Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
One of my father-in-law’s favorite items was an old fashioned Boston Brown Bread with Boston Baked Beans. He enjoyed his bread baked the old fashioned way, it was steamed in a can!
Now I just happened to have a can left over from our recent wine making epizode!
The key is to find the right recipe and beware of many poor imitations on the net. I’ll post our recipes down the road.
Roger Freberg
I recieved an interesting email yesterday that got me to thinking a bit about how anyone learns anything. He ( it was a he) asked me how to learn to cook and I realized that this was not too different than asking someone how to begin learning to do anything. I began to think about the things I have taught; weight training, coaching, accounting, business, marketing and such. So, here are a few beginning steps in the process:
1) Build yourself a cookbook library of books that interest you. If cookies are your thing, that could be a good place to start. Most children get very excited about cooking when it involves cookies or desserts. There is nothing more enjoyable than bringing a smile on a young child’s face… which was why Halloween was really invented… for big kids like me!
2) Find a few recipes that you wish to try and don’t fret if the first things you bake are less than perfect. A cake that falls can happen to anyone. All recipes are not equal, some have more ingredients, more expensive ingredients and greater time in baking and preparation. A rule of thumb is to stay with the more expensive recipes ( requiring butter for example) because even if the recipe isn’t perfect… it should still be very nice.
Most recipes are designed around price ceilings or time constraints… if you pay less attention to these two factors, then you and those you cook for will be much happier. “30 meals in 30 minutes” tastes like no one cares.
3) Try some of the established recipes and as they say,” it is your job to follow the recipe, it is the chef’s job to be creative!” Once you have an idea of what you like… then tweaking it to your particular taste is a given!
4) Put together some logical established recipes or those you have adapted. Soon you will have a signature dish that friends will enjoy and think of you… sometimes this is all the immortality we ever have. I remember fondly some of my Grandmother’s wonderful recipes.
5) Finally, after you have studied the various recipes, tried out a few… it may be fun to create on your own. The key is not to let failures get you down… some times there is no way to improve chipped beef. That’s life… move on to what you enjoy.
Have fun!
Roger
Capt’n Rog be hearing such catterwalling and sputtering and grumbles about how he be not sharing some of his recipe secrets with ye. Barnacles and Bilge rats be saying the Capt’n is holding out on ye and leaving out key ingredients and steps in his recipes!
aye, it be sadly true.
Now , I be caught fair and square, so I be sharing some of my booty with you swabbies of the kitchen.
Me also being a seasoned sea Captain , it be only right that we talk about the best way to charter a proper course in the Captn’s own Seafood Lasagna. I hear tales it has become very popular in Hawaii by a sea wench whose exploits have commanded her a ship of her own. Me “Seafood Lasagna” has no fish swimming in it … it be only pure delight says I.
So, be me a merciful capt’n, I have put up a few maps to help with some of the more challenging obstacles ye may face along the way. These be the last friendly words ye may hear.
Under the surface, matey is where the treasure be. So, here’s a look before the sea of Mozzarella cheese is added!
Now, all you have to do is cover with cheese…. cook and enjoy!
Hope this helps!
Captn Rog
I am a bit compulsive about what I enjoy developing & cooking… and this certainly goes to desserts. There is a class of moisture laden desserts ( for example: pumpkin, zucchini breads and carrot cake) that require a bit of a hands on approach to ensure that all works out well… especially if you like making modifications. Adding apricot has been a nice recent addition.
Today, I was making a larger than usual batch of carrot cakes and cupcakes and was a bit generous with Amarula and eggs… but a quick test above, followed by an immediate taste test found all was well. Laura and Karen use a wonderful blend of cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar and Amarula for the icing… wonderful!
Laura has a meeting tonight… and we’re binging these along for those who like this sort of thing…. like me!
Roger Freberg
Obviously the cupcake above was ‘tested’ prior to the icing… but was still wonderful! Awarded: 5 Toques!
There is such a history to the use of eggplant in the foods of man… primarily as a meat substitute or meal extender throughout the ages.
Whatever the humble beginnings, it makes a nice dish in many forms, particularly if breaded and deep fried.
After a good head start from Aunt Jeanne, we worked up a new and improved version… that ws wonderful.
Roger
Yes, that is feta cheese on top … plus a whole lot more