Rewind: thanksgiving 2012

This time last year I was spending Thanksfriendsgiving with two of my best friends in Madrid, Spain. The best part about having friends living around the world is that you can all come together as a family when you are too far away from home. Expat families are wonderful and I truly miss mine!

First, my expat family and I celebrated with a traditional French dinner in Paris where we had our fill of vin, buerre blanc et haricot vert. It was lovely and we introduced our friend from South Africa to her first Thanksgiving celebration.

That weekend I flew over to Madrid to be reunited with my two amazing friends from home. It was one of my favorite weekends from living abroad.

I love Spain to start with. I was lucky enough to study abroad in Barcelona when I was in college so it was great to be back in the country. It was such an amazing feeling to spend time with Erin and Jaime. You know those friends who you can go months or years without seeing and as soon as you get back together its like you never missed a beat? Feels like no time has passed? Thats how we are. It was so fun and rejuvenating.

We explored Madrid, ate tortillas and patatas bravas and drank our fair amount. We also made our first attempt at making a Thanksgiving feast. I would call it a success even though we had to make some emergency skype calls to Jaime's parents because we weren't convinced the turkey was going to be edible. Just imagine three girls holding up a computer to a turkey in the oven screaming "is it going to be okay?!" "this just doesn't look right!". Yes, we are fully functioning adults I swear.

In the end it all worked out and we fed all their Spanish friends their first Thanksgiving meal. I would love to be back there with them this week but I am also thankful to be spending this time with my family in California.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year? I hope you have a wonderful celebration!

Don't forget to count your blessings today and everyday.

Cups v. Grams

Most home bakers are accustomed to the standard American measurements of cups when baking. I was before I went to pastry school. I hadn't ever thought about using the metric system. We are Americans, we don't do that!

While there is nothing wrong with using cup measurements for your occasional muffin recipe or your morning pancakes. If you are thinking of pursuing baking on a more regular or serious basis then I highly recommend buying a kitchen scale and getting familiar with the metric system.

Weighing your ingredients in grams (or ounces, if you prefer) is so much more accurate than cup measurements. If you think about scooping up a cup of flour, is it possible that each cup you scoop is the same amount? Probably not. It depends on how you scoop it, level it, shake it, etc. There are so many variables in that amount. Don't believe me? When you get your new scale you can prove it to yourself. Take two separate bowls and place one on the scale ("tare" or set your scale to zero) and place one cup of flour in the bowl, record how much it weighs. Place the second bowl on the scale and do that same process. Do the two cups weigh the same amount?

My scale is one of my most beloved items in my kitchen. They don't have to be expensive either but if you are getting serious about baking and pastry I highly suggest you go and get yourself a reliable, digital scale.

Accuracy is very important in this science!

Click here to explore your options online!

Pumpkin Spice Everything

We are in the thick of pumpkin spice latte season. Let's be honest...you are excited. We all are. Any excuse to have pumpkin flavored everything. Thanksgiving is upon us and you probably need a solid recipe for that pumpkin bread you wish you had every morning.

Don't fret. I'm here for you.

Mike and Tay and I got to spend an afternoon hunting for pumpkins a few weeks ago and it was such a nice day. I don't think I had been to a pumpkin patch since I was a kid so I got a real kick out of it. There were pumpkins of all shapes and sizes and we shopped around until we found just the right ones and spent the night carving these really ambitious designs into them. Took forever but we were pretty impressed by our skills.

When it comes to baking with pumpkins I appreciate the process of roasting your own pumpkins, its awesome, but sometimes the process is just not worth the time it takes. If you have all the time in the world - yes, roast away. If you are like me and just can't wait for that then go ahead and buy the canned puree at the market. Works just the same.

This is another simple recipe that you can definitely conquer on your own. Perfect for a light breakfast on Thanksgiving morning while you prepare your afternoon feasts!

Pumpkin bread adapted from Miette Bakery

Preheat oven to 350F/180C

1 1/2 cups (250g) AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs (200g)
1 2/3 cups (320g) granulated sugar
1 cup (200g) vegetable oil
1 3/4 cup (400g) pumpkin puree
1 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Prepare your loaf pans. I prefer to use the small individual size (yields four) but you can choose to use one large loaf pan if you like. Coat the inside of the pans with butter and then with a thin coat of flour. TIP: liberally butter and flour your pans and then smack them down on the counter or hit them hard with your hand to release all excess flour. You can also bake this in a bundt pan, prepare the same way.

In a small bowl, sift together all your dry ingredients (flour through salt). Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the four eggs and sugar. Mix with the whisk on medium speed until the mixture is combine and has turned a pale yellow color (1-2 minutes). Turn the speed to low and slowly drizzly in the oil. Once all the oil has been added, turn the mixer up to medium for 30 seconds to emulsify.

Add the puree and whisk until combine. Switch from the whisk to the paddle attachment. Add your dry ingredients in two parts and mix just until combine. Don't overmix.

Pour into your prepared pans and bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Bon Appetit!

Cocoa Brownies

Patisserie is an old art form. Bread is one of the oldest foods in history. People have been doing this for years. These days there are so many inspiring chefs and bakers who are pushing the limits of pastry and design. Using molecular gastronomy and making edible art. I love seeing the new designs, flavors and inventive pastries that are being created everyday but that is not for everyone.

Lets be honest, sometimes there is nothing better than the comfort of eating the cookie dough off the spoon or the smell of brownies filling your home. The things you grew up eating will always have a place in your heart..and your stomach. 

Mike is a big fan of brownies and this one recipe in particular. If you want a very simple recipe that will keep your loved ones full and happy then this is your recipe. These brownies are thick, fudgy and rich. Perfect with a cold glass or milk or some ice cream on top. You can always dress them up with some fresh whipped cream, berries and carmel sauce if you like to get fancy like that. 

Give these a go for your Thanksgiving feast next week. It won't take you long but everyone will love them!

Bon Appetit!

Cocoa Brownies from Smitten Kitchen

Best Cocoa Brownies
Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet
Makes 16 larger or 25 smaller brownies (the size you see pictured yielded 25)
10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (65 grams, though some brands may weigh more) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (75 grams) walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added. [Note, many people who have tried this recipe have found that this step works just fine in the microwave. Couldn't test this because we don't have one, but it sounds like it would work.]
Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.)
Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Let's get real

It has been a crazy few years. From living in San Diego as an event manager to throwing all caution to the wind and spending a year living and learning in Paris, France to settling down in the city of Denver. It has been a whirlwind to say the least!

I have experienced some of the best, most memorable moments of my life in these past three years and I have also gone through some really dark times too. I'd say that more has happened and changed in the past 24 months than in most of the years of my life.

The truth is that growing up is a tough business. All those years of schools and internships and advice from the people around you could never fully prepare you for the weight of being a full grown adult human. Its scary stuff! As terrifying as adulthood can be, if you look at it with the idea that you are going to make being an adult your b*tch (excuse my language!) then maybe it isn't so bad.

That is the outlook I am trying to maintain now. That I can conquer being a mature, successful 26 year old and that when it comes down to it, I am in control of my life. Things have been knocking me on my butt lately and as close as I am to wanting to throw in the towel and crawl into a corner and hide for the rest of my life...probably not the best idea I've ever had. When it rains it pours, that is the straight up truth but every storm runs out of rain at some point. I'm not at the end of this hurricane yet but I've decided to start taking control of my little baby boat and make it through to that tropical island I'm heading for.

So, with all that inspirational mumbo gumbo out there, this marks the start of something new. Nobody is going to come around with a pretty little business tied up in a big pink bow for me to run so I suppose I should go make one myself.

Welcome to La Pêche. This is where it all begins.