Who can resist themes around holidays? I sure can’t, so I decided to embrace love, my heart cooking gear and an irresistible ingredient called chocolate. On February 12, I had 6 wonderful dinner guests (Tim Tanner, Gabe Jones, Martha Demos, Ben Stratford, Marie Alarcon, and Kevin Shelley) join me in eating, reviewing and ringing in the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.
The Mocktail was thrilling to the taste buds and full of warm spices. I substituted 24 ounces of Perrier for the alcohol. Dipping the glasses in the spice sugar and adding a slice of tangerine and lemon was a perfect combination to the multiple flavors in the drink.
I forgot to add cumin and coriander to the soup which would have helped, but it was still bland. The recipe didn’t call for salt and it needed quite a bit. The chile paste added some color but not as much flavor as I would have liked.
My testers agreed the marinade for the steak was delightful, but the steak was a little chewy. I broiled them so maybe a different cooking process or more practice with hanger steak (which is a butcher’s favorite) is needed. The tart in the shape of a heart was a hit. Tim said, “if a recipe makes me like something I normally don’t, like cauliflower, then it’s a high rating for me.” I steamed green beans and added a little butter, dill, salt and pepper to finish off the main course and add healthy color.
I’ve never made macaroons or truffles before and I didn’t realize I’d be in for so much work. While the macaroons tasted good, I had to do some creative surgery to save them. They separated and caramelized while baking so I shaped them back into balls, let them sit over night and then baked again.
In a recent stop at Dean and Deluca I came across Rose Petal Truffles. That sounded intriguing to me so I set out to make them. I couldn’t find a recipe online so I improvised two recipes (basic ganache and truffles) and added rose water to taste. They turned out wonderfully, however rose just isn’t a 5 star flavor for everyone. This was my 1st time making Truffles and boy is it a lot of work. Ganache is not so easy to work with, the dipping process takes time, and each step needs a little time in the fridge to harden. I don’t think I’ll be making them again any time soon.
My next TEST NEST is February 22 – I hope my guests will also feel “loved” with their chocolate and heart recipes.
7 Comments (Leave a Reply)
what a treat to be included in one of your test nests–a lot of love went into your valentines offerings!
memorable meal moments: the winter punch (wish I had a Texas size glass), the cauliflower and onion tart, and the subtle rose truffles!
Ains,
Everything above looks absolutley delicious. Tapatio can fix any soup. Broiling a hanger steak is tricky. You need to keep the steak atleast 5" below the heat source for 3 to 4 minutes a side. You could try pan searing then roasting. You are more then welcome to come visit and cook this for me!
You are so AWESOME! I like to make truffles (around the holidays for the neighbors), although they do take quite a bit of time. I'll have to send you some of my favorite recipes for truffles. One is SUPER easy…Oreo truffles! YUM!
The steak sounds great! Maybe try your marinade on a flank steak, which might work out better?
Ains – keep a book of the best recipes and send me a copy!
Looks great. one day i hope to attend. keep me posted.
Looks great. one day i hope to attend. keep me posted.
Amber, Wish I could have tasted all that food. You spent a long time in the kitchen,I'm sure. The pictures looked like a fancy cookbook. I want copies of your favorite recipes.