LATEST INTERVIEW: With Lynn Lovejoy, fellow foodie blogger of "Order in the Kitchen."

Hi gang! My last few interviews were from local business owners, where I gained general information for a small business and learned how "they get your name" out in the community. This round of interviews will be with fellow foodie bloggers, friends, and industry people. Not necessary small business owners, but people who JUST ENJOY FOOD and gaining more information on what they eat.



My NEW interview is with the "lovely" Lynn Lovejoy, from North Carolina. Lynn has a very informative "food-law" blog called "Order in the kitchen." She mixes her passion of law with her love of food and cooking. Where did we meet? On twitter! We both use social media to gain new blogger friends and followers.


Lynn's brief bio:
Well, I'm sure you already know I went to law school and graduated, passed the bar etc. I went to law school at UNC Chapel Hill and I'm originally from Charlotte. I'm now a licensed attorney in NC and seeking full-time legal employment here in Raleigh. I'm an NC Native all the way! As I said above, I'm not classically trained and everything I learn and do is a process. The blog is really fun because every recipe has a Verdict, where I tell you how it went, and when I mess up, I call them "Trial and Errors". In case it isn't evident already, I'm kind of a dork, which I totally own up to! I love cooking because it calms me and lets me put my energy into something that I really love (except it doesn't calm me when I'm making a cake for 60 and all three layers break in half! LOL). Basically, I do this because I love it. I love tweeting and interacting because I think the food blog community is something really special and I love being a part of it. If you want to know anything else, feel free to drop me a line in the Contact Me section at the top! Thanks for reading! :)

My questions to Lynn:

1) Why did you start "Order in the kitchen" blog?
I started Order in the Kitchen because I had been working on another food blog with a couple of friends during my 3rd year of law school. After we all graduated, I decided I wanted to continue with food blogging but wanted to branch out and do my own thing, so I started from there. I decided to do a law-theme because I was in the midst of finals in my last year, and gearing up to take the bar exam.

2) You started with a passion for law, when did your passion for food come alive in your life?
I began cooking during my late 2L to early 3L year because I needed a form of de-stress in my life, and cooking was a perfect way to de-stress, and bring a little creativity to my life. Plus, I was (and still am) dating a guy who could survive every day on spaghetti with ground beef and ragu, and frankly, I can't and needed to bring some creativity to our dining experience. I never grew up cooking, and my mom was a working mom and didn't cook or teach me how (which is fine) but I kind of just figured it out on my own. I certainly had wonderful influences, including my Aunt, who is a superb cook, and my late grandmother Mimi, who passed away during the bar exam study period. Mimi lived with us for 11 years and cooked for us almost every day. She was a fabulous inspiration for cooking from the heart. Because I was never really taught how to cook, I still make lots of mistakes and have learned a lot already. But I love what I do and fortunately my boyfriend doesn't complain too much when I totally botch dinner.

3) What influence does social media have in your blog?
I use twitter and facebook a lot when reaching out to people who read my blog. I love twitter because it is interactive and I get to talk to and form relationships with others who have similar passions. Facebook is a good way to reach out to readers, but to me, doesn't provide the same amount of interaction as twitter and I like that about twitter more. I use instagram to show pictures of my food and life to others there and I find that to be a fantastic social media outlet because it's like twitter but in pictures (so easier to scan through quicker and catch all the good shots!) I use pinterest like it's my job. It's terribly addicting. I could probably use it in a more marketing/promoting way, but I really just use it to pin things I love and want to refer back to. I try to pin things that I think my followers will enjoy, but I never pin things just for others to see and repin (and bring me traffic) or whatever because that seems silly. I do sometimes pin my own work, but it's on a board called "Order in the Kitchen Photos" and therefore, if people don't want to follow my stuff, they can just unfollow it.

4) What is your most memorable meal you ever ate and why?
Oh wow that's a toughie. I would actually have to say that my most recent meal at Roy's in Waikiki was one of my most memorable meals. Although, that's partially because my other meals at Roy's have been memorable. I got Roy's famous butterfish, which I have had a multitude of times and it is a plate with the perfect proportion of components and flavors and is almost indescribable. I had basically been talking up Roy's to Matt (the bf) for about 2 years, going on and on about how amazing this place was. It got to the point that once we were there, I was worried it wouldn't live up to how much I'd hyped it. Well it absolutely did. We shared the best crab cakes I've ever had in my life and each got a salad. Mine in particular was superb-- it had goat cheese panna cotta (with goat cheese from the Big Island), braised tomatoes, red onion and a wasabi balsamic. So unbelievable. Then the butterfish came. Just as I had remembered it... perfection. Matt got the filet mignon with mushrooms, risotto, and a sous vide egg. When you took a bite with each component, it was like a flavor explosion in your mouth (in the best way possible). I only wish I had had room for Roy's molten chocolate cake because it is the best ever. Ok, I have to stop, I'm salivating on my computer...

5) What is your favorite recipe on your blog?
Ok seriously? I have to choose!? Ok hmm, there are a bunch to choose from that I love for a variety of reasons, including the Pie for Mikey (honoring Jennifer Perillo's late husband), Mimi's green beans (my grandmother's special recipe), kir royale cupcakes (to celebrate passing the bar), and my first time killing and cooking a live lobster (complete with instructional video). I'd have to say that my all-time favorite is this one: Pappardelle with Italian Meat Sauce. ( http://www.orderinthekitchen.com/1/post/2011/08/pappardelle-with-italian-meat-sauce.html ) This one is probably my favorite because I can make it all the time, it's easy, takes pretty minimal effort, can be changed and worked around in multiple ways, keeps my spaghetti-and-meat-sauce-loving man happy, can be used with pasta or lasagna, and tastes incredible. It is seriously one of the best things on the blog. I highly recommend that one, although I (obviously) recommend you check out the Recipe Index at the top or the Categories on the side to see what piques your interest!

For more information, check out Lynn's blog:
http://www.orderinthekitchen.com/

Happy Baking!
-SC

Carmen and Andrew's wedding: A SWEET SUCCESS!

I love meeting brides and grooms who KNOW EXACTLY what they want at their wedding. When I met Andrew and Carmen, a lovely young couple, we hit it off right from the start. They described their wedding ("black and white" decor, family-oriented, romatic) and how they wanted to include cake and cupcakes in their special day, I knew what to make. Something simple, yet delicious.

Sticking with the black and white theme, I went with netural colored cake and frosting flavors. No "razzle-dazzle" or "blueberry bomb" is going to be at their wedding. After a cake and frosting testing (done at the comfort at their home), they decided on two cupcake flavors: 1) Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream 2) Banana cake with chocolate-caramel cake. The two tiered cake ended up being a lemon cake with a raspberry filling with black and white decor on the outside.

The wedding location, The Pickering Farm in downtown Issaquah, was a PERFECT location for a baker: smooth pavement, easy access from I-90, and no gravel/bumps in the roads. The event center was an old school dairy farm with a modern twist. With the rain and wind the background, it had a very "pacific northwest" feel to the special day.

Carmen set aside a long table just for the cake and cupcakes. It was very easy to set up and work with all the other vendors. AND, Carmen and Andrew LOVED the cake and cupcakes, which equals SWEET SUCCESS!



Congrats you two! Many blessings for a wonderful life.

Happy Baking!
-SC

The ONE "food" item I truly DISLIKE....

I consider myself to be a happy and joyful person: I like to bake sweet things, "see" the cup half full, and smile when I am practicing yoga. I LOVE trying new dishes at local restaurants, reading new cook books, and chat up the local bank teller about his/her favorite night life place. But there is ONE thing I truly dislike in the food world...

My answer: Non-stick sprays. I have mention the harmful duties it can do to your pots and pans in previous blog post. This blog post is dedicated, in details, to the "mis-understanding" of non-stick sprays.


What is in non-stick sprays?
Basically, cheap non-stick sprays is fake fat in a aerosol can. Yes, there are "real" fat non-stick sprays that claim to be 100% olive oil or canola oil. Most non-stick sprays will also contain lethicin and/or "propellent" as a binder.

So, how does it harm your cookware/bakeware/glassware?
It is the aerosol-spray feature that is so strong, it will leave a "film" on top your gorgeous, brand new cookware/bakeware. Anything with an aerosol spray will do this, like cheap hair spray. It does not matter if you use "100% olive oil" non-stick sprays or not. Anything with an aerosol srpay will always leave a film. Want proof? See that caramel-color junk? That is not excess grease or fat, it is non-stick spray that was no cleaned off. See, that film is super "tough" and "strong" that it BINDS itself to the pan. Do you really want that in your food and body?

My non-stick spray brand says it can be washed off. So, what?
Yes, many companies will say the spray can be washed off. It can...with a LOT of elbow grease, soap, and a de-greaser. The remove that junk, you will eventually need to buy a de-greaser cleaner, especially if you cook often.

So, what are my alternatives to the sprays?
1) Use a very strong non-stick pan that does not required fat in your cooking.
2) Use real butter.
3) Use real oil (like olive or sesame) from the bottle.
4) Buy a "mist" oil spray. The mist spray is not like the aersol spray, it is very soft and gentle.


Opps! I sprayed my pans! What do I do?
-Wash with warm soap and water and a soft sponge.
-Invest in a de-greaser cleaner if the film is strong.
-Toss the pan if it is covered in the film. Buy a new one.

What about my bakeware pans? Or my glass casserole dishes?
Easy: Either 1) use a mist spray and fill it with a flavorless oil, like canola.
2) Take a paper towel, put soft butter or oil on it, and wipe it in your baking pans. Thus, the butter/oil acts "non-stick."
-I like choice #2: simple and easy and one less thing I have to buy!

Many of my cook and baking books say to use it...why?
They have become so standard in professional food places, that many believe they NEED the sprays so the food will not stick. Thus, many chefs/bakers/cooks believe they will always need sprays. Also, since most restaurants carry stainless steel cookware, they need some sort of "fast" and "cheap" fat to coat the pan/pot. Yes, those sprays are cheaper and faster than "butter-ing" cookware.

Another fact: real fat is so much better than fake fat! But, don't get worried if you do digest some non-stick sprays. There are worse things in the world. Start making good cooking habits: NOW!

Happy Baking,
SC

My TOP 10 favorite ingredients to use in the kitchen!

One of my favorite culinary books is "Culinary Artistry" by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. Not only does it talk about cooking as a craft and trade, it gives hints and tips on what flavors blend well together. Plus, it gives a list of ripe foods for every season.

In the last chapter, the authors ask popular, well-known chefs about their favorite ingredients to use in the kitchen. Every chef had a variety of different answers. I can't help but to think what my most useful ingredients would be. Thus, here is my top 10 favorite ingredients:

1) Sea salt: My #1 seasoning agent for all types of foods. Plus "sea salt" (versus iodized or kosher) contains trace minerals your body needs!

2) Olive oil: Good, basic, all-natural olive oil. Not only to saute and sear with, but to make salad dressings and dips. Avoid, "light" olive oil, it lacks flavor. I like to buy olive oil in dark bottles to protect the oil from the light.

3) Sesame oil: My second favorite oil because of the nice "seed-like" flavor. Great for all my asian dishes I cook!

4) Quinoa: A great gluten-free, complete protein grain. I love it because it cooks fast and you can add a variety of flavors and veggies to it. Feeling sweet? Cook quinoa in soy milk and add cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, and raisins for a nice, light dessert.

5) Eggs: Eggs are a healthly, high protein, inexpensive ingredient. Not only do I bake cakes and cookies with eggs, I make veggie scrambles and "toad-in-a-hole" with fresh eggs.

6) Vanilla extract: Real vanilla extract adds and improves flavor to all baked goods. Think of it as your "salt" in the sweet world. Adding 1 tsp to any sweet recipe will improve its flavor.

7) Onions: Sweet, red, white, green, etc. I love them all because they are cheap, add TONS of flavor, and can be used in any savory recipe. Do you hate 'em because they make your cry? That is 100% natural and OK, plus it means the onion will have a strong flavor. Make sure your knife is always sharp when you cut onions.

8) Garlic: Just like onions, garlic is cheap and adds flavor to almost as dish you cook. I love adding garlic to a recipe that does not even call for it. Do you hate peeling and mincing garlic? Yup, I do, too. Buying pre-peeled garlic is ok, and next time you chop garlic, chop enough for the next week, store it in a plastic container, so you will not have to busy out your cutting board on a daily basis.

9) Vinegars: It is hard to pick just one: rice wine, balsamic, red wine, etc. But I LOVE the tart and sharpness it adds to sauces, dressings, and marinades. Most people will only need 2 types of vinegars in their house hold. I recommend buying one and testing out new recipes with it! Go to an oil-vinegar store to try out new vinegars and blends. Balsamic vinegar is the most popular.

10) Agave nectar: My choice when it comes to sweetening foods. It has a suttle sweetness versus the sharpness of white, refined sugar. Also, since it is vegan, I love baking healthly treats with it, too.

There you have it: my top 10 favorite cooking ingredients to use in the kitchen. What is yours???

Happy Baking!
-SC

How to make 'em MINI!

What is better than a wonderful cupcake, pie, brownie, or cookie? MINI cupcakes, brownies, pies, and cookies. More and more local restaurants, bakeries, and cafes are leaning towards "mini" items versus regular sized items. WHY? Well, small bites are appealing at parties and events. Plus, small-bite items can easy be arranged to looks elegant and professional.

Then, how do you "mini" size a sweet treat? I can tell you from experience, making something smaller WILL TAKE MORE TIME. Thus, that is why many catering companies charge extra for bite-size delights. But, having something bite-size makes a clean presentation for everyone to have their "own" treat!

When you do decide to make something bite size remember:
-It will take a shorter time to bake.
-Sometimes, extra small pans will be required = more money spent on tools.
-Like I said before, more labor intensive = more time in the kitchen.

Here are some helpful tips when making cupcakes, brownies, pies, and cookies into MINI SIZE:

CUPCAKES:
-You WILL have a buy mini size cupcake pans and cupcake holders.
-Also, invest in a mini scoop to scoop the batter into the pans.
-Shorter baking time versus a regular sized cupcake.
-Decorating will take longer.
-People tend to like mini cupcakes versus regular sized cupcakes, especially if there is more than one flavor being presented. Then, they can try ALL the cupcake flavors without feeling guilty.

COOKIES:
-Easy: buy a small scoop to scoop out small sized cookie dough. This is for all "drop" cookies like chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin.
-For "roll out" cookies like sugar or gingerbread cookies, buy a small cookie cutter.
-Shorter baking time versus a regular sized cookie. Watch out, I found out (the hard way) that the edges tend to brown very fast.
-Since you baking minis, you may need to buy more cookie sheets! I like baking my cookies on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. (Easy clean-up, too!)

BROWNIE:
-The easiest to produce into a small size: just cut the brownie pieces into small sizes, after you bake it in a regular size cake or brownie pan.
-Let the brownie cool 100%, at room temp on the kitchen counter, before cutting it, or it will crumble.
-Cut the edges off to "square" the brownie. You will get nice even lines. (Yes, you can eat the brownie scraps.)
-For extra smooth lines: Use a serrated (AKA "bread") knife to cut the brownie. Dip the knife in a large container of hot water, then wipe it with a dry kitchen towel. Now, cut!

PIES/TARTS:
-You can either: a) Bake them in regular sized cupcake pans or b) Buy small pie/tart shell pans. I like choice "a" because I already have cupcake pans in my kitchen. Buying another item means spending more money and finding space for another kitchen tool.
-Lightly butter the cupcake pans with REAL butter and a paper towel. Press the pie/tart dough into pans. Fill with desired filling. Top with more pie dough or streusel.
-Like with all the other mini items, bake for a shorter amount of time!
-Use a small spatula to "lightly lift" the pies out of the cupcake pan or shell.

OVERALL ADVICE:
-Small item = shorter cookie time. What the edges on your cookies!
-More labor intensive = give yourself extra time to produce these small delights!
-Always cool your treats 100% before storing them. You don't want a sweaty cookie.
-Also, don't forget you may need to buy extra special tools to correctly produce your mini treat.
-Storage may be a pain: you will have more treats to store. If you do not have special cake/cupcake containers, you can use baking pans as containers. Just make sure you wrap them very tightly with plastic wrap.
-Careful, small treats tend to be fragile.

Remember: make small, mini treats for special events. Since they are labor intensive and may require special tools, save them for a extra SWEET party you are hosting.

Happy Baking!
-SC

How to make sure your cake batter is UNIFORM!

Cupcakes collapse. Cake fall in the middle. Banana bread turns out lopsided. What the heck happened to your delicious treat? Well, many factors can explain what happened to your baked good. What is a main factor in most failed baking attempts? The batter was not uniform. It does not matter if you are baking vanilla cupcakes, rich chocolate cake, or cinnamon bread, your batter must be uniformly mixed to properly bake!

What is an uniform batter?
All the ingredients are properly mixed together. The sugar and butter are properly creamed. There are no flour chunks. It looks nice and shiny!

Why does it need to be properly mixed together?
Think of it this way: Your car needs to be properly "built" to run smoothly. If oil is leaking, your muffler is dead, or out of gas, your car won't start. If your cake batter is not properly mixed together, it will not "come out" like planned.

What are some tips to make sure my batter is properly mixed?
1) Cream the butter and sugar together, very well. I make sure I scrape the entire bowl, with a spatula, at least 3 times, during the mixing process.
2) Room temp ingredients "bind" together well versus cold ingredients. Make sure your butter is soft and your eggs are room temp as well. (Just microwave 'em for 10 seconds to take the chill off!)
3) Always sift the flour and dry ingredients to avoid flour chunks.

Something went wrong, and my baked good came out look horrible! What happened?
Ekk, it is hard to pin-point exactly what happened to the cake. Make sure you:
-Used the correctly ingredients.
-Baked it at the properly temp.
-The batter was mixed uniformly. It was not UNDER or OVER mixed.
-You used the right cooking tools.
There are so many baking/cooking blogs and advice on the internet, you can easily detect what happened. Sometimes, it is the recipe itself that is wrong! Make sure you write small helpful notes on the side of your recipes.

What does a uniform batter look like?
-Smooth
-Shiny
-No clumps
-Not "broken." It is easy for the sugars and butter to "break" when liquids are added. Add the liquids slowly.

What other factors can lead to a failed baked good?
-Wrong oven temp (too hot versus too cold)
-Over mixing the batter
-Under mixing the batter
-Wrong ingredients
-Wrong size pan
-Expired ingredients
-Using the wrong kitchen tools (like a paddle attachment versus a whisk attachment)
-The amounts of the ingredients are wrong


A uniform batter is key to a delicious baked good. Know your steps and ingredients to make sure your sweet treat comes out RIGHT.

Happy Baking,
SC

My DESSERT predictions for 2012

What a year 2011 was for The SC Team! Not only did I bake cupcakes and sweet stuff for: Microsoft FTEs, DList staffers, happily engaged AND married couples, at&t Hackathon-ers, and of course, my friends and family!
I met so many wonderful people and made connections at: Google Places, Girl Power Hour events, thinkspace networking events, Bellevue/Redmond Chambers events, and of course, the use of social media and blogs. Thank you readers!!!

Special kudos: To my very talented graphic designer, Jessica! She personally reached out to me and wanted to be a part of the SC Team. Without, I would not have my original logo or the ambition to reach out to other businesses, like how you did.
TO: Joanne and my dad for being the "business brains" S.C.O.R.E mentors for offering wonderful and savvy advice.
Also, to my supportive friends and family (Thanks mom and dad for being my taste testers!). And realizing the personal ambition, talent, and brains I never "had" until I started SC.

Not only do I bake sweet stuff, I love seeing what is out there in the pastry/dessert industry. Enjoying seeing what bakeries and catering companies offers lets me "in" on what consumers are demanding. Last year brought much change to the everyday cook and baker: The expansion of the farmers market is growing, not only in major cities, but in major/minor suburbs. The words "gluten-free" and "Celiac disease" is common in our everyday vocab. And, cupcakes are taking over a traditional wedding cake.

Here are my top 3 dessert predictions for 2012:

1) More ethnic desserts will be featured in major restaurants:
Especially in Seattle, ethnic cuisine is HUGE. There is a pho shop, sushi place, Italian joint, and Korean BBQ on almost every corner. Many American-based restaurants are already infusing ethnic-flavors in their menu because it is popular AND delicious! What is next: adding ethnic-inflused flavors to major desserts. Green tea poached pear? Indian-spiced nuts on top of burbon-vanilla ice-cream? Red bean rice pudding with sesame seed tuiles? YES, PLEASE.

2) Not only mini cupcakes, MINI COOKIES/BROWNIES/DESSERTS:
Why mini? People do not feel as guilty eating something small versus eating something big...no matter what it is, sweet or savory. Plus, ordering small amounts of small items saves money over buying large amounts of large items. With everyone's busy schedule, most people are in-and-out of events in less than one hour and have time to only grab a "bite or two," not a whole meal.

3) Beer-infused dishes/desserts:
Seattle has a large wine community thanks to our lovely wine country. Most foodies are also wine peeps, who are also coffee and beer peeps. Don't forget about Seattle's well-know local breweries and the impact they have in our food industry. Red wine buttercream? Yes, I have made it before and it turned out FANTASTIC. Beer-braised beef? Chocolate-stout cake? Beer-battered fish? Look for it this year.

Overall, trends come and go. Foodies come and go and come in all types. But what I have noticed from working in the food industry, people want one of two things:
1) Something fresh and different from the major.
2) Something original/familiar, but BETTER than before.

Happy cooking and baking in 2012.
-SC