illdothedisheslater

An hour later, it’s time for the third flip.  This time the masses have solidified enough that I can slip them out the bottom of the molds and flip them over, then carefully and yes, gently, ease the molds back over them.  They are wildly different shapes and sizes.  Some flattish in parts and bulgy… Continue reading Breaking the Mold: Homemade Camembert Part 5

An hour later, the contents of the molds have shrunk to an alarming degree.  Maybe I’m just going to pull this off after all. A half hour checkup revealed another imminent tidal whey-ve (again with the puns!), so I have to repeat the gentle slide and tip.  Whey goes everywhere – the floor, the counter,… Continue reading Breaking the Mold: Homemade Camembert Part 4

Finally ready to begin.  I wash everything.  I wash the counters, the stove, all my tools, and really scrub the hell out of my pot.   I even wash my hands.  I improvise a double-broiler to keep the milk from burning as it gently heats to 90 degrees. I dismantle my double-broiler almost immediately.  Balancing a… Continue reading Breaking the Mold: Homemade Camembert Part 3

This is my most ambitious project to date.  My husband probably longs for the good old days when my weekend project would be Chicken Saltimbocca or homemade hot sauce.  But he did buy me a metal bit for our drill so I could make the molds.  He also told me to be VERY CAREFUL about… Continue reading Breaking the Mold: Homemade Camembert Part 2

  Is there such a thing as a healthy meatball? One that tastes good too? Sure there is! I am feeling saintly and virtuous after my morning endeavors, so I’ll share my awesomeness with everyone. My husband went for a run, because he’s one of those crazy people that like to do that. I decide… Continue reading The Healthy Meatball:

This is ambitious, guys. I’m planning to make homemade Camembert cheese. I have many concerns starting this project. First and foremost is that months of research have led me to believe that cheesemaking requires a level of sanitation to which I can never aspire. I have a cat who goes wherever he damn well pleases… Continue reading Breaking The Mold: Homemade Camembert Part 1

Omigod guys. Against all odds, the sauce is saved. Here are my saviors: No, that isn’t cocaine. And the sunlight streaming in is heaven-sent – not bad photography. My Hail Mary play was severalfold: A hearty glug of red wine (in the bowl, not my mouth), a hearty handful of sugar, a can of crushed… Continue reading Scratch Sauce – Part 4 – Enter the Cavalry

Hoo boy, this has been a long day.  It’s approximately 90 minutes until the cocktail hour begins, and here is what I have been up to: The tomatoes have to be seeded.  The seeds will leave a bitter taste and unpleasant crunchy texture in a sauce.  “They” say the best way to seed tomatoes is… Continue reading Scratch Sauce – Part 2

I’ve learned a couple lessons this morning about preparation, planning ahead, and reading ALL of the directions before you begin. Once again it is too early to start drinking (surely a holiday weekend relaxes those rules a bit?). I am exhausted and it is only 9:56 a.m. The morning started with a trip to the… Continue reading Scratch Sauce – Part 1