California, Here We Go.

We've been plotting and planning for close to eight months. We've been roommates with boxes and bubble wrap for about as many weeks. Address changes, car selling, new banks, lists and lists and lists, goodbye breakfasts, lunches and dinners, goodbye glasses (that turned into bottles) of wine – all of this, leading up to a moment. The moment we drive away from the City of Angels towards our new home, three thousand miles away in Richmond, Virginia. And that moment happened last Thursday.

It was so hurried and frenetic, nary a moment for goodbye tears or nostalgia. Which suited me just fine. Fred, Eduardo, Byron and I all loaded up in our little car, loaded with our life for the next few weeks - not without grandma Janie's cast-iron skillet and my bacon drippings. Ahead warp zillion! Ahead first to Phoenix, Arizona, where we were set to meet up with the legendary Chris Bianco, creator of what is purported to be the greatest pizza on Earth outside of Italy. And then what next? We were not certain. And that is the beauty. We are like Hansel and Gretel, eating those breadcrumbs all along the trail across this great country to find our way home.

After experiencing a wonderful dinner at Chris' newest iteration of Pizzeria Bianco (which you will be able to read and see all about on TasteSpotting soon!), we popped up bright and early to meet up with him at his cafe and 'test kitchen' of sorts, Pane Bianco. This is where his brother, Marco, bakes the loaves of bread and also where the mill lives. Yes, they grow their own wheat, have their own mill, and bake their own bread with their very own flour.

After a tour of the kitchen, dining room and mill, with tastes of biscotti here, and gelato there, Chris sat with us and talked about love and the beauty in everything, and what inspires him (of which food is but a slice). He talked about rectangles, triangles and circles (everything in Pane Bianco is on wheels). He then sent us on our way with hugs, a bottle of chilled rosé from his restaurant (the label is from a painting his father gave his mother ages ago, of a rose) and told us to pick out one of the loaves that had just come out of the oven – to pick the one 'that spoke to us.'

And on the road we went. To infinity: The Grand Canyon. Where we went to watch the sunset, crack open the bottle of rosé, and eat that beautiful fresh bread with some Italian cheeses we picked up in Flagstaff. And yes, the bread was remarkable – mouth-injuringly crusty on the outside, yet moist, airy and filled with beautiful air pockets on the inside – fundamentally satisfying in every way. I suppose Marco was right, it 'spoke to us.' All this while watching the sun disappear into the canyon. How remarkable was it? So much so that I have goose bumps even writing this.

The next morning we were up bright and early to get on the road again. We needed to make it to Albuquerque, at least. Which shouldn't have been too much of a challenge, but Fred wanted to amble. So we stopped at Meteor Crater, walked the dogs, looked around, took pictures. And then we were off again. Well, for about thirty minutes. When I noticed the car slowing considerably, I looked up and found that Fred had pulled off into a small town. And we were driving down the main drag: Route 66.

Fred turned to me and flatly explained (as though it was quite obvious), “I want to be standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona."

Oh, of course. Clearly.

We pulled over, leashed up the pups and went to find The Corner. It wasn't hard to find. After Fred posed for his obligatory picture, we began to wander and stumbled across none other than the 15th Annual Standin' on a Corner Festival. What are the chances?!

So we found a vendor selling Navajo Tacos on Fry Bread, wandered back to the car and had our lunch. As we sat in the sun, noshing this new kind of taco, I looked around and thought about Chris' words from earlier. I ruminated on unexpected beauty, I looked down at my pizza-shaped taco loaded with meat, cheese, tomatoes, green onion, lettuce and salsa with the fry bread confidently glistening with hot oil, I relished the love of Fred and our dogs on this singular adventure. I then looked up and saw a bird fly over (how amazing would it have been if it was an eagle?).

Take it easy? No problem.

And just think, only fort-eight hours prior we were watching the City of Angels disappear in our rear view mirror.

Navajo Fry Bread

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Makes 6 breads

Ingredients

3 cups All-purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3 teaspoons Baking Powder (slightly Rounded Teaspoons)

3/4 cups Milk

 Water As Needed To Get Dough To Come Together

 Vegetable Shortening Or Lard For Frying

Directions

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork as you pour in the milk; keep stirring for a bit to get it to come together as much as possible. Add just enough water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to get it to come together. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it sit for 35 to 45 minutes to rest.

When you're ready to make the fry bread, heat about 1 to 2 inches shortening/lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Grab a plum-sized piece of dough (or larger if you want larger fry bread) and press it into a circle with your fingers: place it on a clean surface and begin pressing in the center and work your way out, stretching it as you go.

When the circle is about 4 to 7 inches (however big you want it) carefully drape it into the skillet. Allow it to fry on one side until golden brown, about 1 minute, then carefully flip it to the other side using tongs. Fry it for another 30 to 45 seconds.

Remove the fry bread to a paper towel-lined plate and allow it to drain while you fry the other pieces.

Serve warm!

Printable recipe.

One year ago: Ham Hock & Lima Beans

Two years ago: Chocolate Sea-Salt Pie

Three years ago: Chicks with Knives at Test Kitchen, 2010

Four years ago: The Marked 5 Truck

Chocolate Mousse, Cherry Compote, Chocolate Crumble

A fairly elegant little thing, but really, very easy. The chocolate mousse is from Roy Fares' cookbook Sweet, and while certainly tasty, a pretty basic mousse. The cherry compote was largely improvised and I'm sorry, I didn't write down the exact measurements, but all I did was take 200 g frozen cherries, add a few spoons of sugar, a vanilla bean, and the juice of a lemon. I let that simmer until the cherries were nicely soft, then added a little corn starch to thicken. I let it cool completely.

The cookie crumbles are just these chocolate cookies, bashed in a pestle and mortar. Use any chocolate cookie!

Chocolate Mousse, Cherry Compote, Chocolate Crumble
serves 8

120 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
100 ml cream (full-fat)
4 egg yolks
25 g sugar
25 g water
200 ml cream (full-fat)

Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the first amount of cream, 100 ml, and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then stir until smooth.

Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. While using handheld electrical beaters, beat the egg yolks on full speed and slowly add the sugar solution. It should become thick and foamy.

Add the chocolate truffle to the egg foam, and stir well to combine.

Beat the remaining cream until light and fluffy. Fold into the other ingredients. Divide between eight little glasses or bowls and set in the fridge for at least two hours.

When ready to serve, add a spoonful of cherry compote to each glass, and top with some chocolate cookie crumble.

Slow Roasted Bone-in Pork Butt with CRISPY SKIN Fat Cap

"A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS"

but i'll add a few more...

slow roasted, unctuous fall-off-the-bone tender, pull apart pork butt-shoulder-picnic roast.

COMPLETELY COVERED IN CRISPY SKIN

it might take all day, but it is so worth the wait.  there's not much work to it and it will surely be a big hit at your next gathering.

put this baby in the middle of the table...

say, "ready-set-GO"

I CAN'T PASS UP THE $6.00 - 6 LB. PORK BUTT
i'm a big fan of the 8 hour pork roast while you sleep...

BUT...i found a very interesting and informative post about crispy skin roasted pork shoulder.  same concept with one very important extra step...CRISPY SKIN!  

many thanks to Kenji Lopez at Serious Eats for breaking down the science of "the crispy skin" in a way that most of us can understand.

below is a direct quote and just a snippet of information from   J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.  he is the Chief Creative Officer at SERIOUS EATS.

"When roasting at 375°F, because the dehydrating and protein-setting is taking place at the same time that the connective tissue is breaking down, there's never really a stage when the skin is relatively structure-free. It goes from being firm through connective tissue directly to being firm through dehydration.

On the other hand, after 8 hours in a 250°F oven, the pig skin has very little structural integrity—there's really very little holding it together and it closely resembles a bundle of tiny balloons just waiting to be filled.

How do you fill those balloons? Let heat do the work for you."

please go to the original and read more interesting info on the science behind the slow roast vs higher temp/less time from Kenji at Serious Eats.

SLOW ROASTED BONE-IN PORK BUTT WITH CRISPY SKIN FAT CAP
this slightly adapted recipe is from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt at SERIOUS EATS

5 to 6 lb pork shoulder BUTT 

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

cumin

chili powder

Slap Ya Mama Seasoning

2 onions, sliced thick

8-10 cloves garlic

preheat oven to 250F.  prepare a baking dish/roasting pan with extra thick aluminum foil.  lightly oil the aluminum.  i have had one stick to the foil, so now i oil.  lay the onion slices and garlic cloves out for the roast to rest on. 

start with a pork butt bone-in, skin-on...butt should have a "fat-cap".  rinse the meat and dry well with paper towels.  

to score the skin...or not to score the skin...

i chose to score the skin.  as you can see, i did not do a beautiful job, butt i was not going for the "show case shoulder".

there are no exact measurements for the seasoning...just season the whole piece.  i suggest you do this over the sink and rub the seasoning all over.

place the butt on the prepared onion/garlic roasting pan.

put in oven for 7-8 hours.  pork should be done when fork tender.  OR...as the original recipe states...insert a knife.  if you can easily turn the knife around in the meat, you are ready.

remove pork from the oven.
tent and let rest for 20 minutes.

above is what it looks like after 7 1/2 hours at 250F
before crispy skin stage.

CRISPY SKIN STAGE...

crank the oven up to 500F.  you might want to move the cooked butt onto a rack or a clean piece of oiled aluminum foil pan. so as not to burn the onions, garlic and drippings.  put pork in HOT oven and watch for the skin to crisp up.  you might want to rotate the pan a few times for an all over crisp.  watch carefully.  it can go from crisp to burnt in a matter of minutes. 
remove from oven when it is good and bubbly crispy looking.  let rest for 15 minutes and...

DIVE IN!

NOTE...my "butt" was tender, but meaty.  it fell off the bone, but was not oozing-ly juicy.  i was wondering if the super slow roasting renders out more fat than a higher temp.?...or was it that i got a lean butt.  not to worry...

this is FABULOUS...beyond.

sorry to say, i did not have a party of people to serve, but what a show stopper!  i ate my fill of crispy skin and pulled pork... i bet i could have devoured the whole thing, but i put a few large pieces in the fridge wrapped in parchment in a large tupperware.

the next morning i was able to re-crisp the skin and get some lovely slices off the larger chunks.

SO...this saves and serves well for the next few days.  the skin WILL re-crisp (with care) in the toaster oven.

Halloween 'Temptation Candy' Giveaway!

I don't know about you guys, but we have been planning our Halloween costume since last November. And by "we" I mean, Jack.  I don't think a month has gone by without a costume discussion.  Of course, each month a new character is in the lead... Iron Man, Captain Iron Man (he exists), Luke Skywalker and now we're back to the Red Power Ranger.  Which is what he was last year.  "No, Mom, last year I was Jayden and this year I'm going to be Troy!"  Whatever that means.  Also, according to Jack, Etta is supposed to be R2-D2 and myself?  Yup, C-3PO.  Anyone have any gold spandex I can borrow?

With Halloween (finally) around the corner, the good people from Temptation Candy - a boutique online candy store based in LA - want to give YOU a treat!  But the trick is (do you see what I did there?), only one of you can win (US residents only, excluding Alaska and Hawaii).  Included in the cute baskets are Jelly Belly Beans, Starburst Candy and Caramel Hershey Kisses.  So please comment below to win, and share what you're going dressed up as this Halloween!  Also, check out the rest of the Halloween treats over at Temptation Candy.  I'll wear gold face paint if I can eat all of that. 

*Winner will be picked at random on Tuesday, October 1st.       

Lee Kum Kee Orange Chicken

Last week, we had a 'Welcome Home' dinner for Carson and the theme was orange (because of this).  Jack and I had fun decorating the table with orange balloons, pumpkins, festive flowers and screwdrivers.  Not the tool, the drink, and Jack didn't help with that part I swear.  Coincidentally, I had just been sent some products from Lee Kum Kee and included was a packet of sauce for Orange Chicken.  Orange!  No preservatives or artificial flavoring, no MSG and no HFCS.  Prepared with fresh ingredients, ready in minutes... highly recommended for a weeknight dinner.  Do I sound like a commercial yet?  Should I take over Flo's job?  But seriously, I like making my own sauce like the next Julia Child wannabe, but I'm a mom of two and I want to keep what little sanity I have left.  Therefore, sauces in bags are the answer.  Serve this Orange Chicken with brown rice, carrots, and a salad with orange tomatoes and orange bell peppers and you're ready for your orange party.  Don't forget to invite some Oompa Loompas.  And check out Lee Kum Kee's website for other yummy products!              

Awesome salad

A great little salad! It works well on its own, or as a side dish. We had it for lunch, with some pata negra ham, and some mashed avocado on baguette slices.  Think of it as a rough sketch, and add to it as you see fit. I would have added some sliced radishes or perhaps grilled asparagus if I had had any.

-Baby spinach

-Tangerines

-Roasted pine nuts

-Västerbotten cheese (parmesan will work too) 

-Fresh mint

dressing: 

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

1 tsp runny honey

whisk together, season with salt and pepper if you want to. Toss with the sallad just before serving. 

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting with White Vanilla Bean Cake

actually this is a ....

double layer...
WHITE VANILLA BEAN CAKE
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE filling
with CANDIED MACADAMIA
and...QUICK WHITE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

whew...that was too much for the heading.

a lovely cake for any occasion. small crumb, similar to a pound cake, but not too heavy.  holds up well and has a nice vanilla bean flavor.  the frosting is key...THIS BUTTERCREAM RECIPE IS FABULOUS.  the first one i ever made and it came together perfectly.   REALLY...this is delicious and EASY.

the dark chocolate ganache counterbalanced the plain whiteness of the over all flavor and appearance.  it slices well and it's fairly easy to put together.  i will add that the chocolate shavings were supposed to be lovely chocolate curls...this is not an easy task.  i think i tried 3 or 4 times before i finally just went with the pile of shavings...i think i'll need a little more practice on the curls. 

WHITE VANILLA BEAN CAKE

found at Bite These Goodies

100g butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla paste

preheat oven to 360F.  butter a 9 inch cake pan and dust evenly with flour.
in a separate bowl mix the flour baking powder, baking soda, set aside.

in a big bowl place butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.  beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.  when the buttery mixture is creamy, add 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix.  then add the buttermilk, mix again.  finally add the other 1/2 flour mixture and beat until creamy.  beat in vanilla until Incorporated.   this sounds like A LOT of mixing, but try not to over mix.

pour mixture into prepared pan.  bake for approx. 35-40 minutes.  mine took 30 minutes because i used a Fat Daddio's light cake pan.  check with skewer inserted in the middle of cake...should come out "just" clean.  remove from oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes and remove from pan.  cool completely before frosting.

NOTE...if dividing into 2 layers you might want to refrigerate for just a bit before slicing in half.

ALSO...if you do not have a cake stand...IMPROVISE.  it is much easier to slice a cake in half when it is elevated off the board.  i used an upside down tupperware.  the taped napkin helps the cake stay in place and less likely to slip off.   use a long thin blade and score the outside, then slowly move your knife in towards the middle and around, watching that you are hitting your marks where you scored the cake.

PS...i also frost the cake on this lovely improvised cake stand.

QUICK VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

found at foodnetwork.com by Gale Gand

3 cups powdered sugar...sifted, 306 grams total
1 cup butter, cubed, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tbsp whipping cream

in a stand mixer fitted with whisk, mix together sugar and butter.  mix on low speed until well blended, then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes
add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium for 1 minute more, adding a little more cream if necessary for a spreading consistency.  i think i added about 1 Tbsp total.

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
with candied macadamia
NOTE...  there IS enough frosting to fill the center as well as cover the cake, but i didn't want a plain white on white cake.  this was something i added in at the time of building the cake.  i had some left-over ganache from plain truffles.  i crushed some candied macadamia nuts and added it to the left over ganache to make the filling.

this is approx. what i had.  you will probably not use all of it...get a spoon and finish it off, make a few truffles or use it for "drizzle sauce"
6 oz dark chocolate
6 oz heavy whipping cream

prepare your ganache...put chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside.  heat cream to a boil.  remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate.  let sit for a minute.  begin stirring gently from the center.  you will see the ganache come together.  when it is fully incorporated, refrigerate until good spreadable consistency.  add nuts or whatever.  hmmm, maybe crunchy toffee chips?  you could use just ganache.

Footscray Food Blog's first-ever video!

New kitchen : )

As I promised, here is the before...

...and after:

Biggest changes of note:

1. White and black marble floors turned into hardwood floors.

2. Light brown, shiny cabinets turned into white shaker cabinets.

3. Dark green/grey granite countertops turned into carrara marble countertops.

4. Light brown, shiny, outdated appliances turned into stainless steel updated appliances.

I do not feel worthy.  I do not feel worthy!  Honestly, I spent the majority of my adult life without a dishwasher and was always perfectly happy.  Back when I was a 20-something singleton, I once made over 250 cookies and catered a meal for over 40 people in a kitchen the size of a shoe box.  So, like I said, I do not feel worthy.  In fact, I sleep every night in my new sink curled up like a baby in a womb.  That is not true, but still, I think about doing it.  I would like to share with you some of my favorite parts, if you care to see...        

The Viking stove and the pot filler.  A pot filler!  Listen folks, I make a lot of Mac & Cheese and I can't be bothered walking back and forth between the sink and stove with a heavy pot in my hand.  (Before you throw something at your computer, that was a joke.)  But I am very much obsessed with our new pot filler.  I almost want to start a fire, just to save the day with our pot filler.  I keep saying pot filler.  Also, let's not forget the glass cabinets where I can feature my obsession with turquoise.   

The farmhouse sink and the industrial-sized faucet.  Where I sleep at night except not really.  Also, the garbage is over there on the left.  I love being able to pull that out vs. reaching under the sink.

The baking nook.  Need I say more?  You remember the oven from yesteryear.  

Maybe most importantly (and possibly the reason for the entire remodel), the banquette.  We used to pull of folding chairs from a closet and eat around a computer desk for meals.  Now we sit like a civilized family, in front of the TV.  But at least we're sitting at a real table!
And I love our red retro pendant lamp.      

Thank you for your interest in our new kitchen!  We are off to NY this week but I have some posts and giveaways for you nonetheless so stay tuned...

Quick dinner idea: Spiced Chicken Breasts

Another quick dinner idea, that can be put together in minutes. Serve with anything really - I was in the mood for something light, so we made a salad from avocadoes, cucumber, tomatoes (homegrown!), red onion, lemon and lime juice and cilantro.

Spiced Chicken Breasts
serves 4

2 large chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make four portions
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ground allspice (kryddpeppar in Swedish!)
2 tsp garlic powder
sakt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix sugar and all the spices into a rub. Rub both sides of the chicken, and fry in neutral cooking oil. Keep the heat fairly low, all the sugar makes it prone to burning. Make sure the chicken is cooked through though - I really recommend an instant thermometer.

Chef Lagenda

I don't know about you, but often when I enter a Malaysian restaurant, the first thing that comes to mind is bingo.  See, you walk in and everybody is just head down, eyes on the prize (be it that slippery last prawn in the laksa or that elusive "legs eleven").  When you finally surface, it may be with a big contented sigh, not a shout of "bingo!" - but the buzz afterwards is just as good.

At least that's what we were chasing when we popped into Chef Lagenda for a quick and tasty lunch.  This skinny-fronted restaurant is neighbours with Laksa King, probably Melbourne's most famous Malaysian restaurant.  There's a lot of mythology about the relationship between the two, with stories about chefs or staff decamping between the two, but let's just say Flemington is spoilt when it comes to Malaysian options.

It's a funny, slightly poky setup inside - almost like a skinny Victorian has had all its walls pulled out and been converted into a restaurant.  From memory there's a semi-enclosed courtyard upstairs.

Warm, slightly astringent Chinese tea comes standard.  Lagenda's got a mammoth menu, but if you want something really authentic, skip the chicken and cashews and flip to the stir-fried noodle and noodle soup sections for hawker classics.

Fried noodles with egg sauce, $11.20

This is one of my favourite Malaysian dishes.  It's usually called "wat tan hor".  Wide flat rice noodles are tossed with a little soy in a searing wok, given them a special smoky taste.  Next, rather peculiarly, they're completely covered with a very thick, starchy gravy mixed with beaten egg in which hovers prawns, fish cake, a few bits of veg, maybe some chicken and other good things.  I'll be the first to admit it looks like a dog's breakfast, but the taste is hot diggity dog.  The secret is getting the noodles infused with LOTS of smoky "wok hei" (the special hot work taste), otherwise it all just tastes gluggy and awful.  Maybe a touch more wok hei in Lagenda's version wouldn't have gone astray, and some of the egg pieces were a bit chunky, but it was a pretty good rendition nonetheless.

Sambal kangkung, $14.50

This sambal kangkung was disappointing, though.  Maybe it's a seasonal thing but the kangkung (a spinach-like aquatic vegetable) was slightly tough and woody.  The sambal was a bit flat in flavour, rather than being its usual slightly sweet and hot self.  Oh well.

I've had quite a few really good meals at Lagenda.  Their laksa is delicious, as is their salted fish and chicken fried rice, and I've had a good smoky char kway teow there too.  Next time you're lining up to pay your respects to the King, consider giving Lagenda a shot instead.

Chef Lagenda

16 Pin Oak Cr, Flemington (9376 2668)

Second store at Shop 9/10, 835A Ballarat Rd, Deer Park (8358 5389)

Quick dinner idea: Caramelized onion & Blue Cheese Sourdough toast

Amazing dinner idea, that's straight out of Liselotte Forslin's latest cookbook called "Hej Fredag" ("Hi Friday) that just came out. I was leafing through the book, came across this, and immediately knew I had to eat it as soon as possible. The kids aren't big on this sort of food, so we fed them separately for a change, then ate this as a late dinner. (In front of the TV - we're re-watching all seasons of The West Wing, one of the best shows ever.)

You can make these in miniature for a fancy dinner party, or keep them large. Want more food? Serve them with a salad, or for all the carnivores out there, with a steak, or perhaps skirt steak in thin strips.

Caramelized onion & Blue Cheese Sourdough toast
serves 2-4

4 slices sourdough bread
2  red onions, cut into small wedges
1 leek, cut into smaller pieces
olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt, pepper
75 g blue cheese (I use St Agur)

Heat the olive oil, and cook the onions and leek on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. They shouldn't color much but soften completely. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook for a minute, tossing meanwhile  to make sure nothing burns. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Place the bread on a baking sheet. Divide the onion mixture. Crumble the cheese on top. Bake at 225°C for 5-10 minutes - the cheese should melt and the bread should become lightly toasted.

A couple of cookbook recommendations

I spent my morning at a press breakfast with Ernst Kirchsteiger. He's, basically, the Swedish version of Martha Stewart. Only male, tall, dark and very handsome. And very, very charismatic! He's very popular and well known for his TV-shows, but has also written several books. His latest one just came out and is called "Året med Ernst" ("the year with Ernst") and it has seasonal tips, DIY projects, and recipes. Lots of recipes! And also quite a few random texts, and gorgeous photos. The texts were particularly nice, Ernst is a real philsopher and has a knack for saying funny and thoughtful things. At the breakfast, he emphasized that this book is for ordinary people - not that there are many of those, as almost everyone is extraordinary. He's got a good point!


Lena and I got our photo taken with Ernst, of course.



When you read as many cookbooks as I do, it's relatively few that feel exactly right. The kind that makes you drool over each page, and more importantly, actually get you into the kitchen to cook. That sort of yum-inducing writing is pretty rare. I'm happy to report that Glöd ("Glow") by Sara Begnér is one of those. And honestly, I didn't expect that. It sat on my bookshelf for months before I bothered to pick it up. Once I did, I had to cook two recipes right away, before I could get to the rest of it. So, what's so special? It's a book about women in poor countries - Kenya, Vietnam, Bosnia and Guatemala - involved in a special project called the We Effect. They get help to start projects, to help themselves. And in this book, they share their recipes. Sara Begnér, who's written several books, help make them more approachable for Swedish kitchens - you can find most ingredients in your local supermarket - and easy to follow. Highly recommended.



And if you like baking, get this book. Mattias is a fellow blogger, and has the blog Bake My Day. He's just come out with a book, and it's just as funny and quirky as his blog. Mattias is a rule-breaker, and in his baking, more is more. A lot more. His book has some truly awesome projects - how about the roulette brownie cake which looks like a roulette wheel and one piece (and one piece only) holds a hidden treasure?