Cooking with the Philosophers

One of the reasons I become so easily frustrated with many of the modern philosophers is that they are all merely idealists. When does their thought ever bring us down to a pragmatic, human level? It is all about 'pie-in-the-sky' egos/ids, duality of thesis/antithesis, categorical imperatives, etc. Enlighten me with some useful information I can practically employ in my every day life.

Recently, my mother gave me a cookbook, The Philosopher's Kitchen by Francine Segan, brimming with words of wisdom concerning the culinary exploits of the ancient philosophers and their comrades. While testing out various food elements, the ancient philosophers observed and frequently took notes, some of which still exist today, much to my great elation. Back when philosophy was still a science, when it still had a foundation in observable nature, these lovers of wisdom would remark on even the simplest of life experiences -- enjoyment of food being one of them.

This is the kind of philosophy that I can appreciate.


An African chicken dish in the book is one of my favorites. It combines cloves, cinnamon, allspice, coriander and cumin together in a white wine sauce with arugula and dates. The flavor is unique and vivacious.

The other night, thirsting for a bit of adventure, I attempted a pork loin stuffed with apples and leeks, then wrapped in prosciutto. (It actually called for pancetta but there was none to be found at the store.) It was seasoned with cumin, coriander and black pepper in a honeyed cider vinegar sauce.


I had never 'butterflied' a cut of meat before, but a quick googling of the process cleared up any confusion (although I had already accomplished it before I knew the answer....yes, I am a bit anxious and impatient at times). For those of you who are still in the dark about this technique, it is really quite simple. Slice into the meat about halfway through, peeling back a bit of its thickness, and lay it out flat. Stuff your meat with your favorite filling, roll it up, tie it or toothpick it together, and viola!... you have successfully butterflied and prepared your meat for cookin'!

This dish was originally named after a good friend of Cicero and Julius Caesar, Gaius Matius--one of history's earliest great food 'bloggers!'

Prosit, Matius!

Fro Yo

The newest trend in hang-out haunts are self-service yogurt bars. (Watch out: coffee shops may soon be obsolete!) These tiny shops nestled in inconspicuous spots are ideal places to simply drop in for a quick (healthy!) snack with friends. They cater to the persnickity, do-it-yourself attitude that runs deep in most of us. The choice is entirely yours.


One of my favorites in the area is Yogurtagogo. I stumbled across this place with Ryan one night as we were meandering downtown. The starkness of the white interior was alluring from the outside. As we entered through the door, we were confronted with some rather large cups in which to place our selection of flavors dispensed from the machines on the wall. The flavors ranged from plain vanilla to a zany pomegranate raspberry. They even had rotational flavors such as pumpkin and eggnog to delight one's tastebuds with the flavors of the season. It was possible to try each flavor in tiny paper cups they provided for our testing pleasure before selecting one, two (or all!) the variations to place in our personal vessels of sweetness.

After accomplishing the difficult task of choosing a yogurt flavor, we were then confronted with about 50 choices of toppings to sprinkle atop. There was fresh fruit, cereals, nuts, mochi, candy...the possibilities were nearly endless!

At the end, they place your yogurt creation on a scale and you pay by the ounce of what you have accumulated in your bowl. It seems much more reasonable to me than paying a flat rate for a large bowl, as you would at most ice cream/frozen yogurt shops, and, then, often end up eating only half of it...or on the flip side, wanting more! This way you purchase what you want to eat. It's your own fault if you overestimate your indulgence! ;-)

Best of all, the yogurt is nearly guilt-free, as it contains healthy yogurt cultures and very low calories!


The last visit I made was with my friend, Catherine. We didn't think we were that hungry after lunching on the jumbo California crepes at Crepeville. But, after whetting our appetites with a few samples, we had no trouble filling our bowls to the top (nor finishing them).


I chose the raspberry pomegranate yogurt, topped with fresh strawberries and bananas with a sprinkle of coconut. She chose a mixture of the raspberry pomegranate and vanilla yogurt with juicy strawberries, kiwi, and blackberries.

They have this handy, little punch-card they give you after your first visit, and once you have purchased ten bowls of your own unique concoctions, the eleventh is on them! I'm steadily working towards my free yogurt. :o)

Banana Bread Cookies

A word to the wise: do not attempt new recipes when you are sick and can't smell or taste a darned thing.

Although there were no major pitfalls, fine-tuning the batter yesterday would have been much more precise if my olfactory organs had been working at full capacity. Whipping together this fresh cookie, I was having trouble determining exactly what needed to be done to my batter. I sensed the need for vanilla after testing out one from the oven, but the only major (minor, really) problem with them at the end was a bit too much flour. But no worries...that was minced in the final written product.


After falling head over heels with a trail mix concoction of pecans, banana chips and chocolate bits I had composed at the Whole Foods trail mix bar the other day, I attempted to conceive of a bakery good I could create containing these delicious morsels. A loaf? A cookie? Decisions, decisions...

Why not have the best of both worlds?

So I introduce to you the chewy Banana Bread Cookie. Enjoy it with a glass of milk, a cup of tea, or a warm mug of hot chocolate. A bit of a break-away from the standard seasonal fare of gingerbread and sugar cookies, but it is good to divert your senses so they don't become too accustomed to the norm. ;-)

Banana Bread Cookies
3 bananas
1/3 c. applesauce
1/4 c. butter, melted
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/3 c. milk
3/4 c. pecans
1 c. dark chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mash bananas in a large bowl. Stir in applesauce, butter and brown sugar, then egg and vanilla. Mix well. In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add dry to wet ingredients in 3 installments with milk. Fold in pecans and chocolate. (Don't overmix or dough will become stiff.)
Place on greased cookie sheet in heaping tablespoons. Bake 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.
Place on wire rack to cool.

If desired, add a glaze of:

3 T. butter, melted
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract

Mix together with a whisk in a bowl. Drizzle over warm cookies.

In order to set the glaze, I placed the cookies in the freezer for half an hour. If you want to eat your cookies warm, this isn't the best idea, but they are tasty froid ou chaud.

Speculaas

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!


Today we are celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas...the guy who became Santa Claus! When I was little we would watch a video that described how the bishop's accoutrement was transformed into the trappings of the modern-day Santa Claus. The custom of gift-giving comes from this holy man who would leave surprise gifts especially for those in dire need.

In northern European countries, December 6th is a day rich with traditions memorializing this ancient bishop of Myra (in modern day Turkey). In Germany, for example, children leave their shoes out overnight in hopes of finding a treat or two nestled inside when they rise in the morning. St. Nicholas is often accompanied by Black Peter who leaves switches or lumps of coal for the bad children.

My senior year of college I created treat packages with some friends which we delivered to professors' houses for their children. We dressed up one of my friends as St. Nicholas, who regaled the children with his history. Another was Black Peter, who frightened several of the youngin's. The remainder of us dressed in medieval finery and serenaded the families with Christmas carols.


I attempted to carry on this tradition last year with my youth group. We baked dozens of cookies, then loaded in vans to deliver carols and treats to the children of the parish. The last house we visited surprised us with some hot cider and cookies of our own....

This year I won't be traipsing over the countryside with a basket of goodies, but I felt it necessary to do something in honor of this wonderful feast day. Last night, I made a batch of speculaas cookies. Unfortunately, I don't have proper cookie molds so they are trees and stars. But they taste just as scrumptious as ever.

I think I'll deliver a few dozen to my unsuspecting colleagues at work this afternoon.... ;-)


Speculaas
from St. Nicholas Day website

1 c. sweet cream butter, room temperature
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
grated rind of one lemon
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
1/8 t. ground ginger
1/8 t. cardamom
1/8 t. salt
4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder

Mix together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until well-blended. Add eggs and lemon zest. In separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in increments. Stir after each addition. After last, bring together completely with your hands. Wrap in wax paper and place in the fridge for a couple hours. You can speed up the process by placing it in the freezer for 20 min. or so.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut out with your favorite holiday shapes. If you have the traditional German cookie molds, by all means, use them. The cookies will need to thicker when rolled out, however, in order to get a decent imprint.

Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Adjust baking time depending on how chewy/crunchy you want your cookies. Additional times means crunchier cookies.

You can decorate them with a bit of powdered sugar, water and food coloring mixed together, if you desire.

A Cup of Tea

The other day, a package arrived for me in the mail....


There are fewer things in life that delight me more than receiving mail...and I got a package, to boot! :-)
My dear friends from college, Emma and Lizzie, had been visiting together over the week and had thoughtfully sent off a little gift to me they had found while perusing an antique dish shop.

The shop is nearby Emma's house. She took me to visit it when I was there over Christmas break a few years ago. I remember picking out a tea cup for Lizzie at the time. It seems this is the beginning of a new tradition....


I love this cup! It is covered in little blue 'ermine,' the French Breton symbol; although, I believe, the tea cup is British Spode's. I can't wait to sip a warm cup from this delightful dish!

Back in college, Emma, Lizzie and I would frequently have afternoon tea together in attempt to break away from the bustle of the day for a few moments to enjoy each others' company, catch up on life and sip a refreshing brew. Usually, we would also pass around some sort of teatime treat we had whipped up in the kitchen or discovered on one of our excursions. We would normally convene in their room, wonderfully situated on the west side of the building with large windows that let in the waning daylight. It is a custom I sorely miss from our 'carefree' days....



Speaking of teas, I must put in a plug for Tazo's newest holiday tea: JOY. It is a combination of black, green, and oolong teas, described on the box as "Rare Darjeelings and Formosa Oolongs are paired with light-bodied, fragrant Nuwara Eliya teas from Ceylon. Yunnan teas from the high plateaus of Southern China and Southern India Nilgiris add texture and complexity." As Ryan put it, 'It is like party in your mouth!'...although, I would argue a rather mellow one. ;-) The flavors of the different varieties come together in perfect harmony and leave you feeling warm and satisfied. Although I do love my cinnamon, it is nice to have a holiday tea that is not focused entirely on spices.