Lynn Flewelling's Blog, page 54
January 4, 2011
Recipe: Gingerbread Cake
A combination of cold weather and the new issue of Cook's Illustrated, plus needing something tasty to serve at sangha tonight (our second anniversary!) spurred me to try this unusual recipe for gingerbread cake. What caught my eye initially was the first ingredient: stout. We just happened to have some oatmeal stout in the fridge, and since I'm a chronic risk taker when it comes to making food for other people, I decided to try out the recipe out on my friends.
Classic Gingerbread Cake (Serves 8-10)
Heat oven to 350F Grease and flour an 8 x 8" square pan.
3/4 C. stout
1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
Bring stout to a boil in a saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. It will foam. When that stops stir in:
2/3 C. mild molasses
3/4 C. light brown sugar
1/4 C. regular sugar
In large bowl, whisk together:
1 1/2 C. flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Whisk into stout mixture:
2 large eggs
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger root.
Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture in thirds, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Pour batter into pan and bake 35-45 min, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours. Cut into squares.
Cook's Illustrated Feb. 2011 issue
Classic Gingerbread Cake (Serves 8-10)
Heat oven to 350F Grease and flour an 8 x 8" square pan.
3/4 C. stout
1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
Bring stout to a boil in a saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. It will foam. When that stops stir in:
2/3 C. mild molasses
3/4 C. light brown sugar
1/4 C. regular sugar
In large bowl, whisk together:
1 1/2 C. flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Whisk into stout mixture:
2 large eggs
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger root.
Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture in thirds, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Pour batter into pan and bake 35-45 min, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 1 1/2 hours. Cut into squares.
Cook's Illustrated Feb. 2011 issue
Holy Revisionist History, Batman!
The N word is being taken out of Huck Finn?
From NPR
"The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.
As PW says, "for decades, [Huckleberry Finn] has been disappearing from grade school curricula across the country, relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright, appearing again and again on lists of the nation's most challenged books, and all for its repeated use of a single, singularly offensive word."
One of the scholars, Alan Gribben of Auburn University, tells PW that "this is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind. ... Race matters in these books. It's a matter of how you express that in the 21st century." (The edited Huck Finn will be included in a volume with Tom Sawyer.)"
NewSouth Books, eh? Hmmmmmm. Instead, they will be called "slaves." Yeah, that's going to play well in dialog.
I don't like the N word. I don't think I've ever uttered it, and certainly not at an African American. Hell, I can't even bring myself to type it! But it's an integral part of that book, helping to evoke the time and place. Am I, at some point, going to be asked to change "whore" and "bawd" to "sex worker"? This literary bowdlerism smacks of the pope who hired an artist to paint pants on Michelangelo's nudes on the Cistine Chapel ceiling. (Who became known to history as Pantalone.)
Yes, the N word is offensive, then and now. Deal with it. Really, work on it and deal with it. Don't pretend it didn't happen.
Words matter! The authorial text matters! Political correctness likes this peddles the pablum of supposed societal morays, when in fact it's a manifestation of our discomfort with the past. School children should be exposed to that word in that context. It needs to be examined and discussed. Otherwise why not just give them the Cliff Notes, or those watered down children's classics versions?
That's one of my all time favorite books, and this disgusts me.
Discussion welcome.
From NPR
"The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.
As PW says, "for decades, [Huckleberry Finn] has been disappearing from grade school curricula across the country, relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright, appearing again and again on lists of the nation's most challenged books, and all for its repeated use of a single, singularly offensive word."
One of the scholars, Alan Gribben of Auburn University, tells PW that "this is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind. ... Race matters in these books. It's a matter of how you express that in the 21st century." (The edited Huck Finn will be included in a volume with Tom Sawyer.)"
NewSouth Books, eh? Hmmmmmm. Instead, they will be called "slaves." Yeah, that's going to play well in dialog.
I don't like the N word. I don't think I've ever uttered it, and certainly not at an African American. Hell, I can't even bring myself to type it! But it's an integral part of that book, helping to evoke the time and place. Am I, at some point, going to be asked to change "whore" and "bawd" to "sex worker"? This literary bowdlerism smacks of the pope who hired an artist to paint pants on Michelangelo's nudes on the Cistine Chapel ceiling. (Who became known to history as Pantalone.)
Yes, the N word is offensive, then and now. Deal with it. Really, work on it and deal with it. Don't pretend it didn't happen.
Words matter! The authorial text matters! Political correctness likes this peddles the pablum of supposed societal morays, when in fact it's a manifestation of our discomfort with the past. School children should be exposed to that word in that context. It needs to be examined and discussed. Otherwise why not just give them the Cliff Notes, or those watered down children's classics versions?
That's one of my all time favorite books, and this disgusts me.
Discussion welcome.
Company
A big brown cricket has taken up residence on the windowsill of my office. I hope he eats ants. I haven't heard him/her sing yet.
January 3, 2011
10 Things I learned from J.R.R. Tolkien
Happy Birthday J.R.R Tolkien! Ah, Tolkien! How I've loved you these many years. He'd have been 119 today, a ripe old age for a hobbit, a mere pup for an elf, worm food for a human.
Doug introduced me to LOTR in 8th grade, I think. I'm pretty sure it was the first high fantasy I ever read. Like many of you, I used to read the cycle once a year. A bit of trivia: By my calculations, Frodo's flight at the ford happens on Oct. 20, my birthday. :-)
Was he an influence on my writing? Absolutely.
Here are 10 things I learned from Tolkien. There are lots more, of course, but 10 is a good round number.
1. Create complex and fully realized worlds
2. Let my characters talk like real people, not stilted actors
3. Appreciate the little guy's ability to contribute. Heroes don't have to be nobles
4. Pay attention to weather and time of year
5. Know my back history of a world
6. Mix humor and horror, history and action, etc.
7. Keep magic within boundaries so that it doesn't replace the actions of the heroes
8. Include food!
9. You can go a long way on foot.
10. The journey is as important as the destination.
Doug introduced me to LOTR in 8th grade, I think. I'm pretty sure it was the first high fantasy I ever read. Like many of you, I used to read the cycle once a year. A bit of trivia: By my calculations, Frodo's flight at the ford happens on Oct. 20, my birthday. :-)
Was he an influence on my writing? Absolutely.
Here are 10 things I learned from Tolkien. There are lots more, of course, but 10 is a good round number.
1. Create complex and fully realized worlds
2. Let my characters talk like real people, not stilted actors
3. Appreciate the little guy's ability to contribute. Heroes don't have to be nobles
4. Pay attention to weather and time of year
5. Know my back history of a world
6. Mix humor and horror, history and action, etc.
7. Keep magic within boundaries so that it doesn't replace the actions of the heroes
8. Include food!
9. You can go a long way on foot.
10. The journey is as important as the destination.
January 1, 2011
Today's Buddhist Thought
Happy New Year!
"Because you are alive, everything is possible."
— Thich Nhat Hanh
"Because you are alive, everything is possible."
— Thich Nhat Hanh
December 31, 2010
Good Bye, 2010
Happy New Year's Eve, folks. Tonight the event will be marked in typical fashion at Casa Flewelling-- games, champagne, and trying to stay awake until midnight.
This past year was a blur and I'm hard pressed to do much of a run down.
May was good: White Road came out and Writing on the Waves I was a grand success.
September was also good: Glimpses came out and is still doing amazingly well.
Casket of Souls is progressing and the end is in sight. Really, it is!
Made some new friends.
Some things I'd hoped for, like the Nightrunner Tarot deck and movie, didn't materialize, but there's always 2011.
Both of my sons are employed!
Overall, it was a good year.
This past year was a blur and I'm hard pressed to do much of a run down.
May was good: White Road came out and Writing on the Waves I was a grand success.
September was also good: Glimpses came out and is still doing amazingly well.
Casket of Souls is progressing and the end is in sight. Really, it is!
Made some new friends.
Some things I'd hoped for, like the Nightrunner Tarot deck and movie, didn't materialize, but there's always 2011.
Both of my sons are employed!
Overall, it was a good year.
Today's Best Typo
"He also introduced us to Duke R. Quite the gambler, the dick."
2011 Cruise Update
Our travel agent has informed me that the guaranteed price of the Writing on the Waves II workshop cruise ends on Jan. 3, although you can still sign up for the cruise, and the rates may or may not go up. (Scratching head) Space still available, with a mix of past students and new faces signed up already!
For the latest updates and to chat with past students and new ones, you can also check out the FB page!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104747006228661&ref=mf
Cruise sign up page: http://connectiontocruise.vacationport.net/OfferDetail.asp?PriceId=1992821&TripId=463603&EmailId=&ReferralType=3&ReferralId=463603
For the latest updates and to chat with past students and new ones, you can also check out the FB page!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=104747006228661&ref=mf
Cruise sign up page: http://connectiontocruise.vacationport.net/OfferDetail.asp?PriceId=1992821&TripId=463603&EmailId=&ReferralType=3&ReferralId=463603
December 30, 2010
Good Kindle News, Everyone!
I just received word that Amazon now allows you to lend your e-books through your Kindle! While I was offered the option to opt out of this program with Glimpses, I'm not going to. It's limited, unfortunately. You can only lend a given book once, for some reason, and only for 14 days, but it's a start, at least. So far my books through Bantam do not have this feature, but that's a decision of the publisher, not me. Perhaps it will change, or they haven't gotten around to dealing with it yet.
As far as Glimpses goes, however, lend away! Hopefully others will read it and at least some of them will want their own copy. :-)
As far as Glimpses goes, however, lend away! Hopefully others will read it and at least some of them will want their own copy. :-)
Comfort Food
I hardly ever eat red meat anymore, but yesterday was so cold and blustery that some primordial part of my brain stem began screaming "HOT RED MEAT! HOT RED MEAT! PREFERABLY WITH SOME SORT OF GRAVY! AND MAYBE SOME ROASTED VEGETABLES ON THE SIDE, IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE?"
So I gave in and made what turned out to be the most incredibly flavorful and delicious pot roast I have ever created. Didn't hurt that Doug had given me a large Le Creuset covered casserole that was just crying out for something of the kind. And a subscription of Cook's Illustrated Magazine last year. With a few tweaks, this is mostly their recipe from the Nov-Dec 2010 issue.
Heat oven to 300F
Rub 2.5 lb chuck roast tied for roasting with a tablespoon of Kosher salt
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in bottom of dutch oven over high flame and brown roast well on all sides. (I always thought this was to seal in juices, but it actually kicks off the Maillard reaction, creating thousands of new compounds that intensify the beef flavor. Who knew? Well, Cook's Illustrated did.)
Remove meat to plate and add 2 tablespoons butter to dutch oven.
Slice 2 med. onions thinly and saute in butter until soft and beginning to brown. Add and saute for 5 minutes:
1 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
Add two cloves of chopped garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in:
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
large bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry thyme
Bring to simmer.
Return beef to dutch oven, sprinkle liberally with fresh ground pepper. Seal pan with foil, then put on lid and roast for 1.5 hrs. Turn meat over, reseal pan and roast 1.5 hrs.
Add:
1 lb. peeled carrots, cut into 2" pieces
1 lb. potatoes. Recipe called for peeled russets quartered, but I used small organic purple potatoes with the skins on. Looked gorgeous with the carrots!
Reseal pan and roast for 45 min- 1 hr, until meat and veg are tender
Remove meat and veg to platter and cover.
Strain juices from pan, put solids (chopped onion, carrot, and celery) in blender. When the juices have settled skim fat and add enough beef broth to equal three cups. Puree solids and juices until smooth and pour into saucepan and simmer. Add:
1 pinch thyme
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Slice pot roast and serve with veg and gravy.
Fast for the next three days.
So I gave in and made what turned out to be the most incredibly flavorful and delicious pot roast I have ever created. Didn't hurt that Doug had given me a large Le Creuset covered casserole that was just crying out for something of the kind. And a subscription of Cook's Illustrated Magazine last year. With a few tweaks, this is mostly their recipe from the Nov-Dec 2010 issue.
Heat oven to 300F
Rub 2.5 lb chuck roast tied for roasting with a tablespoon of Kosher salt
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in bottom of dutch oven over high flame and brown roast well on all sides. (I always thought this was to seal in juices, but it actually kicks off the Maillard reaction, creating thousands of new compounds that intensify the beef flavor. Who knew? Well, Cook's Illustrated did.)
Remove meat to plate and add 2 tablespoons butter to dutch oven.
Slice 2 med. onions thinly and saute in butter until soft and beginning to brown. Add and saute for 5 minutes:
1 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
Add two cloves of chopped garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in:
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
large bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry thyme
Bring to simmer.
Return beef to dutch oven, sprinkle liberally with fresh ground pepper. Seal pan with foil, then put on lid and roast for 1.5 hrs. Turn meat over, reseal pan and roast 1.5 hrs.
Add:
1 lb. peeled carrots, cut into 2" pieces
1 lb. potatoes. Recipe called for peeled russets quartered, but I used small organic purple potatoes with the skins on. Looked gorgeous with the carrots!
Reseal pan and roast for 45 min- 1 hr, until meat and veg are tender
Remove meat and veg to platter and cover.
Strain juices from pan, put solids (chopped onion, carrot, and celery) in blender. When the juices have settled skim fat and add enough beef broth to equal three cups. Puree solids and juices until smooth and pour into saucepan and simmer. Add:
1 pinch thyme
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Slice pot roast and serve with veg and gravy.
Fast for the next three days.
