Great Grains

On Sunday come and learn about Great Grains.  Fall is in the air and beans and other grains work well for hearty food and cold temperatures outside.  Sunday @ 12 noon at Williams Sonoma in the District - see you there!

Halloween Party

Here are some ideas for some Halloween Food.   Use purple potatoes to make potato salad - they have a great taste as well as the color.

Use Purple Sticky rice to make rice pudding. I use a small bowl to chill it and then when I unmold it on a plate I add details to make it look like brains. Kids love it.

Make home made Root beer.  Make sure an adult handles the Dry Ice so that as it being carbonated, it creates a fog.  Really great for effects.

So get creative and let me know your ideas.

Readers Questions

I received several readers questions this week so I want to use this post to address some of them.

1. Cider - I was asked if I have a recipe for spiced cider.  Hot Spiced Cider is a great way to celebrate colder weather.  I have used many different ways to do this.  The most successful was to use a spice ball and put the mulling spices in that and then place it in the cider as it is heating. You can do the same with wine too. For the spices I use the William Sonoma Mulling spices blend because it has all the spices I like.  However you can use whole cloves, cinnamon sticks ( do not use the ground spice it will cloud the cider) as your base and then add the spices you like such as anise, orange or lemon peel etc.   Take the spices out before serving. 

2. Pie Crust - if you must make your own crust remember two things.   1- cold shortening and cold water and 2 - don't over work the dough.  I use puff pastry dough and/or frozen shells.  Buy the best quality not the store brands and you will do fine.

Thanks for the questions!  More later in the week