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Gelatin: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:50:18 -0700

Perhaps it's the fact that Julia Child's chart-topping tome, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, features an array of aspics. Maybe it's because we're in an era when gourmands are obsessed with playing with their food. Or the fact that Jell-O is a cheap and cheerful thrill during a sweltering economic downturn. Either way, the retro favorite Jell-O appears poised to make a comeback. Nevertheless, with its jiggly quality and slippery texture, gelatin's always been somewhat of a polarizing food. What do you think of it?

Source: Flickr User stevendepolo

Come Party With Me: Super Bowl - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:30:16 -0800

When I think of the Super Bowl one drink comes to mind: beer. If you have a large crowd coming, consider getting a keg of your favorite beer. A keg should be ordered several days in advance and picked up the morning of the game. If your group is small, stock up on an assortment of brews and plenty of ice. To get the party going, make Jell-O shots. When guests arrive hand them a gourmet, mojito-flavored Jell-O shot. Instead of using the classic powder to make the shot, this recipe calls for gelatin, rum, and simple syrup. Start making the shots several hours before the game as they'll need time to set. Sound fun? Get the recipe when you read more.

Mojito Jell-O Shots with White Rum and Fresh Mint
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon powdered unflavored gelatin (from 3 envelopes)
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup lightly packed mint leaves
1 cup white rum

Directions

In a small saucepan, cook the water with the sugar over moderate heat until the water is simmering and the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the gelatin over the sugar syrup and whisk constantly over low heat until the gelatin has dissolved, about 1 minute.
Put the lime juice and mint leaves in a medium heatproof bowl and pour in the sugar syrup. Let steep for 15 minutes.
Stir in the rum. Strain the mojito mixture into a large measuring cup, pressing on the mint leaves with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
Arrange 30 small paper cups on a rimmed baking sheet. Carefully pour the mojito Jell-O mixture into the paper cups and refrigerate the shots until they are chilled, about 3 hours. Serve cold.

Serves 10.

Make Ahead: The Jell-O shots can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

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Get Your Final Fix of Strawberries With Strawberry Pie

partysugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:00:03 -0700

The other day I was going on about wanting to make strawberry pie (I saw the recipe in Gourmet's June issue) when my friend interrupted me. She pointed out that sadly, strawberry season is almost over! Determined to make the pie, I headed to my local market in hopes of finding the last of the season's berries. Lucky me, they still had some left!This pie is sweet, delicious, and surprisingly easy to make. It takes time to set and chill, so make it the night before you plan on serving it. If you want to taste this pie, make it soon, before strawberry season ends. To check out the recipe, read more.

Strawberry Pie
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

For crust*:
1 (5-oz) package shortbread cookies
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
For filling:
2 lb (1 1/2-inch) strawberries, hulled (see cooks' note, below)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2 1/4 tsp)

Directions

Make crust: preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Pulse cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs, then pulse in sugar and butter until combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Prepare filling and assemble pie: select 20 large strawberries as close to same size as possible and set aside.
Cut remaining berries into 1/4-inch dice and toss with sugar and lemon juice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
Drain berries in a sieve set into a large glass measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 2 cups. Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan and reserve berries.

Sprinkle gelatin over strawberry liquid and let soften 1 minute. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. Add diced berries then transfer to a metal bowl set into an ice bath and stir frequently until mixture begins to mound, 20 to 30 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling into piecrust and arrange reserved whole berries, stem ends down, on filling. Spoon remaining filling over and between berries. Chill pie until filling is set, at least 4 hours.

Makes 8 servings.

Make ahead: piecrust can be made 2 days ahead and kept (covered once cool) at room temperature. Filled pie can be chilled, loosely covered, up to 1 day. While not as dramatic as whole large berries, if you find juicy small berries, cut them into quarters or halves. It may take longer for mixture to set, but the pie will taste just as good.

*I prefer a thick crust, so I doubled the crust recipe.

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Do You Know Jell-O?

YumSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:28:32 -0700

On this day in 1897, Jell-O began its long, jiggly journey into American history. When Pearle B. Wait developed the first fruit-flavored gelatin dessert more than 100 years ago, he probably never could have guessed that his invention would later spawn such inventions as Jello-O shots and Jello-O wrestling.

Think you know something about Jell-O? Well, get a wiggle on and take my quiz!

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Definition: Agar Agar

partysugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:01:31 -0800

Agar Agar
Sometimes called Japanese gelatin, this is a natural vegetarian replacement for gelatin. Made from dried tasteless seaweed, it's widely used in Asia as a setting agent. Stronger than gelatin, it can be found in block, powder, strand, or flake form.

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Food Section Sampler - Nov. 4, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:07 -0800

Isaac Mizrahi is now hawking plaid cheesecakes for QVC. - Women's Wear Daily
Did Gourmet magazine die by trying too hard to be all things to all people? - Los Angeles Times
One Brooklynite re-creates the famed St. Louis gooey butter cake. - New York Times
The economy hasn't quelled America's appetite for luxury foods. - San Francisco Chronicle
The science behind how gelatin works. - Boston Globe
Look forward to enjoying new cocktail classics. - Washington Post
Restaurants have a new way to cut back: Re-creating recipes to conserve on ingredients. - Wall Street Journal

10 Ways to Make It Rain Meatballs

YumSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:50:19 -0700

The trailer for the new animated comedy Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs makes me hungry for a plate of spaghetti with meatballs. The giant pancake laden with butter and maple syrup looks pretty good, and the gelatin, well . . . interesting, but the marinara spheres falling from the sky look too juicy and savory to resist. Whether or not you plan to catch the movie, here are a handful of different ways you can satisfy your inevitable craving for meatballs.

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Must Read: Sips & Apps

partysugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Thanks to shows like Mad Men, it's clear that the ritual of the cocktail hour - a time in the late afternoon where potent drinks are sipped and savory snacks are nibbled - is poised to make a comeback. A recent book, Sips & Apps ($19.95) by Kathy Casey, further promotes the idea by providing happy homemakers with a plethora of modern and classic cocktails, and a handful of incredibly tasty-sounding bar snacks. To learn more about this bartending guide keep reading.

Must-Read: Chez Panisse Desserts

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:18 -0700

I'm crazy about Summer for many reasons, a major one being the season's amazing selection of stone fruits and berries. So I was beyond excited when a close friend surprised me with a new cookbook that takes advantage of my love for fruit: Chez Panisse Desserts ($20.70). This book, which is over 20 years old, is one in a series of seven cookbooks from the kitchen of Chez Panisse, the legendary Alice Waters restaurant that's known as the birthplace of California cuisine. It's authored by Lindsey Shere, who was the pastry chef at the restaurant for more than two decades. Did its seasonal dessert recipes make for a compelling cookbook? Find out when you read more

Red, White, & Blue Parfaits Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:30:51 -0700

July 4 officially celebrates our country's independence, but this year, make your fiesta as much about food as it is about the fireworks. Regardless of whether you serve hamburgers or hot dogs, coleslaw or creamy potato salad, don't forget to leave some serious room for a red, white, and blue parfait, which is both gratifying on a balmy night and visually stunning.

Impress guests by paying a literal homage to the stars and stripes with a dessert composed of berry gelatin and creamy panna cotta. Or, take a far simpler approach to the parfait by serving layer upon layer of whipped yogurt, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Decide which one works best for you this holiday and read more