Great Googa Mooga 2013

This will be quick because it's late and I'm lazy.  My plan is really only to do one blog post on Tuesdays and Fridays, but I would be remiss if I didn't say something about the Great Googa Mooga.

Look, I know the Great Googa Mooga gets a lot of grief. And, I know that canceling the last day did not go over well. Vendors lost a lot of money/food, people were not informed on time, no one got to see De La Soul and Kool and the Gang. But, I still love the event. I went last year and this past Saturday, and it's not a perfect event, but it is an exciting one for me.

I love New York, but there are a lot of culinary experiences that I can't afford. Googa Mooga allows me to experience foods from restaurants that I may never see the inside of. Foods that I never knew existed are available to me.

I feel as if there are a lot of naysayers when it comes to Googa Mooga. Before the event started last year there were critics looking for everything that could be wrong. People who hadn't even gone were complaining about what they heard were problems.

That orange backdrop was mesmerizing...

 It's now a two year old event. I think the creators are trying to do something new and innovative. New and innovative is often nitpicked. There are those who want to be the one to say they knew this new thing wouldn't work. To me that's just sad. I'm not saying follow blindly, but everything about the Googa Mooga isn't a set up for failure:

1.  It's a free event. Yes, you have to reserve tickets, but without some limits on the number of people organizers and vendors wouldn't know how many to plan for. Also, the park would be overrun.

2. It's good advertisement for local restaurants. One complaint I saw was that all the vendors are local. So? Why is that bad? Just because a restaurant is there doesn't mean that all of New York patronizes it. I love Melt Bakery and would live off of their ice cream sandwiches if my husband would let me, but not everyone knows who they are (which is pure silliness). Granted, one of my favorite vendors comes from my hometown of New Orleans, but my body craves Crawfish Monica and I refuse to apologize for that.

3. There's more than just food vendors. This year, my husband and I sat through a joint talk with food historian Sarah Lohman and Jonathan Soma on the Futurist movement and food. And, it was great!  It was funny and we both learned a lot. We even got a demonstration of a Futurist "meal."

Last year, I saw a food "battle" using only seasonal foods from a local csa.

That year I also saw Hall & Oates live on stage.  My friends are sick of how often I tell them about my love of both Daryl Hall and John Oates' facial hair, and "Sara Smile." Because "Sara Smile" is a song to live your life to.

Eeeeee!!! Hall & Oates! Hall & Oates! Hall & Oates! And facial hair!

Before the cancellation, DeLaSoul was supposed to play right before Kool and the Gang. I think the universe might have exploded with awesome if that had actually happened, so we might want to chalk the cancellation up to divine intervention.

Matt and Kim performed on Saturday.  Clearly, it was children's concert.

4. It's a community event. There is something about attending an event where everyone is there for a similar purpose. I'm not a festival going woman. Around these parts, most street fairs are the same funnel cake and pan flute affairs. Just pick up and drop on another street the next week. Due to the way the ticket situation works, most Googa Mooga attendees are New Yorkers. It's also walking distance from my apartment. This is a true local event. I think that's something to celebrate.

 
There is a chance the Great Googa Mooga will not be back next year. That saddens me. It will never be without its problems, but I think with more work this fledgling festival can become a great festival. 

For more pictures and posts from this year's Googa Mooga visit my Twitter feed @kitchenabsurd.  While you're there you should probably follow me.  You know, for good measure.

Italian Meringue Buttercream Workshop with Vinny Buzzetta!

I belong to a cake decorating meetup group. Not because I'm some decorating wunderkind (I never graduated past the Easy Bake Oven school of decorating), but because I want to learn to make beautiful cake-like artistic expressions. Most of the members are pretty proficient so I never really go to the meetups because I'm more of a rank amateur. I understand the science. I can make everything taste good, but I have horrible decorating habits. And, I develop the shakes whenever it's time for me to put frosting to cake.

Hm...maybe "belong to a cake decorating meetup group" is too strong an expression.

Did I mention that Vinny is cute? I learn best when the teacher is cute. Looking at you Mr. Magnuson...

BUT! The Italian Meringue Buttercream Workshop was perfect for me. We would be learning about the nuances of buttercream and some basic cake decorating techniques! And, I'm happy to say, those things happened, and they happened well.

Apparently, Vinny Buzzetta has a tv show on the WE network. Something I wasn't totally aware of because I'm one of those crazy people that only watches tv via the internet. But,Vinny's a good teacher. To misquote (and take out of context) that great philosopher Keith Sweat,'He may be young, but he's ready.' The room was a mix of amateurs and hardcore hobbyists, which can be a tough crowd to teach. You don't want to leave the newbies behind, but you don't want to bore the more experienced folks.

More experienced folk.

So, on a Thursday night a bunch of people got together in the kitchen of Aunt Butchie's Bakery and learned about Italian buttercream. 

Yes, that is a blow torch. All baking should involve a blow torch.

He started off by giving us the difference between American buttercream, French buttercream, and Italian buttercream. There was definitely an Italian meringue buttercream bias in the room, but I went with it because when in Rome's bakery...

One thing that can be very difficult for the amateur cake decorator is a getting a flat cake, but Vinny recommended using  rings to shape your cake. 

"One ring to rule them all."

He also made a good case for being diligent with your crumb coat. I'm lazy about a crumb coat. If I do one (bad habit!), I do one half-assed coating and hope for the best. Vinny did four coats, and that cake looked nearly perfect in its smoothness. By taking his time he's prepped the cake for whatever design he wants to throw at it. His cake is a smooth canvas. Mine is usually a piece of burlap that I found in the remnants bin.

There was also talk of fondant. Ugh. Fondant.

Image courtesy of Rosen Georgiev/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Vinny took us through the steps of making Italian meringue buttercream. One of the keys to great buttercream is something I preach, but would do well to practice more: Patience. Good buttercream should not be rushed.


He also showed us how easily the buttercream takes on flavors. The overall taste isn't as sweet as your usual powdered sugar and butter concoction (American buttercream), but that allows the taste of your cake to shine through. You can mix in vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, jams, fruit purees, and Oreos. Oh, Oreos. Oreo buttercream has to be a reward for doing good deeds in life. 

I tried to take a clear picture, but my eating kept getting in the way.

Towards the end of the workshop he demonstrated how to make shell and heart designs with the buttercream. Let's just say that some people were better at it than others. And, by others I mean me.

She looks so happy here...

Vinny ended the evening by giving us cake. Banana spice cake with Nutella flavored buttercream. Vinny is a kind man and will be rewarded with Oreo buttercream in the afterlife.

If you're in the New York area and interested in taking classes with Vinny at Aunt Butchie's you can email either Vinny (vbuzzetta@gmail.com) or Aunt Butchie's (classes@auntbutchies.com).   

 Vinny has a fondant class coming up next week on May 29th. 

Even when it's bad, it's good... pizza.

There are times I get on this kick where I tell myself that I'm going to make everything from scratch.  From my condiments, to my drinks, to my spices.  And, it can be done.  Just not by me.  You may not know this about me, but I'm not a wealthy woman of leisure.  There is nothing wrong with a little semi-homemade recipe now and then. 
When I say semi-homemade I don't mean the Sandra Lee version where she takes processed food and mixes it with other processed food and it costs more than it would have if she had made from scratch and also takes more time. (Please don't diagram that sentence.) I'm talking about semi-homemade that doesn't break your bank, doesn't suck up your time, and doesn't hurt your health.
You know what's good to eat? Pizza.  You know what's easy to make? Pizza. You know what takes less than 30 minutes to put on the table? Scrambled eggs.  Seriously, those are like 5-7 minutes tops.  But, also pizza.
One of the great things about pizza is that you can put just about anything on it.  I have put shrimp, shredded brussel sprouts, basil, ground beef, whatever feels right to me at the time and the pizza just goes with the flow. Also, you don't need anything fancy.  Did your apartment come with an oven? You can make pizza! Do you have a baking sheet?  You can make pizza! Do you have hands? You can help me clean my apartment!
Now, you can make the dough from scratch.  I have done it, and it doesn't take much time.  But, you can also get tasty pre-made dough from Trader Joe's for $1.19.  There are other places that make dough, but Trader Joe's is my favorite.
The recipe today is not written in stone.  This is just how I usually throw a pizza together. 

Ingredients:
1 bag of Trader Joe's brand pizza dough (Not the wheat dough.  If you love your family stay away from the wheat dough.)
1 small can of plum tomatoes diced, chopped, or whole (You can use any type of tomato, I'm just a fan of the plum.)
1/2 cup of fresh basil
1 clove of garlic
Mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flake
Salt

Four (4) servings

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. 

1. Take the pizza dough out of the refrigerator.  It needs to warm up for about 20 minutes.  Cold pizza dough is not very pliable.

2. Drain as much of the tomato juice off as possible (Save this juice for another recipe. Possibly, to use with tomato paste instead of water.) 

Don't stare! The tomatoes are naked!

2. Put tomatoes, basil, garlic, and red pepper flake in your food processor. Or blend with your hand blender.  If you don't have either of these, you can also chop everything up by hand. Drain off the excess water and add more red pepper flake and salt to taste.

3. Cut up your mozzarella. Don't eat too much of it while it is sitting helplessly on the plate.  You still have to get it on the pizza.

"Sweet mystery of life! At last, I've found you!"

 4. Turn out your dough onto a floured surface.  Knead it a couple of times then start stretching it.

 5. Oil your baking sheet and shape your dough into a generalized pizza shape on it.

Pizza-shaped.

6. Spoon your sauce onto your dough, leaving the edges sauce-free.  

Nail polish: Sugar Daddy by Essie.

 7. Arrange your mozzarella on top of the sauce (Stop eating the mozzarella!), and put oil on the sauce free-edges.  I put butter on mine.

I get so little use out of my pastry brush that I break it out whenever I can.

In a weird artistic moment, I drizzled butter over the whole pizza.  I can't explain it.

 8. Throw that bad boy in the oven for about 10 minutes!  That's an expression.  Please don't throw things.  Be a grown-up.

The bad boy.

9. Ten minutes is a guesstimate (spell-check says that's a real word).  Use your nose.  If you smell something burning, check on it.

10. Voila! You are now a pizza chef!

Whip It Baby! Whip It Right! Whipped Cream!

 Is it cheaper to make whipped cream at home or to buy at the store.  To be perfectly honest, I don't care.
Once you taste homemade whipped cream the stuff that comes from the spray can or the freezer no longer cuts it.  It doesn't last forever like the processed stuff (it's best served immediately), but the processed stuff feels like it leaves a slimy film on my tongue. 
I guess if you eat a lot of whipped cream at home (why?) then it's probably cheaper to buy the ready made stuff, but it still won't be as good as making it yourself.  And, you can add alcohol to it!  Bourbon and rum work very well in whipped cream.
Also, it's so simple!  It takes three ingredients and a whisk.  At this point I don't even use a recipe.  I just adjust my sugar and vanilla to the proportions I'm in the mood for.  But, in the interest of those just starting out we will be using Chowhound.com's recipe. 

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup heavy cream (Also known as whipping cream)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (You can also use confectioner's sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chill the clean bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. (I often forget to do this.)

 

2. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl and whisk on high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 minute. 

I usually start out with the stand mixer, but get frustrated and move on to the whisk.

(Alternatively, you can use a hand whisk and a large chilled bowl. Whisk all of the ingredients until medium peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes.) 

Oh, not much to see, just a little foam.

 

What is this witchcraft?!? 

 

 

Sweet sassy molassy! It's whipped cream!

 

3. Serve immediately. 

 

Serve with hot chocolate. Or cookies. Or pie. Or just eat directly from the bowl. 

Shopping tips

Russians really know how to display their pasta.

When I was younger I thought going to the grocery store was a form of legalized torture.  Now, I kind of enjoy it.  Makes me feel like a grown-up.

Here are a few tips to make your trip to the grocery store less of a trip of soul-sucking pain.

1. Don't be a one stop shopper.
Stores count on us to be lazy.  It's easy to shop in one big store for all your needs, but it isn't always best for your wallet or the quality of your food. There are stores that pride themselves on being one-stop shopping experiences.  What incentive do they have to make sure your produce is fresh?  Why should they bother to check the sell by date on your meat?  If they know you're going to keep shopping there out of convenience they don't need to do better.  Why should they charge a competitive price on those items? They're going to get your money any way.
I know sometimes you're pressed for time and a tomato feels like, well, a tomato.  And, yeah, sometimes you just need the item.  All I'm saying is try not to make a habit of it.  Why pay more for much less? 
You have options:  Farmer's markets, grocery stands, other neighborhoods.  Look around. On top of getting a better price for better quality food you also get to have a little adventure by leaving your familiar surroundings.

2. Make a plan.
This should go without saying, but imma say it.  Don't go to the store hungry.  It never it ends well.  It usually ends with a bunch of ice cream sandwiches in your cart that you eventually eat over the sink...that's what I heard.
When you make a list you're looking at what you need to have in your house for more than one meal.  It helps you to be mindful about what you're putting in your cart and, by extension, your body.  Do you really need a bag of Cheez Doodles or did they just seem like a good idea when you passed them on shelf?  What meal are the Cheez Doodles rounding out?  Seriously, dude, they couldn't even be bothered to spell out "cheese" properly! It was just one more letter!

It seemed like you could use a picture of a puppy.

3. Have staples.
In most kitchens there should at least be salt and pepper.  That is the bare minimum.  What do you like to cook?  And, if you're new to cooking, what do you like to eat (Don't say Cheez Doodles.  Let it go.) because you can learn to cook that.  What are the ingredients do you need to cook your favorite foods? Are there any ingredients that are used in more than one dish?  Start with those as your staples.
Staples can include: pasta, rice, eggs, bread, milk, and oil.
I like to bake.  I always have butter, sugar, and flour on hand.  Also cream cheese.  Because cream cheese is made of goodness and light. I also like spicy, flavorful foods so I keep garlic, ginger, a variety of peppers and pepper sauces on hand. Having staples means you have the basics on hand to make just about anything you want. You may have to buy a vegetable or meat to go with it, but you have food on hand. 
From the above list I could boil pasta, toss it with garlic, sprinkle with pepper, and add vegetables or meat to it if I would like.  Dinner in less than 30 minutes.
Decide what works for you.

4. The internet is your friend.
Feeling a little bored with your food?  Not sure what to make?  Call the internet!  Well, not call...you know what I mean.
There are a lot of recipe websites out there.  They can help you make substitutions to your recipes, help you make vegan brownies, and explain to you what Buddha's hands are. There are recipes for just about anything you want to try.  I found recipes for Girl Scout cookies just the other day (you know I will be posting about those...).  Why this blog can be found right here on the internet!

5. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Now, if you're rolling pennies together to make a meal experimenting with food may be the last thing on your mind. But, trying new things doesn't have to be expensive.  Sometimes it turns out to be the more cost-effective choice.  Maybe instead of Red Delicious apples you try a Jazz or Fiji apple.  Instead of buying chocolate chip cookies you make chocolate chip cookies (with the added bonus of your home smelling like chocolate chip cookies, and probably paying less for them).  Maybe try adding more herbs to your food, making salt less of a necessity.  There is a great big food world out there, why get stuck eating the same thing day after day?  What do you have to lose by trying out a new recipe?  If it doesn't work for your palate, you know not to try it again.  But, if it does work...
The food world is your oyster!  Be creative! Be excited! And, step away from the Cheez Doodles.

Um... So... There's been a few changes...

Please accept these lemon meringue cupcakes as my apology.

If you're new around here you may not have noticed, but I've changed the name of the blog.  I've also changed its focus.  Originally, I wanted to investigate whether it was cheaper to cook at home or to go out to fast food places. I quickly ran into a problem: I don't eat at too many fast food places.
Not because I'm too good for them, anyone that has seen me with a plate of french fries knows that isn't true. I don't eat there because I'm trying (struggling? fighting? watching it with a plate of cookies?) to lose weight.
I'm trying to find a place to balance my love of most things culinary with staying healthy.  Sometimes that balance loses out to a box of Milk Duds, but I live to fight another day.
Phew! Glad we got that out of the way because, while it may come up occasionally, I don't want this blog to be about my weight loss journey.  I want it to be about the art and science of food!
I will continue to do an occasional price comparison (keep an eye out for my whipped cream price-off); but I will also be including tips on how to shop for food, trying out new recipes, cooking tips, and whatever else comes up.
If you guys have questions about something food related I would love to answer them in blog form.
So relax, sit back, and unbuckle your belt.

That's a Spicy Chicken Sandwich!

From Ai Wei Wei's Zodiac exhibit because I don't think Wendy's would give me a picture.

I know, I know.  It's been over a month since my first blog post.  But, I felt it was so epic that it really needed to sink in. Right?
Eh. Really, I'm just trying to get the hang of this whole thing.

For the most part, I don't eat a lot of fast food any more. But, my taste buds always pines for Wendy's.  I have a love of their Spicy Chicken Sandwich that may be unnatural.  For a place that made their name with square burgers, Wendy's knows its way around a clucking mass of feathers.
 
The Question:
Is it cheaper to make a spicy chicken sandwich at home or to buy it at Wendy's? Is it faster?

I called the Wendy's on Utica Avenue here in Brooklyn (let us not get into how awkward that phone call was) and was told that the Spicy Chicken Sandwich is approximately $4.13.
Can my home version beat $4.13 and be just as tasty?

Let's compare:
I will list the item I used and divide it by how much is in the package (number of cutlets, ounces in a jar, etc) which should give us an idea of how much one use of that item would be.
Now, some of what I used in this experiment are staples in my kitchen.  As they are always in my kitchen they won't be figured into the overall cost.  For condiments we will say that I used an ounce.

My Shopping List:
Chicken cutlets - $4.19/2 cutlets in the package = WAIT!
The cutlets, as they came from the store were too big.  I had to cut them in half. So...

THIS is My Shopping List:  
Chicken cutlets  - $4.19/4 cutlets in the package = $1.05
Martin's potato bread buns - $3.49/8 buns in the package = $0.45
Hunt's ketchup (no high fructose syrup) - $1.99/20 ounces = $0.10
Mayonnaise - $1.59/8 ounces = $0.20
Pickles - $2.19/16 ounces = $0.14
Flour = Staple
Salt = Staple
Black pepper = Staple
Cayenne pepper = Staple
Oil = Staple
Mustard = Staple

That brings the total of one of my spicy chicken sandwiches to = $1.94
That is a $2.19 difference.  If you wanted to feed a family of four you would pay $7.76, which is less than two of Wendy's sandwiches.

What's the Time?
Seriously, this sandwich takes me less than 15 minutes to make.  In the time that you could get into your car and drive (spending money on gas) or take the train to Wendy's, put in your order, wait for it, and get back home I would be done. Granted, you would have to go to the grocery store, but, unless you never shop for anything, you have to go to the grocery store at some point in the week anyway.

I believe this version beats the Wendy's in terms of time and price.

The thing about a home version is that the taste is not standardized.  When you go to Wendy's (or any fast food place) you know that your sandwich is going to taste the same every time.  That is the beauty of fast food restaurants.  You can expect that what you get will taste exactly the same as the last time you ate it.
Home versions aren't like that.  We don't all have the same kitchens, with the same ingredients, and the a standardized list of how to make it.  But, that is okay.  Because we can have our sandwich the way we want it without having to ask someone to hold the pickles or extra mayo.  We can have it our way. (Please don't sue me Burger King. The only thing I own is a slinky.)

Let me take you through the process of making the sandwich, and then let's talk about the taste.
Basically, what you're doing is frying a chicken cutlet and slapping it on a bun.

I like to use Mark Bittman's Chicken Meuniere when frying cutlets.  It sounds fancy, but it really is just an easy way to fry thin slices of meat.

What you'll need:
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne or Red pepper flakes
Flour (for breading)
A little oil (for the pan). You can use olive, vegetable, canola, peanut, whatever you prefer.
Chicken cutlets

1. Salt and pepper your chicken cutlets on both sides to taste.  I put both black and cayenne pepper on mine because I like to set my taste buds on fire. Put them aside.
2. Put your pan (I prefer a cast iron skillet) on a low to med heat.  You don't need to rush this, trust me.
3. Coat the bottom of your pan with your oil.  This isn't a deep fry so you don't need a lot.
4. While your oil is heating, put your thickest chicken cutlet in your flour and lightly coat it on both sides.
5. Test your oil by putting a pinch of flour in it.  If it starts to bubble it is time to add your cutlet.  

6. Shake the excess flour off your thick chicken cutlet and put it in the oil.
7. Flour your thinner pieces and add them to the oil.
Don't crowd your pan! You can cook your cutlets in batches.  Too many cutlets in a pan will bring the temperature of your oil down and you won't get a good crust on it.
8. Watch for browning on the bottom of the cutlet.  It should take about 4-6 minutes.
9. Once you have a nice golden brown turn your cutlets over.  Start with the thick piece.
10.  After about a minute start checking for doneness by pressing on the cutlets with your finger. They will feel firm to the touch when they are ready to take out of the pan.

I poked the chicken!

 11. Put your beautiful chicken breast on your bun and build your sandwich!

This is my husband's sandwich.  I refuse to discuss the cheese because it is wrong.

Taste?
Mine wasn't as breaded as Wendy's, but I'm okay with that.
The husband says that it holds up, but feels there was more chicken than bread. A "problem" easily solved by thinner cutlets.
I would say that the taste holds up.  Not exactly the same, but still delicious.  I would say this experiment was a success!

Have questions? Comments? Compliments on my sassy style? Leave me a note in the comments section!