Run Forest, Run

I know it looks like the site is turning into a cake decorating class, but I've had three birthdays in the last six weeks and I wanted to try my hand at cakes. All of you "Part Time Pastry Chefs" out there, cut me a little slack. The three cakes you see here, are my only serious attempts at the subject and I have a lot to learn. I must say that it has been fun so far and I'll let you learn from my mistakes.

I asked the "Part Time Housekeeper" what she wanted for her birthday and she said "Black Forest Cake". She suggested cherry pie filling from a can, but I thought I might be able to do a bit better with frozen cherries.

• I made "Brandied Cherries" by making a sugar syrup and adding frozen cherries, orange juice, lemon zest, and brandy.
• I stabilized the whipped cream with gelatin which worked well.
• To apply the syrup to the cake, I drained the cherries and put the liquid into a squeeze bottle.
• Some of the syrup went on to each layer of cake, then the whipped cream and the cherries.
• When it was all together I brushed off the crumbs and smoothed the gaps with a spatula.
• My first pass at a ganache fell short a bit, but I learned a lot. Next time I'll add some corn syrup to the mix to keep the glaze from turning cloudy and pay more attention to the consistency. It was not very smooth because it was a bit too thick.
• The roses and leaves didn't turn out perfect, again because of consistency.

Birthday Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting Filled With Milk Chocolate Whipped Cream

This is only my second serious attempt at a cake, so I'm by no means an expert. Here are some of the "tricks of the trade" I found useful.

• Put a parchment circle in the bottom of each of the pans.
  
• When cool, slice the layers in half with a large serrated knife and put paper between the now four layers.
• Stack the layers together and wrap them in two layers in of foil.
• Freeze the cake overnight. Brush the crumbs from the frozen cake with a pastry brush.
  
• Use "Piping Gel" to stabilize the whipped cream.
• When assembling the cake use a cardboard circle the same diameter of the cake.
  

• Rewrap the assembled cake and freeze again if you have time.
  

• The exterior is also stabilized whipped cream with bittersweet chocolate.

Line the display platter with strips of parchment (or wax) paper.

• Set the cake in place and carefully remove the paper, leaving the plate perfectly clean.
  

Use a vegetable peeler to curl chocolate for a garnish.

No wok, no problem.

You don't need a hand hammered, imported wok to make a killer stir fry. Don't get me wrong, a good wok is an essential tool for anyone truly exploring Asian cuisine or any advanced foodie. But if you don't have one, you can still make a meal that is really close if you break out your 12 inch or better cast iron skillet and go about the meal in a little different sequence than in a high temp wok.

• As with any stir fry, have everything cut, sliced and measured before you begin cooking.
• Heat your seasoned cast iron skillet until you just see the first wisps of smoke.
• If you are using meat, chicken or seafood cook it first in small batches over very high heat.
• Remove all items just before they are 'done', carryover cooking will continue for a few minutes.
• Cook each vegetable separately over high heat and remove each ingredient to a warm plate.
• When you reach the last item, pour everything back into the pan to reheat and add your sauce
• Thicken with 1/2 cornstarch and 1/2 water mixed into a slurry.

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, go buy one. Buy the largest you can find, and follow the instructions on seasoning prior to the first use. The cast iron skillet has to be the most under utilized tool in the average American kitchen. Part time chefs, don't know much about average, do we?

Four Dollar Pizza Stone

Unglazed quarry tiles for Home Depot make a great $4.00. pizza stone, The important thing to keep in mind, is that you should select a tile that is untreated and 100% natural clay. The photo show two layers of nine tiles, but I found that in my oven a single layer works best. The idea is to cook the pizza directly on the stone, and with a little homework you can make a much better pie that you can have delivered and at about 1/4 of the price. The stone will discolor as you use it from spills, but for .37 cents a piece, they are essentially disposable. A decent stone from a gourmet shop will run your $40.00 and from articles I've read do not perform any better. I've also found that laying out the skin on a sheet of parchment makes the transition from the peel to the stone seamless and the end result is a cleaner oven, cleaner stone, and a beautiful crust. Another reason to buy that case of parchment I told you about.

I'm still testing and refining my recipes for a couple of styles of dough and suggestions for unique toppings, but in the meantime visit www.pizzamaking.com and be sure to read some of the forums. I'll post some recipes and results over the next few months, but for now the R and D will slow, the kids are sick of pizza if you can believe that.

Fondant Cake

Pro Tip: #2 Parchment Paper

Pro Tip: #2 Parchment Paper

I found a case of 1000 sheets of parchment paper at GFS (Gordon Food Service) for about $30.00 and I continue to find new uses for it every week. Parchment paper has all but replaced wax paper, foil, and film in my kitchen and now that I've been using it for a while I'm not sure I could live without it. If you pick up a roll at the grocery store, you'll pay $3.00 or more for a few yards. The case I bought is 1000 sheets of 18 X 24, which translates to 2000 1/2 size sheet pans (shown above), or enough to last a part time chef a couple of years.

If you don't have a GFS in your area, check the internet for a foodservice distributor like Sysco or US Foods. Anyone can do a cash "will call" from a commercial carrier. Give them a call and ask for customer service, and ask for "parchment baking sheets, full size".

Pro Tip: #1 Bar Towels

Pro Tip: #1 Bar Towels

My kids make fun of me sometimes because I am known to walk around the house with a white bar towel over my shoulder, even when I'm not cooking. They're just so handy, and because I keep the cabinet stocked with them they are always in use and I don't mind going through 10 or so in a day. I picked up the habit working in restaurants and it has stuck with me. This is the essence of the "Pro Tip"; a useful technique, tool, or concept that translates to the home kitchen.

Both Costco and Sams Club carry a 4 dozen bag for $11.00 and I keep at least two bags on hand all the time. When they get stained or scruffy, they are demoted to a dust cloth or the garage.

Brined Turkey with a Fresh Herb Compound Butter and Maple Glaze

I brined the turkey overnight, then slid a compound butter under the skin. The cavity was stuffed with fresh herbs, a lemon, apple, and onion roughly chopped then heated in the microwave. The last hour I basted the skin with maple syrup to give the bird a sheen and glaze. The menu also included a fresh cranberry sauce, yeast rolls, green beans, roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar, cornbread sausage and apple dressing, whipped potatoes, and pan gravy.

My Mother's wedding china and my Grandmother's silver made their debut, and I'm pretty proud of the results.

This site is coming soon, and I'm excited to get started posting some content. The site will start as a promotional tool for my forthcoming book and work to fan my culinary fire. One day, I hope that it turns into a place where other "part time chefs" will visit and share memories and tips.

For more about me, visit www.cordrogers.com 

I'm not a baker, but I can manage a pie.

Not bad for the eighth or ninth pie ever. The edge is a maple leaf cutter inherited from my Mother in Law. Her pastry was better, but I'm sure this one would pass inspection.