Blogging in the night

Kind of like Strangers in the Night, but less crooning. Also, not a euphemism.

Alas, my dear readers, I kid you not when I say I write this at 3.05am (though I probably will check my grammar at a more reasonable hour tomorrow!). I also kid you not that I have been reading about cake and cupcakes and cupcake blogs for the past four hours or so, with interjections of jittery late night TV. Perhaps it's not healthy to have concentrated for so long on a laptop, but hey! 

Anyway, it got me thinking about how many food blogs are out there, and how my humble little URL is but a drop in a vast, delicious ocean of blogs. 

(I'd compare it to a deeper meanings of the human race being such a minute speck of something far larger than we could possibly conceive, but it really is far too late, and I am no where near qualified to be delving into those depths)

Moving on marginally from that side thought though, I did have a point. Eliminating all those blogs which denote just reviews of other food blogs (which, seems a little pointless in itself, because you end up entering this endless circle of hyperlink after hyperlink - and after 4 hours, it gets tedious), the ones owned by companies to boost marketing and advertising (which is a smart move), and the ones that are near unintelligible (no offense), you're left with not that much. In a Social-Network/Blog/Forum dominated Internet, where millions of people can input their own insight into subjects, i'd have never thought it so difficult to find decent information.
You see, it's all about courtesy on the Internet, though I do know plenty of people who have had/caused online arguments who would contradict me on this one. People - ultimately - want to be seen and their individual voice's heard. But it's difficult when you have to wade through loads of other rubbish to get to said voices. So to make it easier, you set up your network of people:

- You first of all have your dedicated followers, people who regularly view your blog and are genuinely interested in musings you may have.
- You then have the occasional visitors, an accidental search engine hit perhaps or the 'Random blog generator' visitors. This one you can't really control.
- Now this last one is kind of important. It's where your blog gets hits when it has been blogged by another blogger. (Bear with me on this one, there's going to be alot of 'blog' and blog-related stuff going around here.

In order to maximise your viewership, you need to get your blog out there, basically, much like advertising. So the best way is to do it through a (what i'm now naming) Social Network Courtesy Chain - partially because i'm not entirely sure if there's a real name for it, and because it sounds kinda cool. The whole "I'll blog yours if you blog mine" theory.

This theory is huge, and when I say huge, I mean really massive. You will honestly get blogs that are purely hyperlinks, so they can have as many hits as possible to get their website out there. It is, incredibly boring, and also a little defeatist in the way that, you set out to get your voice heard, and in doing so you have nothing to say but links. Oh the digital irony.

In the instant-information version of the Internet we now use, having a blog is a good way of getting a lot of voices and a lot information out there in a short space of time (stating this is nothing new may I add), and in your own personal space - I mention not Twitter here because the snippet pieces aren't really relevant. So loads of people do it, it's kinda common sense when you think about it. But it's also (unfortunately) quite a boring way to blog. Unless you have a vast amount of time on your hands (the students, the retired and the lazy) nobody wants to trawl through a hundred hyperlinks of crap to get one that's only half decent. This is where the food comes in, all that stuff is vaguely-related to food blogs! You cannot have a food blog if your blog only links to other 'food' blogs that link to other 'food' blogs that link to other food blogs, in which there is no actual food information! What you essentially have is just a blog full of hyperlinks with a name that is vaguely related to the culinary arts, it's just silly!

It did, however make me ponder the validity of blogs nowadays, i'm all for free speech and that, but it all seems a little...I dunno, same-ey? I'd also go into more academic detail but it's really not my area of study and it'd probably bore you non media-students to tears. I'm also not just using buzz words for funsies or for SEO, it is kinda relevant!
 

I'm not even sure what set me off on this blog hunting mission, in which I have no ammo. I vaguely remember thinking about food around 9pm and deciding to look for other food bloggers, but after that I have no memory. I am, you could say, hammered on blogs. I have on my cupcake-related goggles and...no, I will spare you more horrendously bad cliches.

And so I digress a little...okay, quite a considerable amount of media-geekness has ensued I apologise, but it's useful to know when you read blogs to know this (I really don't mean that in a patronising way I promise!).

But back to food. Alas you would think that I would include a recipe of some cupcake variety here after researching cake for hours, but, i'm thinking I might jazz up my sweet page with a bit of savoury snacks. Now I don't know about you, but I love me a good home-made pie, apple-, steak- or pizza-.

Black Sheep Beef Pie

Serves 4-6

500g lean stewing beef, diced into quite big chunks
 3 Tbsp Plain Flour

1 pint of Beef stock (I used 3 crushed OXO cubes, diluted)

4 large carrots

3/4 pint of Black Sheep Ale (or Newkie Brown is nice too!)

1 small handful of mushrooms (whatever variety you have or like, I used button)

Puff Pastry

3 Bay leaves

1 Tbsp Thyme

This pie is really really really easy to make. It's better if you make it in quite a deep pan so all the liquid in it can reduce!

- Firstly, put your pan on the heat (medium-high) with some olive oil, if you have a non stick pan you can get away with not using as much, but put a good splash in.

- Coat your diced beef lightly in the flour and place in your hot pan. Leave them so they go all crisp and dark brown and gnarled on the outside (it's good for making the gravy). As soon as most of the sides are all seared, turn the heat down to Low-medium, and add the Black Sheep Ale, just a splash to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Then add the mushrooms and carrots.

 - Then add about half the bottle of ale and stir. 

- Then add your Beef stock (if you have fresh that's awesome, but OXO cubes have never failed for me!

- Add the bay leaves and thyme and incorporate again.

- Leave on the hob, half covered with the lid for as long as you can, 2 hours is more than enough on a low-medium heat if you have the time, but it does need a good hour to really get it flowing. If it's reducing too much, keep adding splashes of ale to keep some of the sauce. Take the lid off for the last half an hour to let it reduce. Also, as it cooks, you will get a little foam on the top, it won't do you any harm but I skim it off anyway.

 Pie, before reducing and skimming foam! Also, apologies, it doesn't look particularly beautiful at this stage!

- Pour all this into a pie dish and roll out your pastry and cover. Now, I may get criticised, but puff pastry is incredibly tedious to make, nobody likes making it unless you can afford to spend 3 hours folding dough, which is not fun. So I use the JusRol stuff!

- Cut your slits to let some heat out, and don't forget the customary pastry leaves with the left over dough. Cook in the oven for about half an hour on 220C degrees and you're done. Serve with mashed potatoes and tonnes of vegetables, broccoli and cauliflower. And if you have any ale left, enjoy it with your meal!

Very yummy, hearty and even a picky eater will love it.

Sorry it's been a bit of a social self-debate on here. But you've gained a new media issue and a pie! I doubt you'll be able to find that anywhere else.

Next Week: Baklava!

Peace

JR

Getting Messy with Tiramisu.

Well, as promised I come bearing gifts and snippets of food-related experience!

So this weekend was dedicated to having a bit of much needed R n R, and I reference, in a cheesy fashion, Rock and Roll. Blah blah blah a very fun and messy cocktail party ensued, with lots of yummy concoctions and home made treats. 

I was in two minds as to what I should make for said party, a cake would have been too small, and I thought it a little too cliche and unsophisticated to make brownies for a house-party. So I went with the next natural choice, Tiramisu! I say natural choice, the thing I was craving most. What can I say, i'm selfishly indulgent! I don't really feel you can truly understand a dish until you know at least the basics of where it came from, much like you can't make a modern twist unless you understand the original recipe. So in a bid to understand the ancestry of the humble Tiramisu, I was expecting to go back hundreds of years. Not quite what I found, but interesting nonetheless. 

First of all, being entirely word of mouth you can't trust sources, because people are selfish, and will take credit for things that doesn't belong to them, case and point, Alexander Graham Bell. But according to most of the rumours and whispers amongst the food community, this dessert was formed in the 70's or 80's by a tiny bakery called Le Beccherie. Now, it seems logical, the next step. The region in which it was invented, and I say invented with all meanings of the word, because this is definitely not a classical Italian recipe, was in Treviso, just outside of Venice, where all of the ingredients found in Tiramisu (Or Tiramesu in Venetian dialect) are very prominent in that region alone, marscapone, strong coffee, marsala wine (!), savoiardi biscuits. The reason I use an exclamation after the marsala is that, being literally a "pick me up" dessert, it was often given to the elderly and sick children, to give them energy with the sugar and coffee, and strength with the egg yolks. Also, it is often interchanged between other sweet dessert wines like muscat wine or sometimes dark rum or a moccachino-esque mixture. I hate to say it, but this is not a sophisticated dessert and it's not one of the more amazing Italian classics.

Now, i'm not going to go too much into the different recipes because I honestly would be here for hours, and it'd be incredibly boring to read. But everything can be interchanged, it seems. 

Does it need to contain savoiardi bicuits? 

Does it need to contain coffee? 

Does it need to contain whipped cream? 

Does it need to contain raw egg whites? 

Does it need to be dusted with cocao? 

It seems that the only thing that's so concrete about this dessert is that it has marscapone and egg yolks, and some people don't even put those in! It can get silly but as I said, it's very useful to know the original recipe. So that's what I did, I went on a hunt and I found the original recipe. How cool! Well, I can't say original recipe ever, but it's the first recipe to ever be published in "Vin Veneto" in 1981 when they traced the dessert to Le Beccherie. Hooray! It shall be included a little further down!

A little more on it though, not to sound patronising, but just so we're all at the same point. If you've never had Tiramisu before, it's alternating layers of coffee and alcohol soaked savoiardi biscuits and zabaglione cream, sometimes being topped with whipped cream dusted with cocao powder. And it is creamy and very yummy and actually one of my favourite desserts. Alas, onwards!

The First Published Recipe for Tiramisu

As Credited to Vin Veneto Magazine and Le Beccherie!

Makes enough for about 20 servings!

350ml espresso coffee

2 teaspoons sugar

4 egg yolks

100gr sugar

450gr marscapone cheese

30 savoiardi biscuits

2 tbsp cocao powder

- Brew your coffee strong! Dissolve 2 teaspoons of sugar while it's still warm and leave to cool a bit.

- Beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy and add the sugar and beat again.

- Combine the marscapone cheese to the mixture.

- Dip half the lady fingerss in the coffee and place in a pan in a single layer

- Spread half the marscapone mixture over the biscuits and repeat.

- Leave to chill for 3-4 hours and dust with cocao powder

Done! Simple as, it seems basic enough huh? I do worry about getting food poisoning and though i'm sure it's perfectly safe, eating raw egg makes me nervous. So I do mine a little differently. If i'm honest, this recipe was completely made up when I was in the process of making it, and I used what I had to hand, living in a small town, marsala wine is not exactly in abundance, it took me long enough to find marscapone! So i've had to sub in some bits and bobs along the way, and i've altered slightly the recipe. But it's not just me, thousands of people are as paranoid as I am! So here goes.

Jess' Sailor Jerry's Tiramisu.

Serves 20 big portions, or 30-40 small portions. This is a beast of a Tiramisu!

500gr Marscapone cheese (room temp)

4 egg yolks

8 tbsp caster sugar

2 packets of savoiarde biscuits (about 50 biscuits)

250ml double cream

4 shots of Sailor Jerry's spiced rum

6 tsp strong coffee diluted in a fair amount of hot water

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cocao powder for dusting

- Beat the eggs until they get fluffy and lovely and light, then add the sugar and beat some more. Add 2 shots of the coffee mixture, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and the last 2 shots of Sailor Jerry's.

- Prepare a double boiler and put the egg mixture dish over it and beat thoroughly until it becomes a warm custard. Keep it moving and stir thoroughly! Now's the time to take it off the hob, it doesn't need anymore heat.

- Get all of your marscapone cheese and mash it so it's soft and pliable, then pour your egg mixture into it. This is your zabaglione custard/cream!

- Brew your coffee and add 2 shots of Sailor Jerry's and 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and dip your savoiarde biscuits in and layer them across the bottom of your dish (about 8inch x 12inch x 3inch dish).

- Whip half of the double cream to stiff peaks and mix into the zabaglione. Mix well and try get all the lumps out.

- Pour some of your zabaglione-whipped cream mixture and spread across the biscuits.

- Soak and place another layer of savoiarde biscuits, and pour another layer of zabaglione custard and spread!

- If you have enough room soak and prepare another layer of biscuits and pour the last bit of your zabaglione.

- Whip the last half of the double cream to soft peaks and spread on top!

- Chill in the fridge for 5+ hours or overnight.

- Just before you serve, dust a thin layer of cocao powder on top, don't dust it too soon because it'll go soggy on top!

Sorry this one's a bit blurry!

And there you go! I gave you a double helping of Tiramisu-ey goodness, with photographic steps. Aren't I just a dedicated little blogger.

So after all that creamy, sexy goodness, I bid you farewell!

Peace

JR

An Ode to Inspiration.

Welcome, welcome, delicious deviants in the depths of Internet slurry, into 2011!

I have a good and reliable feeling that this is going to be very much the same as last year, full of work and hopes of winning the lottery.

Alas! I jest, it will be a difficult year. It might have something to do with the fact that I may (or, equally as likely, may not) graduate University this year, and be flung into the world of work in what I can only describe as a state of pure and utter terror. I have visions of trawling over endless job applications reading "Experienced Writer...", sighing, sending emails to receive either nothing or the classic "I'm sorry but because of the lack of professional experience, we feel it is not right to take you on at this point in time". At this point it would seem I am already prepared (or just pessimistic) in the anticipation of my own defeat, i'm not entirely sure whether that puts me ahead or behind my fellow graduates this year.

These thoughts (and suggestions from various friends) prompted me to debate the idea of simply getting a separate generic job and writing my own works and maybe get something published. I would hope, with my almost 6 years of slavery to retail, that I would manage at least something in the manner of assistant manager, dragging in at least a little income. This led me to thinking of expanding my *ahem* extensive writing repetoire to that of cook books. Now I know that I am but a fledgling still in the grand scheme of all that is cookery, but next to Fantasy it is my favourite genre. I reckon that with a lot of practice and a few years of testing out recipes I could make a half decent collection to publish. 

So flicking through my stack of cookery books and internet bookmarks, it prompted me to pick out my top seven of literary masterpieces and online culinary havens that I have taken a personal loving to! Something that I might someday achieve. I know some may not really be applicable because they are collections of hundreds of different people's recipes, but the concept is generally the same. 
This is not a top ten, nor a top five, but yes, top seven. I'm not one for rules, and I refuse to include numbers that aren't my complete favourites...plus, i've still alot to learn, and I want to leave space, just in case. So nyah!

7) All Recipes:

This website is a nice little addition to my go-to selection when looking for general ideas for stuff to eat. It is entirely community based, but i've found a few gems in here. If you have a little patience, it can really pay off!

Allrecipes

6) Nigella Lawson:

Like many people before me, and many after I do not doubt, I do have a rather questionable love for Nigella Lawson. She may not have the most amazing credentials in regards to other TV chefs, but she sure can put on a cracking spread, and spread a 'mysterious' rise in interest in the culinary arts for teenage boys. I have been a follower of her for a good while but only recently acquired my first book, and she makes for an awesome read, if I may say so myself. 

5) Hummingbird Bakery:

This teeny little gem is something for someone who is seriously addicted to sugar. It is not for the faint hearted, if you want to reduce yourself to a calm sugar-induced coma-esque state, this book is for you. It's very unlike me to really like this one, apart from it contains many cupcakes, but it's girly and pretty and glitter galore in there. One for the kitsch and for people visiting kids, although I do warn you, it'll take several hours and a few broken brooms to get little ones down from the ceiling after these. Utter delight!

4) Green & Blacks: Unwrapped

Quite possibly this will be one of the favourites upon first glance, it is chocolate. And in keeping with the whole stereotypical 'Female=Obsession with Chocolate' that I don't fully understand, here is the answer to your chocolate-related questions. It's quite a skinny little book but if you like proper chocolate - not just the sweet bars you find littering every shop - it is a good choice. If you buy this simply for the one recipe of chocolate mousse, it is £8 well spent my friends. 

ps - I very much wish I had that apron!

3) BBC Good Food:

Good old BBC, you never fail to entertain me in some manner. This website is pretty awesome, but unlike it's lesser-loved sister up at number 7, it has a little quality control! And it has a selection from loads of different TV chefs, which is always fun and sensational.

BBC Good Food

2) Gourmet Traveller:

I have to admit, I am quite into experimenting. And jumping into something inexplicably complicated is a trait that I am no stranger to. Sometimes stupid, and many mistakes later I finally get something that I can be really proud of. This website is a new addition to my top list of loved literature, and it truly deserves it's place. Thankyou Auntie!

Gourmet Traveller

1) James Martin Desserts:

I know I shouldn't favouritise when it comes to cooking, but I do love me some cake, and if you have a sweet tooth (or, consequently, gum) this book is one of the best out there. And it may seem a little much to have three numbers dedicated to cakes and sweet things but hey! It's not exactly a brick, but the recipes in there are easy, and though common, they are just impeccably executed. Without meaning to sound like a mindless spam machine, this book is immense, and I would not mind gaining 20 stone if the reason was this. 

Hats off to you, Mr Martin!

That was fun.

Right, onwards. To all of you scouting through and finding only pickings of food-related knowledge, I do apologise, but it's all about the writing at the moment. Things are becoming very real at Casa del Field and I have lots to think about! So tonight, seeing as i'm feeling a little uninspired on the culinary front (she says, after scoffing a hefty piece of home-made lasagne and salad), I will let you stew in your (hopefully) inspired juices for another few days and I will return with a double dose of sexy recipes!

Peace

JR