Food Processing

This is my Cuisinart Food Processor.  I purchased it last year from a JC Penney on sale.  I pulled it from the box and used it that day.  It worked fine, so about a week later I trashed the box and receipt.  Then it broke.  The bowl cracked across the bottom.  I looked into what to do and the replacement bowl was a few dollars less than I paid for the entire thing.  So, now I just chop dry things until I can decide to upgrade to the Kitchenaid that I've got my eye on.  

This thing was used to make chicken taquitos, tahini, hummus, falafel, and crushed walnuts that I dipped some cream cheese filled, chocolate topped strawberries in.  

I love having a food processor.  The first thing my mother bought me when I got an apartment of my own was a mini-processor.  Many deviled eggs were made using that thing.  Chris dropped it and it broke about a week after the Cuisinart broke.  That is my luck and the reason I'm resisting on purchasing a larger, more expensive model. Until then, I make due with this thing.

The strawberries recipe is very simple and I made it up:

Strawberries gutted using a tomato corer
Philadelphia Cream Cheese at room temperature for easy handling
Endangered Species brand Dark Chocolate
Crushed walnuts

I melted the chocolate in a double boiler, stuffed the strawberries with the cream cheese, dipped the tops of the strawberries in the melted chocolate and then immediately into the crushed walnuts, let them cool to a solid chocolate top.  Yum.

Endangered Species Chocolate:
http://www.chocolatebar.com/?portfolio=dark-chocolate-with-cacao-nibs

JC Penney
http://www.jcpenney.com

Kitchenaid:
http://www.kitchenaid.com

Food Culture

 

The photo above is from the food I prepared one year with plans of attending a Super Bowl Party at some friends' house.  I made them from scratch, with baby portobellos, gorgonzola cheese, garlic and spices.  They were pretty laborious to make, and I didn't write the recipe down or else I would share it here today.  For that party I also made some beer bread muffins with Flying Dog Lucky SOB Irish Red Ale and they were SOOOO good.  Incidentally, I didn't get to attend the party because I poisoned my husband with the cheese which he didn't know he was allergic to.  I ended up bringing the mushrooms to work and they disappeared within 5 minutes.

The reason I'm bringing up this event from three years ago, is because of the article I've linked to below:

http://news.nationalpost.com/life/food-drink/why-do-we-prefer-food-culture-over-actual-cooking-and-what-does-that-say-about-the-future-of-food

It does make some good points about food culture.  And Michael Pollan is a genius.  But one thing that I absolutely love is to make a big meal and serve it to my guests or bring it to an event.  Sometimes I even prepare a big meal, then ask around if anyone wants to eat it and to come on over.  The process of cooking is pretty fun for me and my husband.  I know I haven't blogged since August. That is because I haven't really cooked since then.  I love restaurants, too.  And my food processor broke, but more on that in a different post.

And I recommend listening to Tim Buckley's Lorca as background to making the mushrooms.


If you're looking for some Flying Dog Lucky SOB:
http://flyingdogbrewery.com/beers/?category=Seasonal

If you're looking for info on Michale Pollan:
http://michaelpollan.com