Just Braise » 2006 » May

The Epic Journey

Stacey — Sat, 20 May 2006 19:05:00 +0000

The Epic Journey has begun. Leg 1 took us into London for 2 full nights of theater, cheese shops, artisanal chocolates… On to Norway where we found a 1 pence flight so how can it be resisted?

The fjords are coming…

The City Gardener #6

Stacey — Mon, 15 May 2006 18:40:00 +0000

Here is a good final send-off, the last of my city garden, for now anyway. While D and I are leave for our epic voyage (locations yet to be disclosed), my mother will be taking the reins around here. Ever so nice to fly in from Chicago, mom will hold down the fort, care for the kitty parade, enjoy the garden bounty, nurse ailing orchids, and delve into whatever other household matters she may care to cover (I overheard a rumor about a stove cleaning).

So here it is. The picture of my inability to rush Mother Nature and my cornucopia of lettuce. Holding a purgatory of semi-stale growth we have lettuce, radishes, tomatoes and Swiss chardâ€”actually, the radishes are doing quite nicely (background), and will hopefully hold out for my return. And though I previously mentioned being fearful of planting more tomatoes, maybe I can keep the odd 80-year-old-purple-haired predator away upon my returnâ€” electric fence?

So here you see it and soon neither you nor I will. As my mother has no digital camera, I cannot ask her to keep up the photo montage– the camera will be in my hands. Her task is to eat and enjoy the freshness of my labors.

The City Gardener will be up and running in three weeks time. Until thenâ€¦ I ask you to hold out for the odd reports from abroad.

The City Gardener #5
The City Gardener #4
The City Gardener #3
The City Gardener #2
The City Gardener

Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse

Stacey — Sat, 13 May 2006 23:17:00 +0000

I seldom have so many sweets creeping up on me, but I suppose everyone is entitled to a little sweet tooth every now and then, no? And because D and I are gearing up to high tail it out of here, I know these sugary treats will be consumed in no time flat. With Motherâ€™s Day just around the corner, I tried out a few recipes and found this one to be a winner. My own mother agrees, having devoured two servings already.

I found this recipe scanning The Chicago Tribune this weekend. While flowers can be particular per person– allergies, matching colors and varietals all play into effect– most of us can agree on the decadence of chocolate. I know few mothers who could resist this sugary kiss that says love.

This dessert is brought to us from Wolfgang Puck, adding a guaranteed winner to the recipe box. If done right, it is seductively light, making it an ideal warm weather dessert. Enjoy it with a tall glass of milk, champagne, or a kiss. Any way you enjoy it, mom will know it was made with love (and quite easily too!).

A quick note: do not use ultra-pasteurized whipping cream. It was all I had in the house and because departure is upon us I did not want to buy more. Ultra-pasteurized â€œwhippedâ€ cream turns out flat, as pictured above. Still, it is just as delicious.

This is the recipe as it appears in the Tribune.
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 3 minutes. Yield: 6 servings
* 1-Â½ cups whipping cream plus more for garnish
* 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
* 4 whites of pasteurized eggs, see note
* 1/8 teaspoon each: cream of tartar, salt
* 1/4 cup sugar

1) Heat half of the cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; pour the cream over the chocolate in a large bowl, making sure all of the chocolate is covered with cream. Set aside 1 minute. Slowly stir the mixture together with a heatproof spatula until blended; set aside.
2) Beat the egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until whites begin to foam, about 2 minutes. Beat in the cream of tartar and the salt, beating until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar, beating just until stiff (but not dry) peaks form, about 4 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a spatula until blended.
3) Add the remaining cream to the bowl used to beat the egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg white-chocolate mixture.
4) Spoon the mousse into individual parfait glasses, ramekins or small bowls. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until well chilled and firmly set, at least 2 hours. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Note: Due to the possible presence of salmonella, pasteurized eggs are recommended for mousse. They are available in large supermarkets in the egg department.

In non-food related news, Eat Stuff brings us the beloved WCB. Today Whiskey & Kitty BoJangles show a little love to the outdoor world awaiting the arrival of somebody special.