Jester
10-08-2008, 08:02 AM
Yes, nuts.
That's the theme of the latest cookoff I am participating in.
I am not, however, a big fan of nuts.
Frankly, I love pistachios and cashews, like peanuts, and tolerate macadamias if they are encrusting something. Not a big fan of pecans or almonds, and downright despise walnuts. To me, eating walnuts is like chewing on a coffee table.
To say the least, I was rather unenthused by this particular theme.
But as many varied recipes as I considered, I kept coming back to one. My all-time favorite desert, the Greek pastry, baklava. That sticky, honeyed, gooey, delightful, wonderful pastry that the Greeks invented. I love Greek food in general, but baklava? I can be bribed with a good baklava. Seriously.
And since baklava can be made with pistachios instead of walnuts, how could I NOT make it?
But as many of you know, I cook. I don't bake. I have only ever made one dessert, other than the make-your-own-sundae kind of thing. And that was for a sit-down meal I was hired to cook for!
But then, baklava is more like cooking than baking. You don't have to worry about a cake falling if you get the measurements wrong, and you really can improvise. I know this, because I had to do it THREE TIMES, as the recipe I had was, to put it politely, completely fucking wrong.
But it seems to have come out alright, the kitchen smells great, and if my fucking air conditioning wasn't broken, I'd be enjoying the hell out of the satisfied feeling of success. Of course, I don't know yet if it was a success, as I have not yet tasted it. I might have royally butchered it. We won't know till tomorrow night.
And of course, just because I am an asshole, I am also going to bring something I bought at the store today: dough-nuts. Hey, they're nuts, right? :D
So wish me luck.....I am letting my very first baklava cool before I slip it in the fridge and attempt to sleep in this fucking sauna, and then I get to open The Bar tomorrow before I head off to the Nutty Cookoff. Should be interesting.
http://www.tech-faq.com/emoticons/food/Appetit.gif
That's the theme of the latest cookoff I am participating in.
I am not, however, a big fan of nuts.
Frankly, I love pistachios and cashews, like peanuts, and tolerate macadamias if they are encrusting something. Not a big fan of pecans or almonds, and downright despise walnuts. To me, eating walnuts is like chewing on a coffee table.
To say the least, I was rather unenthused by this particular theme.
But as many varied recipes as I considered, I kept coming back to one. My all-time favorite desert, the Greek pastry, baklava. That sticky, honeyed, gooey, delightful, wonderful pastry that the Greeks invented. I love Greek food in general, but baklava? I can be bribed with a good baklava. Seriously.
And since baklava can be made with pistachios instead of walnuts, how could I NOT make it?
But as many of you know, I cook. I don't bake. I have only ever made one dessert, other than the make-your-own-sundae kind of thing. And that was for a sit-down meal I was hired to cook for!
But then, baklava is more like cooking than baking. You don't have to worry about a cake falling if you get the measurements wrong, and you really can improvise. I know this, because I had to do it THREE TIMES, as the recipe I had was, to put it politely, completely fucking wrong.
But it seems to have come out alright, the kitchen smells great, and if my fucking air conditioning wasn't broken, I'd be enjoying the hell out of the satisfied feeling of success. Of course, I don't know yet if it was a success, as I have not yet tasted it. I might have royally butchered it. We won't know till tomorrow night.
And of course, just because I am an asshole, I am also going to bring something I bought at the store today: dough-nuts. Hey, they're nuts, right? :D
So wish me luck.....I am letting my very first baklava cool before I slip it in the fridge and attempt to sleep in this fucking sauna, and then I get to open The Bar tomorrow before I head off to the Nutty Cookoff. Should be interesting.
http://www.tech-faq.com/emoticons/food/Appetit.gif