Yearly Archives: 2008

Napa Cabbage Salad

After years of hoarding cookbooks that I rarely use as anything but reading material, I've surprised myself recently by turning to their recipes more and more.  When my mother asked me to make a salad for our Christmas dinner, this simple dish from Alice Waters caught my eye.  Cabbage and apples go together almost as […]

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Joelen - This looks like a great way to prepare napa for salad! Usually I just toss it in stir fries or savory ethnic dishes. Thanks for sharing this!

kickpleat - yup, this is my kind of salad.

Gemma - Sure thing Joelen. I used to always cook my cabbages, but lately I’ve been craving it raw. The salt and dressing help to soften it just a bit.
Glad you like it kickpleat!

Anonymous - I just made this today for a large brunch gathering. It was excellent (and the most popular of the four salads at the brunch)! Thanks.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

This post is the last in a series of three on edible handmade gifts. You can find the first post on homemade vanilla extract here and the second post on infused vodkas here. Peppermint patty candies are festive and, believe it or not, incredibly simple to make.  They only call for a few ingredients, making […]

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Joelen - Both the peppermint patties and pistachio butter Twix bars look wonderful! So creative and I’m sure delicious too :)

Joelen - Both the peppermint patties and pistachio butter Twix bars look wonderful! So creative and I’m sure delicious too :)

Gemma - They were very good. I don’t think anyone minded that we had taken a homemade approach to gifts this year!

Gemma - They were very good. I don’t think anyone minded that we had taken a homemade approach to gifts this year!

Sarah B. - Oh my, these were fabulous–they did not last too long, as they were so tasty.

Sarah B. - Oh my, these were fabulous–they did not last too long, as they were so tasty.

Gemma - Glad you enjoyed them Sarah. And thank you for the beautiful hat you knitted me. It has been keeping me warm!

Gemma - Glad you enjoyed them Sarah. And thank you for the beautiful hat you knitted me. It has been keeping me warm!

Infused Vodka

This post is the second in a series of three on edible handmade gifts.  You can find the first post on homemade vanilla extract here and the third post on homemade peppermint patty candies here. My friend Harold, who used to guest post on Pro Bono Baker when this site was primarily dedicated to Chicago […]

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kickpleat - last year i made limoncillo to give as gifts, now i’m running out of time so this looks perfect? three hours to make a horseradish vodka? sign me up! i’ll head to the liquor store shortly.

Joelen - What great gifts! I love those bottles… where could I find some? I have yet to check out the Russian Tea Time… hopefully soon since that menu sounds wonderfully comforting in this weather we’re having!

Gemma - Hi Kickpleat — It really is great bet for a last minute gift. Throw in some pickles and pumpernickel bread and you will have quite a night on your hands!
Joelen, I bought the bottles at the Container Store on North Ave. They are listed as “glass flasks” on their website. (The ones I found in the store differed a bit from the picture on the website.) They ended up being perfect for this project. Definitely check out Russian Tea Time. It is one of my favorite places in Chicago and I don’t visit them nearly enough. I always leave enormously full and happy.

Jesse - What a fantastic idea – I definitely would have done this as gifts if I knew I could infuse so quickly! And thanks for the heads up on Russian Tea Time (am just finding out that I lovelovelove Russian food!) – I’ll be in Chicago a lot in the next year or two so will probably be scouring your blog for places to check out.

cindym - We recently made a cucumber-cilantro vodka, and then made cocktails by mixing it with simple syrup, muddled limes, and a bit of fresh cilantro. You can also throw in some mint. They were great! Of course, I used the cheapest, harshest vodka possible. Might be better with something a bit more upscale. ;)

cindym - oh, and soda water. forgot that part.

Gemma - Hi Jesse. I was surprised how it was as well. I think the gifts were a hit. I hope you enjoy Russian Tea Time. I love Eastern European food as well and it is one of my favorite places. Have fun in Chicago. It is a great place to eat!
Hi Cindy, cucumber cilantro vodka sounds excellent. I will have to give that a try next time. The drink you made with it sounds very refreshing. I am going to try that one in the spring. Thanks!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

This post is the first in a series of three on edible homemade gifts.  You can find the second post on infused vodkas here and the third post on homemade peppermint patty candies here. Each year I test my crafting skills with a new handmade gift for the holidays.  These projects have been met with […]

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Nick - I really like the finger puppets. And mine are still in use.

Nick - I really like the finger puppets. And mine are still in use.

Gemma - Heh, that’s true. They were a hit with you. I’ll make as many as you’d like.

Gemma - Heh, that’s true. They were a hit with you. I’ll make as many as you’d like.

Mushroom and Wild Rice Pie

I shared in an early winter potluck this past weekend, hosted by Joanna of My Vegetable Blog and The Kitchn. While I cook often, I don't have the space to entertain as much as I would like. Joanna and Luke have a beautiful apartment, with grown-up features like a dining room table, a Christmas tree, […]

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Joanna - The Mushroom and Wild Rice Pie was delicious! Great call on the goat cheese. And so pretty!

Mike - Nice!
I made the Mushroom Pie for Thanksgiving, and I agree, it looked better than it tasted, but it still tasted great.
I used pearled barley in place of farro, but wild rice sounds awesome!
I used some dried porcini and used the mushroom broth in place of veggie broth, which I have found to be horribly bland unless you make it yourself. I threw in some herbs to round out the flavors. Mine ended up with a nice strong mushroom flavor. Next time, I might use more of a mushroom blend, maybe use wild mushrooms…
I like the choice of goat cheese – that is what my wife and I felt would be the single best improvement over the ricotta.
Would you stick with white wine? I used madeira as per the original recipe and I liked the way the sweet red gave the mushrooms even more depth.
Ultimately, my feeling was that the somewhat bland flavors were perfect for TG because there are so many other flavors on the plate. To stand alone, it needs a sauce. But I haven’t been able to decide on one. Some play on a bechemel? Some sort of madeira reduction to pull out those flavors? Any thoughts?

Talita - This pie looks very, very tasty!! The focaccia and winter rolls looks so yummy!!

Gemma - Thanks Joanna and Talita! Mike, using the porcini mushrooms and mushroom stock sounds like an excellent idea. I am going to do that next time. Regarding the wine choice, I have to admit that I just used what I had on hand. I’m interested to hear that you thought the Madeira added so much flavor. I’ll buy a bottle next time. I think the bechemel would be too heavy, but the reduction sounds intriguing. Maybe even something slightly sweeter like a wine-y cranberry sauce?

Jeni - Just made the mushroom wild rice pie. Used sun-dried tomatoes and added a finely chopped spanish onion–it was delicious and hearty enough to quiet the meat eaters in my family. Yum!

Gemma - Excellent! Sun-dried tomatoes sound like an excellent addition. I will try that next time.

acaiberrypills - good read bookmarked will return to read more posts