate. At the Blood Bank I go to, The Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, (CHOMP) Blood Center, the nurses are so sweet, they know the regular donors by name and always have a cheery disposition. Also, after donating, they offer you carrot cake and fruit juice. If you're a "Four Seasons Donor," meaning you donate at least 4 times a year, you get a membership card and they give you prizes at every fourth donation. Maybe a t-shirt, a license plate holder, coffee thermos, coffee mug or canvas bag. We have all of these at my house as my dad has donated 11+ gallons. In case you are not familiar with how much blood that is, or how long that took to do, each time one donates blood, he/she gives a pint. There are 8 pints in a gallon. You cannot give more than a pint of blood every 8 weeks (56 days), or, if so inclined, you can do an erythrocytapheresis, where you donate essentially double the amount of red blood cells via a filtration process (apheresis). In this process, the unused components, the white blood cells, are returned to the donor (you) and the red blood cells are taken. In this method, you can donate once every 16 weeks. Assuming you do the traditional blood donation, once every 8 weeks, that is roughly 6.5 times a year. Also, you have to take into consideration health. When you donate, they are not going to want your blood if you are some sort of infection or are taking an antibiotic to cure an infection. Remember, your blood is going to somebody who is probably in compromised health. Your blood pressure has to be healthy, this varies by sex, physical fitness, diet, etc. A normal body temperature is required, confirming you are in good health. And lastly, they check your hematocrit. This is more commonly referred to as your iron level. I have been deferred several times due to low iron levels and it is really disappointing. It does not necessarily mean that you are anemic, but I am usually borderline.

In highschool, I started coordinating the Blood Drives at my highschool. They would set up a mobile blood bank in either the library or the gym, for a couple of weeks prior to the blood drive, I would go around signing students up and even publishing articles in our school paper about the benefits of donating blood, and what foods to eat prior to the blood drive to ensure blood iron levels were high enough for donation. This tends to be a problem with vegetarians and women.

It is a problem with me. I went to donate blood two weeks ago with some friends, they both donated and I was deferred due to inadequate iron levels. I made a big effort to eat meat regularly, that is difficult for me as I am not a big fan. Especially lately as I have been road-tripping a lot and crashing on my brother's couch. Eating lots of snack food and not proper meals. I went again today, and again, inadequate iron levels. So now I am really going to make an effort. Spinach, prunes, kale, collard greens, figs and apricots here I come! Yes, I will work on chicken and eggs too, but I prefer the fruit/vegie option. Maybe I will even post up some recipes of things I make before I go back to try to donate on Friday.

Zel's Del Mar

My boyfriend and I wanted to go out for a nice dinner. I like trying new places and he suggested we just drive around until we see something we like. He's from a small town and didn't really get that I need some sort of direction before heading out in San Diego. So I narrowed it down to Del Mar. I used to live in Del Mar and had tried most of the restaurants downtown but there were still a couple I hadn't been to. We drove down Camino Del Mar and I saw Zel's, this quaint, corner restaurant with outdoor seating (always a plus) that I have been curious about for quite some time. We decided we'd look at the menu and then we would decide.

The menu was printed on a legal sized sheet of card stock. It seemed to be one of those menus that changes frequently according to the season and availability of local produce and mentioned supporting sustainable meats and fish. After a quick look at the menu, we were sold.

The scene was beautiful. We sat in a Spanish style outdoor patio with a fireplace that was lit as soon as it got a bit chilly. There were candles on the table and we were served cucumber and lemon infused water, which only added to the ambiance.

We shared the "Trust the Chef Surprise Platter" as an appetizer. That day, it consisted of: half a braised artichoke with sauteed mushrooms and onions filling the place where the heart used to be, a couple slices of what the waiter simply described as charcuterie (it was some sort of sausage similar to chorizo), arugula with seared ahi and a light, creamy mustard sauce, and two fritters (serrano ham and roasted chicken with a buttermilk sauce, breaded and fried with a slow cooked ragu sauce on top. That was just the appetizer.

I ordered the Locally Grown Vegetable Tasting. On that particular day it consisted of hummus on the bottom of the plate, topped with roasted eggplant, wilted greens, a roasted carrot, grilled shallots with a red pepper dip on the side. My boyfriend had the special that night, a center cut sirloin with gorgonzola cheese along with fried polenta and broccolini. We split a bottle of wine. It was a Cab blend from Alexander Valley Vineyards and it was great. Both entrees were wonderful. Perfectly portioned. The service was exceptional and the view breathtaking. July in southern California is (usually) unbeatable.

I highly recommend this restaurant. There happy hour seemed great too. Tuesday - Sunday 5:00-6:30 pm. They have a deal that is $10 for a burger and a beer during happy hour, among others. The people sitting next to us had the burgers and they looked very appetizing. The happy hour menu is quite affordable. However, the meal we enjoyed was medium priced, but very reasonable for what we ordered and the overall experience. We spent a good two hours and were treated very well and not rushed out after we had finished and paid, we were able to stay and continue our conversation by the fireplace. Great service!

Sourdough Starter

So I just graduated. I am looking for a job, and I have a nice enough friend and brother to let me stay with them until I figure things out. In return, and to keep myself busy and indulge in one of my favorite hobbies that I have neglected in being an undergraduate Biochemistry student, I am cooking and baking.

Today I am attempting to make a sourdough starter and Molten Chocolate Cakes, both from the Williams-Sonoma Cookbook. See my next post for the Molten Chocolate Cakes.

This is my version of their recipe. The sourdough starter requires a 48 hour standing period. Today I'll whip it together and keep posting updates about how it goes. I'll then do a post with the finished product and the loaf of bread I'll make with it. :)

Sourdough Starter

2 cups lukewarm water

1/3 cup plain yogurt

2 cups bread flour

1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder

Mix the water and yogurt in a bowl until the yogurt is completely dissolved in the water. Make sure the water is not too hot, it must be lukewarm, a good test is to stick your finger in and count to 10, if that is bearable, you are good, if you have to take your finger out because you cannot bear it, then it's too hot. The yogurt may separate a little to the bottom, this is normal, but it is really helpful to use a whisk and spin the whisk between your palms as if rubbing your hands back and forth (but with a whisk in between). Then add the flour and buttermilk powder, again, using the whisk, make sure you get all the clumps out.

The finished product will have the consistency of pancake batter. Put it in a big jar or container and cover it loosely with cheesecloth or plastic wrap. And let it sit for 48 hours.