Decisions, Decisions: Flour for pasta dough

You would think this would be easy - flour is flour, right?  Except.... not really.  In fact, these days, there are specialty flours for EVERYTHING.  It can be a tad bit overwhelming.  (And by "tad", I really mean "ridiculously"...)

So, feel free to browse the Wiki article on flour, if you want to learn all the things!

For now, I'm going to eliminate all the non-wheat flours.  I'm not gluten-sensitive or have Celiac disease, so I'm good with old-fashioned wheat flour (and prefer it).  One of my challenges in coming weeks and months may be to take a beloved recipe and try to adjust it for non-wheat flours.  One of my nephews is gluten-sensitive, so eats gluten free now.  It's worked wonders for him, but I'm not interested in getting into a gluten debate here.

Back on track.... flour.

Basics:

• Unbleached vs. Bleached
• This is pretty straight-forward.  Same flour, just one has had a chemical added to bleach the color to more white instead of tan.
• All-purpose vs. Self-Rising
• The only difference here is that Self-Rising flour has had a leavening agent added (baking powder) and distributed evenly through the batch.
• Enriched
• During the process of making flour nutrients are lost. Some of these nutrients are replaced during refining and the result is "enriched flour"
• Semolina
• "The coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta, breakfast cereals, puddings, and couscous.[1] The term semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains, such as rice and maize."

Types:
I started to write a whole piece here, and discovered that other people had already written it and better than I can do.  I particularly liked this Bon Appétit article. 

Short version: All-purpose is your best bet for most projects.  It's what you should have in your pantry.  It's a good all-purpose flour (imagine that!)...  Other types (like 00 or cake or bread or...) are good for certain projects and certain foods.  Always start with what the recipe calls for and try it at least once or twice that way before changing things up.

Tomorrow is the day!  I'm so excited!  We're going to make pierogies!

Decisions, Decisions: bacon, Bacon, BACON!

This could seriously be a whole series of articles by itself.  Bacon is loved by many... and has so many different forms.  I'm going to give just a little info here.  I can't image you need my help understanding bacon... :)

Here's what Wiki has to say about American Bacon (which is usually cured and smoked):

A side of unsliced bacon was once known as a 'flitch'; it is now known as a 'slab'. An individual rasher of bacon is known as a 'slice' or 'strip'. The term 'rasher of bacon' is occasionally encountered (e.g., on restaurant menus) to mean a serving of bacon (typically several slices).
American bacons include varieties smoked with hickory or corncobs and flavourings such as red pepper, maple, brown sugar, honey, molasses, and occasionally cinnamon. They vary in sweetness and saltiness and come from the Ozarks, New England, and the upper South (mainly Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia).

• The term 'bacon' on its own generally refers to strip bacon from the belly meat of the pig, which is the most popular type of bacon sold in the US.
• 'Canadian Bacon' or 'Canadian-style bacon' is made from the pork loin, usually the lean ovoid portion (longissimus muscle or loineye). It also can be made from the sirloin portion of the loin (gluteal muscles), but must be labelled appropriately. Similar products are used as less expensive substitutes.
• 'Streak o' lean', a Southern bacon made from fatback.

There are other products that are cured and smoked to taste like bacon, but are made from other meats or products:

• Turkey bacon - made from fish... just kidding.  Made from Turkey.
• Macon - made from mutton
• Vegetarian bacon - yep.  It exists.
• Vegetarian bacon, also referred to as fakon, veggie bacon, or vacon, is a product marketed as a bacon alternative that is available in supermarkets. It has no cholesterol, is low in fat, and contains large amounts of protein and fiber. Two slices contain about 74 calories. Vegetarian bacon is usually made from marinated strips of tofu or tempeh.

Now, since we're going with an Italian-style blue cheese, we could also look at using an Italian-style bacon like pancetta or prosciutto or guanciale or even lardo.

• Pancetta is "an Italian bacon made of pork belly meat that is salt cured and spiced with black pepper and sometimes other spices. Unlike pancetta in the America, pancetta in Italy is typically consumed raw, as it was designed for."
• Prosciutto is "an Italian dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked; this style is called prosciutto crudo in Italian and is distinguished from cooked ham, prosciutto cotto."
• Guanciale is "an Italian cured meat or salami product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, Italian for cheek. Guanciale is similar to the jowl bacon of the United States."
• Lardo is "a type of salumi made by curing strips of fatback with rosemary and other herbs and spices."

But none of those are the flavor or concept that I'm craving.  I want bits of good ol' American cured and smoked bacon.  Possibly peppery.  And I'll probably go with a thick-cut so there are real hunks of bacon in these pierogies.  I don't want them to totally disintegrate into dust; this will be the texture in the filling.  We have mashed potatoes and blue cheese so far.  The bacon will be the only firm or crispy thing inside.

Hmmmm... and maybe some super crispy bits to sprinkle on top of the finished plate...?

Up tomorrow: which flour for the pierogi dough?

Decisions, Decisions: Potatoes for Pierogi

So many choices, so little time.

I'm of Irish descent and I am completely in love with potatoes.  As much or more than cheese!

For this recipe (pierogi), we're going to essentially be making mashed potatoes and adding blue cheese and bacon.  Then wrapping in a light pasta dough.  Then boiling.  and then sautéing in butter.  Oooops, sorry.  Got distracted with day-dreaming... back to the research.

I have lots of options for this item.  I checked our store and we have Russet and yellow/gold (like Yukon Gold) and red-skin and sweet and purple and fingerling and... You get the point.

I've found 2 articles that I particularly like for understanding the taste and texture of various potatoes:

• the kitchn
• Sixteen Kinds of  Potatoes
• Potato Goodness
• Potato Types

Generally, potatoes fall into one of 3 groups:

• Starchy: Russet, sweet potatoes, yams
• Waxy: fingerlings
• In-between (all purpose): Red-gold, purple, red, Yukon gold

From the article from the kitchn:

Starchy potatoes are great for baking and frying. Because of their starch, they don't hold together very well when cooked, but they are are fluffy and absorbent, perfect for butter on a baked potato or the oil in a fryer. They are decent mashed, but care must be taken not to over work them, else you'll have a gluey mess.
Waxy potatoes have a smoother, more waxy texture so they hold their shape while cooking. They work well in dishes like soups, stews, potato salad and scalloped potatoes where you would need to boil, slice, or roast.
All-purpose potatoes have a less starch than starchy potatoes, but not so much that they completely fall apart when cooked. They will work for most potato dishes.

Most pierogi recipes seem to start with Russets.  I'm going to opt for an all-purpose (Yukon gold) because I much prefer the buttery texture.  I don't want to have to add a lot of liquid (like milk) or butter to the mashed potato mixture - there will be plenty of richness with the bacon and blue cheese!

Up tomorrow:  bacon, Bacon, BACON!!

Decisions, Decisions: Blue Cheese

I know, I know.  Blue cheese (bleu cheese?) is a love/hate thing.  But I think most people who hate it haven't learned that it's a category of cheeses as varied as the day is long.

Smooth. Creamy. Soft. Hard. Firm. Mild. Sharp. Sweet. Peppery. Stinky.

And depending on what you're planning to do with it, you need to make different selections.

In my research, I found a few sites with good articles for understanding the world of blue cheeses:

• Of course, Wikipedia has a page: Blue Cheese
• "Blue cheese is a general classification of cheeses ... spotted or veined throughout with blue, blue-grey, blue-green, or blue-brown..."
• So it's not a type (like Cheddar or Mozzarella or cream cheese), but a general classification.  There are lots of different blue cheeses... keep reading.
• Serious Eats
• An Introduction to Blue Cheese: 4 Beginner Blues for Newbies
• Cheese 101: There's More to Blue Cheese Than You Think
• The Cook's Thesaurus has a great article on the major varieties of blue cheese

For this project, I'm intentionally sticking with the varieties that are available at a reasonable price point in my local grocery store.  The cheese won't be served on its own, but folded into the stuffing of a pierogi, so it doesn't need to be strong enough to stand up to a cheese plate, or pair nicely with a certain wine or dinner plate.

I stopped by the store and took a few pictures of my options with my cell phone (so forgive the quality of these pictures):

• These aren't really being considered... but I grabbed a picture anyway.  The flavors on these will be much more strong than I'm looking for in this recipe.  I'm sharing just to point out that there is an OK variety at my local store:
• Country Castle Limburger ($4.99 for 6oz or $0.83/oz):
• A semi-soft cheese with origins from Belgium. Only one factory in the USA, located in Monroe, Wisconsin, produces Limburger domestically. Limburger is a pungent smelling, surface-ripened cheese that pairs well with hearty rye breads and even a slice of onion.
  
• Société Roquefort ($7.99 for 3.5oz or $2.28/oz):
• Société® Roquefort has an ivory-colored paste with emerald-green veining and a creamy, moist texture. Its rich, intense sheep milk flavor balances the blue mold aroma creating the magic taste that has made Roquefort famous around the world and distinguished it by many as the King of Cheeses.
  
• Several are generically labeled as "blue"...  will be hard to tell from a package what they're like:
• Salemville Amish Blue ($4.29 for 4oz or $1.07/oz):
• Internationally renowned rBGH free blue cheese produced in an Amish community from cows that are hand-milked twice daily. Salemville® Amish Blue cheese is recognized for its well-balanced, earthy flavor and picturesque veining.
  
• Athenos Blue ($4.99 for 4.5oz or $1.11/oz):
• Athenos Blue Cheese, aged 60 days for a more complex flavor, is crumbled and ready to be thrown into your next salad.
  
• Stella Blue ($3.74 for 7oz or $0.54/oz):
• a delectably rich and tangy flavor and an easy-to-crumble, semi-soft texture that’s perfect for salads and sauces.
  
• Two Danish Blue's:
• Castello Traditional Danish Blue ($4.99 for 4.4oz or $1.13/oz):
• A fine, nutty, blue mould aroma with hints of marzipan and a soft bitterness of sourdough
  
• Castello Extra Creamy Danish Blue ($5.99 for 4.4oz or $1.36/oz):
• A mild blue mould aroma, buttery with a hint of oiliness and a sharp blue mould sourness overlaid on tempered salty butter.
  
• And one Gorgonzola:
• Salemville Amish Gorgonzola ($4.29 for 4oz or $1.07/oz):
• Salemville® Amish Gorgonzola cheese gained widespread fame by winning Best American-Made Blue Cheese at the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2000. This rBGH-free artisanal blue cheese is made in small batches by a Wisconsin Amish community. Milk comes from local farmers whose herds of four to twenty-five cows are hand-milked twice a day. Savory, slightly piquant, earthy flavor with a rich, creamy texture and beautiful, consistent veining.
  

So.... which to pick??

We decided to go with the Gorgonzola for this batch.  We'll see how it turns out, but I think the creamy texture and earthy flavor will work well with potatoes and bacon.

Up tomorrow... the key to this redhead's heart: potatoes.

Making Choices in the Kitchen

If you know me "in real life" (IRL), you know I'm a nerd, a dork, a geek.  I can be awkward; I can be polished.  I'm a total goofball, even if I appear shy at first.  I don't always make sense... and I talk to myself (which you can sort of see in last week's recipe for Cheese Bread).

When it comes to food, I have a ton of picky-eating habits that started when I was young - and they've never made sense (even to myself).  Case(s) in point:

• I LOVE tomato soup, but I HATE tomatoes (even though I was born in New Jersey).
• I love the smell of a steak on the grill, but hated eating beef (until last summer and the amazing burger I ate at some friends' home).
• My favorite sandwich for elementary school was soft white bread with ketchup and yellow american cheese.  Cold.  No meat.
• An acceptable substitution was a bologna roll-up.  So a non-sandwich sandwich.
• Or peanut butter and butter (but not jelly).

Because of these odd-ball issues with food (including a huge distaste for anything seafood that we generally acknowledge as an untested allergy), I didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  I always found something in a recipe to "ruin" it for me... and it honestly never occurred to me until recent years that... I could CHANGE the recipe!  *gasp*  Who knew?!

As an adult, I've managed to figure a few things out about my odd food choices.

• I'm bothered by textures
• I love the taste of real strawberry... but I HATE the little seeds.  They make it impossible for me to enjoy a fresh strawberry.
• I have learned to love a burger if it's not too hard or tightly packed... but I hate them when they are tough (though I suspect that I'm not alone on this one).
• I don't like crunchy things in my soft foods... even if I like the crunchy things in general. Do NOT put peanuts in my brownie... but I can gorge out on peanut butter (creamy only).
• If I could make all my brownies be "middles", I'd be in heaven.  Do not bring that "all edges" pan anywhere near my kitchen!
• If I have a negative food experience memory, it is completely in charge... even if my tastes have changed.  It is very difficult for me to try something again if I've had a bad experience in the past.  But I'm challenging myself on this one...

Learning things like this has been part of my adult experience in the kitchen.  And it's why I've started writing about food.  I'm no foodie in the typical sense; you're not going to find the cutting edge techniques or fancy-dancy ingredients here.  That's not my goal.  But maybe a fellow picky-eater (or the parents of a young one) will find some inspiration to figure out where it comes from and what the underlying issue really is.  I think I might have been less picky growing up if I'd known how to explain what my issues with food were.


This week, I'm inspired to share a little "Behind the Scenes" for next weekend's recipe.  I want to show a little about how I get nerdy about adjusting a recipe... and adapting for my own tastes.  I'm going to make a variation on a traditional pierogi.  Before I cook, I need to shop... and before I shop, I need a shopping list!

This recipe could go SO many different ways depending on the choices I make.  (Choices?!  In a recipe?!  Unheard-of!!  Or.. well... totally normal for everyone else but me, apparently.)  I thought it might be good to give a little peek into my process of picking the ingredients for a recipe!

Each day this week, I plan do a quick post on the 4 major ingredients in my recipe (blue cheese, potatoes, bacon, and flour) and how I'm going about making the choices for THIS version.

The choices I make for this recipe are specific for this situation.  I can (and do) make other choices for other things.

Stick around and learn a bit about how I practice in my kitchen!