This is our second press coverage this fall. Whoo-hoo! The idea of Edible Education is huge. Getting students interested in food is effortless. Getting them interested in eating healthy, nutritious, good, clean and fair food takes a little more time, but is suprisingly not difficult. It is a very natural process, actually, and the results are always the same. They get it. They love it. They do it.

 

Take a look at the Edmonton Journal article yesterday here: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Students+serve+lunch+with+relish/2267928/story.html

and then come back to read our back story.

 

The Catering Club was started last year in the fall with a huge interest from the students. The first meeting had over 50 students. Everyone wanted to cook. There were road blocks along the way to our success, but the "club" really got into major motion in February of last year, but we were not catering for anyone. We were just cooking, tasting, and getting to know one another, and getting to know the importance of good hygiene and safety when wotking in the kitchen together.

 

I met with the Hany, our Health Inspector in early March, and found out what I needed to do to get this program rolling, then I did it.

That was easy. Truly. The course was interesting, and one entire day. Now we were ready to start to make and sell nutritious lunches to the staff and students at our school. The taste education happens in our Catering Club. I plan the meals with student input, if someone brings in an idea that they are really excited about, or if something suddenly goes on sale, we change our plans.

 

Anyone can join Catering Club, whether they are in my foods class, or not. They can come any time: once a week, once a year, sporadically, or regularly. Whatever works for them. We all welcome new comers. My students are my best recruiters.

 

 

There are about 20 students each evening in the Catering Club. Tuesday evenings from 3-4:30 is usually time for me to do taste education and for the students to become mad scientists: baking, and making, and tasting, and involved in the development of an acute awareness of the difference in the quality and the taste and texture of food.

 

Wednesday evening from 3-4:30 is completely focused on preparing the meal for Friday's lunch. The attendance doesn't really vary. I thought that students would be far more interested in cooking for themselves than in coming to the Wednesday club time. But, I was wrong. Students come because they love to learn how to cook good, clean, and fair healthy food. They are not afraid of the hard work. They exude pleasure and enjoyment throughout the entire peeling, cleaning, washing, mincing, dicing and julienning sessions. The students naturally celebrate teh tastes of raw food, the smells, and the colours. I don't have to say anything about it. Their comments and conversations are so astute and important that I am consistently compelled to share this experience with whomever I can.

 

I bring in a big bowl of all colours and shapes and kinds of potatoes. Each student touches, and feels, and smells and tastes and compares mouthfeel, and crunch (or lack of), sweetness, bitterness, starchiness, similarities and differences etc, of these potatoes raw. Then we cook them, and we go through the same process again. An occasional student will pass on a taste. Nothing is ever forced. But most are extremely perceptive and keen as they move back and forth testing and tasting and talking to one another about what they think about each potato, what they like, prefer, don't care for, and why.

 

I do the same with apples, and tomatoes, and carrots, and any other vegetable and fruit I can possibly do it with.

 

Then, once we make something, like a pie, or a crisp, or a soup, or a meatball, I buy the best premade processed equivalent I can find, or two, and we compare all of the aspects of those with the ones made from scratch with our own hand.

 

We compare costs. We compare nutritive value. But, not on paper. As part of the conversation, or on a white board to calculate differences... within out group... this learning is fundamental. The teaching is so easy. The time spent is priceless and is providing these specific yought with foundation for a different future. A future of healthy living and eating and one where they have learned and experiences the differences in and where they understand their personal power and its importance to their future health, and to the health and sustainability of our planet. We talk about that, too.

 

I spend as much of our money as I can at Farmer's Markets. I have to buy certified produce as we are a school and bound by the laws of Alberta Health Services. This is a cost recovery program. My students pay nothing. They keep half of whatever they make. The other half goes to me to sell at our school store. For the nutritious lunches, as this food is sold as close to cost as possible, to encourage and enable student purchase, catering club students get a discount.

 

That is out back story. It is an important one. It would be my hope that the young parents of today understand the critical importance of cooking from scratch with their toddlers, of making the dinner meal the center of their day, and of understanding the crisis our youth are facing as most are growing into "excellent students of this Fast Food Nation", encouraged by almost every adult they know through the "treats" bestowed upon them.

 

We all need to change.

  

 

Visiting Mrs. Celmainis (read her story) at her home two weeks ago was a serendipitous experience. I met Anita at a Slow Food Edmonton meeting several months ago, and when she said she was from Latvia, I mentioned that I had known a Latvian family from Red Deer several hundred years ago. Eureka! She knew them. She must be mistaken. It was too much of an amazing coincidence. But, it was true. I had to see Mrs. Celmainis. I could remember how her husband looked, but could not visualize Linda. However, the moment she opener her door, the memories from my past layered over my present reality. There she stood, that little grin on her face, her twinkly eyes. Yes, at 94 she had changed. So had I. Yet, she was still the same. What a miracle that I was able to see her again. I was not going to disregard this miracle. And, Anita was such a blessing. She arranged our meeting, came with me, and facilitated the entire visit. So innately kind of her.

 

We sat and I had to have a cup of Linda's wonderfully strong freshly brewed coffee. As I recounted the vivid pictures in my head, Linda just shook her head and laughed now and then. "I remember somebody. I guess it could have been you. I remember having you to dinner." Linda had a vague recollection. Vague. She didn't recall me going with her and her husband to Diney and Bob's first home on Bellamy Hill in Edmonton. She didn't recall very much. I really thought I had made more of an impression. And, that was quite an incredulous awakening for me. This family had made such a funamental impression on me as a youth, and Mrs, Celmainis didn't even recall more than a shadow of my existence in her life. That just makes me smile that smile of quiet understanding. Life is a really beautiful adventure and here is yet another lesson I am learning. And, now I have the opportunity to touch this woman's life back.

 

Anita brought Linda Celmainis to lunch Sunday to make Bacon Buns. I was so pleased to be able to host her in my home, and to learn from her hand. When I was 16 years old, Linda's daughter, Sal met me, and hooked me up with her mother and father as they had a young man boarding at their house at the time. He was mentally handicapped and they asked me if I would tutor him a couple of times a week in Spelling and in working to pass his Driver's Licence Test. I was honored. And the pay? Five dollars an hour. Five dollars and hour! I was 16 and this was in 1971 and 1972. That was big, big money in those days. I was never late and really enjoyed my time with Bruce. I later found out that they were more interested in perking up his week with time with a young gal than in anything to do with tutoring. And here I was working so hard preparing my lessons!

 

My relationship with the Celmainises strengthened. They had escaped Latvia and come to Canada several years earlier. I listened to their story, and was truly moved by their passion. They were such a loving couple. What impressed me the most was that I was treated as an adult by them. I would come in, and was always offered a coffee and Linda (Mrs. Celmainis to me, at that time) always had time for a visit with me. She made the best coffee. It was strong and black and she served it in a silver perculator. I always looked forward to her coffee.  And there was often some kind of ethnic bite to go with it. Just a bite. Just perfect.

 

Through our friendship, I helped her with Diney and Bob's wedding preparations and learned to spread the butter all the way to the edges of the crust of the bread when making my first open faced Latvian sandwiches. I was invited to dinner and ate my first beef stroganoff and warm purple cabbage with bacon. I was enchanted with her food, her family, and the warm sparkle in her eye. But, Bruce moved back to Provost, I went to University in Edmonton, and though we did keep in touch for awhile, eventually, we lost track of one anohter. At least I lost track of them. Clearly, she didn't think of me through the years as I thought of them.

 

Sal, her daughter, had been my counsellor for one week at the University of Alberta during the summer of 1971 when I attended a High School Student Council Training Workshop with other High School Student Council members throughout the province of Alberta. She also didn't recall me when I sent her a message through Facebook, again facilitated through Anita. Do you see me grinning?

 

As I was unpacking my memories with the Clemainises, the memory of Linda's Bacon Buns, still as fresh as if it was yesterday, wafted through my darkness and erupted my sensory awareness. I don't really remember the first time I was introduced to these. I have not even thought of them, nor have I come accross them, for thirty eight years, but I do remember that Mrs. Celmainis always had one saved for me somewhere in the back of her bread box after a special holiiday dinner. She knew I loved them, and she never forgot me. I had to have her teach me how to make these. I love them, and I want to have the knowedge and the connection with her through this special food.

 

When I greeted Linda Sunday and asked her how she was as she was coming in my door with Anita, her answer. "Well, I'm still alive." and she grinned. It was a beautiful sunny fall day, and a wonderful day to be out. As she was walking into my kitchen she fussed about me making lunch for her. "You shouldn't have done that. I don't eat much." And, she didn't, but she did manage to eat a bun sized portion of the fresh bread I had made for her with about 1/2 a cup of some homemade yam soup. I was so happy I had made that bread. I could see she enjoyed it. She was sitting up at the island, and we were all sipping our soup and so happy to be having a little visit on this gorgeous day.  I didn't know her stamina, and didn't want to tire her, so I had made her dough recipe already, and Anita (bless her heart) had brought the filling pre-made. While they were still eating, I got out the dough to let Linda have a feel and she was impressed, so I got started portioning the dough.

When I asked her if my portions were the right size, she took it and right away started to make a bacon bun. She said it was huge, but it would have made her husband happy. I made it smaller, and then she said they were perfect. Anita said they were still about double the size they should be. And, after they rose, and were baked, they were exactly how I remembered them. But, certainly far too big for appetizer size. So, if you want appetizer size, make them 1/2 ounce portions.

Look at that concentration. Isn't she adorable? She didn't even finish her soup until I took them away from her until she did finish her lunch.

Look at those experienced hands fly!

I commented on how fast she was, and she quipped back, "Well, I am making Bacon Buns, not taking pictures every minute!" Always a little humour up her sleeve!

I love the above photo. And below, Anita has shaped her Bacon Buns into a crescent shape as that is her family tradition and that was so much fun for me to see.

• 1/2 cup warm water, 2 tbsp. yeast, 1 tsp. sugar 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tbsp yeast, 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 580g whole milk (2 1/2 cups) 290g whole milk
• 220g (1/2 pound) unsalted butter 110g unsalted butter
• 50g sugar (1/4 cup) 25g sugar
• 5g salt (1 tsp.) 1/2 tsp. salt (the machine doesn't measure under 5 grams)
• 2 free range organic eggs (with beautiful dark yellow yolks) 1 free range organic egg
• a pink or two or three of cardoman a pinch or two of cardoman
• 6 cups of white flour 3 cups of white flour

• 1kilo (one generous kilo) of really good double smoked bacon*, cut into lardons
• one large white or yellow onion, minced
• pepper to taste (quite a bit)

1. Place the yeast, water and sugar in a bowl for the yeast to proof
2. Scald the milk and the butter
3. Add the salt and the sugar
4. Temper the eggs by adding some of the hot milk and butter to the eggs, and then add all of the eggs back into the milk and butter
5. Mix in two cups of the flour; pour in the yeast and combine
6. Add the remaining flour;
7. Knead; set aside to proof (about an hour)

Themomix Instructions:

1. Place the yeast, water and sugar in a bowl for the yeast to proof
2. Scale the milk, butter, sugar and salt into the TM bowl for 5 minutes at 60°C at speed 2
3. Pour out of the TM bowl into another bowl, and quickly rinse the TM bowl with water to cool it; place the eggs into the TM bowl for 2 minutes at speed 4
4. After the eggs have been beating for 30 seconds, temper them by adding a very small amount (about 1/4 cup)of the scalded milk and butter mixture into the TM bowl through the lid while the blades are running for the second 30 seconds; add the remainder to the bowl, slowly over the next 30 seconds, and mix to combine for the last 30 seconds
5. Add one cup of flour; set the time to 30 second at speed 3-4 to combine
6. Add the yeast mixture to the ingredients in the TM bowl; set the time to 1minute at speed 3-4 and add the remaining 2 cups of flour slowly thought the lid
7. Set the time for 3 minutes and the speed to the lid closed position; select KN (knead)
8. Empty the TM bowl onto a very lightly floured surface; scrape out all of the remaining sticky dough and add to the mixture; pinch into a ball and proof for about an hour

• get excellent quality double smoked bacon, or don't bother going to all of the effort*
• make it well in advance (event he day before) so it is completely cooled to use when filling the dough portions

1. Ask your butcher to slice the bacon in thick slices, and then slice the slices into lardons when you get home (Those may even need to be cut in alf, depending upon how wide the slices of bacon are)
2. Use one huge onion, peeled and minced
3. Fry the bacon until about half done, and then add the onion and cook until browned around the edges, and most of the fat has been rendured, but the bacon is not crispy
4. Add a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper; Anita likes to add caraway seeds, and I love them, too
5. Cool completely

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F  
2. After the dough has doubled in size, I cut it in half and place one half back into the covered container until I am ready to use it
3. With the half I am ready to use, I portion the dough into one ounce sizes and fill each with a generous teaspoon full of filling (36 to 38 portions)
4. The idea is to flatten the dough to enable it to hold a generous portion of bacon
5. Anita likes to shape hers into crescent shapes; Linda has always shaped hers into little loaf shapes
6. Leave a generous amount of space between buns as they rise quite a bit
7. Set to proof again before baking (30-45 minutes)
8. Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes; rub crust of each with a little bit of butter immediately upon coming out of the oven; remove to a cooling rack

They freeze beautifully, if they will last that long!

*K&K Foodliner has the best I have found in Edmonton, though Sobey's also has some at their delicatessen. Here is the typed version of the original recipe that one of Linda's grandchildren created from watching her make her buns, and this is the recipe I have used and explained above.

I was having guests for dinner Sunday evening. Anita was tired, and neither of us were sure about Linda's stamina, but it became clear that she was not ready to go home when the time came. We had a hearty visit after our baking. I showed her around the house. She was curious, and interested. Anita had told her that it was time to leave, but Linda was just not interested in going. I felt quite guilty. Why had I planned another event on the same day? As I walked her to the car, I told her we would take her for a drive, and for lunch next time. She told us how much she enjoys going for drives and how good her son-in-law Bob is to her as he takes her for often. She did add that she was pretty sure he didn't enjoy shopping for women's clothing or lingerie. (So, maybe we'll take her to do some girly shopping, too.) She was adamant. "Oh, for goodness sake. You don't need to bother with me!" Anita grinned, "Didn't you have a nice time?" Linda didn't miss a beat, bantering back, "Well, yes, I guess I did!" with her little twinkly-eyed grin. "Ok, then! We'll do it again!"

 

Voila! Tres bon! Non? Well, not exactly. I am so pleased with the way that this little lovely presents herself: a smooth and shiny coat, proper little feet, or collar. I was very excited... but, she is a bit too brittle. Chewy, yes. Still chewy, but instead of the delicate shell giving way to a gooey interior, I find myself crunching, and I mean CR-UN-CHING! ...and then the interior melts into gooeyness. Very different that what is "supposed" to happen. Yes, looks do deceive. It would be great if I knew why I had a better look and a less appealing taste. I do think I have an idea:

 

What do you think Béné? Giselle? How did I do? Suggestions? Anyone? I really want to make these every day, but I just haven't the time right now, thought that is how I would learn best. Actually, I would learn best baking them beside Béné a few more than a few more times.

 

Now, for the Pink Peppercorn Macarons! The fragrance of the peppercorns was intoxicating. I can see how you got the idea to make these, Aran! The difference here is, that I cannot stop experimenting. I did know that I "should have" worked at making a plain macaron with pink colouring and peppercorns crushed on top. However, instead, I put 15 grams of crushed pink peppercorn into the almond flour. it was so fragrant. I did overmix the batter without even realizing it. The "plain" macaron has such a different texture, and Bene did tell me that I would have to adjust accordingly, and I guess the pink peppercorn granules just didn't do it.

I was surprised when the really flat little paddies actually grew feet. The batter was running all over the pan with the parchment paper on it. When I piped it onto the silpat, each circle held itself in place. That was a good little discovery.

I did have quite a bit of the flour that wouldn't go through the sieve. Probably because I hadn't crushed the pink peppercorn enough. So, I altered the recipe accordingly. That may had been why I over mixed it. It was about a fifth less that I had been working with.

I was so excited to add the powdered colouring I found in the city. I thought one of these would be plenty. Well, I added 5, and got the pale anemic colour you see below. They were pretty, but I was not trying to get this colour. I was working at a fresh pink shade.

I am not starting from scratch... but I may need a lesson again soon. It is easy to lose perspective in one's own little mad world.

I came across this fantastic "slideo" on You Tube that explains perfectly one of the many advantages of the Thermomix machine. I love mine. Helene has put this to some pretty funky western music, so I thought it would be a perfect accompaniment to the National Rodeo Finals in our fine city this weekend!

   

Yeah! I won something! Check it out!

No matter how experienced or learned I become, I still make major mistakes. Am I the only one? For example, I got this simple, simple, simple idea to make miniature stuffed peppers for my staff kick off to the new year party in September. I thought they would be a brilliant addition to the menu for two reasons: they freeze well, and I needed to make as much as possible in advance, and they are so comforting and gently flavoured. But, there was not a miniature pepper to be found in August, so I didn't do it. The first time I saw them again, I thought, "Perfect! I will make them and freeze them in individual dinner portions as a side." And I did.

But, this is when I blew it. I don't think I am over confident. I know I am experienced. And, I know I am over tired. I made the meat as if I was stuffing cabbage rolls. I filled the peppers, and froze them. I had such fun patting the belly of each little portion. Each was so cute with its own little shape. I was very satisfied and proud of them when I was finished and cleaning up. They are pretty, aren't they?

And then I pulled the bag of really oddly shaped ones to make for Vanja's dinner the other night and baked them up, topped with a yummy tomato paste sauce. The aroma was as it should have been. He walked into the house, breathed deeply, and felt loved. I wagged my little tail over to the oven and dished up his plate when he later sat down at the table. I waited, apprehensive. (Well, not really apprehensive, but I always wait for the word he will choose to shower his thanks and appreciation upon me.) "Ehm-ehmmm!" I was still waiting. He sometimes (yes, still) does need a reminder. He just kind of looked up from under his brows very apologetically and said, "Well, it smelled really good. It's really dry, and really bland. And actually, they are tasteless... and the pepper isn't really cooked well, and...." STOP! I didn't say it, I just looked it I grabbed a fork and dug in. "UGH!" What happened. I was so confused. What s the matter with me? This is such a simple basic and staple recipe. I didn't even twist it on its head, just on its side a little bit.

I felt terrible. I felt useless, and stupid, and powerless. I can handle making mistakes... but at this phase of my life with my expertise, this was inexcusable. Not from Vanja's view, but from mine. I did figure out what I did wrong, but not for a couple of days.

 

I did them like this the very first time I made them one or two hundred years ago. I think I have just been working too hard at too many things to do any of them very well right now. Of course, I usually cook the filling before I fill peppers!!! The filling is moist and yummy and cooled completely. They are not immersed in liquid and simmer-boiled for hours like cabbage rolls. The meat must be cooked in advance to be mosit and tasty. THEN the peppers are stuffed and frozen! How did I ever forget that? They are reheated with a generous amount of the tomato sauce slathered over them, and then shredded cheese lightly sprinkled on top the last 5 minutes. I will include the recipe and the photo the next time I pull a bag out of the deep freeze. I will have to thaw them, cook the meat, and adjust it however it needs to be adjusted to ensure it is flavourful and moist, then I will stuff and bake the peppers... so, watch for a photo of my husband smiling in the future. I think I need more sleep first!

Merci beaucoup, Béné. You have enabled me. Look at des délectable macarons au chocolat! Très bon, Valerie. Magnifique! I never imagined that I would do so well with Béné's guidance. I am a focused, capable, and determined student. But I have failed so many times. I did believe success was possible. For sure. Just not this much, this quickly. I feel good (Da-da-da-da-da-da! Oh-ya!) They are not perfect. But, I am not about to start picking apart this accomplishment. I am going to look at what is right about them. Like how light and crisp and chewy they are, and how they are not very sweet which I love, and how they are very chocolatey which I love even more. And how they are pretty. Aren't they so, so pretty? I can't stop looking at them. I cannot stop grinning. They are just so pretty.

I am so pleased with my pluck. I missed the Edmonton Foodie Meetup #2 as we were flying to Europe that day, but I did read all of the blogs that those in attendance wrote, and it was Chris's from Eating is the Hard Part that chronicled all of the offerings beautifully. I felt like I had almost been there, and then I scrolled down to the most perfect box of macarons au chocolat that he had attributed to a couple called Béné and Chris. That stopped me cold. I don't remember a thing anyone else brought. I was levitating. Who is this couple? I could find no blog at that time, but I did find an e-mail and wrote to Béné asking her if she would teach me how to make them.... and then, on Saturday, there we were. And I am so pleased with my pluck!

She welcomed me into her absolutely gorgeous new home, and I learned so much that I have never read anywhere. This will be the macaron baking article that everyone will want to read. For sure! First, we started with measuring, grinding, and sifting the dry ingredients. The dry mixture needs to be as soft as flour with absolutely no grit when you rub it between your fingers.

Then we prepared our pastry bags, cookie sheets, and beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and 15 g of granulated sugar once the whites began to foam. We chatted and beat until they were glossy and held their own peaks, but were not stiff.

We folded one half of the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture with a silicone spatula, adding the other half when that was incorporated. Watching her do this was fascinating for me. I was second guessing myself every second. Béné was calm, and confident and built belief within me that I was doing the right thing. Everything would be fine. My almond flour was not quite as fine as hers, so my milled almond powder and sugar mixture was not quite as soft as hers. Mine was still very, very fine, however. Her batter appeared lighter and glossier. I think I beat my egg whites a little stiffer than she did. Every step of the way, she would look at my batter, and hers, and then say something very practical and reassuring like, "That looks really good. You are doing really well." And, if there was a difference in the appearance of mine from hers (and there was), "It could be the almond flour, but I am sure it will turn out well. It looks fine to me." And, I believed her. She was very comforting, and very kind. After all, she was teaching a perfect stranger in her own kitchen who had seen a photograph of her baking and e-mailed her for a lesson. There are too few people who bake anymore, let alone anyone as generous as Béné with the expertise she possesses. I did learn, and will remember, everything. The consistency of the macaron batter before piping was key for me, and critical to my future macaron successes. (Did I say "successes"? Yes, I did!)

My red food colouring had a completely different hue than hers. My batter looked like grey mud; hers like warm caramel. But, she kept reassuring me, and she was right. "The colour is fine. It will change through the baking process, and it even changes as it cools and dries." Mine looks vastly different below only because I went over to the natural daylight from a window to snap the photo of it. Pastry bags were filled, I loved her clips (from Ikea... and I will probably make a special trip to Ikea now, just for pastry bag clips.)

Look at that focus. Piping mine onto the tray was when I realized there was another step in this process to master. Yikes! I did get a rhythm going on my second sheet. I had quite a menagerie my first sheet. But, when the shells came out of the oven, they had each grown into stately litte delicacies and were all gorgeous!

The second sheet is mine. You can hardly tell the difference!They needed ot sit 30 to 60 minutes until they are not sticky to the touch. Then, into the oven they went at 365 F for 12 minutes. I was unabashedly on the floor with my nose practically pressed against the oven glass at this point. There are feet in there. Look at those cute chubby little feet! Oh, my! Oh, my,my!

If the shell lifts off of the pan, the macarons can be removed from the oven. Béné is checking with a spoon.

Béné was so calm. This was the perfect learning experience. A bright lovely day in a bright and lovely condo.

Above are mine. Below are hers. Mine have chubbier feet? My shells are not as glossy as hers. See how perfect hers are? Oh, stop it. I am really just plain ecstatic and so thrilled to even have any feet. I even happen to think that chubby is cute!

I packed my car back up. I have so much to offer, too, but only if it is something another wants... and at the moment I turned to thank Béné once again, and say good bye, I felt that suddenly I had nothing of value to offer this young gal, whatsoever. I know that is not true, but I was deeply thankful and so earnestly wanted to be able to return this gift of time, sharing, friendship and knowledge. I will not forget. I will do that one day.

I came home. Did not unload the car. Washed my hands, and made my ganache. Don't ask me how. I don't remember. It was delicious and looked like this (above). I partnered my little shells with ones of equal footing, and sealed their fate with a little dollop and squeeze. Oh-la-la.

Then I played with my cookies! This was a first for me. And it was really, really fun! I stacked them, and leaned them, and rolled them, and made different patterns with them. I studied them and compared them. I organized them, and categorized them using many different approaches. All very carefully. This was an essential part of my enjoyment. Sometimes I have more pleasure looking and sniffing and sampling and taking a photograph of a tasty tidbit than I do eating it. Eating and tasting are such completely different matters.

I think these images just about sum up how much enjoyment I attained mastering the elusive French macaron on this sunny October morning.

1. Weigh125 g of almond powder (Planet Organic has the best, in the fridge) and make sure it is really fine; I ground mine in my Thermomix for about 90 seconds

2. Add 200 g of icing sugar and 15 g of cocoa (I used valrhona when I came home, and didn't need any food colouring! Good thing, as I forgot to add it!) and again grind or mill these ingredients in a food processor, a Thermomix, a blender, or whatever you have to get the texture of the tant pour tant to feel as soft as Talcum Powder when you feel it between your fingers. That was a big, new, and important tip for me.

3. You can then take this blend of powders, and store the tant pour tant in a zip lock bag in your refrigerator until you want to make the macaron. That was a great tip.

4. If you love them, you need to eat a lot of lemon curd, pot de crème au chocolat , or you will just be wasting a ton of egg yolks. Buying the fresh egg whites in a little carton works very well. Weigh 100 g and place them n a bowl on the counter overnight. Other whites need to be seperated and on the counter for about 5 days to become runny and no longer gelatinous.

5. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and add 15 g of granulated sugar when the whites start to foam. Do not overbeat the whites. Beat them until they hold their peaks. Do not beat them until they are stiff and dry.

6. When adding the first 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the whites, work the folding gently, even by patting to moisten the whites and retain the air in them; then, work to combine (macaronner) and the batter is actually very shiny and quite a bit thinner than I expected. (Not too thin, but not thick, either.)

7. And the last really important and new bit of information that Béné shared with me was that the piped shells can be left until they do not stick to the touch, or piped shells can be left out even overnight if you are in a pinch for time. This was a huge tip for me.

 

I didn't let anyone eat them for about two days. Well, everyone got one or two immediately, but then, no more until I had finished playing with them. They now need to be eaten, and enjoyed. I made another batch and used old whites. The whites were too old. The results were very good. I am not discouraged.

 

Actually, I am delighted! I have a batch of pink pepperrcorn tant pour tant zipped away in the fridge. I am well on my way.....

That dumpling even tastes more delectable than it looks! Believe me!

 

What a treat we were all in for last week! We had five days notice that Merry and Victor were visiting us from Vancouver. You would have that it was the early 1800's the way we panicked! Lynda and I had wanted them to come for over a year, but I was thinking I would just go there to meet them. It hadn't happened in over a year, and then, "Ringy-dingydingy! Hello! Valerie, Lynda, Hanna! We are coming to see you!" "But, but, but, but, but... " We all had a lot on our plate, but cleared what we could to make some time together on the Friday evening and more later on. Therer was not a planned conference, or even an agenda, but it was a wonderful, and long overdue warm evening of cooking together.

 

Everyone came with something to prepare and to share. I started with my Yogurt Cheese Balls, then made white and whole wheat bread and Porcini Chestnut Soup with White Truffle Oil. Merry stir fried beautiful black tailed tiger prawns in the Thermomix. She had marinated them for three hours in some seasonings and a bit of white wine. I had no idea they were so easy to do. She put the blade on Reverse at Speed 1-2 for three minutes. They were the best prawns I have eaten in my life. Absolutely jumped right out of the sea and on to my plate. YUM!

Then she made dumpling dough and the filling for Chinese Dumplings. This was a lot of fun. I need a pasta maker, Vanja! Merry was so suprised we didn't have one. Good thing, too. Half of the fun was rolling them by hand.

   

See how Merry is beaming? She should be. She did a wonderful job of teaching us all how to make the most magnificent Traditional Chinese Dumplings I have ever had.

She and Victor brought a very special kind of sauce with them that you cannot buy in Canada. It is a kind fo mushroom ferment and is meaty and earthy  with a depth of richness that I have never tasted, yet it is also light. It brought the moist parcels of fragrant flavour a presence that really grounded the dish.

Hanna made crepes with cheese filling that she made in her Thermomix. I will try to get a link for this really lovely recipe.

Meanwhile, here is the shrimp recipe

I have actually written an extensive (me thinks) blog on this subject already, but so many people don't learn from reading. So, this is for you, Lynda! You said you needed me to actually show you because it was too difficult. That is the beauty of this machine. It is actually so simple to make such incredible food that it "seems" impossible, therefore, too difficult. This is so easy. Too easy. So delicious, nutritious and cost effective. Take a look at the original blog in the link above, and then here are a couple of flip videos on the subject. I did notice when I wsa reciting the ingredients for the yogurt cheese ball marinade that I omitted the salt. It is in the recipe, however.