Mike Nolan

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  • in reply to: GBBO Causes Cake Commotion #7970
    Mike Nolan
    Keymaster

      This is what Wikipedia says about biscotti:

      "Biscotti" is the plural form of biscotto. The word originates from the medieval Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-cooked."

      Biscuits as a 'twice-baked' product were often made as travel food, especially travel by ship. (Hardtack. which is made from flour, water and sometimes salt, shows up in many books about sailing ships.)

      Not sure how the name got applied to raised biscuits in the USA, which are a quick bread.

      I'm up for trying to promote National Cake Week, maybe we can get others working on it too. I'm not sure an 'online clandestine cake club' would work, part of the fun would be seeing and tasting other people's cakes!

      in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 18, 2017? #7950
      Mike Nolan
      Keymaster

        i made Vienna bread (PaddyL's Double Crusty recipe) and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (my mother's oatmeal crisps recipe) today.

        in reply to: GBBO Causes Cake Commotion #7941
        Mike Nolan
        Keymaster

          I think PBS is either 3 or 4 seasons back from what's been shown in Great Britain.

          But that's about how far back I stopped being able to view episodes online.

          in reply to: GBBO Causes Cake Commotion #7934
          Mike Nolan
          Keymaster

            There's a link about 'National cake Week' (Oct 2-8, 2017), but I think that's a UK event, not an USA one. Maybe we should try to promote it here and see if we can create a movement!

            in reply to: GBBO Causes Cake Commotion #7932
            Mike Nolan
            Keymaster

              I think the link was there, but I just couldn't see it on the laptop I was using this morning, it shows up better on the big screen monitors in my office.

              You're a lot closer to the nearest 'Clandestine Cake Club' location than I am.

              It will be interesting to see how GBBO handles the transition from BBC to Channel 4. Losing 3 out of the 4 personalities could be more change than it can tolerate. I used to think of myself as a pretty good baker, but the weakest of the contestants on GBBO could bake rings around me.

              This year will be the first year in a long time that I will be in town for the county fair. I'm not planning on entering anything this year, but I do think I'll make a trek clear across town (we're in SW Lincoln, the fairgrounds are in NE Lincoln) to see what the baking and photography entrants look like.

              in reply to: Cooking Potatoes Question #7930
              Mike Nolan
              Keymaster

                Acrylamide wasn't even discovered until 2002, so there haven't been a lot of studies on it yet.

                The American Cancer Society seems to think the evidence is not yet conclusive. See https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/acrylamide.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylamide

                It seems to be present when potatoes are cut up and cooked or fried at a high temperature (ie, potato chips and fries.)

                There are cooking benefits to pre-soaking sliced potatoes or starting them at a low temperature (130-150 for 20 minutes), it may turn out there are health benefits as well.

                in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of June 18, 2017? #7929
                Mike Nolan
                Keymaster

                  I'm not sure when the new labeling standard for maple syrup takes effect, the guy from Wisconsin who sells syrup at the local farmers markets still labels his as grade B.

                  This is actually one time when the labeling change might make sense, Grade B is now a lower quality syrup than Grade A, it's just from later in the season and has a darker color and (IMHO) a more complex and interesting flavor.

                  in reply to: GBBO Causes Cake Commotion #7926
                  Mike Nolan
                  Keymaster

                    I don't see a link.

                    in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of June 18, 2017? #7922
                    Mike Nolan
                    Keymaster

                      Molasses is an underused flavoring. Maple syrup is tricky to cook with, it can get cloyingly sweet. I have paired it with Dijon mustard a few times, that's a combination that should work well with pork. (Grade B syrup is better for cooking IMHO.)

                      in reply to: Lemon Meringue Pie #7898
                      Mike Nolan
                      Keymaster

                        Some lemon pie fillings are very mildly lemon and some are pretty strong, personally I want one that tastes lemony but doesn't scream "I AM LEMON, HEAR ME ROAR".

                        I've only tried a buttermilk pie crust once or twice, and I wasn't fond of the results, but if you do try it again, try cutting the buttermilk in half. When you add too much liquid, you encourage gluten to form, and once that happens it won't be flaky. If the dough was stretchy, you had developed your gluten too much.

                        The epicurious buttermilk pie crust recipe uses more flour and less buttermilk, FWIW.

                        in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of June 18, 2017? #7896
                        Mike Nolan
                        Keymaster

                          Nothing fancy here today, steaks on the grill, sauteed mushrooms, a nice salad and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

                          Happy Fathers Day, all you fathers out there.

                          in reply to: What are You Cooking the Week of June 18, 2017? #7894
                          Mike Nolan
                          Keymaster

                            I've made salmon with dill a few times, but I've never made couscous. My wife won't eat salmon (too many really bad canned salmon patties as a child), so when I do fish for dinner I get salmon and she gets orange roughy.

                            in reply to: Happy 50th Anniversary to S. Wirth and her Husband! #7889
                            Mike Nolan
                            Keymaster

                              50 years together is a feat, even these days when more people live into their 90's, so congratulations. We'll be at 45 years in September.

                              in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 11, 2017? #7881
                              Mike Nolan
                              Keymaster

                                Today I made honey wheat bread.
                                Honey Wheat Bread

                                • This reply was modified 8 years ago by Mike Nolan.
                                in reply to: Lemon Meringue Pie #7877
                                Mike Nolan
                                Keymaster

                                  The filling in a lemon meringue pie needs to be a custard, pudding, mousse or curd. That means it needs something to thicken it, such as a starch (corn, wheat, tapioca, etc) or egg yolk. I've had dairy-based ones and ones made with no dairy, the latter tend to be more commonplace, I think.

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