I’d put up photo tutorials for syrups, but in all honesty there’s not much to photograph (a pan of water with sugar being poured into it, that’s about it). Plus, the result would be a heck of a lot of syrup in my house! Cake syrups are typically a little heavier than poaching syrups, at […]
READ ONA fruit poaching syrup is typically the lightest of the syrups used in the pastry kitchen, at a ratio of 1 part sugar to 2 parts water by weight. Heavier syrups are sometimes used, certainly, but in general if you’re simply poaching peaches or pears, this is the formula you’d use: 8 ounces water 4 […]
READ ONSimply syrup is used mostly for drinks like sweet tea or for cocktails. It’s very light, made of 1 part sugar and 1 part water by volume. To make a simple syrup, combine: 1 cup (8 ounces) water 1 cup (7 ounces) sugar Heat for about three minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Allow it […]
READ ONReader Anne writes in with this very interesting email: I have a question about simple syrups. I have never seen a tutorial on how they are made, what the different ratios will yield, and what the best use for the different kinds are. It may be a basic thing, but I’ve never had to use […]
READ ON…there’s quite a bit of nerdy kitchen gear in stores this year. The L.A. Times has it covered.
READ ONLots of you have been asking me that over the past several weeks, since I left my gingerbread house undecorated in the tutorial. I can tell you that after the structure was completed, I set my young ones to the task of decorating it. But since a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old have limited attention spans, […]
READ ONThere are all kinds of ways to do a yule log, this is just one of scores of possible directions. So, take the below as a general guide and improvise as you see fit. I’ll try to point out opportunities for variation along the way. Actually, here’s one right off the bat. There’s a school […]
READ ONAll nerds love TED. It’s the place you go to find out about emerging liquid-filled eyeglasses technology, ultra-high altitude sky diving, the latest on string theory, and whether or not rats can really be trained to find land mines. I’ve watched a few food-related talks on TED, but this week onlineclasses.org has compiled a list […]
READ ONMaking meringue mushrooms is fun work. It’s a pity it’s a step that’s so often rushed, because you can really do some fun things. I’m the type of person that likes a lot of mushrooms on a yule log. Call me crazy, I like to array them in bunches on the log since they seem […]
READ ONWork anyplace long enough and odds are you’ll end up trying your hand everybody else’s job. Your coworkers come in late, get sick, hurt themselves, take a long break — whatever — but the work still needs to get done and somebody’s got to do it. I’ve done a lot of weird things out of […]
READ ON