Dessert By Candy

Dîner en Blanc In A Parking Lot

An experience is what you make of it. Being a part of Toronto’s 3rd edition of Dîner en Blanc last night confirmed that sentiment. A secret location hosting thousands of revellers dressed in head to toe all white finery and feasting on elegantly prepared picnic sounds like a formula for logistical nightmare or merrymaking. It all depends on your attitude. Weeks of anticipation and promises of an exclusive elegant affair were accompanied by strict rules in pompous air. I chose to enjoy the special evening to its fullest as did my three dining companions.

The exclusivity part was no joke. Invitations were sent out in three phases with priorities given to past participants. Luckily, JC (of foodpr0n) attended last year and she graciously added my name to the referral list so our group of four was confirmed early on. I began to plan in earnest and even created a Pinterest board for two potential menus, outfits, and other miscellaneous items to pack for the picnic. I shopped for light portable table and chairs. And even laid out my outfit and the table setting to make sure everything looked great.

I don’t mean to brag but picnic and dining al fresco in unusual locations are my forte. The meal has to taste phenomenal, that’s a given. But more importantly, I give a lot of thoughts into mobility and efficiency. Duplicate effort? Pffft! Working with three other companions we were able to streamline the process. Divide and conquer was our key to a stress-free experience. Let’s take a look at our menu for four:

Dîner En Blanc

Fizzy Peach Water

Chilli Lime Cashews

Oatmeal Sourdough from Bar Tartine

Charcuterie & Smoked Salmon with Dried Peaches & Cherries

White Gazpacho with Grapes, Almonds & Scallions

Pan Seared Swordfish in Caper Rosemary Vinaigrette, Herb Salad, Sundried Tomatoes Lentils du Puy

Dessert Platter of Nutter Butter Cookies, Doughnut Peaches, Scharffen Berger Single Origin Dark Chocolate

Oolong Tea

From Insurmountable To Reality

Last weekend, I drove 5 hours from Toronto to Montreal on 2 hours of sleep to feed 30 hungry skaters over a period of 24 hours. Why? Once again, I proclaimed myself Head Of Catering Department during the 24h Roller Montreal inline skating relay event for my team Skater’s Quest. If you remember my effort from 2011 and 2012, you may recall that I only previously fed 20 skaters. This year, I expanded my offer to skaters of other teams as well and the final tally was 30. It was a little overwhelming. Just a little.

Lessons and feedback from previous years were put to good use. This year, I spent much more time planning and less running around in circles. It was good that my old spreadsheets provided a solid template for my game plan. I got to spend time on fun stuff such as putting together the menu and seeking out great recipes. Running two slow cookers side by side was so successful that I had to do it again. But why limit myself to hot main courses for dinner? I upped the ante this year by adding hot breakfast items as well. Once again, I kept the menu mostly vegan to provide a  good variety of dishes to both vegans and omnivores alike. But of course, my decision was made predominately for food safety reasons since vegan ingredients are less prone to food-born disease. As unglamorous as it sounds, taste was obviously important but not at the cost of upset stomachs. I placed a high priority on low risk yet nourishing food that appeal to different palates when the athletes are exhausted.

Without further ado, this is what we ate last weekend.

On Schedule And Under Budget

Those are the magic words that make a project manager’s heart sing. Coincidentally, those words accurately describe my current status for my attempt to feed 28 skaters for 24 hours. The last couple of days were filled with prep work, more shopping, and half-finished recipes that I’ll assemble on Friday. Not exactly exciting blogging material, you know?

In typical fashion, doubts are creeping in and I wonder if I plan for enough food. To quiet those doubts, I am preparing bonus dishes and starting to feel like an Italian grandmother before Sunday family dinner. This can quickly get out of hand. No interesting photos to show either other than some progress shots. Recounting the last two days:

• I shopped at two Chinese grocery stores, one Korean grocery store, bulk store, two mainstream grocery stores, and farmer’s market.
• I scaled and packaged ingredients for malted waffles and spiced porridge. They will be made on site.
• I soaked and cooked chickpeas and lupini beans.
• I chopped dried fruit for quinoa salad.
• I made 5 cups worth of Paula Wolfert’s hummus. Best. Hummus. Ever.
• I baked a Caribbean rum cake. It is a bonus post-race treat for the grown ups.
• I baked a Persimmon Bundt cake. It is another bonus dish to help me free up space in the freezer. Those frozen persimmon puree were taking up room.
• I cooked brown basmati rice and black rice. They will be used for grape leaf pilaf.

As you can see, things are moving along nicely. I’m not sure if I’ll stick with my regular posting schedule this Friday since I’ll be very busy with all the cooking. Keep an eye out on my Facebook page though. I’ll be posting photos all day long as I complete each recipe!

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Planning Is Half The Battle

Planning Is Half The Battle

My Montreal 24 hour Relay menu is finally fleshed out last weekend. Even though the beautiful weather was calling my name, I diligently sat in front of my computer and went through the very unglamorous task of tabulating shopping list, packing list, and cooking schedule. It isn’t quite military level precision but the plan ought to keep me on track when I get flustered. On Sunday, I took advantage of a no-tax sale event and did a lion’s share of my shopping before my MRI appointment in the evening.

Most of the cooking will be done on Friday but the more labour/time intensive and frozen items are already under way. Last night, I made a batch of these Spiced Lentils, Kale, and Sweet Potato Pockets. They are inspired by a recipe I bookmarked long ago from The Kitchn. I had every intention to follow the recipe. But then, I wanted to use my favourite overnight whole wheat pizza dough. Next, I realized I couldn’t bring myself to boil kale with the lentils (the flavour! All gone!). So I improvised and made the filling using the same flavour profile. I sautéed onion, garlic, cooked black beluga lentils, kale, and spices all together in the pan.

What Have I Done?

In 9 days I’ll drive to Montreal with two slow cookers, two massive camping coolers, and enough food to feed 27 hungry skaters for 24 hours. That’s right, it’s the annual 24 hour inline relay race at the F1 race track. And yes, I just said 27 skaters. Have I bitten off more than I can chew? I will find out soon enough.

I am not new to this culinary and logistical challenge. Last year I fed 20 skaters with enough leftovers for one week’s worth of dinner at home. I have a good idea of dishes that hold well at the paddock, food that skaters prefer during the race, and enough variety to keep things interesting. It also helps that I already have an elaborate spreadsheet to organize menu, links to recipes, shopping list, budget, inventory, and food preferences. You can say this is going to be business as usual. What is NOT usual is that I extend my meal plan service this year to a few skaters outside of my own team. Words travel quickly and that is how I end up with magic number 27. It would have been 30 if I didn’t already declined a few requests.

Lazy Girl's Buckwheat Waffles

I love the taste of buckwheat and use it regularly for baking. At the waffle party, I prepared a batch of overnight yeasted buckwheat waffles using Orangette’s recipe. It inspired me to utter the word ethereal. One caveat is that the recipe requires planning ahead and Saturday night is usually not the time to stir a batter (oh that is absolutely not an euphemism). I want buckwheat waffles that I can whip up at spur of the moment.  I want a recipe that doesn’t involve fussy steps like separating the eggs or whipping extra egg whites into clouds.

Generally speaking, I like to use 1:1 ratio of gluten free flour with all purpose wheat flour. The wheat flour helps with developing structure and the gluten free flour asserts its unique taste. With buckwheat, experience told me I can usually get away with using 100% buckwheat flour without compromising texture for pancakes and waffles. I am quite pleased with these gluten free 100% buckwheat waffles.

A Waffling Good Time

I have been making up for lost time with waffle breakfast every week. Every batch was a different recipe and a delicious confirmation of my long awaited waffle maker purchase. I never even realized the vault of waffle recipes sitting undiscovered among my cookbook library. I learned something about myself too. I happily eat my waffles plain without a smidgen of topping or syrup. That means the quality and unique taste of the batter recipe are important. Waffles are not simply delivery vehicles. They are the star of my breakfast.

Recipes that I tried so far:

• Crunchy Cornmeal Waffles: love it
• Carrot and Corn Flour Waffles: it’s okay. Using carrot juice is neat.
• Gingerbread Waffles: would love a stronger gingerbread flavour but leftovers toasted beautifully
• Malted Waffles: where have you been all my life?
• Yeasted Buckwheat Waffles: very light and airy but barely browned

Just because I prefer my waffles plain doesn’t mean others do too. Yesterday three friends and I ran a waffle bar at a backyard party for 50 people. It was a huge success but needless to say, we overdid  it just a tad.

Plight Of Perfection

Specialty bakeware fascinates me. Once upon a time, I thought specialty bakeware are the fancy cake pans in the likeness of cartoon characters or cute animals. A typical home cook would only use a pan once in a lifetime (because nobody wants to make Mickey Mouse  cake two years in a row). Around my neck of the woods, I can stroll into a bulk food store and rent one for the weekend at a nominal fee. It’s the best of both worlds. I get to bake my Mickey Mouse cake without  the hassle of finding a permanent home for the unwieldy cake pan that doesn’t fit anywhere in the cupboard.

I have issues with single purpose kitchen gadgets and some of the specialty bakeware I see these days are absurd. When I am feeling down, I like to wander the aisles of Bed Bath & Beyond. This emporium of innovation never ceases to make me giggle. At one glance, I spotted such highly specific gems: cake pop maker, ice cream sandwich pan, whoopie pie pan, macaron baking set, éclair pan, half cupcake pan, and doughnut pan. Notice any pattern here? These are all things that can be shaped with a steady hand or detailed with a knife. Really manufacturers? I thought you have more faith in our skills. Obviously I was wrong and marketing research shows a different picture.

A Little Comfort Please

Our idea of comfort food is very much shaped by our experience. Growing up in Hong Kong within a Cantonese family, I immediately turn to congee (savoury rice porridge) to sooth a weakened digestive system. Unfortunately, congee is not something I make often so my success can be hit or miss. Besides, cooking is usually far from the top of my priority list when I don’t feel well. I just want a loved one to bring me a steaming bowl of congee.

I love the freedom and independence of living on my own…except when I’m sick. Even the takeout menu does not entice knowing all the salt, grease, and MSG they liberally add to all the dishes. At times like this, I fall back on dishes that I know how to make with reliable success. I want my meal to taste plain enough not to be upsetting but have enough flavour to be appetizing. It’s a fine balance.

Peaches And Cream

Peaches and cream is classic for good reason because some pairings never get old. When I say rum, you say raisin. When I say apple, you say cinnamon. It. Just. Is. When I see recipes that offer new interpretation of the classic, I am often skeptical. Why mess with a good thing?

There are exceptions, of course. I bookmarked Martha Stewart’s Peach & Crème Fraiche Pie for a few years. Crème fraiche is simply the tangy cultured version of cream. Close enough to the classic but just different enough to be intriguing. Every year peach season came and went but I just never got around to the recipe. I have to sheepishly admit that pies were not my forte and I avoided the recipe. My head told me it was easy and result must be spectacular but my heart simply ran the other direction.

My recent success with pie baking renewed my confidence. Niagara freestone peaches are just showing up at farmer’s market. Last week, I jumped into this recipe with both feet before hesitation had a chance to set in. My verdict? Waiting is overrated. I should have made this recipe when I first laid eyes on it and repeat every peach season!