I never understand when people say they can’t cook. If you can follow a recipe, you can cook. Although not every recipe yields great results. One problem is accuracy. In creating recipes for clients I generally measure and weigh ingredients. Weighing is always more accurate. So it makes sense that when following recipes with weights, that readers should use weights too.
Of course not all recipes are written with weights, but that's changing. Some prominent cookbook authors, especially bakers, are using weights in their recipes and in particular the metric system. I talked to once such baker and cookbook author, Alice Medrich. She collects James Beard awards for practically every book she writes and approaches recipe testing much like a scientist. Her latest books are Flavor Flours and Seriously Bittersweet, Here’s what she had to say about using scales.
1. When did you start using grams in your recipes?
I got used to grams in Europe in the 1970's. I didn't switch from ounces to grams in my books until just a few years ago because I began to see that people were warming up to using scales and while they were at it, I thought, why not get them onto grams? I also saw that some of the celeb chefs were publishing in grams, so I though that would help too.
2. Why grams versus ounces?
If you want to increase or decrease a recipe by any percentage, the math is so much easier to do in grams. If you make small changes in a recipe by increasing certain ingredients by small amounts, it's easier to capture that amount in grams than fractions of ounces. Grams are universal around the world (except for in the US), so you can reach a wider audience and you can also use recipes from books around the world without worrying about the "translation." Grams are such small units that you rarely need to use fractions which you do have to do with ounces. This means that grams look cleaner on the page. With grams its easer to see relationships and ratios between amounts of ingredients.
3. What do you look for in a scale?
It should have a switch that goes from ounces to grams.
It should have a tare button (so you can reset to zero) to compensate for any kind of container.
It should be able to register amounts at least as small as 5 grams (though I like a scale that reads 1 or 2 grams) and at least as high a 2 kilos (though more is better).
I DO NOT LIKE any scale that proposes to translate from volume to weight (first because I don't trust the weights used for equivalences and second because I think we are grown ups and can learn to use a scale without training wheels) I often say that a decent scale can be had for less than the price of 10 lattes....so there is really no excuse not to have one, especially if you like to bake.
Thanks Alice!
I’ve reviewed various scales over the years. My current model? Smart Weigh.
Here are the features:
Sleek flat design, stores easily
A backlit LCD screen
A tare button
A capacity of 11 pounds/5 kg and registers as little as 5 grams
Uses 4 AAA batteries
Switches from ounces to grams, pounds to kilos
A wide and flat surface, which makes reading the screen very easy even when you are weighting something large
It looks a lot more expensive than it is--black or white models are $24.99
Disclaimer: I received the Smart Weigh for review purposes. This post includes Amazon affiliate links. I was not monetarily compensated for this review or any other post.
Do you know why I love Thanksgiving? Yes, because we gather family around and give thanks and blah blah blah, but what I love most is constructing the ideal bite on my fork. Flavors and textures that perfectly compliment each other, all at once. I think this is why I love bowls. Salad bowls, rice bowls, noodle bowls... you can eat a delicious bite with each spoonful (forkful, chopstick-ful?). Does anyone else think about their food this much? Should I seek help??
Anyway, my friend recently sent me the following recipe, and I shortened the title but it's really called "Crockpot Caramelized Pork Ramen Noodle Soup with Curry Roasted Acorn Squash" - a mouthful, right? A PERFECT MOUTHFUL. But before you click on the link and say... "wait, this takes 9 hours to make and calls for one thousand ingredients?!" let me calm you down right now. Your crock pot will do most of the work... just throw that pork butt in there with as many ingredients as you have (I omitted the red curry paste and the Chinese five-spice because I didn't want to go out and get them) and let it slooooowly cook. You don't HAVE to crisp up the pork at the end if you're low on time, but I would HIGHLY recommend it, as it really transforms the meat into something special. For the acorn squash, I only roasted it in olive oil, salt, pepper and a little brown sugar because, again, I didn't have any of the rest of the ingredients. But I still thought it was superb.
Raw carrots offer the perfect crunch, and the egg's creamy yolk adds a wonderful richness...
Fifteen years ago, my knowledge of Greek food consisted of hummus and gyros (which I only ate when the bars closed). Thank god it has expanded since then, because it might be one of my favorite cuisines. One day, mark my words, I will go to Greece and eat my way through the country. Until then, I will continue to explore the wonderful Greek restaurants this country has to offer, like Petros in California and Avra and Limani in New York. My favorite things to order are Grilled Octopus, Moussaka, lamb anything and always, ALWAYS, Shrimp Saganaki, which is a simple, flavorful dish consisting of shrimp cooked in a tomato feta sauce.
I've been dying to try it at home and I finally did. It was extremely easy to make and I loved it. Make sure you buy some crusty bread or soft pita to sop up this sauce. I followed the recipe here(and ditched the greek liquor because I didn't feel like buying an entire bottle). This is a wonderful transitional meal for the change of seasons... comforting but not TOO heavy. Make it. Opa!
There’s a show called “Check, Please! Bay Area,” which features three locals who try each other’s favorite restaurants, and then compare notes with host, Leslie Sbrocco. We get lots of great ideas for places to try, and every once in a while I hear about a dish that I really want to make, and this peanut curry chicken is the latest example. The restaurant was called Old Skool Café, and the dish was “Abu’s West African Peanut Butter Stew.”
I was working while it was on, and not paying full attention, but I remember thinking that it sounded like something I’d like to try soon. That was a year ago.
Last week, Michele and I ended up going there, and I finally had my chance to order the stew, and reverse engineer the recipe for a video. Except, I didn’t order it. I have this mental defect where have to I order fried chicken every time it’s on a menu. Michele was no help, since she has the same affliction with shrimp and grits.
Anyway, someone ordered it at the table next to us, and I overheard them discussing it, which provided plenty of inspiration for this version. I decided to not follow any specific recipe, but instead do a simple composite of every peanut curry I’ve ever come across.
Unlike Abu’s stew, and many others, I didn’t use coconut milk, as I feel that’s a little too sweet and rich for the peanut butter. I loved how this came out, and I can’t imagine it being any richer. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
1/2 cup ketchup 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (I recommend using an all-natural style that doesn’t contain sugar. If you use the regular stuff, you won’t need the brown sugar called for below). 1 packed tablespoon brown sugar about 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, depending on desired thickness 1 pound zucchini, cut into chunks 1 red bell pepper, cubed 1 green poblano pepper, diced 1/2 cup roasted peanuts chopped cilantro and fresh lime to garnish serve on rice
The first time I went to Paris I discovered a tiny little cheese shop that I swear was dedicated 100% to goat cheese. There were goat cheeses of all sizes and shapes, some with rinds others covered in ash and others wrapped in leaves. It was like a whole new universe of cheese. A delicious one.
Fortunately these days there is a wide range of goat cheese, both domestic and international available in the US. There are fresh soft fluffy cheeses, gooey triple creme style cheeses and drier aged goat cheeses. To learn more about goat cheese as well as great pairings, head over to Culture Cheese magazine. Today you'll find my post with two recipes--one for Scallop Selles-sur-Cher Crostini and another for a dead simple Five Spice Fig Compote with just 5 ingredients.
GIVEAWAY!
I am giving away 5 French goat cheeses so you can test, taste and create your own recipes. You will also receive a package of tried and true recipes for inspiration and trivia cards so you can learn a little bit of history on French goat cheeses and temporary tattoos to wear your love for Original Chèvre.
Leave me a comment about how you most enjoy eating or serving goat cheese and what kinds of recipes you'd like to explore. You must have a US mailing address to win. You MUST leave your email address in the field where it is requested, it will not be visible to the public only to me. DO NOT leave your email address in the body of your comment. I will choose a winner on October 1.
Disclaimer: My thanks to Culture Cheese magazine and Goat Cheeses of France for sending me goat cheese samples and providing me the opportunity to participate in this promotion, I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post on the blog.
You read that right, Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells. If classic Italian stuffed shells and good ol' American cheeseburgers made sweet love and had a baby, it would be this dish. A perfect, family friendly, crowd pleaser. Make it ahead, pop it in the oven, freeze the leftovers. I apologize for not writing in full sentences but I'm so tired. The second week of school is WAY more intense than the first. But, my delirious state of mind aside, it was so much fun cooking with Hoda and Carson this morning on Today! If you missed the segment, you can check it out here. Enjoy the weekend!
(Photo credit: the lovely Director of Culinary Production at the Today Show, Bianca Borges)
Schmear,” on the other hand, is impossible to say without sounding cool. Try it, you’ll see. You also have to love a recipe whose name describes what you’re supposed to do with it. You make a schmear, and then you schmear a schmear.
Names aside, this smoked trout schmear is incredibly easy, and very versatile. Obviously, it’s great spread on any kind of bread or crackers, but slathered atop a freshly toasted bagel may be it’s finest expression.
By the way, this is one of those recipes were you almost have to ignore the exact ingredient measurements I give below, since the ideal amount of salt, acidity, and heat are very subjective. Equal proportions of cream cheese and smoked trout is a good starting point, but everything else should be added “to taste.”
Smoked trout is relatively easy to find in any of your fancier grocery stores that sell smoke salmon, and unlike its more common cousin, I think it provides a richer, more interesting flavor, especially in spreads like this. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
2 trout boneless, skinless fillets (about 5-6 ounces total), checked for bones and crumbled 6 ounces cream cheese (3/4 cup), softened to room temp
I generally don't review cooking kits since I'd rather cook something from a recipe instead, but there are exceptions. Try as I might, I cannot make my own tamales from scratch taste quite as exquisite as the ones from Global Grub. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the mix of chiles in package.
Which brings me to the lastest cooking kit from Global Grub, Pad Thai. It’s all about the ingredients. There are a lot of recipes for Pad Thai out there and more often than not they use ingredients that just don’t belong in it such as ketchup, rice wine vinegar or honey. For more authentic versions, check out the recipes in Pok Pok by Andy Ricker or Thai Street Food by David Thompson (which also includes the fascinating history of the dish).Or even easier, you can use the latest Pad Thai kit from Global Grub. Having tried the kit I can vouch for it. Along with rice stick noodles, the kit contains tamarind, fish sauce and preserved radish which you might not have on hand but make all the difference in this simple but satisfying dish. It tastes just like what you get in a restaurant not in a cheap kit or from making it without the right ingredients. The balance is right, but so is the texture and the toppings. I asked Carley Sheehy the founder of Global Grub how this kit came to be.
“I’ve been infatuated with Pad Thai since I had a huge delicious plate of it in Thailand (for only a couple bucks). When I came back to the US, none of the Pad Thais could compare! I realized the Americanized version oftentimes uses ketchup instead of tamarind, which makes a big difference. I also realized what makes the dish extra challenging is the balance between sweet, salty, sour, spicy. It’s a lot of contrasting flavors to balance, plus everyone has their own taste/preference. So basically, I’ve been “studying” it for a long time and trying to perfect the recipe (over and over again). I also was lucky enough to have my brother go to Thailand last year where he officially learned to make authentic Pad Thai; he passed all his learnings to me.
One of the reasons why Pad Thai made so much sense as a kit was not only the hard-to-find ingredients (especially the tamarind paste and preserved radish), but that you can really “balance” the flavors the way you like it e.g. if you like it spicier, add more chili flakes, etc. I’m really trying to encourage home cooks to use the kits as is or “make it yours.”
Give the kit a try, and let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Global Grub for providing the kit for me to review. I used my own tofu, egg, garlic, shallots, bean sprouts, green onions, lime, roasted peanuts and shrimp to make the dish and was not compensated monetarily to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy.
There are nachos, obviously, topped with beef, avocado, tomatoes, a lovely cheese sauce from Stonewall Kitchen, cilantro, pickled onions and sour cream. Yum!
By now, if you're a parent, your children are probably back to school (if not, I offer you my deepest condolences). You're probably also in major "fall schedule" mode. Back-to-school shopping and haircuts and soccer and dance (and figure out those carpools!) and school open houses (with so many forms to fill out) and easing back into homework. It's a lot! It's so much! And on top of it all, you probably keep forgetting you need to feed your children breakfast and pack their snacks and lunches and figure out something (what!?) to make for dinner. Which is why I love finding things you can make the night before, or in the 20 spare minutes you find during the day, and can pop in the oven that night. Weelicious to the rescue! If you're not familiar with her site, check it out. She offers a slew of easy, healthy, kid-friendly recipes. Like these Pizza Balls you can stuff with anything! Cheese, marinara and then, if you think your kids will eat it... veggies. I added some finely chopped cooked cauliflower to mine. My kids loved them (oh, and I ate 10). Check out the recipe here.
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1. When did you start using grams in your recipes? 
