SWEET WEEK SEATTLE: Happening right now!

Hello fellow foodies! What is one event currently happening all over Seattle? Sweet Week!! Local bakeries, chocolate shops, and any food establishment dedicated to anything sweet is having a $5 special  for a very special unique treat, made only for Sweet Week.


From Sept. 25-28th, a dessert version of Seattle Restaurant Week will take place. Be prepared for a sugar and chocolate overload, which is always a good thing to start the fall season.
Participating restaurants/bakeries/cafes will have a special $5 treat just for you. Please remember to politely ask for the "$5 sweet treat" when ordering.

Participating sweet venues include:

Hot Cakes (Ballard)
Flying Apron (Redmond and Fremont)
Ala Mode Pies (Phinney Ridge)
The Confectional (Downtown and Cap Hill)
Chocolopolis (Upper Queen Anne)
Cupcake Royal (Cap Hill and Madrona)
D'Ambrosio  (Ballard)
Dahlia Bakery (Belltown)
Fresh Flour (Ballard and Phinney Ridge)
High 5 Pies (Cap Hill)
Parfait (Ballard)
Sweet Mickeys (Ballard)
Theo Chocolate  (Fremont)


Be sure to add some sweetness in your life this weekend Let me know what your favorite sweet treat it!

Happy Baking,
Kimm

Why I loooovvveeeeee butter: My top 3 reasons!

Baking and cooking all require fat. Fat brings out: flavor, enhances other flavors, and, well, makes food taste darn good. Like salt, it is require for any type of cooking, no matter what cuisine or dish you are creating in your kitchen.

What is butter? For you newbies, butter is made by simply churning ("agitate") fresh cream or milk. And, ta-da, a creamy-yellow mixture appears! I love it on toast, to baking chocolate cookies, or a simple sauté of veggies.

 



Here are my top 3 reasons I can't get enough of butter:

1) Butter melts in your mouth.
Unlike fake fats, like margarine or shortening, butter is a natural fat, thus melts at body temperature. Once it hits your mouth, it dissolves into pure magical foodie goodness. Fake fats tend to leave a weird, white film on your mouth and anything it touches.

2) Butter is natural.
Usually made from cows milk, you will not see any fake, weird, or odd ingredients when you read butter's nutritional facts. It is no secret I enjoy food...wholesome, re al, and unprocessed food. Butter is one of those foods I just can't get enough of.

3) Butter adheres to other flavors....easily.
Compound butter made with fine herbs, cinnamon-sugar butter for toast, European-style butter for grilled steaks....the list goes on and on. Smooth, creamy butter adds depth and flavor to other ingredients. It is rare I consume butter by itself, usually it is paired with other Pacific Northwest ingredients.


Like tea, there are many flavors and varieties of butters on the market. Try them. Try them on different foods with different herbs and spices. One thing I love about food is experimenting and see what the Seattle-community is eating and enjoying.

Butter is one true ingredient that will never go away from any professional or domestic kitchen.


Happy Cooking!
Kimm

LATEST SWEETNESS INTERVIEW: With Chef instructor and cookbook author, Lucy Vaserfirer

Greetings fellow readers! My latest foodie interview is with the talented Lucy Vaserfirer, cookbook author (x3!), chef instructor, and overall food-lovin' gal (my type of person). We met during our baking and patissier education at Western Culinary Institute (Portland, OR). From chef instructing, to food writing, and recipe development, Lucy brings a wealth of knowledge to the food world.



Lucy, cookbook author and chef.

My interview:

1) What inspired your culinary and pastry career?

 

I grew up in a very food-centric family and everything we did seemed to revolve around food and cooking, so it was a natural obsession for me from the very beginning. Then when I was in college, I came across a new book called Becoming a Chef and read it cover to cover in a single day. It showed me that culinary arts could be a career. My fate was sealed—I set my sights on culinary school and never looked back.    

 

2) Explain your most memorable dining experience at a restaurant.

 

My most memorable dining experience was actually at a bakery, not a restaurant. Seven years ago my husband and I visited Pierre Hermé on a trip to Paris. At that moment I found myself inside my wildest fantasy. It was like being in a jewelry shop, only instead of diamonds, the display cases were full of cakes and tarts and macarons! We ordered a Kouign-Amann, a Tarte Citron, a Carrément Chocolat, an Émotion Ispahan, and a chocolate macaron. It was love at first bite. The Kouign-Amann was light as a feather, with croissant-like layers of slightly salty pastry and a shatteringly thin caramel crust. The chocolate macaron melted in the mouth. The lemon tart was so puckery it tingled. The chocolate dessert was rich and intense and deeply satisfying, even for a chocolate lover who can’t be satisfied. And the Émotion Ispahan was simply the most delicious thing that has ever crossed my lips. A layer of litchi gelée, a layer of raspberry gelée so vibrant it almost seemed effervescent, and a layer of slightly sweetened rose-scented cream, all topped with a wafer of pink macaron and a single red rose petal, made for a perfect flavor combination. It was divine. All I can say is believe all the hype you hear about Pierre Hermé—he is indeed a pastry deity.

 

3) What tips would you give to a basic cook or baker just learning his/her skills?

 

Cook and bake as often as possible and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Try to focus on learning fundamental techniques rather than just specific recipes. Take any opportunity to watch other skilled cooks and bakers work. And taste everything.

 

4) Describe your cookbook "Marinades." What made you write a cookbook?

 

My desire to document my family’s recipes is what led me to writing cookbooks. We immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan when I was just a little girl, and of course we brought our food traditions with us. When I was a teenager I endeavored to record all of the Uzbek and Russian recipes I grew up with so that I would know how to make them myself when I moved away to college. As my collection of these recipes grew, so did my desire to get it published. The market wasn’t ready for a cookbook of recipes from Uzbekistan, but I could never shake that dream to write a cookbook…

 

Some years later, I was working as an instructor at a school for home cooks. I came up with the idea of doing a class on searing since it’s the one technique that really separates the home cooks from the chefs. The class proved to be extremely popular, and students clamored for recommendations for further reading. Surprisingly there was no book on the all-important subject of searing, so I decided to seize the opportunity and write one myself. Seared to Perfection came out in 2010.

Lucy's first book, Seared to Perfection.

 

 

The sidebar about compound butters in Seared to Perfection provided the inspiration for my second book Flavored Butters.

Lucy's second book, Flavored Butters.

 

 

With Marinades, my newest cookbook, I’m out to prove that marinades are the secret to getting amazing dinners on the table every day. It contains 200 different marinade recipes and each one is accompanied by an additional recipe showcasing a way to use the marinade to make a complete meal, for a total of 400 recipes. The wide variety of marinade ideas will take you through every shelf of your pantry, up and down every aisle at the market, and then all the way around the world. I have to say my favorite recipe in the whole book is my family’s Shashlik Marinade from Uzbekistan.



Lucy's third book, Marinades.

 



By the way, I'm still looking for a publisher on the Uzbek cookbook in case anyone's interested…

 

5) What is your food guilty pleasure?

 

Anything fried!








I looovvveeee Lucy's blog Hungry Cravings! Be sure to check it out for food inspiration. Her latest book, Marinades: The Quick Way to turn everyday food into exceptional fare  is available at anywhere cookbooks are sold or just click the link to order.
I am very lucky to have read Marinades and it is sure of the most well-written and straightforward cookbooks on the market. From what ingredients do to the variety of recipes, it is a great addition to any professionals or domestic cook's library. I can't wait to try the blood orange-rosemary,  IPA-Jalapeno, and peach-poblano marinade this summer!


Lucy's other cookbooks included Seared to Perfection: The Simple Art of Sealing in Flavor  and Flavored Butters: How to make them, shape them, and use them as spreads, toppings, and sauces are also just as delicious and well-written!


Happy Baking,
Kimm

PRODUCT REVIEW: The New York Baking Company's Silicone Baking Cups!

What is the  best thing about having a blog? Getting to test out new and fun baking supplies! I have dozens and dozens upon kitchen gadgets, tools, knives, and cake pans. I am always on the hunt to add more to my collection.

I was kindly asked by The New York Baking Company to test out their silicone baking cups.  First of all, they come in a tidy plastic package, which easily holds a dozen of their brightly colored holders.  (Don’t worry green thumbs, the material is BPA-free silicone!)

One of my favorite flavors is chocolate, thus I baked a very moist chocolate cupcake in the fun and festive holders. Ta-da, super easy to use! When the cupcakes cooled,  it was quite easy to “pop” them out OR freeze them for a future sweet snack.

Being silicone-dishwasher safe, they are simple clean by hand or machine. Air dry before putting them back in the container.

I know my niece and nephews will love the bright colors and the ease of baking delicious cupcakes (or muffins) in them. Priced at an affordable $9.95,I cannot wait to purchase more and test out more delicious recipes in them.

Purhcase them here from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Buddies-Reusable-Silicone-Guarantee/dp/B00EVQ167A

Happy Baking!

Kimm

Cooling your baked goods: 3 key tips!

I often remind people that "cooling" your freshly baked goods is part of the baking process. (Cooling = your treats are cold when consuming, not at room temp or warm.) Yes, it is important to stir, portion, and bake your delicious goodies, but cooling them properly will ensure its full flavor.

Not matter what you are baking: cupcakes, cookies, quick breads, brownies, they all need to be cooled before consuming or storage. Why? If you eat one before it is properly cooled, excess steam will release, causing any excess moisture to escape. In all baked goods, steam is necessary to make the sweet treat nice and moist.

If you decide to freeze your baked good, and it is still warm, it will causes excess condensation within the packaging (ex: plastic bag, plastic container, etc) and make the outside super soft and soggy. No beuno!

Follow these 3 key and easy tips for properly cooled back goods:

1) Always cool in the pan you baked your delicious baked good in.
-Why: This, one, avoids any extra pans you have to clean and, especially with loaf pans, holds the shape. With cookies, I always cool the cookies on the sheet pan versus removing the cookies from the sheet pan and putting them on a cooling grid. Slowing cooling down the baked good with also, ensure a nice, soft crust on the bottom.

2) Place the pan on a cooling grid.
-Why: When you evaluate the delicious treat on to a higher surface, the bottom cools down just as fast as the sides and tops. Thus overall, it will cool down faster than on a non-elevauated surface.

3) Make sure it is 110% cooled before consuming/cutting/enjoying!
-Why: This is hard. Really hard. Your place smells like sweetness and all you want to do is stuff your face with sugar-buttery goodness. One: when you cut into a baked good that it is cooled, it will retain its shape versus collapsing. Two: There is no excess steam and moisture, thus your treat is super-duper soft and moist. Trust me on this one, patience is key.
I like to completly cool any large treats, like my loaves and cakes, overnight to ensure it is 100% cool before storing.

Please remember bakers:
-If you do decide to freeze your baked goods, make sure it is in an air tight container and wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. You don't want freezer burn killing your treat.
-Always avoid aersol sprays when greasing your bakeware. It leaves a gross brown film that stains and ruins your gorgeous pans.
-Use good old fashion butter and parchment paper when greasing!

Happy Baking,
Kimm