Tomato Powder

Dried tomatoes! I sliced a tomato into 1/8 inch slices and put them on a silpat into a 175 degree oven for about 5 1/2 hours. The result is a lovely dried tomato slice that I put into a coffee grinder and voila! I have tomato powder. Try it on pasta! you get an intense tomato flavor over anything you sprinkle it on and it is great! Bon appetite!

Sweet Corn Pudding

This actually turned out very well. I am surprised. It started with fresh, tender, and very juicy yellow corn, that I did not get a picture of (sorry), then you have to grate the cobs until all the kernels are squeezed of their contents. Then squeeze the cobs some more, milk the cobs of all their liquid. Then add milk (or coconut milk or a mixture of the two) and strain, strain, strain until the mixture is perfectly free of any particles. Add a touch a vanilla and sugar to taste. Corn is very sweet anyway, so be careful! Then cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until thick but not too thick. This will not be the hurried madness of making a pudding using cornstarch because the natural cornstarch does not seize up at the raising of temperature the way the powdered cornstarch does. The natural cornstarch in the corn liquid yields a lovely result. The taste is a rich vanilla custard without eggs but much softer with the added benefit of no cholesterol. You get the hit of corn but it is a subtle aftertaste that manifests as richness rather than...corniness. I tried to bake one in a bain marie but the lack of eggs didn't allow it to work :-) I think I will try a savory version next time!

Here's Nano studying chemistry...

Exhibit Comes to Town!

A new exhibit came to town called "Instruments of Torture Throughout the Ages" at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami. It is a very small but definitely interesting exhibit. In this museum starved town this is a welcome little morsel. Don't miss it! I took these pics outside and was looking for some books to purchase. Very (very) thin selection, but luckily I have a great book at home with all sorts of historical facts that supplement the trip.

Miami Walk

This weekend did not have me creating in the kitchen. The absolutely gorgeous weather had me out and about. It was a perfect 72 degrees and sunny! CNN has something called iReport fun weekend assignments for the readers to participate in and upload their entries. Each weekend, from February 19th through April 9th they are issuing different challenges. I am afraid I missed the one that I really wanted to be a part of that was held during the weekend of March 5th. "Your Signature Dish". It was a wash out. I did not get a chance to film myself creating the Christmas dish that is always served.

This weekend was the "Walk in our shoes" challenge. You have to make a 1 minute film walking in your city. The rules are pretty simple, start with walking feet and end with walking feet and your video should only be about 1 minute long. You have the option to have narrative or remain silent. These are my 2 submissions. Don't miss them on CNN iReports and check out the others, there are entries from London, Rome, Johannesburg, and NYC they are fun and exciting cities and I must say I was intimidated. But the perfect So Flo weather, beautiful beaches, lots of people out and about and fun soundtrack made my little films a great watching experience. I got some nice comments. Please check them out and let me know if my little films are as fun and/or exciting as the other entries.

Miami Walk Part 1

Please enjoy the music, "Entre Dos Aguas" by Paco de Lucia.

And here is

Miami Walk Part 2

Miami Walk Part 2, the music is Perez Prado's "Patricia"

I hope to have some time next weekend to bake or cook. Saludos from So Flo!

Banana Nut Bread

Banana bread is one of those sweets that I can have at any time because it isn't cloyingly sweet. I can have a slice for breakfast or for a snack or stud this moist tea cake with dark chocolate chips for a luscious dessert. I must confess it has always been my baking albatross. I usually get a loaf that is hard as a rock on the outside and way too bready on the inside. This time I hit it perfectly. I also spruced it up with crushed pineapple and chopped macadamia nuts. I had a some nuts left over in the freezer and didn't know what to do with them since I rarely snack on nuts. I think I should call it a Hawaiian banana nut bread. The buttery macadamia nuts are a definite replacement to the earthier walnuts usually found in this loaf. The crushed pineapple provides a tangy sweetness that counteracts the buttery nuts and mellow bananas. It is a gorgeous day/night here in SoFlo and there isn't a lot of humidity so I didn't have to play with the flour too much. I didn't write down the ingredients but it shouldn't be too hard to recreate. I can't wait for breakfast! (maybe blueberry buttermilk pancakes instead??)

Molten Chocolate Cake

What a gorgeous day here in So Flo. It was windy and cool and the sun was bright and warm, heady combo! So that meant some baking was in order. I saw a recipe for molten chocolate cakes and they are delicious. Ate them while still warm and runny with a lovely cakey crust all I needed was some cool vanilla ice cream! They are just too easy to make Wow! :-0