Hot Summer Nights
Jul. 2nd, 2006 09:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
octothorpeIt's really hot outside, so this evening, I decided to make a cool dessert. Oddly enough, my cooking style is derived from classic italian styles, just as much as it is from the US, and east asia. This is pretty classic italian.
For those that haven't done this, do so now (I'll wait).
Pop the tops, and slice the strawberries in half, or in quarters, depending on the size (smaller strawberries are sweeter. Organic strawberries are superior, as strawberries soak up pesticides like a sponge).
Sprinkle the smallest pinch of sugar on the stawberries and set them aside. If you think your pinch is small enough, cut it by half. Seriously. We're talking a few granules.
Put the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan on high heat, until it begins to simmer. Turn down the heat and let it reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Let that cool in your fridge or freezer, but do not let it freeze. When cool, it should be the consistency of chocolate syrup. I'd say you're looking at a 75% reduction, minimum.
Take the mascarpone and put it in a bowl. Take a metal spoon, and mix the hell out of it. As you mix, you'll notice the consistency will change. The mascarpone will become shiny, and beautiful. This is what you're looking for. The trick is to keep it cool, as the mascarpone will heat up easily, and you don't want it to melt. There is a fine line between "shiny" and "melty". You want the former.
Take a martini glass (you're all gay, of course you have martini glasses!), and place some of the strawberries at the bottom, then add a small dollop of the mascarpone, as if it were whipped cream. Alternate, until the martini glass is full.
Then, take the balsamic reduction and drizzle it on top, as if it were chocolate sauce. The balsamic is *very* sweet. Don't over-do it.
Write about your experience.
Oh, and PS: Alton Brown has a new show out starting later this month. If you are a fan of Alton, you'll know that he's also a biker, specifically a BMW biker. His new show centres around his bike, and good food. It's called "Feasting on Asphalt", and in episode 4, you see Alton break his clavicle. Ouch!
For those that haven't done this, do so now (I'll wait).
Fresh Organic Strawberries with Mascarpone and Balsamic Reduction
Pop the tops, and slice the strawberries in half, or in quarters, depending on the size (smaller strawberries are sweeter. Organic strawberries are superior, as strawberries soak up pesticides like a sponge).
Sprinkle the smallest pinch of sugar on the stawberries and set them aside. If you think your pinch is small enough, cut it by half. Seriously. We're talking a few granules.
Put the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan on high heat, until it begins to simmer. Turn down the heat and let it reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Let that cool in your fridge or freezer, but do not let it freeze. When cool, it should be the consistency of chocolate syrup. I'd say you're looking at a 75% reduction, minimum.
Take the mascarpone and put it in a bowl. Take a metal spoon, and mix the hell out of it. As you mix, you'll notice the consistency will change. The mascarpone will become shiny, and beautiful. This is what you're looking for. The trick is to keep it cool, as the mascarpone will heat up easily, and you don't want it to melt. There is a fine line between "shiny" and "melty". You want the former.
Take a martini glass (you're all gay, of course you have martini glasses!), and place some of the strawberries at the bottom, then add a small dollop of the mascarpone, as if it were whipped cream. Alternate, until the martini glass is full.
Then, take the balsamic reduction and drizzle it on top, as if it were chocolate sauce. The balsamic is *very* sweet. Don't over-do it.
Write about your experience.
Oh, and PS: Alton Brown has a new show out starting later this month. If you are a fan of Alton, you'll know that he's also a biker, specifically a BMW biker. His new show centres around his bike, and good food. It's called "Feasting on Asphalt", and in episode 4, you see Alton break his clavicle. Ouch!
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 03:13 am (UTC)That can be particularly true at the Eagle or Dugout on Sunday on a holiday weekend ... hope it worked out for you! ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 03:50 am (UTC)Nothing worse than punter-central.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 03:29 am (UTC)(Wanders off grumbling under his breath, wondering if he can get away with the cheap ones from Cost Plus.)
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Date: 2006-07-03 03:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 06:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 04:06 am (UTC)five magical words.
Date: 2006-07-03 05:43 am (UTC)emphasis on the tradizionale
Re: five magical words.
Date: 2006-07-03 05:49 am (UTC)(for those that don't know, the barrels eventually decay, and a larger barrel is created over the prior. Eventually, the vinegar dissolves the barrel, and adds to the taste)
Re: five magical words.
Date: 2006-07-03 05:53 am (UTC)Re: five magical words.
Date: 2006-07-03 06:03 am (UTC)Re: five magical words.
Date: 2006-07-03 06:09 am (UTC)Tradition!
Date: 2006-07-03 03:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 12:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2006-07-03 05:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 05:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 05:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 06:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 12:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 01:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 04:26 pm (UTC)You do realise there is nothing natural about Cool Whip, yes?
It's also cheaper to buy the heavy cream and whip it yourself... you'll get a much better product.
Cool Whip?!?! For shame!!
no subject
Date: 2006-07-03 04:50 pm (UTC)I like non-dairy whipping cream, but I can never find it.
I've done heavy cream, but I like artificial evil cool whip better. It's one of those 'comfort tastes' from childhood.
Cool Whip
Date: 2006-07-03 07:19 pm (UTC)How would people like it if Soylent Green had a similar marketing strategy: "Soylent Green - Complete Protein Meat Alternative! Contains sodium humanate (a human flesh derivative)"
Re: Cool Whip
Date: 2006-07-03 08:29 pm (UTC)I hear you on the vegan thing. I don't consume high fructose corn syrup, and it's basically the same problem. Almost everything that is pre-made, contains HFCS.
no subject
Date: 2008-04-19 06:03 pm (UTC)