the meerkat ties on her apron....

[lagilman]

I don't bake often, but when I do, I take it seriously....




Yes, I have a full set of prep bowls. Yes, I really do mise-en-place. Yes, it IS possible in a galley kitchen. In fact, I'd call it essential.

No, you're not going to get a pic of me actually wearing my apron.  But if someone wants to guess what that apron says, I might give the first "close enough" winner their choice of one of my books....

I decided to take a break from the traditional things this year (gingerbread, butter cookies) and try some new recipes, instead.  The emphasis seemed to be more on savory and crunchy than sweet and/or soft.  Those of you who want to read anything into that are free to, of course.  ;-)

Fact: The art of separating eggs, once learned, never leaves you.  Also, it's surprisingly easy when you're using fresh heirloom eggs rather than bland supermarket ones.   Also: I do not give thanks to Microplane anywhere near enough.  

And if anyone ever wants to buy me this?  I'll find room for it in the kitchen.  Somewhere.  Somehow.  Until then, I'm ok with my little can-do KitchenAid hand mixer*, and arm muscle.






*I'm not 100% certain, but that mixer may have been my mother's, and I claimed it when she sold the house and moved into the city.  Which would make it nearly 20 years old, now...

Comments

[controuble.livejournal.com]

I don't know what your apron says, but the one I want says, "Don't sass the cook"

[jaylake.livejournal.com]

Apron?

I vote for either "Kiss the Cook" or "Camp Cook: Death From Within"

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

Did I win, huh?

[madrobins]

My KitchenAid mixer gets more use than almost anything else in my kitchen, saving only the fridge and stove. Several times a week I tell Danny it's the best Christmas present he ever got me.

[jslinder.livejournal.com]

I don't use the mixer that much but every time I need it I no longer regret the space it takes between uses.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

This. I also don't use mine often but when I want it, I want nothing other than it and I'm glad to have it.

[lagilman]

Hey, I don't need convincing that it's useful - I just need the $400+ it would cost me to acquire it!

(and then to figure out where in my NYC apartment-sized kitchen I would put it. But I can do kitchen-tetris at need.)

[blazedglory.livejournal.com]

It is a marvelous device. Ours is nearly twenty years. It's not getting as much use as it has in the past, but, yes, the space is not begrudged when it does.

[badgermirlacca.livejournal.com]

Ooooo. Pretty pretty stand mixer. Want.

And I already have the bowl.

[janetl.livejournal.com]

I bought my KitchenAid stand mixer used, more than 20 years ago. I did take it in to a local repair shop for a check & lube a year or so ago, out of paranoia.

If you share my love for The Blogess, you may have the same apron that I do, with a photo of Juanita the weasel crying out "The mother-fucking soufflé is ruined!"

[lianneb.livejournal.com]

I made desert for the family christmas dinner (a 'no-bake' pumpkin creme brulee) After reading through the recipe a couple of times, I decided it was definitely a measure everything out ahead of time (and separate the eight eggs -- my first time).

By the time I was done, my arm hurt (the recipe even pointed out that aching arms were normal), but it came off without a hitch. And it tasted pretty darned good. Everyone tried it except my six year old niece who has only one dessert in her list of preferences. 'Vanilla yogurt, in a bowl, with a spoon and two cookies'.