Vanilla Extract Experiment Phases 1 and 2

My first food love was definitely cooking, but I always found it to be such a false division between those who cook and those who bake. Sure we all specialized or gravitate toward being more artistic or more scientific, but I don't think you can be a great cook without knowing a little about ratios and reactions at least intuitively and likewise when it comes to baking, without that great inspiration of mixing and matching flavors its hard to go beyond chocolate chip cookies. (Not that they aren't delicious!) If you're going to love one, you should love the other.

My mom baked a lot and when I went to college I started doing the same. There are two ingredients I almost always use more than the recipe calls for: cinnamon and vanilla extract. I am starting to work on a bunch of muffin recipes and after seeing a few videos on how to make vanilla extract I decided I should try it!

Seems simple enough... join me on the journey:

Phase 1: Gathering the Ingredients

Vanilla: Apparently vanilla is the 2nd most expensive spice in the world after saffron (Joy of Baking). So being the recent graduate student and food truck worker that I am, I had to set sail on the world wide web and find the best deal. If you find a better deal, let me know, but so far it seems Beanilla seems to have the best prices with a Tahitian pod costing $1.25 or 10 for $7.99. So far all I know is the smell but it's absolutely intoxicating. My roommate was joking that I was getting high off the beans. If there is an intoxicating effect I sure was feeling it!

Mason Jar: Some sites suggest you can use the bottle of booze, but I wanted a wider mouthed jar and a good seal so I opted for a mason jar. You know those jars people use for canning. Well I had a dual purpose for getting a 12 pack of quart sized mason jars and I'll give you one guess. That's right canning will likely be an upcoming post! I chose Ball Mason Jars because they have a pretty good reputation and you can order online and pick-up at an Ace Hardware for $11.49

Vodka: Supposedly any 80 proof alcohol should work to soak up the flavor of the bean with lighter or weaker flavored alcohols giving you a purer vanilla taste. To me vodka tastes like water with some fire and rubbing alcohol mixed in (sorry vodka fans... and Russians), so it seemed the closest to giving a neutral taste. Some websites recommend rum to impart a little rum flavor with the vanilla for certain recipes. I've also read of bourbon used for a similar reason.

Being ignorant of most alcohol except for some wines, I decided to go with low to middle shelf classic: Smirnoff. (Quick Yakov Smirnoff style joke: Soviet Russia, vanilla extracts you!... now back to your regular scheduled blog).

Phase 2: The Process (Recipe)

Vanilla extract actually couldn't be easier.

1. Use a sharp paring knife to cut a slit down one of the flat sides of each pod.
2. Place pods in a mason jar or any other tight sealing jar. Alternatively you can empty the alcohol bottle and place the vanilla pods into the bottle.
3. Fill jar with your chosen alcohol enough until pods are covered (or close... I'm hoping my slightly exposed beans don't cause any issues!)
4. Seal jar (if you're worried you can follow the steps to properly seal a mason jar, I was lazy and just screwed it shut)
5. Give the jar of extract a good shake. *Insert lousy shakeweight joke here*
6. Store in a dark space and shake a few times a week for a minimum of a month. At least 2 months seem to be recommended and 6 months according to Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) is optimal. You'll know it's ready or close to ready when it's nice and dark.

I will be following up with a blog about the finished product and tweeting if not blogging with pictures of my extract at each week. I'm also going to include ways to use the soaked pods (apparently it's easy to squeeze out a vanilla paste) and how to replenish your extract (add more beans occasionally and refill vodka to the top).

Bottom Line

You may have wondered why I included prices in phase 1. Well I have two reasons to make my own vanilla: First is the reason to make almost anything at home. To control the ingredients and quality. This way I know the beans, booze and bottle (rather jar, but alliteration is fun) that are used.

Secondly it ends up being much cheaper. Here's some math for you. Yes I know you like math.

750ml bottle of vodka: $14.29

32oz mason jar (12.18/12): $1.02

10 Tahitian vanilla bean pods: + $11.60

$26.91 for roughly 750ml (or 25.36 ounces) of extract

As opposed to the vanilla I buy at Giant which is $3.14 for 2 ounces or $39.82 for the same 750ml/25.36 ounces.

So I saved $12.91... but wait! As I will explore in a future blog, the pods can be reused and recycled either for more extract or for their vanilla flavor rich innards. so that $12.91 is just the initial savings. So next time around I might not need as many pods and I will already have a jar. Now to steal some vodka at parties. Think anyone will notice the distinct smell of vanilla when I randomly open my extract and dump some vodka in and run?

Stay tuned food fans!

Goodness Gracious Great Gazpacho

A few weeks ago while working on The Big Cheese, I helped make the inaugural batch of the gazpacho. After about an hour of tinkering we finally had a really good gazpacho! The problem was we would never be able to recreate it: during the first few steps we used over twice the instructed vinegar and kept adding ingredient after ingredient until we were happy.

Another food truck chef working in the kitchen finally pulled out his copy of the Professional Chef (an amazing cookbook from the CIA--Culinary Institute of America--an excellent gift if you ever are wondering what your favorite foodventurer might want). In it was a classic, simple gazpacho recipe. After adding a bit more of flavors I love, I came up with what I would venture to say is the perfect summer gazpacho with just enough spice and acidity to keep your tastebuds happy, but the fresh and cold veggie flavor that epitomize gazpacho.

For those who are unfamiliar gazpacho is a cold soup traditionally with tomato, cucumbers, olive oil and vinegar originated from Spain. There are many variations like watermelon and white bean, but for now we'll stick to the fundamentals!

I think this is a case where peeled roma or plum tomatoes from a can are more than acceptable, unless you have some heirloom tomatoes. Then I would use those and peel them.

Mostly Traditional Tomato Gazpacho

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Standby Time: 1 hour to 10 hours | Serves 4

Ingredients for soup:

• 4lbs Tomatoes, peeled and diced plum, roma or any heirloom varietal
• 1/2lb Green bell peppers, diced
• 1/2lb Cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 1/4lb Spanish (white) onion, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, diced find or minced
• 1 cup Olive oil
• 1/2 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients for garnish:

• 1/2lb Tomato, diced (plum, roma or heirloom)
• 1/4lb Green bell pepper, diced
• 1/4lb Cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/8lb Bread or Croutons, diced small (I recommend a whole wheat without seeds or a sourdough)

Directions:

1. Mix diced veggies, spices, olive oil and vinegar in a large bowl or pot and chill for at least an hour. Overnight is ideal.
Using a hand blender or in batches in a food processor or blender puree soup to desired texture. (I blend until there are no clear chunks of onion or garlic)
2. Add garnish and serve cold with a salad, sandwich, grilled cheese or alone!

French Toast a la Alton Brown

Perhaps its not readily evident by this blog, but if you know me, you know I love brunch, breakfast, brinner... you take your pick: if starts with the letters 'b' and 'r' and describes a meal, chances are that I love it. As its Father's Day, if you happen to be waking up late and find your parental unit still hasn't had sustenance or is a brunch minded individual, you can whip this up rather quickly. Otherwise, tuck this away from later this week as a belated gift or to enjoy for yourself next weekend.

So as the title implies, this is not an original recipe. In fact you can get the Food Network version here or watch AB make it on Good Eats here:

One thing Alton Brown leaves out that I think is CRUCIAL to French Toast is cinnamon. Now you could say that would be Cinnamon Toast and French Toast doesn't necessarily need cinnamon, but does grilled cheese need tomato or tomato soup? Exactly!
I also highly recommend using challah. I really have no logic for this except that challah, like cinnamon, is ingrained my mind as the best for French Toast.
Copied and pasted for your ease (with my addition):
Alton Brown's French ToastPrep: 34 minutes | Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 (1/2 inch) slices of day-old challah (or brioche, country bread, etc.). I used raisin challah, but plain, chocolate chip, etc all would work.
• Butter (enough to grease your pan)

Directions:

1. In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, cinnamon and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. If you made custard mixture the night before, stir again to make sure cinnamon is well incorporated.
4. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan.
6. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
7. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes.
8. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

As you might notice from my French Toast, I used strawberry syrup. From my Maple Syrup Muffins, you know I love maple syrup, but sometimes you're out of it, the real stuff is cost-prohibitive or you're in the mood for something else. Fruit syrups are incredibly simple:

Simple Fruit Syrup

Ingredients (for 2 cups):

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cup of fruit diced

Directions:

1. Bring water and sugar to boil, simmer and whisk continually until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add fruit and return to boil and then simmer until syrup is thick enough to coat back of a spoon.
3. Optional: I prefer my syrup as is, but if you want it thick without chunks you can blend it. If you want it smooth you can strain the fruit pieces out. This is totally up to personal preference and/or application.

Food Memories of My Dad (and Win a Gift For Yours)

My dad has been on my mind a lot more than usual lately. While I tell some personal stories on this blog, you may or may not know that my dad died when I was eleven. One of my favorite things growing up was my parent’s homemade pancakes. They didn’t look like the classic pancakes you might be familiar with… they were some sort of crepe/pancake hybrid. They were delicious with syrup, but even better with fresh fruit and Nutella. Made from staples we almost always had on hand and could be whipped on a few minutes’ notice. Before he died, my dad was the one who made the pancakes. In his tongue-in-cheek boastful manner he would proclaim that his pancakes were “top of the line!”

Aside from these delicious pancakes, my dad also introduced me to the simple joys of food. He would wake up very early before heading out to play tennis, racquetball or to see some early clients for his appliance repair business. He would usually watch Good Morning America and eat a big bowl of fresh fruit and plain yogurt. The rare mornings I got up while he was still eating, he would offer me some. While I preferred sweeter yogurts, I grew to love the mixture of the tangy plain yogurt and the sweet fresh fruit.

My dad was an incredible father. He made his family and his community high priorities. While he worked hard, he was always there for his family from coming home early to spend evenings with us, encourage us in our school work and help us any way he could or in any way we asked. Never could we doubt his love because he constantly showered us with affection.

Both he and my mom loved entertaining people and cooking for guests. They rarely made anything fancy, but they made good honest, fresh food and served it to people they loved. In honor of him I would like to invite you to share your stories of your dad and food. At random I will award two people a prize: I will help one local (DC area) celebrate their dad by cooking or baking with them in honor of Father’s Day and I will help one non-local plan a menu including recipes and a shopping list for a Father’s Day meal. Just share your stories and you could win foodventure for that fantastic father figure in your life.

Spring Means Sangria Time!

About a year ago I was invited to a Memorial Day Barbecue that was BYOB. Not wanting to be a bad guest, but also not being much of a drinker (with the exception of wine) I decided to try my hand at sangria. That spawned a summer of tinkering with various white wine sangria creations. This was by far my favorite. I think its perfect for barbecues, along with spicy foods or just relaxing outside with friends utilizing two of my favorite spring/summer fruits: watermelons and strawberries.

Watermelon-Strawberry White Wine Sangria

Yields approximately 13 cups | Prep: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 small seedless watermelon (enough to make 4 cups of watermelon juice)
• 2 cup strawberries, diced
• 2 cups lemon-lime soda (I use Sprite, but whatever you like)
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 750ml bottle of white wine (I highly recommend Moscato, the sweeter wine you get, the less likely you'll want or need sugar)
• 1 lemon, in slices (wash well, but I keep the peel on)
• 1 lime, in slices (wash well, but I keep the peel on)
• 1 large orange, in slices cut in half (wash well, but I keep the peel on)
• Small bunch of fresh mint leaves (optional)
• Sugar or simple syrup to taste (if the fruits and wine aren't enough)

Directions:

1. Fill blender with chunks of watermelon, smaller the better. Mash watermelon with a wooden spoon until blender is filled 3/4th or enough to make 4 cups. Alternate pulsing and using the spoon to mash watermelon until the watermelon blends smoothly. Poor juice into pitcher and add mint if desired. Repeat as necessary until you have 4 cups.
2. Add orange juice and 1 cup of the strawberries to the blender. Blend until smooth and add to pitcher.
3. Add bottle of wine, soda, lemon, lime, orange and remaining strawberries. Stir and taste. Add sugar or simple syrup as desired.
4. Chill for at least 2 hours if possible. To keep sangria cold you can turn some of it into ice cubes (pour mixture into ice cube trays and use frozen cubes so when they melt the water doesn't dilute the sangria).

What to do with leftover fruit:

1. I eat the oranges after. If they're good oranges and they've soaked up all the flavor they're even yummier. If you normally like eating lemons or limes you can do the same for them.
2. Better, though:

Sangria Strawberry Syrup

(Recipe per cup of leftover strawberries)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup leftover strawberries from sangria

Directions:

1. Make a simple syrup by boil water and sugar and stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Add strawberries and stir over medium heat until the syrup coats the back of a spoon.

Tips for the Market

This last Saturday was one of my favorite days of the year: opening day for my two neighborhood farmer's markets. For any of you playing at home that would be the Mt. Pleasant Farmers' Market and the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace in D.C. I went to both almost every weekend last season and as long as I'm in town will plan to do the same this year. After a year of being a loyal market going I have compiled a ten tips for you. I very much invite you to comment with your tips. This is a post I will likely add to, revise and occasionally revisit.

Not in D.C.? Find your local market here: http://www.localharvest.org/

1. Go Early!

While most vendors plan well and will have enough for most of their time at the market, some things do sell out and the choosiest of market goers will have dug through the crates, baskets and other containers to find the best produce. The earlier you go the more selection you have. At start and end of a particular items season there also might be less product so some things may sell out especially if they're popular (i.e. strawberries).

While I don't recommend going late, I do enjoy sleeping in on Saturdays and have ended up going to the end of the market more days that I would like to admit. Sometimes this can work in your favor. Some vendors will want to get rid of their products so they will be more willing to haggle or offer good deals, particularly if your market has a baker who wants to sell things before they go stale. If you sleep in or can't go until late, keep your eyes peeled for such deals.

2. Explore and Take Your Time!

This might sound obvious, but I often wait until I've walked through both markets before making purchases. You might want some strawberries and the first vendor you see has some incredible looking strawberries for $5 a pint. You buy one and 10 minutes later there are even better looking strawberries for only $4 a pint! If you're on a budget always explore first.

Most vendors have samples and you should taste, talk and listen before buying. Sometimes you'll decide on buying something different than you planned, but since you explored first you might walk away happier than if you just rushed in, bought your strawberries and left before spotting that incredible goat's milk fudge and its free samples.

There is a reason many markets have performers and family friendly activities. They want you to take your time and enjoy the sights, smells and of course tastes of the market.

3. Talk to the Vendors

There's a few key differences between shopping at a Far Mar and even going somewhere like Whole Foods. The people selling you the products at a FM are often the people who grew or crafted the stuff you're buying. If they're not, they are likely family members or dedicated volunteers. They come to the FM for a reason, they want to sell their stuff personally! Take advantage of this fact.

Every vendor I've ever met at my two local markets and the handful of others I've visited are incredibly friendly. They want you to know about those apples they grow and the best ways to use them. Not only do they want you to enjoy them so much that you come back for more, but they also put their own sweat, blood and tears into bringing those apples to you!

For example, take Upper Crust Bakery that goes to the Columbia Heights Marketplace and to the small FM at the American University campus. He has seen me at both markets repeatedly and I love his black olive bread. Whenever its sold out though I ask him what's good. Last weekend he told me about each bread in detail, what they are best for and how to best preserve them. As friendly as the folks at many grocery stores can be, I don't think you'd get that kind of attention almost anywhere unless you find a good mom and pop shop. So don't be afraid to ask all the questions you want.

Also be sure to listen to other customers questions. Eavesdrop! This is a community event and a learning opportunity, not just a run to the store.

4. Know Seasonality

You might assume that since most market vendors are organic or near organic farmers that everything they will sell you is in season: wrong! As I said above, the vendors are incredibly friendly and are trying to bring you decent products at fairly reasonable prices, but occasionally they'll try to make a few extra dollars by bringing something that is a little early or continue to sell things a few weeks after their peak season.

Is this bad? No! But if you don't know seasonality you might not be happy with the flavors you end up with back at home. Or you'll be paying a lot more when there are great seasonal alternatives nearby. If you don't know what's seasonal you can check this handy Peak-Season Map or use the seasonal foods app on this blog.

Should you always avoid things that are non-seasonal? Not at all! Going with the previous tip, I would talk to the vendor. Sometimes they are able to store things in cellars or barrels and keep them almost as fresh as if they were in peak season. By asking questions or doing a little research you can enjoy apples in the Spring. Additionally, by knowing seasonality you can also be informed with your purchases. Strawberry season over, but a vendor is selling them cheap? Might still be worth it! But if the season is over and the price seems high I would stay away.

5. Subscribe to Newsletters

While I absolutely think you should follow tip #2 and explore, sometimes it is good to plan ahead. Many markets are on Facebook or have an e-mail newsletter. By being on it you can know what will be offered that weekend, if hours have changed and if any new vendors will be showing up.

At my local market, there is a Salvadorian Co-op that grills meat fresh at the market and makes different plates including some great tacos. Even if your market is more strictly produce, its always nice to know your market will have multiple vendors selling broccoli before you stock up at the store the day before. I promise, enjoying some specialty like those great tacos or having higher quality local produce rather than store bought is worth one additional e-mail a week.

6. Set a Budget

If you're like me and you're a student or otherwise on a budget this might be a necessity. If you're not I would still highly recommend setting a budget. While I've noticed prices at the market aren't much higher than the store for most items, it does add up. By setting a budget and following Tip #2 "Explore" you can make the most of your day at the market.

This works both ways. Sometimes I set my budget and find that I am way underbudget and so I can indulge on one the crafted items like fudge, sausages or apple cider. Why regret not splurging when you could've done so without breaking the bank? On the other hand... you can easily go overbudget. If you've explored, tasted and spoke to vendors you can make it home and be very satisfied with your bounty without buyer's remorse.

Have trouble sticking to a budget? Here's some advice: most vendors will only accept cash or highly prefer cash. While I'm typically a credit card kind of guy, I take only the amount of cash I am prepared to spend that day and leave the rest at home. Impossible to go overbudget then and easier to see that you still have plenty of cash to splurge with!

7. Taste, taste, taste!

I don't think I have to go into much detail on this one. While some stores provide a lot of samples, overall I think this is an advantage of a FM. Like I said above, most markets want the experience to be a community even as well as a shopping trip. Take your time, talk to the vendors and even if they don't have samples available don't be shy about asking for some. Many vendors are more than happy to do so.

8. Develop Loyalty

This is just an extension of talking to vendors. Some folks (present company included) like the philosophy of a FM that you know where your food is coming from and might even meet someone heavily involved in growing, producing or creating it. If there is a vendor you like to talk to who consistently gives you extra samples or sells items you like, keep going to them. Not only do they begin to recognize you and want to give you more samples, but they'll often give you extra tips and deals. In my opinion it is well worth paying an extra 50 cents/lb for something if it is coming from your favorite vendor.

9. Be Open-Minded

Did you go to the market in May hoping to get some strawberries and watermelon, but found out that both aren't quite in season yet? Try something else! Maybe you can find a good recipe for rhubarb! Or you get some yogurt and cheese instead of produce that week. At first you might think it was silly to spend more money on products you normally get at the store, but after a few meals using better quality ingredients you might be happy with the results.

Bottom-line, if something looks good and you haven't exceeded your budget you should really think about getting it! Might be a pleasant treat for the week.

10. It's OK to Walk Away Empty Handed

Contrary to the previous tip, if you really didn't like the look of the produce that week and just didn't see anything that got you excited... that's OK. This last week was a perfect example for me. Being the first day of the season, most vendors were selling start plants for gardens rather than produce and I had already planted my garden. My bounty on Saturday was far smaller and less costly than planned.

I followed Tip #9, but I still ended up spending less than I had budgeted. While you should explore, taste and be open-minded, if you really don't want to get anything then just save that money for the grocery store or better yet having a bigger budget for next week when those strawberries will hopefully show up!

As I said, please share your tips and ideas. Most of all go experience your local farmer's market!

Lazy Dinner: Maple Glazed Salmon

I've been busy withs finals lately and have had some stuff come up in my personal life, but I decided Friday to thaw some salmon I had in the freezer. Today it was fully thawed and while I love cooking, I didn't want to buy extra ingredients or spend a lot of time in the kitchen. So next time you don't feel like cooking a lot or have less than 30 minutes to toss together a great meal... here's a recipe for you:

Maple Syrup Glazed Salmon

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves 2

Ingredients:

• ~1lb salmon (I used two 6 oz fillets), fully thawed if frozen
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees
2. Whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, salt and black pepper
3. Brush sauce all on the flesh side of the salmon (if using fillets with skin) or on both sides (if skin is removed).
4. Pour excess sauce right on top of salmon
5. OPTIONAL: Let salmon marinade in a air tight container in the fridge for 30 minutes. (Can be skipped, but the flavor won't be quite the same. 30 minutes to hop in the shower, or sip some beer or wine in front of the TV. If you do this, you can wait to preheat the oven.)
6. Bake for about 15 minutes or once the glaze seems to caramelize and you can pull some of the salmon easily with a fork. If you used skinless the time might be a little less and you'll want flip it over halfway through baking. If you use a fattier salmon, some of the fat will ooze out, that's normal!

To complete the easy dinner, I made Basmati rice which worked well because once I stuck the salmon in the oven and made the rice... both were ready! I also steamed some broccoli in the microwave:

1. Cut florets from two broccoli heads and toss into a large microwave safe bowl
2. Wash and drain while in bowl, twice. The excess water that clings to the bowl and the broccoli will help steam it.
3. Cover bowl tightly in saran wrap. Poke 2 or 3 holes with a knife.
4. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Easy! If you don't count or if you skip letting the fish marinade in the fridge this all will take less than half in hour including prep!

What are your favorite under 30 minute and/or super easy dinners?