Heart Attack in a Bowl
This is not something you would normally serve, but its becoming a cool winter here and this is the ideal hearty pick me up needed. Cheese, egg all melted together in a bowl ... what could be better (aside from a triple bypass).
Nonna’s Crostoli
This is not a terribly well known snack outside of Italian circles (meaning it's not sold in every coffee shop around the world yet) but for when relaxing with friends over a coffee and just enjoying company, Crostoli is a fantastic accompaniment that would easily rival almond biscotti or any number of standard cafe fare.
French Rye Loaf
Rye is a fantastic bread to enjoy toasted or as a sandwich. It has a wonderful flavour and texture not present in typical white loafs. This is a "light" rye loaf I enjoy from time to time.
Molasses & Wheatgerm Loaf
Molasses is a wonderful ingredient if you can find it, it has a wide variety of uses from alcohol production (rums, etc) through to breads and many sweet and savoury dishes. This is an adaptation of one of my staple bread recipes where I substitute honey for molasses for a richer, darker crumb with a more savoury element than the honey produces.
Rancillio Rocky and Silvia Spring Clean
While not a recipe, its definitely something all home cooks should know. Its a good idea to maintain your coffee equipment, for one, its to keep your coffee flavourful and also to extend the life expectancy of your equipment. However many people own a semi automatic machine and grinder and have absolutely no clue how to maintain their gear, which is a real shame. I will also be covering how to "true" zero your Rocky. Also, its important to note that these instructions are specific to the Rancillio Silvia/Rocky machines and may not apply to your make or model of equipment, check your manuals before you use any of the information I provide as it may void your warranty (i.e. don't try to sue me if you screw up your machine)
Bagels (easy)
A busy personal life gets in the way of cooking sometimes, but like a bad drug you eventually get sucked back into the kitchen. This time I am making bagels because of a wonderful breakfast enjoyed last week, a good bagel must be chewy and a very tight crumb making them ideal for filling. There are a multitude of recipes out there, but the common element is a high gluten development and boiling before baking (which is actually a lot easier than it seems) I use vegetable shortening in my recipe to make the crumb a little softer and chewier but it can be omitted at the expense of shelf life and a softer crumb.