Baking

Almond-Stuffed Baked Apples

April 26, 2009 by Charles 3 Comments

On January 24, 1984, Apple Computer introduced audiences to its new computer, the Macintosh. The introduction, by way of a landmark 60-second Superbowl commercial, promised users that they would “see why 1984 won’t be like [George Orwell’s] 1984.”

The commercial owed its creation to the director Ridley Scott, who had recently filmed Blade Runner. The Macintosh computer owed its creation to Jef Raskin, one of Apple’s legendary computer makers. As does the computer’s trade name; McIntosh apples, legend has it, were Jef Raskin’s favorite type of apple.

And it’s easy to see why. McIntosh apples …

Thin Mint Cookie Cookies

April 2, 2009 by Charles 2 Comments

In algebra, the equation f(x) = x² describes a parabolic function that never dips below the x-axis. For any number you can think of, be it negative or positive, be it an integer or a fraction, the graph will never give you a negative value. With the exception of zero, squaring the unknown will only produce a positive outcome.

Which is what I thought would happen when I decided to square my Girl Scout cookies: there could only be a positive outcome. Or so I tried to tell myself.

Taking a mallet and smashing perfectly good Thin Mint Cookies …

Chicken Piccata

March 30, 2009 by Charles 2 Comments

“We have not an hour of life In which our pleasures relish not some pain, Our sours some sweetness.” — Philip Massinger.

Why does sour get such a bad name? The word is practically synonymous with misfortune and unpleasantness. A business deal goes sour. A friend develops sour grapes. A neighbor becomes a sour puss. You can’t help but develop a sour disposition. In fact, under these conditions, your whole outlook on life may turn sour.

These expressions are hardly novel or recent. Sour has held its pejorative crown for centuries. The expression “sour grapes” dates back …

Hamantashen

March 10, 2009 by Charles 4 Comments

According to an old Jewish joke, if you put three Jews on a committee, you’ll get four different opinions. . .which is exactly the number of different explanations I found detailing the origins of Hamantashen.

Hamantashen are triangular cookies that are served during the Jewish holiday, Purim. Purim tells the story of how the Jewish people in Persia avoided persecution at the hands of the King’s vizier, Haman. The three-cornered confections, commonly filled with jam or a poppy-seed concoction, owe their shape to Haman’s ear, clipped with shame. Or maybe to his triangular hat, which was the style at the time. Or maybe to his pockets weighted with bribe money. Or maybe to the three Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In other words, no one really knows.

Even the origins of the word are disputed. One explanation says Hamantashen derives from the Hebrew word “tash” for weakened, so that the word refers to Haman’s defeat. A second source …

Meringues Chantilly

February 22, 2009 by Charles 9 Comments

Meringues are a royal treat. Legend has it that Marie Antoinette loved meringue kisses so much, she often made them herself. So whether you’re making your meringues for the royal family or just your family, this elegant dessert is bound to please.

Meringues are built around sugar and egg whites. But despite this simplicity, there are a number of techniques to making the perfect meringues.

1) Look at your weather forecast. Heavy humidity …