First on the First is a foray into new experiences in the kitchen! Hosted by me and Kate of Food Babbles, we post on the first of the month.
It all started out so innocently… A call upon myself to explore those kitchen challenges I always wanted to try but never got around to. I thought it was a personal goal–that I was on this journey alone–but then Kate saw my mission and soon there were two of us upon the same road. Sharing … [Read more…]
I’ve never met a bread I didn’t like. While my palate could be much more refined than it is, there’s one thing that’s universal regardless of its cuisine of origin: bread. Flat or fluffy, soft or crunchy, bread in all its forms is wonderful. Years ago, I took a History through Fiction course that focused … [Read more…]
I am not much of a fan of reality TV. There’s very little that’s real about them, to start.I also don’t like how they’re intended to play the audience like a violin. In spite of all of this, I am a junkie for Gordon Ramsay‘s shows. MasterChef. Kitchen Nightmares. And, of course, Hell’s Kitchen. It … [Read more…]
I have a confession to make: the first time I ate a steamed (pork) bun was last year. March, to be exact, when I attended the Tourism Australia luncheon. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it at first–it looked…anemic. Where was my golden crust? Why did it look under-baked? Why would I want to consume … [Read more…]
Getting Seasonal… When we plan our challenges for First on the First, we try to take the time of year into consideration. Croquembouche, for example, was set for June because it is traditionally served at French weddings and June is often thought of as the height of the wedding season. When we get to projects … [Read more…]
With Christmas only a few weeks away, we decided to try our hands at making candy canes this month for First on the First–a terrifying challenge, at least to me. Any time you’re handling burning hot lava and trying to fashion it into something edible, I get nervous. And let’s not forget, I wasn’t exactly … [Read more…]
We’re getting cheesy this month for First on the First! With homemade cheese, that is. Taking something into our own kitchens that we’ve only trusted professionals with before. After reading The Whole Fromage for my virtual book club, From Left to Write, I became quite enamored with the idea of cheesemaking. France has this wonderful … [Read more…]
Penuche is a favorite Fall treat. Often spied at fudge stands at the various Fall festivals and fairs, I’ve always associated it with this time of year–even though you can get it year-round at any decent candy store. With no plans to attend any fairs this year, it was up to me to make my … [Read more…]
Gâteau Basque is a cross between a cake, a cookie, and a pie and supposedly originated in the Basque region of France. There are two versions, according to Joe Pastry: the Basque version with a cherry filling and the French version with pastry cream. While I adore pastry cream, since I already had an abundance … [Read more…]
When you think of pickles, you probably envision spears or slices, sweet little gherkins or spicy chips, but almost always cucumber. Did you know there is a world of possibilities just waiting for you to explore outside of the humble little cuke? Were you aware that other fruits can be pickled, too? Well, now you … [Read more…]