Savory Morsel

I planned on starting this site two years ago, but one thing led to another and it never exactly worked out. When Ella and I switched to our current diet, it seemed rather revolutionary to me - eat what tastes great, except no substitute for taste, and refrain from over-indulgence. In the last two years I have lost nearly 25 lbs on this "diet".

The idea for this site was born from a dinner with a Kiwi friend who enjoys the finer food things in life. Later I discovered David Lebovitz's site, along with his absolutely magnificent cookbook on ice cream. He has been an inspiration to me for both my culinary explorations as well as site ever since.

Today I read his post in response to what and how he eats. It resonates with my dietary philosophy. In the U.S. specifically, we tend to have a love-hate relationship with food - we love to hate the foods we eat. I'm convinced, though, that if we find inspiration in the cooking and satisfaction in its consumation, just maybe we would all be just a little bit happier.

Admittedly, I had never even considered the possibility of making baking powder. With so many things, my lovely wife was the inspiration to investigate various "scientific" experiments - it started with salad dressing. Man, that was a revelation. You can make salad dressing?! It's only excellerated from there.

Fast forward several years, and today we know a few people who have corn allergies. In the US, that means that almost all store bought, pre-made products are out. It's crazy just how much corn we consume. Not to say that corn, in and of itself is bad, but as the saying goes - too much of a good thing is bad. You might be wondering what any of this has to do with baking powder. Well, corn starch, of course.

To understand why corn starch is in there to begin with, it's good to know what makes up baking powder. The active ingredients are cream of tartar and baking soda. Cream of tartar is a white residue that forms in wine casks during the wine making process. The mixture we know of as baking powder was discovered in the mid-1800s by Alfred Bird. But the mixture of baking soda and cream of tartar are very volatile to water, and react to simple water vapor in the air.

A decade or so later, Eben Norton Horsford wanted to distribute his brand of baking powder in tin containers. He found that corn starch would absorb the moisture in the air, allowing the baking powder to be shelf-stable. It was released under the name Rumsford, which can still be found on super market shelves today.

There isn't anything inherently wrong store bought baking powder - that is unless you are severly allergic to corn. If you're a do-it-yourself, or have dietary concerns, making your own baking powder is extremely simple.

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Equals 1 tsp Baking Powder

But wait, 1/2 + 1/4 = 3/4? That missing 1/4 tsp is the corn starch. Now, you can do like us and just mix the ingredients on demand, but if you want to pre-make a batch to be used later either add corn starch or, if you have corn allergiens, simply replace the corn starch with something like arrowroot powder. Voilà, homemade baking powder!

If you're interested in more information, check this out.

Spring is in full swing in Seattle, and I can't think of any better way to enjoy its sights, sounds and smells with a freshly made cocktail. A few weeks ago I got Dale DeGroff's, The Craft of Cocktail. I was surprised to find just how easy it is to make some very common recipes. As evidenced by the two drinks in the photo - a daiquiri and a sidecar.

Admittedly, the one thing lacking from the gatherings we've had has been the ability to ask, "Can I fix you a drink?" Oh, sure, we've had beer, wine, and various assortments of juice, but there's something decidedly sophisticated about mixing up a cocktail for guests. Like most things I make, though, I wanted to use the freshest ingredients; from scratch, ideally. Enter DeGoff's book.

A master mixologist, DeGoff has been the head bartender at some of the most well-known restaurants in the nation, including the Promenade Bar at the Rainbow Room in New York City. Approached by long-time friend and Rainbow Room General Manager, Joe Baum, to run the show, DeGoff was given the unique task of revitalizing the lost art of making true cocktails. In other words, no mixes.

Which brings me to that daiquiri. The mix is ubiquitous in stores, but making it fresh couldn't be easier! Simple syrup, fresh squeezed lime juice, rum- boom, done. Wait, why do we need a mix?

Once you realize just how easy the classics are, you'll want to branch out. As for today, I decided to.. ahem... practice for our next party. So while the misses enjoyed her homemade daiquiri, I nursed on the sidecar.

It's such a beautiful day here. Perhaps a second round to celebrate is in order.

The fall and winter months bring chilly weather to the Pacific Northwest, along with short, grey days and long, rain soaked nights. Perhaps I'm a little masochistic, but I rather enjoy this time of year. There's something cozy about coming home to a warm apartment, soft lighting in the evening, and candles burning. Even more so, it means those winter comfort foods, and one of my favorites is beef stew.

Growing up my mom made beef stew from the can, but I loved it. That thick gravy, the meat chunks. We would have it over slices of bread. My first order of business was to separate all of my chunks of meat from the rest of the stew. Why, pray tell? The best part of my meal was savoring those little pieces of goodness.

Much has changed between then and now, the least of which is my taste for canned stew - I don't know if I can actually even look at the can, let alone eat its contents! But what hasn't changed is my taste for stew in general. Thankfully making it homemade is not simply easy, but can be exceptional tasting. The key is, of course, quality of ingredients.

Most grocery stores sell "stew beef," but truth be told, just get the large chuck roast. It is essentially the same meat, and you can usually save yourself a bit of money by cubing the meat yourself. Bonus - you can make the chunks as big or small as you like. My preference is smaller for no particular reason.

Carrots and potatoes belong in stew, but stew has long outdated these vegetables and you can add these as well as any other that you care for. Root vegetables will typically work best. Experiment with parsnips (good as a substitute for carrots, if they're not in season and/or available), turnips, celery root, etc. Don't forget, though, that the fresher the ingredients, the better.

Perhaps the most important step, though, is seasoning. Seattle is great because rosemary grows almost like a weed here. You really can't go far without seeing some next to the sidewalk. I avoid those next to busy streets, but I'm not opposed to a few sprigs from a quiet locale.

But my secret "seasoning" ingredient is cider, by which I mean the alcohol sort commonly thought of in Europe and not the sweet sort commonly thought of in America. Ok, so it's not exactly a seasoning, but it adds a tremendous flavor. I've used beer, but there always tends to be something just a little too bitter about it that I don't much care for. I still need to experiment with different beers. Wine works well, but I'm rather picky and it can be a bit pricey. That's why I like cider. The flavor lends itself well to stew, and it doesn't break the bank buying a bottle.

All this talk of stew is making me hungry. Think I'm going to go raid the fridge for leftovers.