Posted in Food and..., Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, #frostyadultbeverages, #notwriting, home on August 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »
I’m on a day job vacation at the moment and I’d hoped to get to some actual writing today. Instead, we juiced limes. Lots and lots and lots of limes. Eight pounds of limes, in the end, which is what happens when one shops at Costco’s Business Center.
On the plus side, our Lime Freeze future is assured, and the Breville Citrus Press is still one of the best presents Mr Man has ever given me. Spendy and single-use, yes, but worth it.
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Posted in Food and..., Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, #foodforwriters, fun with history, inspiration, Writers, writing on August 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »
I love food and I love history, so imagine my excitement when I ran across this article:
How recreating ancient recipes helps one food buff bring the past to life | CBC Radio
I explored the linked video channel here:
Tasting History with Max Miller – YouTube
The recipes include a lot of interesting food, like medieval mead, garum, pirate rations, and the fascinatingly named “Hardtack and Hellfire.” Some of these items are still familiar, others not so much.
I am so down with this.
Previously, I’ve mentioned Krista Ball’s What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank, on how to feed your fantasy adventurers, but seeing these recipes come to life takes historical food to another level.
Enjoy (or at least feel happy that we have more on tap these days than sweet potato coffee)!
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Posted in Food and..., Holidays, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, Thoughts on June 18, 2023| 2 Comments »
When I was a child, my father discovered a lime freeze drink that I absolutely loved. I don’t have the recipe and only remember that it was frothy, creamy and sharp with fresh lime juice. I’ve tried to replicate the drink a few times but never quite managed it, until now.
This recipe is based on a Brazilian limeade recipe. The original version is very good but it’s harder to find organic limes than I’d like, and it can be a little fiddly to balance a thorough blending while avoiding the bitterness of fresh pith.
Using sweetened condensed milk makes it quick and easy with no risk of curdling. Being me, I also wanted a recipe we could make with frozen juice. This is the result.
Lime Fluff
- 700g/just under 3C water, whey, or a combination* (we’re using 1C yogurt whey, the rest water)
- 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk (~190g)
- 1 to 1 1/8 C+ / 250–275g lime juice (to taste, fresh or frozen)
Blend and enjoy.
* I know that grams (mass) ≠ milliliters (volume), but it’s close enough. We also make a lot of strained yogurt so we have whey on hand; ours is tangy enough that we use 250g of lime juice.
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Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, creativity, Thoughts, whee! on June 12, 2023| 1 Comment »
Today, for reasons, I am attempting to put in a full day’s work, work out, edit a story, and make not one not two but three different desserts. I don’t usually drink coffee or tea but decided that if there is a time to caffeinate, this is it.
Will I achieve my goals or watch my plans careen into a topsy turvy tower of uncompromising reality?
(cue dramatic music)
Tune in tomorrow to find out!
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Posted in Food and..., Funny, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, Thoughts, whoops on June 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »
For those of you unfamiliar with the acronym used as today’s post title, it stands for “there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” The exact origins of this phrase are unknown, but I was introduced to it by Robert A. Heinlein in his novel The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.
The phrase came to mind today as I attempted (emphasis on) a new recipe for a no-knead high hydration baguette recipe. I’ve used this approach for a version of Mark Bittman’s bread recipe with great success, so why not try it here?
This is why not:)
I won’t name the recipe I used because it seemed to work fine for the author, but it in no way shape or globulous form worked for me.
Next!
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Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, food, Thoughts on May 31, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The answer to a recent Wordle was “ramen,” which brought me back to after-school second lunches and some of my first creative attempts at cooking. Ramen is salty and delicious and while I don’t eat the instant version much anymore, the memories remain fond.
If you also enjoy ramen, may I suggest this interactive idea generator:
Inspiration Wheel | Shin Wheel
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Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, bread, creativity, experiments, recipes, Writers on May 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Today, for the first time ever, I made baguettes.
I have made sandwich loaves, no-knead bread, Swedish braids, cinnamon twists, lemon loaves, pound cake, blueberry lemon bread, banana bread, and many other kinds of bread in my time, but never baguettes.
After an enlightening conversation with S.M. Stirling about writing and baking, I was inspired to give it a shot.
Baguette pan: purchased.
Initial recipe: selected. I’ll likely test out a few more but this looked like a decent place to start.
/insert hold music of your choice
Results? Pretty good! The finished loaves aren’t quite as pretty/large/browned as I’d like and I have a list of process items to tweak, but the taste and texture were both excellent.
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Posted in Food and..., Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, cooking, reference tools on May 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »
You Can Find Over 10,000 Vintage Cookbooks Online
Need to know how to cook cod, prepare a sauce, remove a stain, freshen breath, or dye eyebrows? This book you covered!
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Posted in Food and..., Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, science, Thoughts on April 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Today in random things you will never need to know but are oddly fascinating anyway:
Caffenol: A Guide to Developing B&W Film with Coffee | PetaPixel
I used to develop my own film (you know, kids, that thing we had before digital pictures). I also used to drink coffee.
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Posted in Food and..., tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2023, bread, Thoughts on April 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »
When my mother asked for Christmas ideas, I put bread pans on the list (I use these). Sure, I have two, I thought, but with four I could double the recipe and make bread half as often.
Thanks to pandemic scheduling, that Christmas dream came true this Easter:)
The pans were put to good use today (thanks, Mom!), and we are now the happy owners of four loaves currently cooling in the kitchen.
I doubled my standard recipe and it appears to be a success. Great news, not least because there were a couple of moments along the way where things could have gone off the rails.
First, the doubled amounts almost overwhelmed my 6-quart KitchenAid. It was a lot to mix. The good news is that the new batch of flour is performing better than last year’s flour, which needed (heh) twice the kneading time to build any gluten at all.
Second, and most dangerously/amusingly, I used new yeast. The dough rose beautifully but much faster than expected. The last batch took two hours for the first rise. I checked today’s batch after an hour and had to laugh. The dough was twice the size it should have been and the container’s lid was bulging up with the sort of vigor I expect from active volcanoes or chest-bursting aliens. Releasing the pressure was an exercise in risk management, but I got it done.
Of course, I also made minor adjustments to the process throughout. As one does.
So, fresh yeast, fresh flour, and a fresh take on an old recipe. And now it’s time to see what Mr Man thinks of the results!
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J.R. Johnson 
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