I haven't had much time lately to post, we had a huge storm here a couple of weeks ago and I've been spending most of my time cleaning up, thank goodness the insurance has allotted us money to get a huge dumpster. I also have been researching for one part of my capstone project. I only have 6 months left to get it/them ready and I am sure it is going to take that long to complete. Math is still my biggest obstacle and I need to finish it up so I can focus my time on the capstones.
This week we are still in Europe and on Thursday we are going to take our test with a mystery basket. Should be interesting.
Bee blogging my time, here and there with personal projects, like me photography and aquaponic/duckquaponics research, general farm messes, soda making, fermentation, cooking. Playing with koji is the new obsession. Thanks for visiting and leave me feedback, suggestions.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Ah Briton
There is something to be said about the food from that area, You will like it if you like your food cooked in some kind of fluid. It seems that most of the foods in the area you are either boiling or poaching. Yesterday we made Scotch eggs, Scones, Crumpets, Fish and Chips, Lemon Curd, Yorkshire pudding, and Chicken Tikka Masala. Of course it was all pretty tasty. I undercooked the eggs but I meant to do that and I am not a huge fan of a lot of sausage so I made it real thin. I will be making them for when family gets together. I can't wait to try it with quail eggs. Scones were right on, Lemon curd was perfect, crumpets were a bit thick due to the batter, Fish and Chips the batter was too salty so we added some sugar to the batter which in turn made it brown too much. Sugar can't change the salt, remember that. lol Chicken Tikka Masala was a little more spicy than I thought it would be but I do like the heat. Oh yeah we also made Shepard's pie. I think it is the first time I had an actual Shepherds pie without adding American flavors to it. It is still good comfort food and I had the left overs for Dinner. Today we are doing Espania, the sofrito is ready and waiting and EM is bringing some of her sofrito so it will be interesting to taste the difference. Today unlike yesterday I will try to remember to take pictures.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
13 Cooking methods
1. BAKING-Cook w/dry heat.
2. BOILING-Cook in rapidly bubbling liquid.
3. BRAISING- Food is first browned, and then cooked tightly covered in small amount of liquid for a lengthy time. Combination of steam and simmer.
4. BROILING- Cook food with an overhead heat source.
5. DEEP FRYING- Cook food submerged in hot liquid fat.
6. PAN FRYING- Cook w/moderate amount of oil/fat over med to high heat.
7. GRILLING- Cook with heat source beneath food.
8. POACHING-Cook food gently in flavored liquid @ about 160-180 degrees.
9. ROASTING- Surrounding a food with dry, heated air in a closed environment.
10. SAUTE- Cook food quickly in small amount of oil/fat in pan over direct heat.
11. SIMMER- Cook food gently in liquid @ about 185 degrees.
12. STEAM-Cook food on rack over boiling or simmering liquid in covered pan.
13. STEW-Cook food barely covered in liquid and simmered long time, covered pan.
2. BOILING-Cook in rapidly bubbling liquid.
3. BRAISING- Food is first browned, and then cooked tightly covered in small amount of liquid for a lengthy time. Combination of steam and simmer.
4. BROILING- Cook food with an overhead heat source.
5. DEEP FRYING- Cook food submerged in hot liquid fat.
6. PAN FRYING- Cook w/moderate amount of oil/fat over med to high heat.
7. GRILLING- Cook with heat source beneath food.
8. POACHING-Cook food gently in flavored liquid @ about 160-180 degrees.
9. ROASTING- Surrounding a food with dry, heated air in a closed environment.
10. SAUTE- Cook food quickly in small amount of oil/fat in pan over direct heat.
11. SIMMER- Cook food gently in liquid @ about 185 degrees.
12. STEAM-Cook food on rack over boiling or simmering liquid in covered pan.
13. STEW-Cook food barely covered in liquid and simmered long time, covered pan.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Field Trip to Dallas
Over all the trip to Dallas was educational, The highlights for me were going to different restaurants the first being Chuy's 
a Mexican restaurant chain out of Austin for tacos. We had the bar manager answer all our questions for our homework and he was very happy to do so. I have to say I like going to small franchises as they usually have well trained staff and very energetic. You can tell Chuy's is a fun place focused to the younger crowd but it is still family friendly. It is a busy atmosphere and surprisingly clean. Everything is reasonably priced and everyone seemed to the food. Elaine and I ordered and split the fish and shrimp tacos with re-fried beans and rice (I didn't like the rice) and like most Mexican places they supply you with a bowl of chips and what appeared to be fresh made salsa. Ok running out of time so I will have to post more on this later.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
lunch
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Tuesday, May 10, 2011
This week
A little French, German and Swedish Meatballs. Enjoyed this week as we made some European cuisine. I can't find my notes so I will post pictures.
I will get with my team to remind me.
Bri, who likes to make sure everything is clean.
Hypnotizing lobsters before their final swim.
Almost all my pictures came out as black images. This one came out and it was quite yummy and the wife loved the left overs of the Rouladen, and the Duck Cassoulet. This is all I have time for. I will post more soon.
Hypnotizing lobsters before their final swim.
Almost all my pictures came out as black images. This one came out and it was quite yummy and the wife loved the left overs of the Rouladen, and the Duck Cassoulet. This is all I have time for. I will post more soon.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
AP system
First test which was about 2 weeks ago
PH 7.8
High range PH unknown
Nitrites .50
Ammonia .5-1.0
I added filtered city water, approximately 50 gallons last night and I found my fish gasping this morning and there is a fishy smell coming from the tank. (That is why I added more water) Water is very cloudy and the algae could be blooming in the extra water. Reintroduced the air stone just in case it was low O2 in the tank since adding the 50 gallons. The return water is just above the fish water and it isn't being agitated enough. It appears the fish were getting enough O2 without the air stone and the natural cycle. An hour later they are not gasping. I am not sure what is causing the fishy smell but it seems to smell like the Tetra Cichlid fish food so it could be extra on the bottom of the tank and I could be over feeding them. Isn't that what the craw-fish are for? I just ordered some trap-door snails
and they are suppose to eat up what is left over from the craw-fish and fish waste.
Today's test 8 May 2011
PH 7.2
High range PH 7.4
Nitrites.25
Ammonia 3.0-4.0
PH 7.8
High range PH unknown
Nitrites .50
Ammonia .5-1.0
I added filtered city water, approximately 50 gallons last night and I found my fish gasping this morning and there is a fishy smell coming from the tank. (That is why I added more water) Water is very cloudy and the algae could be blooming in the extra water. Reintroduced the air stone just in case it was low O2 in the tank since adding the 50 gallons. The return water is just above the fish water and it isn't being agitated enough. It appears the fish were getting enough O2 without the air stone and the natural cycle. An hour later they are not gasping. I am not sure what is causing the fishy smell but it seems to smell like the Tetra Cichlid fish food so it could be extra on the bottom of the tank and I could be over feeding them. Isn't that what the craw-fish are for? I just ordered some trap-door snails
and they are suppose to eat up what is left over from the craw-fish and fish waste.
Today's test 8 May 2011
PH 7.2
High range PH 7.4
Nitrites.25
Ammonia 3.0-4.0
AP system
First test which was about 2 weeks ago
PH 7.8
High range PH unknown
Nitrites .50
Ammonia .5-1.0
I added filtered city water, approximately 50 gallons last night and I found my fish gasping this morning and there is a fishy smell coming from the tank. (That is why I added more water) Water is very cloudy and the algae could be blooming in the extra water. Reintroduced the air stone just in case it was low O2 in the tank since adding the 50 gallons. The return water is just above the fish water and it isn't being agitated enough. It appears the fish were getting enough O2 without the air stone and the natural cycle. An hour later they are not gasping. I am not sure what is causing the fishy smell but it seems to smell like the Tetra Cichlid fish food so it could be extra on the bottom of the tank and I could be over feeding them. Isn't that what the craw-fish are for? I just ordered some trap-door snails
and they are suppose to eat up what is left over from the craw-fish and fish waste. I am thinking I need someway to clean the bottom of the tank as it looks pretty dirty and I am sure my worms would really enjoy it
Today's test
PH 7.2
High range PH 7.4
Nitrites.25
Ammonia 3.0-4.0
PH 7.8
High range PH unknown
Nitrites .50
Ammonia .5-1.0
I added filtered city water, approximately 50 gallons last night and I found my fish gasping this morning and there is a fishy smell coming from the tank. (That is why I added more water) Water is very cloudy and the algae could be blooming in the extra water. Reintroduced the air stone just in case it was low O2 in the tank since adding the 50 gallons. The return water is just above the fish water and it isn't being agitated enough. It appears the fish were getting enough O2 without the air stone and the natural cycle. An hour later they are not gasping. I am not sure what is causing the fishy smell but it seems to smell like the Tetra Cichlid fish food so it could be extra on the bottom of the tank and I could be over feeding them. Isn't that what the craw-fish are for? I just ordered some trap-door snails
and they are suppose to eat up what is left over from the craw-fish and fish waste. I am thinking I need someway to clean the bottom of the tank as it looks pretty dirty and I am sure my worms would really enjoy it
Today's test
PH 7.2
High range PH 7.4
Nitrites.25
Ammonia 3.0-4.0
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
This looks good
http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2009/09/29/julia-childs-beef-wellington-with-our-brioche-crust-filet-de-boeuf-en-croute
http://www.oprah.com/food/Lobster-Thermidor
http://familystylefood.com/2009/08/julia-childs-bouillabaisse-recipe/
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/lifestyle/2002/11/10/2002-11-10__a_perfect_winter_warmer__tu.html
http://www.oprah.com/food/Lobster-Thermidor
http://familystylefood.com/2009/08/julia-childs-bouillabaisse-recipe/
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/lifestyle/2002/11/10/2002-11-10__a_perfect_winter_warmer__tu.html
Monday, May 2, 2011
storm
So I get home from a catering gig around 0330 Sunday, and I finally fall asleep around 4 something. The next thing I remember is my wife yelling at me to help her as the front door flew open. There was a freight train running through the front yard and taking out our trees and front porch. We lost one non-bearing mulberry and half of another, top half of a pecan (lucky it fell the way it did or we would of been trapped in the house) and my favorite peach tree. Peeled the roof off one of my sheds and lots of shingles off the man-shed. I was able to fix the roof of the shed before I got the call my dad was in the ER. The Doc said he wasn't sure what the problem is but he ruled out anything serious so thank goodness for that. But now I have to skip school because I need to get the insurance guy out here and I need to cut down and tear out the dangerous hanging porch and limbs today. Joy I just want to go cook some french food. Oh the AP survived but the water is pretty yellow due to all the pecan tassles and shells that flew in it.
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