Go You Chicken Fat, Go!

Sourdough Challah

 As some of you know, I have been working hard to perfect my bread skills. I obsess daily at www.thefreshloaf.com where I found a recipe for challah using sourdough starter. My first attempt was unsuccessful. I hate you buckwheat honey, you know what you did! My second attempt was much better. Over the past few weeks I have learned that you cannot skip steps, you cannot rush bread, and you can never find enough people to give your bread to. When that happens, make french toast.


 Levain

Rolls and proofing loaf

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/4200/sourdough-challah-photos-recipe

Remembrance of summers past

                                                
“No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place…at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory…”
— Remembrance of Things Past, 
                                                                                         Volume 1: Swann's Way.

   I have been organizing my photos and came across some pictures of madeleines I made for an outdoor showing of Harold and Maude at Bryant Park.  The grass was wet and my friend Donald and I fought tooth and nail for our spot. Patrick and Emily met us later on and we had a fun despite the most intimate nature of the contact between me and the legs of the hipster behind me.

   Will the summer ever come back? Also, how long before I  start complaining that it's too hot and begin to pine for the winter.

   

The madeleines were delicious.

Sourdough, a lesson

   Late in December I attended a bread class at Brooklyn Kitchen taught by Nathan Leamy. It was an excellent class. I brought home a little jar of starter to be named Phil 2 Electric Boogaloo. I have grown him and cared for him for weeks. The first few loaves were good. Then I hit a slump where I over analyze everything and my poor bread suffered. I began to obsessively watch videos from The Fresh Loaf, a youtube video about a boulanger in French, I went to Barnes & Noble and poured over technique.

   Yesterday, I finally made actual bread. The crust crackled after taking out of the oven like it was supposed to. The crumb was nice. Science prevailed. Now I just have to find people to give the bread to.

Knitting for Lili

My Aunt Virginia is adopting a baby girl. While we are waiting for her to be born, I am furiously knitting. The above socks were knit in the magic loop style from a pattern on ravelry. I also just finished blocking Claire Montgomerie's Matinée Jacket.

Downtown Brooklyn, it's on

I saw a man challenge a city bus to a dance off.

Sweet liquor to dull the pain

Last week, Patrick and I made risotto all'ammiraglia from Lidia Bastianich's book La Cucina di Lidia. After having dinner at Felidia with my good friends, I decided to make risotto.

I used shrimp stock instead of water and I think it turned out fairly well.

I think next time I will steam the clams whole instead of shucking them. I found it tedious and unnecessary.