Birthday Cheesecake

CHEESECAKE WITH RASPBERRY LIQUEUR

A dear friend recently had a birthday, and I determined that I would make her a cake.

My first thought was "cupcakes!"  And then I realized that cupcakes aren't really special anymore.  Pretty, trendy "cupcakeries" have sprouted up everywhere (and I mean everywhere - they even travel by truck), making the treats ubiquitous, and too common.  I'm ready for the cupcake era to be over (same goes for frozen yogurt).

So I turned in the opposite direction - to classic, old-fashioned, vintage cheesecake.  A cake with a crust of crushed graham crackers and melted butter, and a filling made from 2 1/2 pounds of cream cheese, 7 eggs, and 1 1/2 cups of sugar.  If that's not a celebratory food, I don't know what is.

The recipe for the crust and filling are courtesy of Ina Garten.  The topping/decoration, which is done before putting the cheesecake in the oven, is my contribution.  I took the incredible raspberry liqueur from Alameda, CA's St. George's Spirits (technically Aqua Perfecta Framboise Liqueur) and drizzled it in concentric circles on top of the cake.  With a butter knife, I drew lines from the center to the edge of the pan, making quarters.  Then I drew lines back towards the center, halving each of the quarters.  (Be sure to wipe the knife often so you don't mess up the pattern.  And don't cut deeper than you need to.)  Jamie Oliver does a nice job describing this technique in his White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake recipe - just another reason to be a fan of the man behind Food Revolution (check out his Ted Prize speech) and Jamie's Home Cooking Skills.

CHEESECAKE
Barefoot Contessa Family Style (2002)

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.  If desired, drizzle a topping on the cake and create a pattern as described above.

Put the springform pan on a sheet pan (to catch any leaks).  Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

Top with raspberries and refrigerate until ready to serve.

When I started business school, I had nonchalantly declared that I would, of course, be cooking and posting more frequently. The writing part has only been semi-fulfilled.  But the pleasant surprise is that fun food activities have become a regular part of the MBA experience.  From making Tortilla Espanola with Chorizo last weekend for my class ("cohort"), to running a "donuts on a string" eating competition yesterday at the Haas Cal football tailgate, to visiting Chez Panisse Cafe for lunch with the Haas Culinary Club, to planning a Macaroni & Cheese Feast (everyone brings their own variation) for next weekend, there have been few dull moments in my culinary life.

a locavore's valentine's day

ORANGE ALMOND TORTE WITH ORANGE SAUCE AND MARSALA CREAM


This year, cowboy and I challenged each other to a locavore's Valentine's Day.

Rules:
All ingredients to come from within a 50 mile radius of either San Jose or Oakland (yes, we gained about 40 miles in the N-S direction that way). Existing pantry items like salt, black pepper, and flour were allowed ("anything that wouldn't be called out in a menu description").

We split up the meal so that he was responsible for entree and I for salad and dessert. Beverage duty was shared.

Menu:
My ideal salads happen in the summer and fall - heirloom tomatoes and burrata...persimmon and prosciutto. Using my handy fruit and vegetable seasonality calendars from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, I opted for a still unique - but more Bay Area winter-appropriate - selection:
Lacinato Kale and Ricotta Salata Salad from Gourmet

For dessert, there would be no cute chocolate cupcakes - no cacao trees nearby. I would have to take advantage of what we do have - citrus, nuts, and dairy:
Orange Almond Torte with Orange Sauce and Marsala Cream from Bon Appetit

And finally for drink, while there are certainly plenty of wines to choose from, I had always been intrigued by a certain distillery down in Alameda and its outstanding vodkas:
Kaffir Lime Vodka Gimlet from Hangar One

Shopping:
Trip 1: Berkeley Whole Foods Market. Friday night.
I actually thought I had done such a good job planning my menu that I could just hit up Whole Foods for everything I needed. 1.5 hours later, I had successfully gathered only shallots, butter (Clover Organic, Sonoma County), heavy cream (also Clover), and eggs (Judy's Family Farm, Petaluma). Almonds were unlabeled. Ricotta Salata was from Italy (the cheese guy did not seem amused by my challenge). Limes were from Mexico.

Trip 2: Oakland Grand Lake Farmer's Market. Saturday morning.
This is a pretty big farmer's market, bigger than downtown Berkeley anyhow. I started by circling the market, striking up conversation with the growers. "Where is your farm?" "Outside Fresno." "Where's that?" "Three to four hours." "More than 50 miles?" "More than 50 miles."

I picked up kale from Watsonville (50 mi from San Jose). I discovered Spring Hill Jersey Cheese (Petaluma), and its fantastic pepperjack goat cheese, which substituted just fine for ricotta salata. A kind almond grower from Fresno pointed me towards a Modesto almond farm (closer - around 80 miles - and good enough). Just outside Modesto was also the closest I could get for oranges and ginger. Most of the farmers nodded when I told them what I was doing - I was not the first they'd seen attempt this. Most agreed that 50 miles was ambitious.

Trip 3: Emeryville BevMo. Saturday afternoon.
Aside from picking up my local Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka, I also bought marsala wine (to flavor the whipped cream for the cake) and limes at my last stop. (Confession: totally cheated on these items, as the wine was from Italy and the limes probably from Mexico...)

Meal:
We ate excellently. Cowboy won points for buying a free-range chicken from Olivera Egg Ranch (and poultry house) in San Jose, which he roasted with locally grown turnips, carrots, onions, and potatoes.

retro chic cream puffs

THOMAS KELLER'S CREAM PUFFS


There are some baked goods and pastries whose names simply say delight - sticky bun, muffin, cream puff...And then there are some that call for thoughtful enjoyment - eclair, croissant, macaron...

Names matter. I prefer the former. So fun, so approachable.

Yet most "fun" pastries can't quite seem to earn the appreciation that say, a good croissant might command. You read heated debates about who makes a better croissant in the East Bay (Masse's or La Farine) - but no one can be bothered to comment on who makes a decent muffin.

The same is true for the cream puff, the ol' profiterole that's somehow made its way onto Bertucci's dessert menu. For the cream puff, raves are rare, the buzz factor, not so high. Which is why I was surprised to come across a Cream Puff recipe from who else but Thomas Keller of The French Laundry (Yountville, Napa), Per Se (New York), Bouchon (Yountville, Las Vegas), and seven-Michelin star fame.

So I made it for Valentine's Day.

Cream Puffs with Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce
1 cup water
5 1/3 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Chocolate Sauce (see below)
1 1/2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Line one baking sheet with a Silpat and a second one with parchment paper (or line both sheets with parchment if you don't have a Silpat). Set up a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment.

Combine the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a stiff heatproof or wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean, with no dough sticking to it. The dough should be glossy and smooth but still damp.

Enough moisture must evaporate from the dough to allow it to absorb more fat when the eggs are added. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the dough from coloring. A thin coating will form on the bottom and sides of the pan. When enough moisture has evaporated, steam will rise from the dough and there will be the nutty aroma of cooked flour.

Immediately transfer the dough to the mixer bowl and mix for a few seconds to release some of the heat from the dough. With the mixer on medium speed, add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next one; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn off the machine. Lift some of the dough on a rubber spatula, then turn the spatula to let it run off: It should fall off the spatula very slowly; if it doesn't move at all or is very dry and falls off in one clump, beat in the additional egg.

Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 15 disks (this will give you 3 extras for testing) about 1 1/2 inches across and just under 1/2 inch thick on the Silpat-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them, as they will expand when baked. Pipe the remainder on the other sheet. (You will have about 4 dozen in all.) Bake the 15 puffs for the recipe and freeze the ones on the second baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer container and freeze for another time.

Bake the puffs for 10 minutes, turn the sheet around, turn the oven down to 350°F, and bake 15 minutes more. Remove one puff and break it open: It should be hollow inside and not gooey or eggy; if it is still moist, return it to the oven and check in 5 minutes. Cool the puffs completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container until serving time.

Chocolate Sauce
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona Equatoriale, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup

Place the chocolate in a metal bowl.

Combine the cream and corn syrup in a small heavy nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour the liquid over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted. Whisk to combine. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then pour into a bowl or other container. (Stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, the sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks.)

To Serve:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Warm the chocolate sauce in a double boiler or a microwave. Warm the profiteroles on a baking sheet in the oven.

Split each profiterole in half and arrange 3 on each plate. Place a small scoop of ice cream in the bottom half of each profiterole and top with the lid. Spoon the sauce over.


I've made no changes to the recipes above. For some reason, I've got no qualms messing around with something from Alton Brown or Gourmet, but when it comes to something on the permanent dessert menu at Bouchon, I draw a personal line. I will mention, however, that things will still turn out great if you 1) cut down the butter by 1 Tbsp, 2) do not have a mixer (use a fork and mix in clockwise circles), 3) do not have a pastry bag (a heaping teaspoon gets the job done), and 4) choose to use agave syrup instead of corn syrup (that's what Omnivore's Dilemma does to you).

What Thomas Keller also does not note is that these cream puffs perform a most wonderful wobbly dance as you pull them out of the oven. And that those 25 minutes of baking fills your home with a sweet smell of eggy goodness that will last for at least 36 hours.

It seems that it's become increasingly trendy to appreciate a sticky bun or cupcake in recent years. Cream puffs may still be more retro than chic, but you just never know when the tipping point will come.

For me, I'm still waiting for muffins to re-emerge as the finest modern-day delicacy.

flambéed desserts

Chic Today, February 2008
"Two Scoops and a Flare on Top"
pages 25-26
By Genevieve Wang


My latest article is up. I had a lot of fun with this one. Thank you to the guys at my local BevMo who found me a most flame-worthy brandy for my Crepes Suzette.

poached quince

POACHED QUINCE WITH BLACKBERRIES AND YOGURT

Inspired by a fabulous salad we had at Rivoli (hands down my favorite restaurant in the East Bay), cowboy and I spontaneously bought a quince at Monterey Market, with our best intentions to recreate the winning ingredient. I based my poaching technique on the advice of popular food blogger David Lebovitz:

Poached Quince
1 quince

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 vanilla bean

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water. Split the vanilla bean and scape the seeds into the pan (you can add the pod as well). Bring to a boil.
2. Peel and quarter the quince using a sharp chef's knife and cut out the tough core with a paring knife. (Be careful! This is a very hard fruit.) Cut the quince quarters into halves or thirds, making 1-inch slices.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the quince slices to the syrup as they are cut (they begin to brown quickly once cut). Cover the quince with a round of parchment paper, and simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours, or until the fruit is tender.

Once poached, the quince will keep in its syrup, refrigerated, for at least 5 days.

This is a simple and delicious way to enjoy fruit in these cold winter months. We had our quince with blackberries and a dollop of plain yogurt.

And now, to be completely honest, while poaching quince was certainly one of my most exquisite fruit experiences of 2007, it will probably not be making an appearance anytime soon in 2008. Remember how I said to be careful cutting the fruit? Well, I've also been wondering whether I should share my full ingredient list, which actually included "18 Band-Aids" and "1 tbsp. Neosporin". (No worries! I'm healed now...just about.)

CIOPPINO WITH SCALLOPS, MUSSELS, CLAMS & ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Oh yes. And as a prelude to our poached quince, we also made the classic San Francisco fisherman's stew, cioppino, for which we spent the afternoon shopping in North Berkeley's "other Gourmet Ghetto" - at Hopkins St. and Monterey Ave. We visited Monterey Fish for scallops, mussels, and clams (and some wonderful fish stock); Magnani's for Italian sausage; Monterey Market for onions, parsley, bell pepper, etc. This is the only dish I have ever made that calls for both red and white wine. Loved it.

to fill a ramekin

ROASTED VEGETABLE PLATTER


I'm spoiled. I mean, I still relish placing a thick slice of fresh white tuna in my mouth...biting into the sweet crunch of persimmon...swirling a tasty, full-bodied Napa Valley cabernet...but these experiences tend to happen a lot more now. It's hard to tell about them all.

But I could not let our annual Chinese fusion holiday dinner pass without comment.

Christmas was particularly good this year. This was the year that I woke up on December 24 with no recipes, no ingredients, not a single plan at all.

In my mid-morning state-of-the-kitchen assessment, I found six ramekins and a large, smooth wooden platter. And in a spirited effort to please my mother, I planned my portion of the menu around this stock of rarely-used Crate & Barrel dinnerware.

Off I went to brave the insanity that is Whole Foods on Christmas Eve (think Times Square, except people are armed with carts), sweeping up the more intriguing vegetables stacked in aisle 1, which I promptly sent into the oven to be roasted when I arrived home: eggplant, asparagus, fennel (this was blanched), summer squash, zucchini, red pepper, yellow pepper, garlic. I plated these with slices of toasted ciabatta, rubbed with roasted garlic, sea salt, and olive oil, all placed atop a bed of romaine, Kalamata olives, and cherry tomatoes, and dressed in a marinade from Gourmet:

Roasted Vegetable Marinade
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried orégano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk until emulsified.


I had heard about Roy's souffle during a recent trip to Hawaii (thanks Scott). After much searching online, I found the prized recipe at Best of LA in the food blogging community. I've tweaked the recipe a bit. I know, I know - who am I to mess with Roy Yamaguchi's famous chocolate souffle? But I actually found his version slightly too sweet. Also, I felt that the original recipe should best be doubled to make 6.

ROY'S CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE


Roy's Chocolate Souffle
Makes 6 souffles

INGREDIENTS
12 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
4 eggs
4 egg yolks

DIRECTIONS
1) Melt butter and chocolate in saucepan over LOW heat. Set aside.
2) In mixing bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch.
3) In another bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks together.
4) Add melted butter/chocolate mix to sugar mix. Combine thoroughly with wire whisk.
5) Stir in eggs. Whisk until smooth. Place in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.
6) Coat each ramekin with baking spray. Place ramekins in a shallow water bath in a metal baking pan (water should come about halfway up the sides). Fill each ramekin 2/3-3/4 full with batter and bake for 25 minutes in preheated 400° oven on the top rack.
7) Serve with powdered sugar and fruit.


It's good. Very, very, very good.
Merry Christmas!

happy pork-chops-and-ice-cream-cake to you

COFFEE ALMOND ICE-CREAM CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE SAUCE


I turn my first quarter-century next week, and have started to wonder if this is that year when it will become increasingly less fun to welcome the arrival of any subsequent years.

That aside, I still have no problem making a big deal of other people's birthdays. My dad's was at the end of April, and we decided to cook for the family instead of risk another mediocre meal at one of Boston's many generic, overpriced restaurants (no, I am not jaded by the restaurant scene in this fine city of culinary magnificence).

It is not easy for my dad (I call him Baba) and me to share a kitchen. "I am the best chef," my dad will periodically remind me, whether he is surveying the steak he scored at Whole Foods, tasting a spoonful of his seafood soup, or pouring himself a Sam Adams. "Really. I am."

"Whatever."

I like to create drama in the kitchen when I am cooking with Baba. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!! I NEED THE STOVE!!! arghhh...MOVE!" It's more interesting this way. My dad's too zen, and he spends 80% of his "active cooking time" on the couch, watching golf. Meanwhile, I am zigzagging, juggling my time between prepping veggies, mincing garlic, reducing sauces, rolling out and freezing dough, marinating meats, toasting almonds (I always burn the stupid almonds - arg)....it's just not fair.

For his own birthday dinner last weekend, Baba prepared pan-fried pork chops (Taiwanese-style) and miso-baked salmon. I took care of salad and dessert. Yes, yes, I know - it seems unfairly balanced, but honestly, I spent way longer preparing my two courses. Pathetic, I know. (And Baba washed the salad greens, too.)

BABA'S TAIWAN-STYLE PORK CHOPS


We composed our salad around a base of sliced honeydew melon and prosciutto, cushioned with frisee and arugula (my dad's favorites, after a particularly good experience at Lumiere in West Newton, MA). I topped the greens with blueberries and candied sliced almonds, then dressed everything with a blend of chili sesame oil, olive oil, cider vinegar, sugar, and toasted sesame seeds. The result was a satisfying mix of spicyness from the dressing and sweetness from the fruits and nuts. (I know it's overkill to post three photos for the separate steps I took in preparing the salad, but I happen to like the photos I took.)

BEGINNING WITH PROSCIUTTO & MELON...


...THEN TOSSING WITH CANDIED ALMONDS AND GREENS


SALAD OF PROSCIUTTO, MELON, & FRESH BLUEBERRIES
on a bed of frisee and arugula with toasted almonds and chili-sesame vinaigrette


For dessert, I attempted my first-ever ice cream cake. Despite its 4 layers, it was extremely easy to prepare (though if you try it, budget for at least a half-day, to allow for ample freezing time). I followed a recipe orginally printed in Gourmet in 1991. A springform pan is a must.

Coffee Almond Ice Cream Cake with Dark Chocolate Sauce
1 1/2 cups fine chocolate wafer crumbs (couldn't find any - I used Oreos)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 pints coffee ice cream, softened slightly
1 1/2 cups well-chilled heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups crushed amaretti (Italian almond macaroons, though I used crushed biscotti)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

For the dark chocolate sauce:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons Amaretto, or to taste (I substituted with Bailey's)

To make the cake:
In a bowl with a fork stir together the crumbs and the butter until the mixture is combined well, pat the mixture onto the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a lightly oiled 8-inch springform pan, 2 1/2 inches deep, and freeze the crust for 30 minutes, or until it is firm. Spread the ice cream evenly on the crust and return the pan to the freeze for 30 minutes, or until the ice cream is firm. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the cream with the vanilla until it holds stiff peaks (do not overbeat!), fold in the amaretti thoroughly, and spread the mixture over the ice cream. Smooth the top of the cake, sprinkle it with the almonds, and freeze the cake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the top is firm. Freeze the cake, covered with plastic wrap and foil, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, wrap a warm dampened kitchen towel around the side of the pan, remove the side, and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Cut the cake into wedges with a knife dipped in hot water and serve it with the chocolate sauce.

To make the sauce:
In a small heavy saucepan combine the cream and the brown sugar, bring the mixture to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking occasionally, and boil it, whisking, until the brown sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolates, whisking until they are melted. Whisk in the butter and the Amaretto, whisking until the sauce is smooth, and let the sauce cool slightly. The chocolate sauce may be made 1 week in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the chocolate sauce over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is warm.


I can't wait for my dad's birthday next year.

brownie bowl

PRAIRIE STAR DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE SUNDAE


When it comes to dessert, I like to write about my attempts at raspberry coulis and cardamom-ginger infusions. If the name sounds trendy and exotic, I will probably order it...(just throw in a flavor like rose, cayenne, or Earl Grey). Accented vowels help the cause, as do geographic references, like Mexican chocolate and Thai coconut. And I still, admittedly, believe that "flourless" means "awesome".

But Harvard Square's Pizzeria Uno, Chicago Bar & Grille is where I go for crispy fries, sugary margaritas, and my favorite dessert of all time - the Brownie Bowl. It costs $4.49 and is composed of three triangular Oreo brownies, weighed down by a generous heap of vanilla ice cream, liberal squirts of hot fudge, and a disproportionate mass of whipped cream, topped with a sunken cherry and, if you are lucky, an Oreo cookie. Every brownie bowl is different, because each one has been made by a different artist with a different style and level of apathy for his/her job. You never quite know what you are going to get.

The brownie bowl was a key part of my high school and college experience. My friends and I wagered brownie bowls. "I'll bet you a brownie bowl that George Clooney was in Revenge of the Killer Tomatoes." We bribed each other with brownie bowls. "I will buy you THREE brownie bowls if you come to my chemistry grad student halloween party." And, of course, we celebrated with brownie bowls - end of semester, end of exam, end of day. I owe brownie bowls to all kinds of people from school.

I have since found several respectable brownie bowl substitutes, most notably the Cheesecake Factory's (aptly named) Giant Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich and, more recently, Prairie Star's Double Chocolate Brownie Sundae, which I shared with my college roommates last weekend for old time's sake. Prairie Star is located on Dartmouth Street in Boston, between Back Bay and the South End. The owners' moist half-pound dark chocolate brownies are so popular that they are now available online for purchase.

And since I am in the mood for disclosing information...well if my no. 1 dessert is the brownie bowl, then the first runner-up is most definitely McDonald's vanilla ice cream cone. It is creamy, swirly, and delicious.

I promise I will start cooking again. I've been too busy eating the past couple weeks.

sand and dirt: equally delicious

PETER EATS SAND CAKE


So they've got the BBC, and we've got CNN. They ride the Tube, I take the T. They take responsibility for the Spice Girls, and we for the Backstreet Boys. They eat English trifle, and I have my sand cake.

I happily came upon this recipe for sand cake whilst searching online for beach-inspired foods.

Sand cake is the ideal party cake. It is meant to be messy and is thus easy to serve (ideally with a plastic shovel). It's a fun conversation piece. And best of all, you really can't screw it up. The only point to note is that it needs to sit in the fridge for several hours prior to serving.

Sand Cake
(many variations exist - this is G+Siri's version)

2 packages (3.5 to 4 oz. each) vanilla-flavored instant pudding
4 cups milk
1 container (8 oz.) nondairy whipped topping
1 package (15 oz.) chocolate-chip cookies, broken into quarters
2 cups vanilla-wafer cookie crumbs, divided
Gummy lobsters, shells, flip flops (if you can find them - use fish if you cannot)
Candy rocks
Paper umbrellas

In a large bowl, whisk pudding mix into 4 cups milk until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping, then fold in the chocolate chip cookies. Spoon half of the pudding mixture into a clean 2-3 quart plastic beach bucket (or glass trifle dish). Sprinkle with half of the vanilla cookie crumbs. Decorate with some of the candy items. Repeat the layers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow the cookies to soften. Decorate the top with gummy candies, candy rocks, and paper umbrellas. Warn your guests that candy rocks can be hard on the teeth (sorry Peter!).


This fabulous example of sand cake above was made by my fabulous roommate Siri.

FYI - For those of you who may be wondering - sand cake is indeed the lesser-known relative of the other sediment-based cake, dirt cake. Dirt cake is similar in spirit, but with a few notable substitutions. It is made with crushed Oreos and chocolate pudding and topped with gummy worms. It is best served in a flower pot with a trowel.