Sugar Skulls For Dias De La Muertos

The Mexican Days of the Dead are celebrated on November 1st and 2nd; a two-day celebration of deceased loved ones. In this ritual observance rooted in a bizarre blend of pre-Colombian and Roman Catholic practices, Mexican families make merry with the souls of their dearly departed. Spirits of the dead are welcomed back to their “homes” with beautifully decorated altars made by their loved ones with offerings such as sugar skulls, food, candles and flowers to enjoy a day on earth.

Sugar skulls are a traditional folk art from Southern Mexico and are an integral part of Dias De La Muertos or “Day of the Dead” celebrations. Sugar skulls are exactly what the name implies: skull-shaped sugar made from a granulated white sugar mixture that is pressed into special skull molds. The sugar mixture is allowed to dry and then the sugar skull is decorated with icing, feathers, colored foil and more. While the ingredients of sugar skulls are edible the skulls are generally decorated with non-edible items and used only for decorative purposes.

When considering the origin of Mexican sugar skulls, it's important to remember that sugar is not actually native to Mexico. The making of sugar figures is actually a European tradition as well, and can be traced back to Palermo, Italy, where figurines were made out of sugar as religious decorations.

Sugar was first introduced to the Americas before "Mexico" even existed as a country. The original Spanish settlers quickly discovered that the conditions in the "New World" were perfect for growing sugar. Mexican sugar sculpture dates back to the 17th century when Italian missionaries visited the Americas. Mexicans during that time period had very little money, but had learned from the Catholic friars how to make decorations out of a plentiful resource; sugar. As Spanish Catholic beliefs began to mix with native Mesoamerican beliefs, the Mexicans started making sugar skulls as part of their Dias de los Muertos festivities. These decorated memorials have become more and more creative and extravagant over time. The designs are usually whimsical and brightly colored with stripes, dots, and swirls of icing to enhance the features of the skulls. They are meant to be festive, not morbid or scary.

Sugar Skulls
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 egg white

Add the water and mix with your fingers until all the sugar mixture is moistened.   Once the mixture is about the texture of "moist beach sand" it is ready to mold.  You may need a bit of extra water if so just add a few drops at a time. If it is a really humid day, you may choose to try this project on another day!

Once the sugar is evenly moist, pack it into the molds.  We used a “medium-sized” mold which yielded 4 skulls. Make sure to pack the mold very firmly. It was surprising how much sugar dough was needed to pack each mold tightly. Scrape the mold with a straight edge (use the back of a butter knife), then pack again. Check the mold to make sure all the indentations are smoothly filled. Lay a small square of cardboard cut to fit the mold on top of the molded skull and invert onto the cardboard. Gently lift the mold away from the sugar skull and place the sugar skull in a warm, dry space for at least 8 hours to dry. This time will vary depending on room temperature and humidity.

If you are impatient and you try to move the skull before it dries, it will fall crumble apart.   If this happens just place the sugar mixture back in the bowl, add additional moisture if needed and remold the skull. When the skulls are completely dry, brush them off (we used a paint brush) and assemble. Make a batch of Royal Icing (click here for recipe).

Use icing bags and pipe icing and decorate as desired. We named the skulls before we started and relayed memories about the dearly departed we were celebrating as we decorated our skulls. Set the skulls aside to allow the icing to fully dry.

~Research and article written by Sonny Romeo for AP World History project

Pumpkin & Toasted Chestnut Scone Yumminess

As a general rule, Dom cooks our evening meals and I am the baker in the house. I have been baking cookies, cakes, and bread since I was a teenager, but there is one baked item that has always intimidated me. As a consequence, I find that I crave them excessively: scones. I have tried making them on several occasions each more disastrous than the last resulting in rocks or dusty lumps tasting of baking powder. 

When I came across a recipe for pumpkin scones, I got my nerve up to try it. Pumpkin is such a versatile vegetable perhaps it would make for a more forgiving creation. We had some leftover roasted chestnuts which were screaming to be added.

Imagine my complete surprise when the most gorgeous lightly-browned triangles emerged from the oven. But, as we all know, looks aren’t everything - the “proof is in the pudding” in this case the pumpkin, egg and milk mixture. I brewed some coffee and plucked up the courage to try one. A wonderful spicy steam escaped as I broke open the scone elevating my hopes of success. I took a bite and (insert a drum roll here) YUM! Oh man, these are miraculous scones! Bookmark this page. NOW!

Pumpkin Chestnut Scones

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¾ cup (6 tablespoons) cold butter
• ½ cup canned pumpkin 
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• ½ cup roasted chestnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 425oF. Place chopped roasted chestnuts on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven while it pre-heats. Shake the pan a few times to evenly distribute heat. Toast them for about ten minutes and then remove from oven and allow to cool before chopping and adding to the dough. They will get crisper as they cool.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl. Cut in COLD butter. When the mixture is crumbly and no obvious chunks of butter are visible, set aside.


[The purpose of “cutting in” is to create evenly-sized pieces of butter, coated with flour distributed throughout the dough.  When these little pieces of butter melt, they create layers of flakiness. In some recipes it’s the little pockets of steam that are important. (Remember the spicy steam I mentioned above?) It helps to cut the cold butter into small pieces first and then toss them separately into the flour making sure they each get covered in flour before you start “cutting.” There’s several ways to actually cut in the butter. I used a pastry blender made specifically for this purpose. My mom uses two butter knives moving them in opposite directions (kind of like a sharpening motion) actually cutting the butter. A fork works too, but be careful not to over “mash” the butter.]

In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg and milk. Then gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and chopped chestnuts. Do not over mix or you will defeat the purpose of cutting in the butter.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, forming a circle that is about 1″ thick. Cut the dough into equally-sized triangles. My dough was a bit wet and sticky, but when I made the triangles they held together with no problems. The recipe says it should make six, but I ended up with 8 generously sized scones.

Transfer dough triangles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a spatula. Reshape if needed before baking. (Or, do it the lazy way and drop blobs with a tablespoon that are about the size you want, and then flatten and shape them.) Sprinkle the tops with a bit a sugar for sweet crusty tops.

Bake in a preheated oven for 14-16 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool (if you can wait that long!!)

A Healthier Southern Sweet Potato Pie

With cooler weather and Thanksgiving around the corner, ‘tis the season for making pies. It is also the season for sweet potatoes which we enjoy in many different forms; baked, mashed, and as fries or chips. A nutritional superhero, sweet potatoes are one of the best vegetables you can eat. The starchy, tuberous root vegetable is loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
In an attempt to maintain the health benefits of the sweet potato, we revamped our decades-old recipe which originally called for sour cream and 6 egg yolks. We replaced the sour cream with 100% natural, low calorie plain Greek yogurt which contains whole milk, cream and cultures, and no added sweeteners, thickeners or preservatives. We also decreased the number of yolks to four to create a healthier version of the traditional Southern classic.

• 2 cups sweet potatoes, baked and mashed
• 1 ¼ cups plain yogurt (or sour cream)
• ¾ cup packed, dark brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
• 4 egg yolks
• Salt
• 1 pie crust, deep dish
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

We frequently have leftover mashed sweet potatoes, but you can also bake 2-3 sweet potatoes, allow to cool, and then place them in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer until smooth.

Add yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, yolks, and salt to the sweet potatoes and beat until well combined. Pour this batter into the prepared pie shell and then place onto an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan in the event any filling overflows the crust.

Toast the pecans by placing them in the pre-heating oven for 10-15 minutes. When cool to the touch, break into small pieces. Mix chopped pecans with the brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pie filling, then drizzle maple syrup over the pecan topping.

Bake the pie for 50 to 55 minutes or until the custard reaches 165oF degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Because the filling contains eggs it is best to keep the pie refrigerated after cooling. Top with fresh whipped cream for an authentic Southern dessert.

Technique of the Week: Crimping

Crimping is the techniques used to decorate the edges of a pie in order to ensure the edges are well sealed. Begin by trimming the extra dough hanging over the edge with a knife or your fingers. Then, tuck the dough around the edge, creating an even ridge around the circumference of the pie plate. If you find a thin spot, you can add a little bit of dough from the scraps you removed earlier. Once you have an even edge on the way around the pie, pinch the pastry dough with a finger and thumb of one hand and pressing with the fore finger of the other hand to create a triangular pattern all the way around the pie. Once you have gone around the perimeter of the pie, then go back and lightly press down on the top of the crimped edge to even out the height giving the pie a fancy fluted crust.

Crimping can also be done with a fork, but is more common on smaller items such as hand pies, empanadas, or pierogi.

There has been much debate over the centuries as to how to create the flakiest crust. Some recipes call for ice water, cold butter or even vinegar. My Mom (dubbed the Pie Queen by Dom) uses this super simple recipe with nary a complaint from consumers.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
5 tablespoons cold water or milk

This recipe makes enough for two regular pies, a top and a bottom or one large pie with a little leftover. Mix ingredients together until well combined creating a large ball. Split ball in half and flatten out the dough beginning with a rolling pin. This dough is not sensitive to the heat from your hands, so once the dough is fairly flat, you can move it to the pie plate and press it out creating an even layer in and around the plate. Using the technique above, crimp the edge of your crust. The finished crust can be refrigerated until the pie is ready to be added.

You can use the scraps of dough to create pretty decorations for your pies using cookie cutters and sprinkling the cut-out shapes with a little sugar before placing them on top of your pie. As a little girl, I loved pie baking day because Mom always had leftover dough scraps that she would roll out and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. She would bake the little “tarts” until the crust was crispy and the cinnamon sugar melted into a candy topping which was usually still warm as my sister and I came in from the long bus ride home.

Taste of Atlanta = Tastes for Every Palate

What a glorious day for the 10th Anniversary of Taste of Atlanta, the annual showcase highlighting the incredible verve and diversity of Atlanta's amazing food scene. Sonny and I started by strolling through looking at all the options, stopping to chat with volunteers at the Community Coffee booth and sampling their coffee with chicory.

With so many amazing choices, Sonny and I had a difficult time selecting from all the delectable morsels available for tasting. Sonny started with a chipotle chocolate chip cookie from Pura Vida, and was then lured by the wonderful scent of St. Louis-style ribs being grilled at the Ribs n' Blues table. I was intrigued by Famous Chuck’s roast beef po’boy and had to see if it rivals our homemade version. We walked through the organic market featuring honeys, preserves, fresh vegetables and other homemade goodies, and sat for a while to listen to Sonya Jones of Sweet Auburn Bread Company describe how to make her famous apple cider pie.

Being a huge fan of sushi, Sonny tried the crab and cheese spring rolls from Tin Drum, and Himalayan rolls from Genki and washed them down with a sample of Razzleberry tea from Peace Tea. Chef Tina Aleandri from Noche and Chef Phillip Strange of Shout (sharing a tent) were having such a grand time bantering with the crowd (and each other) that I had to stop and try their sumptuous “Albondigas” (spanish meatballs in tomato broth,) the most incredible warm chestnut soup, and equally stunning salmon rillettes on crostini that they were offering. By far, the best morsels of the day!

We stopped in the Silent Auction tent which was filled with loads of merchandise and offers for discount deals in the metro area. All proceeds from the Silent Auction will benefit one of our favorite charities; Share our Strength's Cooking Matters™. Cooking Matters™ is cooking-based program that teaches nutrition, cooking, and household budgeting with a focus on teen education.

While the fish and chips from Ri-Ra Irish Pub looked very tasty, the line was longer than a summer day on the equator. We elected instead for free samples of Chobani Champions’ “Honey-nana” Greek-style yogurt, and then while Sonny tried a lamb slider from Max Lager’s, I nibbled on some of their apple-caramel bread pudding.

Feeling satiated and having had our fill of people-watching, we started strolling in the direction of the parking lot when we both did a double-take: Sonny for a slice of oreo cheesecake and I for a freshly made Nutella banana crepe both being offered by Café Intermezzo. Using our last few tickets (and loosening our belts), we indulged in one last treat before passing through the exit gates of the festival.

So much food, so little time (and stomach capacity)! We will have to wait another year to enjoy so many flavor sensations in one metro-Atlanta location. We are counting the days… 365 (it is a leap year!)

Big Fun at the Big Grill!

Smoked wafted through the air as we approached the tented area that had been cordoned off for Taste of Atlanta’s kick-off party dubbed “The Big Grill” with proceeds benefiting Georgia Organics. The back area was brimming with Big Green eggs and the heady smell of cooking meat filled the air. Inside the atmosphere was very festive with decorated tables, cozy seating areas and ample drink stands (sponsored by Amstel Light). And the food… AH-mazing!

We started at the back with Serpas' crispy pulled duck on a cube of confit, Rathbun’s pork belly taco with banana mayonnaise, and JCT. Kitchen’s grilled quail breast with puffed farro and pomegranate reduction.

Stopping briefly to listen and enjoy the party tunes being sung by Atlanta’s popular Yacht Rock Schooner, we circled back to sample Lamb loin, with chick pea frites and smoked paprika aioli from Briza, mini shrimp and crab burgers with remoulade from Watershed and hanger steak sliders with pickled vegetable slaw and citrus crème fraiche from Ray’s on the River.

We were swooning from all the incredible flavors (and feeling a bit full,) so we avoided lines for samples of seared scallops with pumpkin risotto, braised brisket sliders and hyper-dressed burgers which stretched to Terre Haute. Instead we opted to give in to the temptation of The Barrelhouse’s banana pudding shooters with graham cracker streusel and lingering over pumpkin-chestnut and bourbon-burnt-sugar ice creams, Campari-blood-orange sorbet created by High Road Craft.

It was clear watching the jovial crowd that we were not the only ones who were enjoying indulging our palates with all the marvelous treats offered by Atlanta’s premier restaurants and chefs. And this is just the Kick-Off Party! We can only imagine the delights that await us tomorrow at the 10th Anniversary Taste of Atlanta festival.

Warm Kettle Chips with Marzetti Blue Cheese Sauce

I was very excited when I received an email from Foodbuzz letting me know that we would be given an opportunity to try a bottle of Marzetti Simply Dressed® salad dressing as part of the Tastemaker program. I had a devil of a time deciding which bottle to choose from the enticing assortment which included Champagne, Ginger Sesame, Greek and Pomegranate. I finally selected Blue Cheese with the realization that it would be the most desirable to our teenage boys. I envisioned a “wedge salad” as I placed a head of iceberg lettuce in the cart, knowing full well that any remaining dressing would be used for hot wings and celery.

Alas, the best laid plans of mice and men… During Cross Country season, the guys arrive home in the evening STARVING. A phone call from Dom let me know that dinner would be delayed a while, so in a pinch I found a bag of Kettle potato chips in the pantry. Thinking quickly I turned the oven on 350oF and layed the some of the chips on a parchment lined (oven-safe) plate. I grabbed the bottle of Marzetti Simply Dressed® blue cheese dressing from the fridge and slathered the chips with dressing and popped them in the oven for about 10 minutes (as long as it took 2 boys to finishing showering and pour sodas into glasses.) Once removed from the oven I added a few freshly snipped chives (for Sonny’s benefit) to the plate and crumbled some blue cheese (originally purchased for the wedge salad) over the top.  And, of course, they ate every last chip before I could get a picture!

Needless to say the guys were not disappointed when I made a second plate for Dom’s arrival home. And Dom, who thinks everything tastes better topped with arugula that has been tossed with truffle oil and salt added his garnish to the dish. I guess I need to buy a least one more bottle.

Would you like to try a bottle of Marzetti Simply Dressed® salad dressing? Click here for a $1.00 off coupon.

Technique of the Week: Sautéing

The French word sauté is a past participle of the verb "to jump." Similar to pan-frying, this cooking method uses a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Always heat your pan with oil before adding the ingredients. When ingredients are added to the pre-heated pan, they hop and "jump" around in the pan confirming that you have begun with a sufficient amount of heat. Only enough fat to lightly coat the bottom of the pan is needed for sautéing; too much fat will cause the food to fry rather than just to slide across the surface of the pan. Olive oil or clarified butter are commonly used for sautéing, but most fats will do. Regular butter will produce more flavor, but has a tendency to burn more quickly than other fats due to the presence of milk solids, so clarified butter is more fit for this use.

The most common use of this method is preparing vegetables for stews or casseroles. When sautéing, the vegetables should be stirred constantly because they are usually finely chopped and need to be kept moving to prevent them from burning and sticking in the hot pan. The browned vegetables are fully cooked while preserving its texture, moisture and flavor. If meat, chicken, or fish is sautéed, the sauté is often finished by deglazing the pan's residue to make a sauce. Sautéing differs from searing in that searing only browns the surface of the meat in preparation for other cooking methods.

Tricks and tips:

• Use a sauté pan. The sauté pan is designed specifically for that little flip that ensures even cooking.
• Cut your items to a uniform size to ensure even cooking.
• Choose the right size of pan; overcrowding will cause the food to steam instead of caramelize.
• Sautéing is versatile in terms of which fat to use. Depending on flavor profile, any number of fats can be used. The idea is to use about 1-2 tablespoons preheated in the pan on medium-high to high heat depending on the oil and the item to be sautéed. Check your recipe or this Whole Foods Guide is an excellent source for determining the best oil to use and their flavor profiles.
• For veggies and fruits: Once your oil is hot, add your item and toss to evenly coat with oil and allow to brown on one side. Then toss again and allow to brown, until you have even browning on all sides. Don’t toss too often, it will prevent caramelization from happening. When all sides are nice and brown, lower the temperature to avoid scorching and cook to desired crispness.
• For meats such as fish, chicken, pork and steak: season your meat with salt, pepper on both sides or marinate as instructed by the recipe. If marinated, dry the outside of the meat on paper towels to avoid hot oil spatters. You can lift an edge of your protein to check the color before turning it. You want to only turn it once, especially for delicate items such as fish.

Quick Cooking Guide:

• Fish: Sauté until outside is golden and fish begins to flake when tested with a fork.
• Chicken: Sauté until no longer pink and internal temperature is 160° F. For thicker pieces such as legs and thighs, consider a quick sear in an oven-proof pan then moving the item to a pre-heated 350°F oven to reach desired doneness.
• Steak: Preheat the pan, sear for 1-2minutes per side on high, then reduce temperature to medium and cook to desired doneness. Can be finished in the oven after a quick sear if desired. This method is recommended for thicker cuts of meat.
• Pork chop (bone-in or boneless): Preheat the pan, sear for 1-2 minutes per side on high, then reduce heat to medium and cook to internal temperature of 145-155°F depending on desired doneness. Can also be finished in the oven.

Some of our recipes that include sautéing include:

• Randomly Awesome Auburn Rice with Chanterelles & Chilies
• Pleasantly Bitter & Spicy Wherewithal
• Deconstructed Puttanesca Pasta
• Sautéed Greens (Verdi Saltati) for Luck
• Swiss Chard Gratin

Randomly Awesome Auburn Rice with Chanterelles & Chilies

Imagine the excitement when we saw that Marx Foods was having another of its infamous foodie challenges! This time it was the Random Sample Challenge. We received a goodie box that included an Auburn rice mix, dried wild chanterelle mushrooms, Cascabel chilies, granulated dried New Mexican chilies and coarse smoked salt of which 2 of the 5 ingredients must be used in an original recipe creation. The contemplation began. It has been our experience that in most recipe competitions, the most “creative” (read outrageous here) concoctions win. So, we were all set to experiment with a smoke-salted, chocolate molé rice pudding, when Sonny (who could survive on buttered rice with black pepper alone) pointed out that we would not be able to enjoy the natural flavors of the rice mix once smothered in chocolate and chili pepper. So…

Changing gears, we decided to develop a recipe that would accentuate the natural flavors of the random goodies we had received starting (at Sonny’s request) with the Auburn rice blend of short grain brown rice and Himalayan red rice. The rice seed is the most important grain with regard to nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one fifth of the calories consumed by the world's human population, since a large portion of the corn crops are grown for purposes other than human consumption. Most types of rice can be eaten as brown or white rice. When only the outer shell of a grain of rice (the husk) is removed, brown rice is produced. White rice is produced by further removing the next two layers (bran and germ) leaving the starchy endosperm exposed. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice and has a chewy texture and mild nutty flavor.

Being huge fans of chanterelle mushrooms, we decided to reconstitute and use them even though it is recommended that dried chanterelles be used in dishes where the mushrooms are to be pureed because they can be woody and tough. For the record, this was not true at all. When re-hydrated these high quality mushrooms were rich and complex with fruity undertones.

Next, we decided to grind and add in both types of chili pepper to add depth and zing. Realizing the resulting dish was an overindulgence in earthy, elemental essences; we went all the way and finished the plate with a light sprinkling of the coarse smoked salt. The deep natural flavors of each ingredient were accentuated by one another yet fused into the perfect combination of tastes and toothsome textures which made a wonderful accompaniment to roasted chicken. Of course, Sonny commandeered the leftovers, adding a splash of soy sauce for lunch the next day.

¾ cup Marx Foods’ Auburn Rice Mix

1 ½ cup water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

5-6 (about 2 oz.) Marx Foods’ dried chanterelle mushrooms, re-hydrated and chopped

1 Marx Foods’ dried Cascabel chili pepper, toasted and ground

¼ teaspoon Marx Foods’ granulated New Mexican chili pepper

Marx Foods’ coarse smoked salt to taste

White Truffle oil for drizzling (optional, but REALLY good!)

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Ground black pepper to taste

Rehydrate chanterelles by placing them in a cup of boiling water and allow to sit until the water is cool. (We soaked them overnight, but only because we remembered to do so.) Strain the mushrooms and reserve the water for cooking the rice.

Rinse the rice blend before cooking and add the rice and water to a pot.  Bring the water (and rice) to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce the temperature to low.  Let the rice simmer for about 20 minutes, then turn the heat off leaving pot covered to allow rice to steam for another 15 or so minutes until grains are plump and tender.

Toast dried chilies and allow to cool before grinding as this restores the fresh flavor and texture. Remove stems and grind the pepper using a coffee grinder. (You can use a mortar and pestle or pepper mill if you don’t have a coffee grinder.)

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft then add chopped reconstituted Chanterelle mushrooms, continue to sauté until golden brown. Add ground chili peppers and mix well. Then carefully add the cooked Auburn rice and fold together completely coating the rice and cooking of any remaining liquid. Turn rice out into a bowl and finish by drizzling with truffle oil and finishing with smoked sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Toast pine nuts in a pan on the stove, shaking the pan continually. When the nuts start to turn a light brown, remove from the pan and let cool on a plate until ready to use as a garnish. (Note: the pictures do not show the pine nuts, because of allergies.)

Technique of the Week: Boiling

Following the adage, you must walk before you can run, this week’s technique is boiling. This, however, occurred to me after last week’s segment of blanching, which of course requires the use of boiled water. In the 1940’s, it was not uncommon to hear someone say, “she’s such a poor cook, she can’t even boil water,” as women began enjoying professional advancement in the workplace. In fact, this was the premise of several classic movies including Katharine Hepburn’s Woman of the Year and Barbara Stanwyck’s Christmas in Connecticut. While the advent of microwave ovens has made boiling water as simple as pressing a button, it is still wise to have an understanding of the basic principles. Who knows, it might even come in handy if the power goes out.

Boiling is cooking food in a liquid (water, stock, or milk) at the boiling point of 212oF. The boiling point can vary with the atmospheric pressure affected by altitude or weather. Dissolved solids (like salt or sugar) will increase the boiling point of water as well, but the effect is minimal. The amount normally used in cooking will effect less than a 1 degree change. In order to make any significant difference, you would need to add it in vast quantities.

As the liquid heats in the process of boiling, tiny bubbles appear on the bottom of the pot and rise to the surface. Gradually, the bubbles increase in size until large ones form, rise rapidly and break which produces a constant agitation of the liquid. There are several factors that influence the rapidity with which water may be brought to the boiling point; namely, the kind of vessel used, the amount of surface exposed, and the quantity of heat applied.

While water that is hot from the tap obviously boils faster than cold water, it is better to use cold water instead because hot tap water will contain more dissolved minerals from your pipes, which can give your food an off-flavor. A good point to bear in mind in preparing foods by boiling is that slowly boiling water has the same temperature as rapidly boiling water and is therefore able to do exactly the same work.

Liquid boils faster when the pot it’s in is covered. A cover placed on the saucepan increases the pressure inside the pot which in turn increases the boiling point of the liquid. Because the liquid is in a confined area, the molecules are constantly bombarding into one another creating greater kinetic energy. A lid also prevents a loss of water by condensing the steam as it rises against the cover; as water boils, some of the steam flows back down in the form of liquid.

The main foods that are cooked using this method are eggs (toughening the albumin,) vegetables (softening the cellulose fibers) and pasta (rehydrating and cooking the dough). Meats are sometimes placed in boiling liquid to relax the tissue and dissolve the fat, and then the heat is reduced to allow the meat to simmer as in stews. Boiling most foods until done typically renders them shrunken and tasteless (this is where blanching comes in.)

In addition to cooking, boiling renders water safe since it destroys any germs that may be present. However, boiled water is known to lose flavor. As this change is brought about by the loss of air during boiling, the flavor can be restored by shaking it in a partly filled jar or bottle to add air.

Boiled Water
Water
Heavy saucepan or pot

Fill pot about 2/3 to the top with cold water leaving room for expansion and agitation of the water’s surface. Cover pot and place on the stove top over high heat. The appearance tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pot indicate the water is close to the boiling point. Once water reaches a rolling boil (i.e., turbulently churning with large bubbles,) the heat can be reduced as extra heat is not necessary to maintain the boiling temperature. The boiling water is now ready for use in one of its many applications.

TOW Addendum: Sous Vide

A friend pointed out that I had neglected to include a very important aspect of the technique of boiling food: Sous Vide - a method in which food sealed in airtight plastic bags is cooked in a water bath for a long time (72 hours is not unusual) at a temperature much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 140 °F.

The term sous vide (pronounced soo-VEED) is French for "under vacuum" and was developed in the mid-1970s by chef Georges Pralus for the Restaurant Troisgros in Rouen, France.

Pralus initially applied the sous vide method to cooking foie gras (goose or duck liver), as a way to retain the fat content and improve texture.  Other gastronomy pioneers soon began experimenting with this technique, applying it to all manners of food to boost flavor and appearance, maintaining the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period at relatively low temperatures.
Atlantan and Chef Richard Blais is one of those pioneers, whose mission is to introduce sous vide to a wider audience.  Sous vide is a well-respected cooking method among gourmet chefs and can routinely be found in upscale restaurants.  In addition, many large-scale restaurant and institutional kitchens use the method in order to prepare perfectly cooked and consistent dishes that eliminate guesswork, Chef Blais explains.

Because of the expensive equipment costs, upwards of several thousand dollars, until recently sous vide was largely been inaccessible to home cooks.  However, the technique has recently gained traction among foodies and has made the leap into home kitchens with the Sous Vide Supreme. It is a restaurant secret for your gourmet kitchen!

contributed by Jim Brams of The Cook’s Warehouse

Be Safe this Month

The U.S. has become prolific at creating "national month" and “national day” events to promote business and social interests. October is a particularly popular month to raise awareness for a variety of causes* including National Emergency Care and National Fire Safety Month. The below infographic from J.E.S. Restaurant Equipment shows some statistics and safety tips to help “celebrate” these two important issues. October is the perfect time to practice kitchen safety as we start spending more time in the kitchen preparing for the upcoming holiday season (and the knife safety images are perfect for Halloween!)

*And for the record, we really think that Vegetarians and Pork Lovers should consider celebrating in different months.

Technique of the Week: Blanching

This is the first of a new series posts which will feature a different cooking technique each week. We chose blanching because we seem to be doing quite a bit of it lately with the gorgeous greens that are coming into season. I recently mentioned to a friend that we were having our favorite Swiss chard gratin for dinner. When she politely asked how to make it, I started the explanation with "first you clean the chard and blanch it." Her eyes immediately glazed over and she said, "I'll never make it - I don't even know what blanching is."

Blanching is the process of plunging raw food items into boiling water for a few minutes typically to soften, partly cook, or to remove a strong flavor. After a brief time in the boiling water, the food is then plunged into cold or iced water (shocked) to immediately stop the cooking process.

The term blanch used to mean "to whiten" and was used to whiten meats like veal. Today this method is more often used to remove the skins from certain fruits and nuts including tomatoes, peaches, pistachios and almonds or to destroy enzymes that will spoil the flavor and texture of vegetables when frozen. Blanching cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, preserves the color and retards the loss of vitamins of vegetables, especially leafy greens such as broccoli rabe or kale.

In the case of asparagus, the technique of blanching is actually the preferred method of cooking the tender-stalked perennial. To cook asparagus using the blanching method, the shoots are boiled for 30 seconds, and then to stop the cooking instantly they are dipped into cold or ice water.

It is not uncommon for home cooks to blanch raw eggs before using them in recipes such as a traditional Caesar salad dressing, fresh pasta dough or homemade cookie dough (especially if children are helping in the kitchen.)

To pasteurize large eggs, place them (whole-still in the shell) in a saucepan filled with water and fitted with a digital thermometer. Turn on the heat and bring the water temperature up to 140 degrees F and cook eggs for 3 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Pasteurized eggs will keep in the fridge the same length of time as unpasteurized eggs and can be used just as any raw egg would be used. We mark the shells with a Sharpie marker to make them easy to identify.

Party At Ponce To Restore Building And Hope

The Party at Ponce will most definitely be dubbed Atlanta’s party of the year! To kick-off the re-development of the 2.1 million square-foot property that was the first Sears retail store in Atlanta (which later became Atlanta City Hall East in 1991,) Jamestown Properties celebrated plans to transform the historic site once an amusement park called “the Coney Island of Atlanta,” and the original home to the “Atlanta Crackers” baseball team into an urban mixed-use “destination” named Ponce City Market.

The huge venue featured a stage in the back lot bordered by food trucks parked along the perimeter, and a multitude of tables laden with food samples prepared by the chefs of Atlanta’s most popular restaurants inside the building’s massive loading area. Attendees enjoyed the musical talents of the Party’s headliners the Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins and Francine Reed as they snacked on treats from Atlanta's most celebrated chefs including:

• Kevin Rathbun of Rathbun’s; Szechuan-peppered Pork Belly Tacos with Orange Hoisin Sauce, Sake Pickled Onions
• Joshua Hopkins of Abattoir; Brisket Salad
• Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia; Radishes with butter, Cheese Straws and Ginger-Molasses Cookies
• Shaun Doty of Yeah! Burger; Free-Range Turkey Burger with Pickle and Alabama White BBQ sauce
• Jay Swift of 4th & Swift; Braised Lamb with Pomegranate Couscous topped with Spiced Yogurt
• Hugh Acheson of Empire State South; She Crab Soup with Sherry Gelee with Mace Whipped Cream and Crisp Rice
• Scott Serpas of Serpas; House-Smoked Salmon with Chipotle Cream Cheese, Red Onions And Capers
• Ford Fry of JCT Kitchen; Sweet Onion and Fontina Tortelloni
• Duane Nutter of One Flew South; Blueberry Mountain Chicken over Waffles
• Ron Eyester of Rosebud; Marinated Shrimp and Late-Summer Peppers with Mustard Sorghum Vinaigrette
• Pano Karatassos of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group & Eric Cutillo of Kyma; Grilled Octopus over Quinoa Salad
• Frederico Castellucci of Iberian Pig; Iberico Ham and Artisanal Salads

Food truck offerings included frozen treats from Westside Creamery and Honeysuckle, Korean-style tacos from Yumbii, a selection of tamales from the Tamale Queen and jambalaya, crawfish dip and beignets from Just Loaf’n. Party goers also had the opportunity to try a "Cat's Meow," the PAP signature drink created by a master mixologist from Rosebud made with lemon-&-lavendar-infused Cathead Vodka, agave nectar and ginger beer.

Overall, the evening was an enormous success with all proceeds from the “Party” benefiting and the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership and Georgia Organics. The future “Ponce City Market,” on land previously populated with natural springs known for their restorative properties, is certain to "restore" the building's usefulness and become the nexus of the four established neighborhoods and the future Atlanta BeltLine transit corridor.