Al Dente

Friday Links for Food Lovers, Plus Our Top Posts of 2009

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• Candy Dish Blog's series on careers in candy has us rethinking our priorities.
• Four words you don't usually see together: Toasted Sesame Red Rice. Intrigued?
• So simple even your kids can make it--Spoon Cheesecake. But can they pronounce "mascarpone"?
• To Do List: Update my coffee queue, order a sweater for my coffee cup.
• Can't find that chicken recipe? Don't worry, just Bing it.
• Think outside the box--homemade graham crackers!
• Still looking for the right new year's resolution? Spend Tuesdays with Dorie.
• What to do when you have a lot of time...and bacon:

Photo courtesy of Carl Warner, featured on Unusual Life and Mighty Optical Illusions.

In other food news, we've been looking back a little on 2009, enjoying the most popular Al Dente posts. Here are our top 10 for the year (including a few Energizer bunnies from 2008!):

• The $15 McDonald's Double Pounder
• The Secret to Great Grilled Cheeseburgers? Hint: It's Not the Cheese!
• Almost (In)Edible Photo: Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers
• KitchenMaus Want Cookie...er, Cupcake
• What's New in the Exciting World of Refrigerator Magnets
• My New Obsession: Cheap, Sharp, Colorful
• The Scotch Egg: Sphere of Goodness...or Heart-Attack-on-a-Plate?
• My Annual Turkey Baster Search Has Begun
• Three Kitchen Gadgets That Work
• Placenta-Pro--Worst Soft Drink Ever

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Friday Links for Food Lovers

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• No more excuses--Foodista serves up tips for getting in the kitchen every day.
• Warm up with Chicken Coconut Curry Soup.
• What's hot in food for 2010? You'll never guess.
• A little bite of deep-fried heaven? Fried cheese wontons.
• #1 reason to cook at home tonight: sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter sage sauce.
• #1 reason to move to Brooklyn right now: food52 is hiring! (sort of)
• Savory whipped cream. (You know you need to know.)
• Think about food all year long with these calendar recommendations from Bon Appétit.
• #1 reason never to need another Krispy Kreme: spiced rum cream-filled doughnuts:

Photo courtesy of Not So Humble Pie.

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Last-Minute Homemade Gift: A Sweet, Snowy Treat

Perfect for friends, family, neighbors, teachers, and the postman--hot cocoa in a jar. Super easy, nothing to cook, and the snowman marshmallow peeking out will win them over (it worked on me!).

Find out how to make it at The Decorated Cookie.

Happy holidays!

--KitchenMaus

Editors' Picks: Tom Douglas by Pinzon Kitchen Gifts

For the past year now, I've had the great privilege to work on Tom Douglas by Pinzon kitchen products. I've seen the process of creating these products, from initial design discussions, to Tom's own testing of each and every product. I've also been lucky to test most of them myself and several of them have become essentials in my vast array of kitchen gadgets. As minds turn to gift giving at this time of year, these products introduced by Seattle's iconic chef make wonderful gifts for the chefs in your life. Here are a few of my favorites:

• The bamboo prep-and-serve board: This lovely piece replaced the dull old workhorse cutting board of my kitchen. Nearly every person who enters my kitchen is immediately drawn to it and comments on how gorgeous it is. Plus, it's as functional as it is attractive. Super sturdy, and I love the little stainless-steel cups for gathering your ingredients in while slicing and dicing. An extra bonus: The board also works great at parties, loaded up with cheese and crackers and dips in the cups.
• In all my years, I have not used a peeler so remarkable as the line's swivel peeler. Seriously, you think a peeler is just a peeler, and then you use this one, and it slides across your fruits and veggies like butter. See it in action as Tom puts it to work. It's a sweet stocking stuffer for chef-y friends and family.
• Kitchen tweezers may not seem like a very sexy gift, but these tweezers do the trick. They've got serious grip for plucking bones out of fish or seeds out of lemons. Check out the video of Tom demonstrating pulling out salmon bones.
• The two-prong kebob skewers make the grade with grill lovers. Their design keeps food in place while grilling and flipping, even with those pesky mushrooms. The two-pack makes a lovely host and hostess gift, or just a little something extra for Dad.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out the Kitchen & Home Gift Guide, and don't miss the editors' picks from the Al Dente bloggers.

--KitchenMaus

(Black) Friday Links for Food Lovers

It's Friday again! Full up from Thanksgiving goodness, you may be wondering what other culinary challenges lie ahead. A few suggestions:

• These chocolatey waffle cookies aren't (just) for breakfast.
• Another possible breakfast choice, double chocolate pecan pie.
• Chocolate chip cookie brittle. Or, as the baker says: "Basically an entire pan of the crisp, brown-buttery, sugary edges of the very best chocolate chip cookie, aka The Best Part."
• On a healthy note, stacked pear salads that make a statement.
• And, back to the sweet stuff: chocolate caramel bars look delectable.
• Food52 serves up the Piggyback. More proof bourbon and bacon go together.
• In case you're already missing turkey, a parting shot of a super bacontastic one from Wan Life to Live:

Photo courtesy of Wan Life to Live

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, you might also be looking for Black Friday deals. Check out Amazon's deals on kitchen and dining essentials, while supplies last:

• KitchenAid Professional 6-quart stand mixer in Meringue
• Keurig Elite Gourmet single-serve coffeemaker
• Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus food processor
• Tom Douglas by Pinzon 10-inch chef's knife
• Mikasa Parchment Red 40-piece dinnerware set
• Pinzon wine box stand

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

My (Last) Ultimate Gourmet Magazine Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday--and no wonder...it centers around food! Like most people, I have Thanksgiving recipes I cherish and look forward to 364 days of the year. I also have a tradition I look forward to each year--devouring the Thanksgiving issue of Gourmet magazine and dreaming up my ultimate Thanksgiving dinner from the menus they recommend (see: 2007, 2008). This year is bittersweet, of course. With the demise of Gourmet, I nearly cried when I opened my mailbox and pulled out the Thanksgiving issue. One more time, with feeling, my ultimate Gourmet magazine Thanksgiving dinner:

• Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs
• Golden Onion Pie
• Cider-Glazed Turkey
• Rye Bread Stuffing
• Cranberry and Celery Relish
• Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potatoes and Acorn Squash
• Sautéed Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Chile and Mint
• Toasted Sweet Corn Pudding
• Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle
• Grape and Almond Frangipane Tart

Thanks Gourmet, for all the Thanksgiving dreams. Happy eating, everyone!

--KitchenMaus

This Skimmer's a Winner!

The Vine Voices loved the Tom Douglas by Pinzon chef's board and they've found another winner in the new brand's bamboo-handled skimmer. An essential kitchen tool for Tom, he uses it in his restaurants to skim wontons, dumplings, ravioli, gnocchi, and more from oil, broth, or water. It's easy to see that the Vine Voices have also found numerous reasons to consider the skimmer an essential in their own kitchens, making the tool a handy helper for everything from tomatoes for canning to hops for brewing. Here's what a few of them wrote in their Amazon customer reviews:

Margaret Thomas "tygerkittn" says, Sturdy, love the long handle
This is very nice! I've had it for a couple of months, and it's very sturdy and works very well. My husband also uses it for his home brew, to lift the hops bag out of the boiling water and let it drain, or something like that (I try not to go in the kitchen when he's brewing!) We both like it, it's a good price for a kitchen tool like this.

Renaissance Man says, Well made, but rather large
This skimmer is well made when compared to most inexpensive bamboo implements. It is about 22 inches long and will probably need to hang somewhere on a hook. It seems ideal for a very large outdoor wok or perhaps to remove something from a deep stock pot.

Billie Vanderburg "Smart Shopper" says, Better Than Expected
This is a 'must have' kitchen tool. It is extremely handy for lifting large objects from boiling water, such as all my tomatoes I canned this summer. They were a breeze to lift in and out of the water for skinning. I'm sure this would work just as well for peaches, but unfortunately, we didn't have a crop of peaches this year. But when we do, I will be ready with my lifter!

Sid V "Sid" says, Really Well Made
I've ordered some of the other Pinzon products with mixed results. I guess the Tom Douglas line is the premium line from Pinzon since this product is way over the top in terms of quality. The fit and finish is excellent in every regard. This is a large skimmer that is best used for a large pot; the one you would use for pasta. I found this product very easy to use when fishing out ravioli. If you are looking for a large skimmer, I highly recommend this.

Looking for more Tom Douglas products? Check out the Tom Douglas by Pinzon Store.

--KitchenMaus

Amazon Vine is a program that allows real Amazon.com customers to review new products. Highly respected Amazon reviewers are sent products and asked to critique them. With reviews on the products' detail pages often before the items are on sale, you can purchase or pre-order with confidence, knowing you have honest, objective opinions from your fellow customers. Amazon does not influence the opinions of Amazon Vine members, nor do we edit or modify their reviews. (Learn more about Amazon Vine)

Tom Douglas's Epicurean Chef's Board Makes the Cut

With the holidays right around the corner, my mind has been on all the food prep work in my very near future. With everything from sweet potatoes to slice to onions to chop, not to mention one very large bird to deal with, I've been checking out the customer reviews on several cutting boards at Amazon. The Tom Douglas by Pinzon Epicurean chef's board comes in at 4-1/2 stars with Amazon customers and at 15 by 20 inches is big enough to handle elaborate holiday slicing and dicing tasks. It has a groove to catch liquids, perfect for roasts and other juicy endeavors. Plus, it's heat-safe for those emergency where-can-I-set-this-hot-pan moments, and dishwasher-safe...though you'd better have a big dishwasher! Here's what Amazon's dedicated Vine Voices had to say about it:

Kathryn Bennett says,  Really large, useful cutting board
This cutting board is large enough for most any roast, even a turkey. It is dishwasher safe but it is so large that I can only fit it in my dishwasher if I lie it flat on the top shelf. It does not fit in my kitchen cabinets either but I was able to hang it from my Metro rack pantry using a large hook. The square hole in one corner is very useful for hanging and also for carrying the board when empty. Even though it is stylishly thin, it is quite heavy (and sturdy) but no heavier than a thick wooden board of the same size. Since the board is so large, the juice slot actually holds a lot of juice even though it is fairly shallow. I use a turkey baster to suck juices out of the slot since it would be awkward to pour from such a large cutting board. The juices taste pure, without the woody/sawdust taste that my previous heavy wooden cutting board imparted. (read the full review)

Gaz Rendar says, Top of the line...and largest in the line
I've been using this Epicurean/Pinzon cutting board for about a month now and it is an outstanding tool for most kitchens. I have a smaller Epicurean that I've used for a year and it's my favorite cutting board for everyday use. This particular cutting board is a lot more specialized to me, though, because of its sheer size. The surface of the board has a nice smooth finish to it, but it does get nicked up over time with regular usage. Based on using other Epicurean boards, I expect this board's long term durability to hold up just fine. The board does have some heft to it, so even though it has a small cut-out square at the top that can be used to hang it, you better have a strong hook to hold it. Both sides of the board perform well, and the black "juice moat" does a nice job catching liquid when you are cutting a juicy roast or something of the like on it. I noticed some reviewers mention that the board will slip when cutting on it, but I never had that problem while working on my kitchen island that has a finished wood surface. (read the full review)

A. Darling says, Substantial and well designed
I love that a lot of thought was put into this cutting board from the groove to catch juices, to the slot to hang it from a hook, to be dishwasher safe! This is a very large and slightly heavy cutting board but perfect for cutting roasts or other large items. The look is quite contemporary but could fit well into more traditional kitchens as well. If this is how well the entire Tom Douglas (a great chef from a great foodie city) I am going to be looking at his collection!

John N. Schear says, Double WOW
The Board is absolutely perfect in every way from my standpoint. The size (15X20) fits my preparation area perfectly. For my uses this is the perfect cutting board. To use and test its attributes I used a 7 pound beef roast and an 8 pound roasted hen. (At different times, I might add.) Each piece of meat has different demands on the meat cutter. (I prefer not to use the word butcher due to the manner in which I cut the meat. To call me a butcher would be an overstatement.) Regardless, the beef stayed in place without having the board slip and slide all over the counter. The same with the turkey even though the turkey took more effort to cut the results were the same: perfection thanks to the board. I really like the slots that capture the excess liquid in the meat. It is big enough to hold the runoff and cutting can continue without a need to have an extra paper towel to get the runoff. The weight of the board is deceiving. It looks flimsy; however, it is far from that. It is sturdy and well made. Even the hole is properly located in such a manner that it is handy and large enough to be placed over almost any hook in the kitchen. Great job and kudos to Tom Douglas and Pinzon. (read the full review)

Looking for more details on this cutting board? Check out this video of Tom Douglas, showing off his chef skills--plus, get some nice tips on serving up a lamb roast!

--KitchenMaus

Amazon Vine is a program that allows real Amazon.com customers to review new products. Highly respected Amazon reviewers are sent products and asked to critique them. With reviews on the products' detail pages often before the items are on sale, you can purchase or pre-order with confidence, knowing you have honest, objective opinions from your fellow customers. Amazon does not influence the opinions of Amazon Vine members, nor do we edit or modify their reviews. (Learn more about Amazon Vine)

Bundt Pans: Everything Old Is New Again

If you thought there'd be nothing new to say about Bundt cake pans, you'd be wrong. Sure, Nordic Ware has been producing them since 1946, and their classic pan has looked more-or-less the same through the years. But, with Nordic Ware's recent makeover of their classic, bestselling pan, everything old is new again.

Considering myself somewhat of a Bundt afficionado, I was game to try the new pan, though, frankly, couldn't see how much could be improved upon the model I'd been using for years, which was nonstick, cooked evenly, and was easy to clean. As it turned out, I was completely wowed by the new pan!

The pan, part of Nordic Ware's Platinum Collection, now sports a shimmery inner nonstick coating, that by far, produces the most perfect-looking cake I have ever seen. After unmolding my cake, I actually gaped at its perfection, then summoned my husband to take a look--just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. The surface of the cake was so smooth and even, it was almost as if it had a mirror finish. 

Inside and out, the pan's heavy cast-aluminum composition make for extremely consistent baking. I also appreciated the larger handles on this model, making it so easy to move from oven to counter, not to mention when turning out the still-hot cake.

The Platinum Collection also boasts an array of other shapes and sizes, including the interesting Kugelhopf shape that makes a very tall and elegant cake. I test drove this pan with Nordic Ware's  Caramel Apple Spice cake mix, one of several other mixes now available from Nordic Ware, including Sticky Toffee Pudding, Tunnel of Fudge, and Zesty Lemon. The pan's nonstick coating impressed yet again, and the apple cake was a hit with friends and family. The package includes a recipe for a quick caramel sauce to pour over the cooled cake. I made the sauce, and it was a delicious accent, though the cake itself was moist enough that it didn't need any frosting at all. Another winner from Nordic Ware!

Cake prep shown here on the Tom Douglas by Pinzon Prep-and-Serve Board.

--KitchenMaus

Who's Your Drink Daddy?

The makers of the Drink Daddy recently sent over one of their new beverage stations for us to test drive. With a little fall backyard shindig in the works, the gadget went home with me for the weekend. It was a short stay for the little guy, but, as it turned out, a welcome one.

Simple to assemble, the Drink Daddy comes in several sunny colors, perfect for outdoor entertaining. The table portion is made of marine-grade Sunbrella fabric, which not only means I don't need to worry about snacktime spills, but I also don't feel weighed down with the responsibility of bringing it in during every rainstorm. (Hey, I have enough other things to worry about!)

What I really liked about the Drink Daddy though, was just the overall handiness of it. I can't tell you how many times I've wished I had a little side table for parties. And this one is ultra functional. Not only can guests put their drinks in the holders (great when it's your turn at croquet), but I love the idea of putting dips in each of the pockets, and chips and crackers in the center. It's like a portable lazy Susan. With really long legs.

The Drink Daddy also has cool flexibility for using it in all locations. You can put it out on the lawn using the bottom spike, or you can affix the base accessory (sold separately) and turn it into a patio table. And, although it definitely wouldn't match my living room décor, I've been thinking how cool it would be for game day or movie night in front of the TV. It would even be fun for a buffet or a barbecue--putting the condiments or the table settings in the pockets.

According to photos at Amazon, the Drink Daddy is a bit of a rambling man, showing up at the beach, at campgrounds, and in the snow. Have backpack, will travel!

Overall, a thumbs up for fun and functionality!

--KitchenMaus

Sweepstakes Alert: Win a Dream Kitchen at Amazon

If you're an avid cook but need more kitchen gear to really show off your skills, or you've ever planned to remodel your kitchen...but never quite gotten around to it, you'll want to check out the Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes at Amazon.com this week. Part of 10 weeks of giveaways in Amazon's Wish List 10th Anniversary Sweepstakes, Week 2 showcases premier kitchen brands like KitchenAid, Jura-Capresso, Wüsthof, OXO, Mario Batali, and more. Just take a look at some of the prizes:

• KitchenAid Architect Series II range, refrigerator, and dishwasher--style and function unite in these major appliances, making your kitchen a pleasure to cook in.
• KitchenAid's 90th Anniversary stand mixer in Candy Apple Red...plus, get this, all the accessories for making pasta, sausages, ice cream, and more.
• A Jura-Capresso espresso machine that does everything but brush your teeth for you in the morning.
• Colorful cookware from celebrity chefs Paula Deen and Mario Batali.
• 63 pieces of innovative OXO kitchen utensils and accessories.
• Wüsthof Classic Ikon knives that will make the cut for years to come.
• A selection of Pyrex cooking and food storage essentials--classics in the kitchen for generations.
• Baker's Secret cake, muffin, and loaf pans. Because you should never pass up dessert.

Ready to enter? See official rules for details. No purchase necessary. Enter by October 18, 2009.

Need more information? Check out the sweepstakes FAQ.

Love sweepstakes, but not cooking? Check out all 10 weeks of prizes, including a Kindle extravaganza, a photographer's dream package, a little Disney magic, high-def heaven, and more.

Good luck!

--KitchenMaus

Friday Links for Food Lovers--Fall Cooking Edition

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• It's squash season! Get to it with this acorn squash recipe from Savory Sweet Life.
• Foodista sets you up to impress the fans with your tailgating mastery.
• Fahrenheit 350 serves up adorably witchy Halloween baking ideas kids and parents will love.
• Comfort food--one good-looking tuna noodle casserole.
• The ultimate internet time waster for burger lovers--the Cheese & Burger Society.
• New site Refrigerator Soup helps you discover the best of the foodie web. Such as this:
• Baked by Joanna's fondant "embellishments" for cupcakes and cakes immediately won us over:

Photo courtesy of Baked by Joanna

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, don't miss the Halloween baking supplies we're loving this week:

• Wilton Haunted Manors skull cakelet pan
• Ghost, witch, and pumpkin copper cookie cutters
• Spider icing decorations for all your baked goods
• Creepy sugar eyeballs, perfect for cupcakes and mini cupcakes
• Character cupcake toppers
• Jumbo ghost sprinkles in orange, black, and white
• Candy pretzel molds in witch and mummy designs
• Haunted Manor cupcake wrappers and cupcake boxes

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Friday Links for Food Lovers, Plus Set-It-and-Forget-It Kitchen Appliances

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• food52. If you're a home chef and haven't heard of this yet, you need to. Now.
  
• The New York Times reports on the building recipe wiki revolution.
• On the opposite coast, the Los Angeles Times gets personal with Mario Batali.
• Let's go international--Telegraph.co.uk showcases flags made from countries' regional foods.
• Fall means...changing leaves, squash, cozy sweaters, and...chocolate? Apparently.
• The 20 biggest chef empires--it's like football rankings for foodies!
• Food for thought: An ode to American cheese.
• Make your own gummi candies!
• A cello birthday cake--a perfect marriage of music and food!
• S'mores link of the week: Annie's Eats' s'mores cake:

Photo courtesy of Annie's Eats.

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, don't miss the set-it-and-forget-it kitchen appliances we're loving this week:

• Cuisinart's 4-quart programmable slow cooker
• Sanyo's micro-computerized rice cooker
• Breadman's 2-pound breadmaker

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Friday Links for Food Lovers, Plus Slow Cookers Come into Season

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• DO try this at home--making mozzarella!
• In related news, you could make your own bacon.
• Fair season may be coming to a close, but you can keep the taste going year-round with corn dog lip balm.
• Or just, you know, make real corn dogs.
• Foodista's 10 Foods to Eat Right Now makes the most of seasonal ingredients.
• A Microplane grater does double duty in the kitchen.
• Cook Local offers up a tantalizing recipe for oven-roasted potatoes spiked with pancetta.
• Put those end-of-season green tomatoes to good use--with cheese please!
• Better than banana bread? Banana bars with vanilla-bean cream-cheese frosting!
• Raspberry Balls--a new use for Jell-O, that surprisingly, doesn't actually make Jell-O.
• Get a quick dessert fix with chocolate and banana bread pudding made in the microwave.
• Bon Appétit showcases a tempting array of make-at-home pizzas and proves that eggs aren't just for breakfast:

Photo by Misha Gravenor, courtesy of bonappetit.com

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, don't miss Melissa's kick-off of slow-cooker season with her review of the All-Clad slow cooker. Other models we love:

• Cuisinart's 4-quart stainless-steel slow cooker (Read our review)
• Hamilton Beach's set-it-and-forget-it 6-quart slow cooker
• Proctor Silex's cutie-pie 1-1/2-quart slow cooker

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Friday Links for Food Lovers

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• Brian Bacontano? When you ask the question, "What would Brian Boitano make?" evidently the answer is: "Bacon."
• And speaking of bacon, finally, a way to legitimize beer for breakfast! Foodista offers up beer-glazed bacon.
• For another major food group, check out this slide show of ice cream recipes from Gourmet. 
• Ground-breaking snack technology! Esquival has managed to impregnate a rice crispy treat with ice cream! Leapin' lizards!
• What not to drink: Apparently, Absolut Boston. In case the name was enticing you.
• Crock-Pot leaps into the 21st century with its own slow-cooker recipe finder iPhone app.
• Squash-blossom mania! Foodista fries up a cheesy-herby batch, and offers a selection of summery recipes.
• How to make grilled cheese...with an iron.
• Cupcake link of the week: Adorable Coco Cake Cupcakes:

 

Photo courtesy of Coko Cake Cupcakes

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

The Pinzon Apple Peeler and Why Amazon Customers Are the Best

My 2-year-old recently decided he loved apples and that they were to be his new favorite snack food. Eager to encourage his healthful obsession, I bought a large bag of apples...only to discover that if I didn't core the apple for him, well...he'd just eat it whole, seeds and all. Now there's an apple lover for you! So, I went about looking into apple coring gadgets, hoping to satisfy his sometimes urgent snack needs with little frustration on my part.

Working at Amazon, I happened to have access to the Pinzon apple peeler, corer, and slicer, which I am taking home tonight to amaze my little one with its twirling apple efficiency. However, sitting here at my desk looking at it for the first time, I had to wonder--how the heck do you use this thing?!

Now, as not only an Amazon employee, but also a frequent shopper, I knew my fact-finding mission needed to start with the customer reviews on the product page. And, let me tell you, I was not disappointed! In fact, I was more impressed than I have ever been with our customers! Not only did I learn from three different video reviews all the features of this new gadget and precisely how to peel, core, and slice an apple (and a potato too), but, I also learned from Timothy B. Riley, how to use this gadget to make fried sushi, duck with a fig and port-wine reduction and fried potato ribbons, and gluten-free vegetable pasta. Amazon customers are the best! Thanks Timothy, and everyone else out there who has taken the time to educate and enlighten shoppers like me!

--KitchenMaus

Friday Links for Food Lovers, Plus Foodista's Top Food Reads

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• Find that endless summer with these s'mores cookies.
• Mad Men link of the week: Foodista crawls the web for food befitting the maddest of Mad Men fans.
• Our friends the Lee Bros. do all the hard work for us--check out their article on America's best barbecue joints.
• Calling all bacon photographers! Don't miss the Official Bacon Photo Contest!
• Speaking of bacon, don't miss 100 Ways to Use a Strip of Bacon over on Endless Simmer.
• Send kids back to school with these homemade Cranberry Coconut Granola Bars.
• One more thing we bet you never thought to make at home: English muffins! They look divine!
• Sweets to swoon over--Lottie + Doof's dreamy Chocolate Caramel Tart:

Photo courtesy of Lottie + Doof.

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, don't miss the Foodista's top 10 food reads, including:

1. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
2. The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn
3. Heat by Bill Buford

Hop on over to Foodista to view the full list!

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

Guest Blogger Alice Currah: Nothing Beats a Cupcake Made from Scratch and Baked with Love

Alice Currah loves to bake and cook. Currently raising three kids at home, she's also the creator and photographer of recipe-food blog SavorySweetLife.com. Prior to having children, her design and restaurant experience led her to open her own wedding cake business. A Seattle native, she can often be found drinking coffee, eating chocolate, and developing recipes. We are thrilled to have her guest blogging today on Al Dente, especially since she's sharing a recipe we all had the good fortune of taste testing--this is one chocolatey sensation you won't want to miss!

Since I was a little girl, just the very sight of a cupcake brought a huge grin to my face and instant happiness to my heart. Just the anticipation of eating one would momentarily whisk away my troubles and make the day complete.

Cupcakes are nostalgic--every bite satisfies a need to connect with memories and personalities we cherish. That special day with my favorite cupcake flavor always brings me to a giddy place. Whimsical little cakes with a mound of frosting and rainbow sprinkles...so delicious and left to made you feel so fussed over! Even looking at Jessie Oleson’"Cuppie" illustrations on Cakespy.com can bring a smile to the burliest and brawniest.

Nothing beats a cupcake made from scratch and baked with love. A current favorite in my household are chocolate espresso cupcakes frosted with chocolate ganache. The kids enjoy the chocolate truffle-like frosting while my husband and our friends love the rich and decadent Frangelico-flavored ganache. The marriage of chocolate and hazelnut liqueur results in a sophisticated cupcake not for the faint of heart. For those of you who appreciate a twist on a classic cake made new, I present to you Alice’s Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Frangelico Ganache. Enjoy!

Alice’s Espresso Chocolate Cupcakes with Frangelico Ganache
Makes approximately 40 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Frangelico Chocolate Ganache *see below
2 shots espresso with 1-3/4 cups hot water (Americano), or substitute 2 cups hot strong coffee
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (11-1/4 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs

 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, mix cocoa powder and Americano/coffee until it looks like a smooth chocolate sauce; set aside to cool. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until nice and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Slowly add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until batter and mix for 2 minutes. Add chocolate-coffee sauce mixture and mix the cake batter for 3 minutes on medium-high or until the batter is smooth.

2. Fill each muffin cup until 2/3 full. Bake about 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing and allow to cool on a wire rack. Frost each cupcake with a heap of Frangelico chocolate ganache.  

Enjoy!

Frangelico Ganache

Ingredients:
16 ounces high-quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons Frangelico hazelnut liqueur

 

Directions:
In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil and immediately turn heat off.  Add chocolate to the cream, stirring constantly until chocolate ganache is smooth. Add Frangelico liqueur and allow ganache to cool.  

*For more information on different ways to use ganache as frosting, see this post I recently wrote on SavorySweetLife.com titled, “Simply Glorious: Chocolate Ganache 3 Ways.”

--Alice Currah

Friday Links for Food Lovers, Plus Four Unusual Fruit Tools

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• It's Italian! It's Mexican! It's...Taco Stuffed Shells!
• Throw a Mad Men dinner party this Sunday for episode two of the new season.
• Duck-fat doughnuts filled with duck confit. Well, I'm speechless.
• More filled goodness: Nutella Banana Gyoza. Yum.
• How to make ice cream with just one ingredient--and no ice cream maker!
• Pop Quiz: Pizza or Dessert? I pick option three.
• Save money (though not time) by making an entire Chinese buffet at home!
• Another way to pocket some change--make your own chocolate syrup.
• Picking just one of these amazingly cute bento boxes to showcase was the hardest part of my day so far. You'd better click through and see them all.

Photo courtesy of Adventures in Bentomaking

While you're out and about, reading up on food news, also check out these fun fruit tools that take all the work out of that fruit salad you're making:

• OXO's mango splitter
• Vacu Vin's pineapple slicer
• Orka's grapefruit cutter
• Vacu Vin's melon slicer

Did I miss a not-to-be-missed foodie link from this past week? Add a comment or tweet at me!

Have a great weekend!

--KitchenMaus

If We Were on Top Chef...Al Dente Editors Cook Up Their Vices

If you caught the season six opener of Top Chef last night, you witnessed the competitors' vices plated and on display. Alcohol, hot tempers (sort of), procrastination, and bacon (of course) all danced before the judges. Never ones just to sit back and watch, the Al Dente editors got together today to discuss their own vices and the dishes they'd dream up to wow the judges.

• Spanno's vices: alcohol, raw meat
  • Dish: Sweet and Spicy Drunken Kobe Cheese Steak Sashimi: A Philly cheese steak made with raw Kobe beef slices drenched in a beer-cheese sauce and topped with a mix of sweet and hot peppers
• Brad Thomas Parsons's vices: bourbon, ice cream, pork, fried food
  • Dish: Deep-Fried Vanilla-Malt Ice Cream with Bacon Brittle and a Bourbon-Salted-Caramel Sauce and a chaser of Pappy Van Winkle’s 15-Year Family Reserve
    
• A.J. Rathbun's vice: being entertained by having too much going on at once
  
  • Dish: 100-ingredient mole over veggie-and-cheese stuffed rellenos with a side of saffron-infused Spanish rice topped with a jicama salsa
• KitchenMaus's vices: sweets, particularly chocolate; salt; unusual ingredients
  
  • Dish: A sundae of deep dark chocolate brownie with fleur-de-sel caramel ice cream, liquid ganache (poured on top after serving), candied rosemary, and brown-sugar-glazed salted cashews
• Amanda Luthy's vice: being temperamental
  • Dish: Garlicky quinoa with grilled lemon-cilantro eggplant, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and pine nuts
• Monsieur Hulot's vice: all things Mad Men
  • Dish: Prime rib with Stilton, with a side of brandy-infused mashed potatoes and a Nat Sherman real-mint cigarette for dessert

Vote for the winning dish by adding a comment! Or, comment on your own vice and the dish you'd serve.

--KitchenMaus