Hot Chocolate

This one will warm you up on a winter's night. Here is my recipe for a very satisfying hot chocolate. So grab a throw, a book and when this is done you'll be curled up with this in no time.

First take whatever dark chocolate bar you have and with a very sharp knife chop it into bits.

When all chocolate is chopped. Divide the chocolate equally amongst cups. I was making two cups so I chopped half of a 85% dark chocolate bar and then added approximately 2 tablespoons of chopped chocolate in each mug. Essentially you are dividing the chocolate between the two mugs. Then on top of the chocolate I added a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Mixing the chocolate and cinnamon together.

Once the chocolate and cinnamon have been mixed add 2 ccl of good quality rum.

Mixing together. You should have a bit of a chocolate paste. After this point put two cups of milk into a saucepan and heat on the stove until hot. Whisking frequently.

When the milk is hot remove from stove. Being careful add 2-3 tablespoons of milk into each mug. Blending together. This makes the chocolate paste even more smooth and helps melt the chocolate. Just a quick note adjust your measurements and chocolate to suit the size of mug or cup you are serving it in.

When all is smooth and the chocolate is just about melted add the remaining hot milk into each mug. Give a stir and enjoy! - jw

Sunday Morning!

With the constant snow that has been falling over the past 24 hours I felt I wanted a semi hearty breakfast with a healthy twist. So Sunday morning breakfast was French toast with apples slices, vanilla yoghurt, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Very satisfying as the snow continually fell outside. How do you like your french toast? - jw

Mixed Seasons

I luv going to Winners mostly to check out their food hall/cookery sections. You can find all sorts of things you need and don't need. I really couldn't say no to this bottle of spice. It is so versatile. I shake it on my popcorn, add it to my guacamole and dips... you can even season chicken and fish with it. Sprinkle it on potatoes whether it be baked or mashed. There is a real sense of fresh tanginess followed by a bit of heat with this mix spice. Makes me dream of summer days... sipping refreshing beverages, lounging in the sun, the gentle summer breeze, the smell of a BBQ, the endless summer sky and the late summer nights... I guess anything goes when paprika, lemon and lime are involved. It's all on how you use it!

What is your favourite seasoning combination? - jw

Paprika

When I see the word paprika two things pop into mind: deviled eggs and Hungary. I have got my spice on for Spanish Smoked Paprika. I have been using it quite a bit with my cooking. Although there is a spicy and *very spicy* I was only able to find mild. Because of that I tend to use a heavy hand when dishing out this spice.

Paprika is made from ground dried bell peppers or chili peppers. And is used to colour or flavour any dish. This mighty spice is produced in many countries such as Hungary, Serbia, Spain and America. Hungary being the major source. In North America paprika is mostly used to garnish. Whereas in Europe it it mostly used to season sausages, goulash, rice dishes, stews and soups. The latter is exactly how I like to use paprika. I have read that if you gently heat paprika in oil it brings out the flavour. The Netherlands is another major producer and distributor of paprika. The peppers used to make paprika are high in Vitamin C. Paprika retains so much Vitamin C it contains more Vitamin C, by weight, than lemon juice. High in Vitamin C and antioxidants. No wonder I use it whenever I can.

What is your spice? - jw

© photo by Jacqueline Williams

Cornbread

For some reason over the past week I have made three pans of cornbread. I can't really explain this one other than the fact that it is very tasty! I have used more of a finer cornmeal in the past. Almost like a corn flour you would say. But I have found a more coarser cornmeal which gives more of a crunchy texture. I group cornbread with scones, it's one of those ever present versatile pieces complimenting whatever dish it is paired with. Whether it be lunch, dinner or breakfast, cornbread adds comfort to any plate.

Here I mixed 1 cup of cornmeal with one cup of flour, white or whole wheat you decide. A pinch of salt. About 4 tablespoons baking powder. About 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar... I prefer to use brown sugar. If you are watching your sugar intake then reduce the sugar or skip it altogether. Then add these next three ingredients to the dry ingredients you have just measured out. Sometimes I am a one bowl kind of girl. Using every possible or separate dish or bowl means only one thing, I have to wash them all. Who wants to spend a lot of time washing when there are other things to do! Make a well in the middle of the bowl. 

Add one egg, about a cup of milk and about 1/4 cup of soft butter or margarine. Mix until all is smooth and combined. No overbeating. Pour into a greased pan. I used a square 8 inch pan that was greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 425º oven for approximately 25 minutes, checking half way. As always it's best to serve warm! 

Have fun and add this to whatever dish you are making this weekend. Enjoy! - jw

Tuna is Up!

As the red cabbage simmers on the stove I am munching away on this for lunch. Tuna salad over mixed veggies and lettuce. Drizzled with light olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with chives. I did add a touch of smoked paprika to season the tuna. My kitchen smells wonderful... how about yours? Enjoy your Thursday afternoon. -jw

Yes Please Olive Me!

When it comes to a treat my taste buds are getting more sophisticated. I usually stroll over to Olive Me to see what delicacies will tempt me. I managed to order the Pomegranate Blossom Olives shown above. When I was at the shop the woman behind the counter was very enthusiastic about the flavour of this olive. And so was I, the woman offered me a sample. Who could resist an olive stuffed with dark chocolate and pomegranate. It was an amazing flavour of fireworks that burst into my mouth. Each one complimenting one another. I suggested that an olive stuffed with dark chocolate and chili would also be delicious.

My second choice, shown here, was the Sweet Valentine Olive. Feta filled olives dressed with cranberries. These are fabulous! Very tasty and not very salty. You can find Olive Me on Facebook. - jw

Happy Valentines Day!

Venus in the Kitchen or Love's Cookery Book by Pilaff Bey, Edited by Norman Douglas, Introduction by Graham Greene with decorations by Bruce Roberts and frontispiece by D.H. Lawrence; Heinemann 1952, pp. xiii,192. This cookbook apparently took 12 years to write. It has 50 plus recipes all of which were written before 1936. The idea for the book was intended for a small group of friends who wanted to preserve... or maintain their vitality of their younger and middle age years. After some discussion and many bottles of wine, that always happens, a recipe book was suggested. More of the story goes... Pilaff Bey, a "friend" of Norman Douglas who many assume was Douglas himself, met D.H. Lawrence, an English painter, in the South of France. Bey told him the idea behind the collection of recipes. D.H. Lawrence was so keen about the idea he drew the frontispiece for the book.

Some of the recipes claim to have aphrodisiac benefits but how can one really claim that. Even the author wasn't sure. There are recipes to which are described as "delectable absurdities". Testicles of lamb, sparrows brains, crane and savoury tongue. I think I will just stick to the filet of sole, paprika chicken, quince jelly and sorbet of champagne. I did find out that in fact Pilaff Bey was indeed Norman Douglas and Douglas wrote the book with publisher and bookseller, Giuseppe "Pino" Orioli. I bought this cookbook for outlandish reasons. It is an oddity. Pure and simple. An interesting cookbook to add to my growing collection. Happy Valentines Day! - jw

Coffee

I used to be a tea drinker. Then a black coffee drinker. Then a cream in my coffee drinker and now I am back to being a tea drinker with the occasional coffee or latté. I say occasional because compared to what I used to drink, 4-5 cups a day, it is. I did give up coffee for a while. For whatever the reasons. I know some of my friends have tried. It's hard giving it up completely because when I am in my creative mode inside the kitchen and outside of the kitchen, painting and writing, I tend to want to drink coffee. It seems that's what I want the most. The fresh aromatic smell. A nice full bodied cup... or cups of coffee. Enough to get things flowing and buzzing around the kitchen.

There is a lot of information regarding coffee. Without making this a full fledged history lesson you can always swing by your local library or search the internet to find more about the coffee bean. Here are some interesting facts I discovered:

- The country of origin Ethiopia

- Coffee is cultivated in over 70 countries

- Coffee was first thought to be used for spiritual reasons

- The process kopi luwak is the most expensive coffee at $160 per pound

- There is the story of Kaldi, a 9th century goat herder who first discovered coffee

- Folklore has it that the Oromo people would plant a coffee tree on sorcerers' graves

- During the 18th century seamen aboard British Royal Navy ships substituted coffee by dissolving burnt bread in hot water

- In 1645 the first European coffee house opened in Italy

- 1931 introduced vacuum packed cans of coffee

- Today during the decaffeination process the extracted caffeine is usual sold to the pharmaceutical industry

- Brazil is the largest exporter of coffee, Indonesia is the third largest

- Coffee is the second most traded product in the world; the first being petroleum

- Between 1998-2000 6.7 metric tons of coffee were produce each year worldwide

- Some studies suggest that coffee reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, diabetes (type 2), cirrhosis of the liver and gout

- jw

Practical Cookery

Judging by the above photo you can tell this cookbook has been around. The Practical Cookery: A Collection of Reliable Recipes complied by Amy Atkinson and Grace Holroyd With An Introduction on Cookery by Gas; Nutt & Co Ltd, Leeds. pp. 214; ii-vii index. This book doesn't mention any other additions nor does it supply a date of publication. Research shows that this cookbook could pre date 1911. From what I see I might place it anywhere from 1903 to 1930. The first gas stove came about in the 1820's. Most of them being one offs, trial and error. James Sharp was the first person to patent the gas stove in 1826 and opened a gas stove factory by 1836. In 1851 at London's World Fair a gas stove was on display but it wasn't until 1880 that the gas stove became more mainstream. More trial and error and by 1910 the first enamel gas stove made it's debut, for better fit and easier cleaning in the kitchen. It was Swedish Nobel Prize winner Gustaf Dalén in 1922 that invented the highly acclaimed AGA cooker. Without getting too carried away we can suppose the rest is history...

This cookbook is a small addition to my collection and is interesting. It covers many recipes. Some that are used today and some... well.. that are possibly not being used so much. The recipes tend to list the ingredients and give a description on how to prepare and cook each dish. If you do want to cook or bake from this book you are relying heavily on the descriptions to guide you. There is no temperature or stove top setting to help you. Measurements are in ounces or pints. So you have to know your conversions and kitchen know how to figure it out for yourself. Which can make it fun or disastrous. I made the Scotch Pancakes or Drop Scones one morning for breakfast and they turned out delicious.

The book is divided into many sections from meat to vegetables, breakfast dishes, cakes to tarts, sweet sauces to jam/fruit jellies, egg to cheese dishes and on page 188 is a section called and I quote: "Invalid Cookery: Hints on Serving Food for Invalids." Those recipes include more than one recipes for Gruel, Raw Beef Tea, Mutton Tea, Arrowroot Pudding and Port Wine Lozenges. Just reading that makes me hope I will never be sick and have to endure such antidotes... except for the Port Wine Lozenges *wink*. Enjoy your weekend! -jw

Chicken Chili Con Carne

Like a good stew, chili is another hearty meal that doesn't get overlooked. I felt like Chili Con Carne over the weekend and within no time whipped this up to satisfy my insides. I will share my recipe with you. Keep in mind I have no recipe written down. And those are the best recipes. I have made this quite often. Chili is one of the easiest recipes to play around with.

First, in a stock pot brown 1 package of ground chicken and one chopped onion together in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Stir occasionally so everything doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. I then add two crushed and chopped cloves of garlic. Stir to combined. While the chicken, onions and garlic come together chop whatever veggies you have chosen. I chopped two medium carrots, half a green pepper and half of a yellow pepper.

When chicken is browned, making sure all the meat has been cooked through, and onions are tender and slightly transparent but not over cooked, add the raw veggies. Stir together and cook for a few minutes. Just until the raw veggies have soften. I do like my veggies to still have some crunch. You may also want to put a lid on your pot to enhance the cooking time of the veggies. At this time I add some paprika, about a tablespoonful or two. When things start smelling great and veggies are to your liking...

It is time to add the beans. I chose one tin of pinto beans, drained, one tin of black beans, drained and one tin of baked beans in tomato sauce. Add whatever beans you would like. Kidney beans work well too. When choosing tins of beans I look for the lowest in sodium and use those. You may also used dried beans. Even though I am attracted to the idea of dried beans my experience has left me fussing over them too much. Stir in the beans to combined and simmer a few minutes more.

Now it is time to add the tomatoes. I used two 796ml tins of low salt diced tomatoes. That's 28 fluid ounces. Purely for convenience sake. There is nothing wrong with using tin tomatoes. You could use half tin tomatoes and half fresh tomatoes or all fresh tomatoes. Stir until tomatoes are combined. Now it is time to add the chili powder and don't be shy here. It may seem like you are adding a lot but you need to season this dish well! I added... oh about 5-6 tablespoonfuls. I wasn't measuring I just added the chili powder until I felt it tasted and looked right.

After everything has been added to the pot. Let it simmer anywhere from a half hour to an hour. Letting the spices steep into the chicken, veggies and beans. Sometimes during this stage I add a few squares of 80% dark chocolate. It adds a bit of richness and works well with the spiciness of the chili. Your place should smell fantastic by this point. Your pot brimming with hearty goodness.

I serve my chili best with a piece of rustic cornbread. You may also add a dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of grated cheddar cheese on top. - jw

Curried Corn Muffins to Share

Yesterday I posted about the Some Like it Hot Cookbook. The lovely Ms. Givens from Trend Wisely asked me to post the Curried Corn Muffin recipe. I am sharing the recipe straight from the book. Just click on the photo to enlarge and read the recipe. Seeing this photo now makes me want to make the Rich Sweet Potatoes with a Kick. Happy baking! - jw

Sing it Sugar

This is a pocket-sized gem! The Some Like it Hot Cookbook (Hollywood Hotplates): 64 pages, first edition; 1996 by Abbeville Press. With that many pages I supposed it is easy to read this cookbook from front to back. Have a laugh or two and remember scenes from the movie. The food and drink recipes are creative and fun. The contents of the book are under six titles: Cocktail Party in Upper Seven, Dinner with Sweet Sue and Her Society Syncopators, Barbecue on the Beach, Dinner at the Cuban Roadhouse, Midnight Supper on the Yacht and Birthday Banquet for Spats. Anyone who has seen the movie will gather the references in the titles.

This cookbook has movie trivia, quotes and black and white photos from the film. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is hosting a dinner party. You certainly would have a blast creating from this book. I found the recipes easy to follow and most ingredients I already had on hand. I really want to make the Curried Corn Muffins, Shortbread Doubly Endowed with Ginger, Corsetless Cream Cheese Spread and Figs in Drag.

And some like it sweet... this is the Bang-up Banana Cake with Daphne's Naturally Blonde Frosting, I made! It was devoured by all respectfully *wink* -jw