You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2008.
What becomes of gymnasts after their Olympic career? Do they join the circus, the leotard club?
Many become coaches and trainers, but most like all other professional athletes have to fall back on regular jobs to sustain a living.
Pretzels - an all American treat! Best with honey mustard or just salted.
1 packet active dry yeast
3 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
cornmeal
coarse kosher salt
Combine yeast, 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar and water. Let activate – about 5 minutes.
Add remaining sugar and salt. Stir.
Add flour, a bit at a time. Mix by hand until well mixed.
Knead dough until well blended. Place kneaded dough in bowl, cover, and let rise for about an hour.
On a dusted table divide dough into 12 pieces and roll to your preferred length and thickness (1/4″ has a soft interior). Form dough into pretzel shapes and move to a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Rise uncovered for an additional 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degree. Bring a pot of water to boil.
Transfer risen pretzels to boiling water. Immerse pretzels for 2 minutes.
Transfer to a rack and drain. On a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet place the boiled pretzels, sprinkle with kosher salt and bake for 20 minutes.
Everyone is in a spot; monies are tight yet we all want to give at this time of year. What to do? Go to your cupboard and pull out your dark chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, sugar, wafers, and peanuts, in your fridge: butter, and whipping cream. You now have a wonderful conglomerate of ingredients to create home baked gifts.
Chocolate truffles
- Place 2 lb dark chocolate and 1 lb butter in a mixing bowl
- Bring to a boil 1 pt cream
- Add cream to the chocolate, stir until melted
- Chill until firm, using a melon ball cutter form balls
- In a double boiler melt chocolate
- Carefully dip truffles into melted chocolate
- After dipping coat with chopped nuts and wafer mixture
Fresh Peanut butter caramel
- Make a simple sugar caramel
- 1 cup sugar, 3 tbsp water, drop of lemon juice and 1 tsp vanilla
- Boil the above until golden brown
- Add half a cup of peanut butter and 1 cup cream
- Mix well and take off the heat, let cool
The key is in the packaging always use a reusable, recyclable container. Place the finished truffles carefully in your designated container (do not smoosh!)
Use a preserve jar for the caramel! Remember the red festive bow!
In today’s fast paced world, technology plays a huge role. We are dependent on our computers, GPS, MP3/4 last but not least the cell phone.
Everyone has there own style or required applications for there hip or pocket communicator. Star Trek was not far off in the 60’s.
One of the most popular phones is the Blackberry with the push e-mail system. Is it appropriate for someone to converse when they are…on a date, in a meeting? I admit I am one of these people, however, I ask the people I’m with if it’s okay.
Do you know whom to serve first at your table? Does your wife come before your Father in law? Do you serve the children first to keep them quiet? There is etiquette in serving: 1. Children who can’t wait and will cause a scene go first with the oldest woman’s permission. 2. The matriarch, or oldest woman next followed by the remaining women. 3. The Patriarch and the remaining men 4. finally, the children who were patient.
Cutlery positions. Every once in a while I go into a restaurant and see the flatware in the wrong position. This unfortunately has become a trend. Here’s a simple way to remember. All forks are to be placed on the left of the plate, starting with the dinner fork and working left. Knives are to the right of the plate facing inwards. Again with the dinner knife closest to the plate. Teaspoon (dessert spoon) follow the knife and then finally the soupspoon on the end. Don’t forget the “charger”.
WAR! What is it good for – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Bruce Springsteen
President elect Barack Obama is due to take office in 2 months and the right to bear arms contingent flock to their local gun store. For those who hunt for food, use rifles and shotguns, the most purchased weapon over the past 2 weeks has been a handgun. We are in troubled times!
In the food industry we use weapons on a daily basis, knives, torches and even guns. How often do you hear of incidents in the kitchen? Chefs and their teams maybe particular in work ethic, even rude at times but the one thing they have in common is safety!
Sauce Gun
Torch
If you must have a weapon please, please I deplore you to leave it at the range, locked up. Unless you are a law enforcement officer DO NOT bring a gun home! Your children thank you!
By now have eaten a dozen of yesterday’s cookies. How were they?
Always balance your sweets – a little goes along way! Who am I kidding when it tastes good… indulge!
You’re on the way to work, alone!
You feel pain in your chest…this time it’s not indigestion from too many cookies.
You have the following symptoms; tightening of the chest, shallow breath, or numbness of your arm or side.
You’re having a Heart Attack!
Rule #1 don’t panic!
911 Get to the hospital…NOW!
What should you do**** COUGH DEEP****don’t stop, this will allow you some time; coughing gets the heart to pump and blood to circulate.
PLACE COOKIES HERE!
After some time recuperating kick back and enjoy your milk and cookies.
