Gastroanthropology

Burns Night Feast

Through the magic of food I went to Scotland last night for a Burns Night Feast, without actually going to Scotland. What is Burns Night you say? Well, its actually today, January 25th, the birth date of Robert Burns (1759-1796). A feast celebrates Scotland's favorite champion of the common man, poet and balladeer. He is best known for poems like A Red, Red Rose; To A Louse; the famous Auld Lang Syne; and, of course the Address To A Haggis.

A celebration dedicated to a man who writes a poem about boiled lamb and beef innards with oatmeal? The Scots really are a fabulous bunch. Burns Night Feasts feature Scottish classics and copious amounts of whiskey.

Last night at Mudchute Kitchen's Burns Night Feast we had:

Haggis is a must for any Burns Night Feast. Rumor has it that the best haggis in all the world comes from Macsween's. The haggis was so flavorful and delicious, and of the few times I've had haggis, this was the first time I can truly say I enjoyed the flavor. Macsween's also has a vegetarian haggis that is tasty as well. The haggis was served alongside another Scottish dish, Neeps 'n' Tatties, or turnips (more likely rutabaga's in the winter) and mashed potatoes.

Before addressing the haggis, we had Cullen Skink. I first tried this smoked haddock soup last spring on the Isle of Skye, and was very excited to have another taste. The smoked haddock stands up to the potato and cream perfectly making the most scrumptious soup.

For dessert, Caledonian Cream was served. It's whipped cream cheese and heavy cream with orange marmalade and whiskey. Chunky orange peel marmalade is actual of Scottish origin, invented in Dundee in the late 1700s. 

Thinking of your own Burns Night Feast? You could also include some other Scottish favorites like Cock-a-Leekie, a Scottish chicken soup with leeks and prunes; Scottish smoked salmon; Caboc, a rich, creamy cheese rolled in oats and Scotland's oldest, dating back to the 1400s; and, Typsy Laird, a dessert made with layers of sponge cake, raspberries, custard, oats, and whiskey. If in doubt, just lace everything heavily with whiskey!

The only thing missing from last night's feast was a True Scotsman!

Blueberry Pie

 

I spent some time in high school in Upstate New York. For those who don't know Upstate might as well be thousands of miles away from New York City. It's a whole 'nother world. Let's just say my new friends were under the impression that being from California meant I must be from Beverly Hills, 90210, the original. Anyway, after I got over the shock of lake-effect snow, wind-chill, sub-zero temps, and LL Bean everything, Upstate thawed into a lush, green summertime. And summertime meant bonfires and beer in middle-of-nowhere fields, blueberry picking, lake swimming, and heat lightening. It also meant a County Fair, complete with rides, cotton candy, hay bales, games, dunk-tanks, and even an appearance by Shania Twain.

While it would be a blast to see the tiny Shania belt out Man! I Feel Like A Woman! again, what I really miss about the County Fair is the food. Corn dogs, funnel cakes, super-sweet lemon ices, BBQ, kettle corn (my absolute fave and something I can't seem to recreate at home), anything and everything deep-fried, and blueberry pie. 

With homesickness and nostalgia for everything American in full force this week I thought what could be more Americana than blueberry pie? It's simple, tasty and the deep purpley-blue stains your lips and fingers (if, like me, you often end up eating food with your hands). Use your favorite pie crust recipe (need enough for a finished 9-inch covered pie, or two 12-inch rounds) and see below for the filling.

BLUEBERRY PIE adapted from the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook

 

 

• 6 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 c to 3/4 c sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 Tbs whole or all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c crème fraîche
• 1 Tbs unsalted butter, cut up

METHOD

Combine berries, sugar, nutmeg and lemon in a bowl. Cover and let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. Toss the berries with the flour and crème fraîche. Roll out your pie dough into two 12-inch rounds and press one into a pie pan. Spoon the berry mixture into the pan and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie dough round. Press, crimp, and trim the sides. Brush the top with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Make slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Bake for 15 minutes at 450F / 230C and then reduce to 375F / 190C and bake for another 45 minutes. Let pie cool for at least one hour before slicing. Make sure to wait - the blueberries will be screaming hot and as the pie cools the filling will thicken up. So worth the wait.

Serve with a little whipped crème fraîche or cream. Add a little bit of lemon zest and sugar when whipping if you'd like.  

 

A Great Escape

So I've been going like gangbusters on my thesis which means I've had little time to test recipes or even cook. Tonight's dinner is a roasted chicken (I bought it roasted) and some broccolini I'm throwing into a hot oven after drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with s+p. I was also home alone this past weekend while my husband had a man-trip with his friends so I got away with eating nectarines, yogurt, toast and caffeine for three days straight. 

The thing with the thesis is now that I'm so immersed in it I can't think about anything else. If I wake up in the middle of the night I'm thinking of things that must be included and I have to make notes because I'm afraid I'll have forgotten the thoughts come morning. 

To give my eyes and fingers a rest from my laptop I treated myself to breakfast, of course keeping to the yogurt and caffeine theme...

And then I saw my neighbor enjoying this - kippers or whole, smoked herring

And I felt like myself again. Why did this fish make me feel like myself? Well, I have a terrible habit of daydreaming. With the thesis my brain hasn't been able to daydream much, until I saw the herring.

When I was little I loved fish. The stinkier, the smellier, the better. Roll up your sleeves, fight for the eyeballs and chew and spit out the bones, loved fish. With a grandfather who was the captain of his fishing boat, fish has always been a staple in my family's household. Then, I got older and more princess like. No more stinky fish for me. I became picky and skinny as a stick. I was lovingly teased as not just a shrimp, but shrimp cocktail. My mother tried to feed me everything under the sun, but then, much to her dismay I ballooned in sixth grade. I was promptly thrown into competitive swimming which afforded me the luxury of eating whatever I wanted in whatever quantity. We won't discuss the situation at present.  

In my late teens I got involved with a guy who used his parents Amex Black like it was going out of style. My eyes were opened to world of fancy foods. Not only that, I learned to order drinks instead of just tap water, and always, always dessert. Which of course today, when you are footing the bill, can turn a reasonable meal into PB&J for the rest of the week! While I'll always be apple pie over apple tart and ribeye on the grill over filet mignon, there is something about the world of fine dining. I learned to love almost everything again. No more picky eater. Fine dining can be the best of everything cooked to perfection, with pressed napkins and polished silverware. It isn't always about the food, but the service and ambience - a great restaurant should transport you to a magical place and tantalize your tastebuds. It can also feel like a rip-off when your expectations aren't met, but that's why I do my homework. Restaurant reviews and talking to foodies. I've written about this place before and not only is the food really good, its a place that always helps me escape. 

So somehow I feel OK about spending fifteen bucks on toast, a cup of yogurt, and a latte. It wasn't really fine dining but in my defense the butter is some of the best I've had (the French kind!), the bread is always perfectly toasted and served with delicious jam, the yogurt is dressed with fresh strawberry compote and granola full of dried fruits and toasted seeds, and the latte is almost as large as a fish bowl. And I've been working really hard...

A Short Break

Wedding season has officially begun for me as Nate and I head off to Crested Butte, Colorado to watch our friends tie the knot! We will also be visiting family in other parts of the world so I'm on a very short hiatus. Should be back after one of my favorite holidays - the 4th of July! BBQ, watermelon, swimming, and celebrating our Independence - could there be a better holiday?

Long plane trips mean I'm bringing my work as my dissertation is due in less than two months. Topic? Loosely, its the Future of Urban Agriculture in London.

Urban Agriculture site near King's Cross Station in Central London

I Hate(d) Birthday Cake and My Version of the Whoopie Pie

Over the last few years, especially in America, cakes and cupcakes, have gone through some revolutionary times. Go to a birthday party today and the host has made an amazing cake or gotten one from a bakery that always seems like the best cake ever. Times have changed because there once was a time when I hated Birthday Cake. I dreaded the cake portion of any birthday party, especially because the frosting made me sick to my stomach, and I immediately wanted to call my mom to come pick me up. Thinking back I think it was because when I was growing up cakes were most likely bought from the local Safeway's and produced en mass with ingredients more suited for making plastics or cleaning solutions. I always requested cheesecakes and ice cream cakes for my birthday to avoid consumption of frosting.

Along those same lines I have never eaten anything made by Hostess. That means my lips have never touched a Twinkie, Ding Dong, Ho Ho, Sno Ball, or CupCake - you know the chocolate one filled with "cream" and with the squiggly white line across the top. Never did those appeal to me and now I won't ever eat one for fear that some of the ingredients might pickle my insides. 

The last thing I couldn't stomach as a kid - and still can't - is Marshmallow Fluff. My dad and sister used to eat the stuff spoonful by spoonful. My sister loved that the fluff would sort of fluff back up and hide the evidence of an extra spoonful eaten. It was also a key ingredient for the Whoopie Pie...a popular New England treat of marshmallow cream sandwiched in between two pieces of chocolate cake wafers.

My aversion to some of America's favorite treats doesn't mean I don't love the concept of frosting on a cake or a cream-filled chocolate treat. When done right, with real ingredients, its enough to make me feel like I've just taken a hit of the best drug ever.

So here's my version of the Whoopie Pie. Fresh whipped cream (not Marshmallow Fluff!) sandwiched between two chocolate cake wafers. 

WHOOPIE PIE

• 2 c all-purpose flour 
• 2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 6 oz butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 c sugar 
• 1 c creme fraiche  
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 Tbs brewed espresso, strong  
• 2 cups cream, for whipping 

Makes about 48 wafers when using a small ice cream scoop, or 24 pies. 

METHOD

Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Cream butter with sugar for one minute. Mix in vanilla and espresso. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the creme fraiche into the butter + sugar mixture with a wooden spoon - the mixture will be thick and sticky. Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop the batter onto sheet pans. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 F/ 180 C, or until the little chocolate cake wafers are just barely cooked through. Do not overbake - they must be soft and with no crispy edges. If they are little too puffy when out of the oven, press gently to flatten. Do this when they are hot but be careful not to burn yourself. Set out to cool completely.

Once cooled, whip fresh cream. I used fresh Jersey double cream and I usually don't sweeten my cream. If you need a little sweetness add a bit of superfine or powdered sugar when whipping. Dollop a large heap of whipped cream on the flat side of one chocolate wafer and sandwich with another. Clean up the sides if necessary. 

Eat immediately. Or, these are great frozen as an ice cream sandwich. Just wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze for single sized portions.

A perfect summer treat. With real ingredients.

I saw these gorgeous Kent strawberries at the market today so I served them alongside.