One Hungry Yogi

You don't read words like "raw" or "vegan" or "gluten-free" on this blog very often because, well, I don't type those words very often.  It's not that I don't enjoy following a (somewhat) healthy lifestyle (moderation people) it's just that I really enjoy butter and bacon.  That said, I've had readers contact me, asking for vegan ideas or gluten-free ideas and while I do that from time to time, I want to point you in the direction of someone that does that ALL the time.  My future sister-in-law!  She just launched a blog called One Hungry Yogi that chronicles her experiences as a yoga instructor and lover of creating healthy food.  That ice cream above?  RAW.  Frozen banana, cocoa powder and coconut milk.  She even made a chocolate tart the other day out of avocado and sweet potato.  Genius!  Check out the site.

I am so excited for my brother to marry this woman : )  

SD on TODAY

Thanks for the nice comments on my SECOND (what?!) Today Show appearance.  It's such a fun, surreal experience to be a tiny part of a show I've watched since I was a kid.  For your informations, I wasn't trying to scold Mr. Roker for touching the bacon.  Would I ever scold anyone for touching bacon???  No, I was yelling at Carson who was touching the hot pan with his fingers, and they just happened to zoom in on Al at the same moment.  Oh, the silly magic of television.  

In case you missed the segment, you can view it here (and my first appearance here).

We are back from NY, we are back from DC, and I will try to cook something ASAP.  

The reason I've been baking so much...

Look at all those cookies in my belly!

Ok there is a baby in there too, and that baby has been living there for about 5 and a half months already!  I am due early September.  We are beyond thrilled and blessed.  I have been eating a lot of cookies.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, I will be sharing some very exciting news with you about Monday a little later, so stay tuned.  Off to this place for breakfast.

*Photo above taken by Katy at Chasing You Photo*

Transformer cake?

Remember when I did this?

And then this?

Well, my son has fallen into a new non-Nick Jr. phase, one that involves intricate toys and loud robot sound effects and Halloween costumes like this... the Transformers phase. 

So, for his upcoming 3rd birthday in March, I'm thinking I can pull off this:

Right?!?!?!?!?  I can, right?!?!?!?  Help.    

Sirious Science: Over-Mixing

You've met a lot of my family on this blog.  My mom, my sister Hannah, my brother Dylan, and now I want to introduce you to my youngest sibling... Georgia.  Georgia is a freshman at Syracuse University, on the Rowing team and majoring in Nutrition.  That's right, she's better than all of us.  Broadening her mind, exercising her body and just saying no (NO) to alcohol.  (Don't mess with that image, she's my teeny, tiny sister.)  Georgia's currently taking a Food Science course, so I've asked her to come here from time to time and learn us some things.  Science (and nutrition) was never my strong suit.  SO, ever wonder if recipes are just being bossy when they say, "don't over-stir?"  Ever wonder why the muffins you bake are so dense they could be used as a weapon?  Listen up, there will be a quiz.

If your muffins look like this...

Please, put down your rubber spatula. 

And your biscuits...

Never mind.  That is not a biscuit; that is a hockey puck.

Resist the temptation.  Yes, we all know how hard it is to stand over your bowl of raw dough and not stir the hell out of it; but, really, don't do it.  Mixing, either with your electric mixer or your hands, develops the gluten in the flour, which is what gives your baked goods their texture, structure - basically what makes them really yummy and appealing.  How can you tell your dough is over-mixed?  The end product.  The way it comes out.  If you do it just the slightest bit wrong, it affects your whole recipe, and you'll know.  

MUFFINS...

Rule of thumb for most muffin method recipes, STIR FOR ONLY 10 SECONDS. 

But there are clumps in my muffin batter!  YES.  PERFECT.  Most people don't know that this is the way quick bread mixtures are supposed to look like.  The clumpier the better.  In the oven, the heat will react with the leavening agent in the batter, causing carbon dioxide molecules to form and become trapped in the protein and starch.  This produces the tiny holes that create that bread-like quality.  When all is said and done, your self-control shall be rewarded with a soft and crumbly muffin like this:

(Your muffins should NOT have a high peak and should NOT have a smooth crust on the top.  The inside should be even without tunneling.)

If somehow you still feel obligated to stir until perfectly smooth, the gluten becomes overdeveloped, the air is released and the dough becomes tough.  You'll lose that desired light texture and your product will end up uneven, rubbery, and gross.  

BISCUITS... 

Same goes for biscuits.  Cut the cold fat into the flour using the biscuit method and stop until it's just combined.

But there are chunks of butter in my biscuit dough!  AWESOME.  Leave them there.  The butter chunks will melt, creating gaps, or flakes, where leavening does not occur.  The result?  A perfectly even-celled, light, buttery biscuit.

In short, don't pulverize the dough.  Respect the science and the science will respect your taste buds.      

Sirious Sips with Brother Dylan: The Old Fashioned Cocktail

I hope everyone got to try the Eastside Cocktail that I made last week. Gin is one of my favorite spirits to make cocktails with because it's a complex spirit; depending on what you mix it with, different subtleties appear. But before I make more cocktails with gin, I want to talk about my other favorite spirit, and that is Rye.



Everybody say it with me… RRRYYYEEE!



I recently went to Rye House after work, and had one of the best Sazeracs I've ever tasted. But I'm not gonna make that for you today. That was mean, wasn't it? I'm sorry. To be honest, I actually had that AFTER I took all the pictures for this blog. So, maybe I'll go back, dissect the ingredients, and make it for you next week. At least, what I'm making for you today is similar to a Sazerac; it's my version of the Old Fashioned Cocktail.



The Old Fashioned Cocktail

Printable Recipe



1 Sugar Cube or 1 Spoonful of Sugar

2 dashes of Angostura or Fee Brother's Old Fashioned Bitters

1 Large Orange Peel

2.5 Oz. Rye Whiskey





First, put a sugar cube in a rocks glass with 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters.





Now, if you don't have or you can't get sugar cubes then just use a spoonful of sugar. I have La Perruche pure cane rough cut sugar cubes by Béghin Say, and I got them at Zabar's (which is an awesome specialty foods market in Manhattan).



Muddle the sugar and bitters together until it creates a rough paste.





Cut a large orange peel and make sure to get rid of as much of the bitter white pith as you can.







Once you've got the orange peel, squeeze and twist it over the glass until you see all the delicious oils glistening; add the peel in and muddle away some more.







Next, add your 2.5 ounces of Rye and then add your ice. Stir it (I use a chopstick because I don't have a long bar spoon).







And now, my weekly cocktail snob remark. Ice! I like to use bigger than normal ice cubes. Sister Hannah gave me some rubber ice cube trays that make big, perfect cube ice cubes and they work great (I'm sure you can find them at any sort of housewares store). The bigger the ice cube, the slower they will melt. The slower your ice melts in your cocktail, the less diluted your cocktail will be.



Enjoy!

Deep Sea Fishing: It's What Isn't For Dinner

I went deep sea fishing last week with Carson's Dad, and like a moronic idiot I forgot my camera. So I tried to turn my lame, blurry blackberry photos into classic, antique-y shots. Thanks iPhoto. Truth is, I didn't have much time to take pictures because I was SO BUSY FISHING! It was a blast, I caught around 10 fish and was beyond thrilled at the thought of bringing home fresh seafood for dinner. Except. I had to throw them ALL back. Yeah, apparently there are fish called "keepers" and none of mine were that, they were all too small. Then how come my arm is still sore?? Oh yeah, because I'm out of shape and my arms are noodles.



Our fine vessel...





I used to think pelicans were neat birds and all but NOT ANYMORE. The stupid things went after all of my bait and I can't tell you how many times my hook got stuck in their gigantic mouths. Luckily, the deckhands (did I just make that up?) were able to free them each time so don't get all PETA on me. (But I'm pretty sure when there aren't tourists on the boat those guys throw rocks at their heads.)





The best part of the day... the Galley down below where you could order breakfast. Fried egg, ooey gooey melted American cheese and crisp bacon sandwiched between toasty garlic bread. Unreal.





HAD I caught any "keepers" this dude would have scaled, butchered and cleaned the fish for me to take home. So sad. I entertained the idea of stealing someone's "keeper," throwing myself overboard and swimming ashore. But then I remembered sharks.





Anyway, it was a great time and I would do it again in a heartbeat. But I would bring some rocks for the pelicans. WHAT?!

Southern Fried Chicken

I saw The Help over the weekend and I literally lost my mind in the movie theater. I don't know where the term, "basket case" comes from, but that's what I was. A case of wet, sobbing baskets... gulping for breaths in between snotty spasms of tears. (I hope you're picturing that.) Anyway, the movie left me with a sense of sadness, hope and a STRONG craving for fried chicken. Luckily, here I am on vacation with Carson's mom, a true Southerner from Lilesville, North Carolina.

For some reason, I have known her for 5 years and have never tasted her fried chicken. In the next five years, I plan on having it 1,825 times. 1,826 if we're expecting a leap year soon. I just did that math, I really did.

There she is. And there I am. Her taste tester.


Carson supplied the chef jacket, and wear it well she did. Because we weren't just treated to fried chicken, no, we were fed a proper Southern meal, all prepared by Miss Pattie. Let's start with the chicken, and the basics...

Whole milk. She lets her thighs, legs and breasts rest in milk for awhile...


A heaping pile of flour, sprinkled generously with salt and pepper. She even took a bite of the flour, just like her grandmother once did, to make sure it was well seasoned.


Eggs. None of that egg white baloney.


Finally, the most important part. CRISCO. Just go see The Help, and you will want to lick it off your fingers.


Pattie takes her chicken that's been sitting in milk and follows this order: egg, flour, egg, flour. EXTRA CRISPY.


Aaaaaaand into the hot Crisco it goes...


Starting to crisp...


Getting even crispier...


Ohmygod yum. I ate 3 pieces. I wasn't supposed to tell you that.


As I mentioned, it was a PROPER Southern meal. Which means Country Gravy...


...and Mashed Potatoes...


...Lima Beans in Butter and Herbs...


...and a Southern Salad...


I lost my mind after this meal. Like a pig rolling around in dirt. A happy pig, nonetheless, not the wet, basket case kind. Thanks PDC!!!

Sirious Sips with Brother Dylan: Setup & The East Side

I am very excited to announce a new series that my brother, Dylan Pinter, is going to write for this blog called...





It will be all about Adult Beverages, don't you know. He'll try to share one cocktail a week with you fine people. So let's get to it...





As a former bartender in NYC for 3 years, my tastebuds may have been a little spoiled. Although I was relieved to get out of the service industry, I missed having the ability to make delicious cocktails at my fingertips. So, I decided to build up my bar at home. Now, some people have called me a "cocktail snob" and think they can't make the "fancy" cocktails that I make, and to that I say nay! The cocktails I make are not that fancy, and in fact, they're quite simple to make.



First and foremost, there are a few essentials tools and ingredients that you'll need in order to make cocktails at home without turning your bar/kitchen/wherever it is you so choose to make cocktails into a wet, sticky mess.





1. Bitters (Angostura is the most common, but I like Fee Brother's Old Fashioned Bitters)



2. Simple Syrup





This is just equal parts sugar and water, brought to a boil and slightly reduced for about 7 minutes



3. Fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice





Make sure to juice these over a strainer at to avoid pulp and seeds.



4. Mixing tins (You can find these at most liquor stores or restaurant supply stores. I like to stay away from the conventional household cocktail shakers that have a lid on them, because a lot of times the lid is difficult to get off, and it limits the amount of cocktail you can shake. Either use a Boston Shaker, which is a big tin and a pint glass, or a big tin and a small tin)



5. Jigger (This is what you measure your ingredients with. Mine measure 1/2 oz. and 1 oz.)



6. A small fine mesh strainer



7. Pestle (aka muddler)



Once you have these, your life will be a lot easier, and now you can make delicious "fancy" cocktails!





THE EAST SIDE

Printable Recipe



This a classic cocktail called the East Side, and it's one of my most favorite summer cocktails. Some people make the East Side with cucumber and mint, but I think it tastes way better with just cucumber. The mint just over powers the delicious subtle flavor of cucumber, which mixes so damn well with gin.



That being said, let's make it!



Ingredients:



2.5 oz. Gin

1 oz. Lime juice

1 oz. Simple syrup

2 slice of cucumber



Muddle 2 slices of cucumber (about 1/2 inch thick each) in the the bottom of your mixing tin.







Add the rest of the ingredients into the tin. Add ice, and secure your tins, making sure they're airtight.





Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds and strain over a small fine mesh strainer over fresh ice. Garnish with a thin slice of cucumber, and enjoy!





Yum.



This cocktail is actually meant to be served up in a martini or cocktail glass, but that makes life a lot more difficult at home. Especially if you have pets and/or kids that like to knock stuff over, like my cat Rudy. Also, if you don't like the taste of gin, then you can always substitute it for vodka. But, I recommend trying the gin, before you make any decisions you may regret. It's awesome…