denouement
Dec. 30th, 2006 11:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
verbicideI need a cooking icon.
Things I've learned tonight:
1. Roast duck, even when it turns out good, is probably not worth the effort and expense. That said, I'm glad I finally tried it.
2. I need to improve my caramel making skills and not be so afraid of turning up the heat on the stove.
The sour cream pastry dough was good, but as some of the reviewers in the recipe had noted, the cooking time leaves the apples a bit too soft. I think I want to try this again with some variation, because the flavors were good, it was just a matter of consistency.
The duck was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, but my god --so much smoke. And I don't have the room to keep 6 quarts of duck-fattened stock for the next time I want to roast a duck, so it's going to have to go to tragic waste. Next time I want duck, I'm just going to have to head over to Wild Ginger.
But both my brother and SIL were very gracious and good sports about letting me test my experimental cooking out on them. Next time: gyros with homemade flat bread and yogurt gelato!
In other awesome news, my brother and SIL got me a gorgeous Shun knife and sharpening steel. It's so utterly shiny. And, um. Sharp. Who knew you didn't need to put your back into slicing garlic. I've had crappy knives for a very, very long time. My brother, who clearly has his Y chromosome intact, earnestly told me that, "It's the same steel they use to make samurai swords!" (I think it's the same steel. Or method. Something.)
It was a really nice night hanging out with them. And nicer to know that they didn't have an hour drive/ferry to get back home. I think I've seen these guys more this month than I did for the past 3 years of living out here. (Or is it four now?)
Things I've learned tonight:
1. Roast duck, even when it turns out good, is probably not worth the effort and expense. That said, I'm glad I finally tried it.
2. I need to improve my caramel making skills and not be so afraid of turning up the heat on the stove.
The sour cream pastry dough was good, but as some of the reviewers in the recipe had noted, the cooking time leaves the apples a bit too soft. I think I want to try this again with some variation, because the flavors were good, it was just a matter of consistency.
The duck was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, but my god --so much smoke. And I don't have the room to keep 6 quarts of duck-fattened stock for the next time I want to roast a duck, so it's going to have to go to tragic waste. Next time I want duck, I'm just going to have to head over to Wild Ginger.
But both my brother and SIL were very gracious and good sports about letting me test my experimental cooking out on them. Next time: gyros with homemade flat bread and yogurt gelato!
In other awesome news, my brother and SIL got me a gorgeous Shun knife and sharpening steel. It's so utterly shiny. And, um. Sharp. Who knew you didn't need to put your back into slicing garlic. I've had crappy knives for a very, very long time. My brother, who clearly has his Y chromosome intact, earnestly told me that, "It's the same steel they use to make samurai swords!" (I think it's the same steel. Or method. Something.)
It was a really nice night hanging out with them. And nicer to know that they didn't have an hour drive/ferry to get back home. I think I've seen these guys more this month than I did for the past 3 years of living out here. (Or is it four now?)
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no subject
Date: 2006-12-31 08:17 am (UTC)As for caramel, I swear by the caramel recipe in Epicurious.com's Caramel Pecan Cookies. I use it for everything and it is amazing, and easy!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-31 09:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-31 09:24 pm (UTC)Oops, sorry about misreading your post. But, I stand by that as an amazing caramel recipe :) It's great drizzled over the tarte tatin and served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-31 09:29 pm (UTC)(And thanks in advance for the recipe --can't wait to try it out!)