Book Review of The Hundred-Foot Journey, by Richard Morais

I've been in-between the pages of The Hundred-Foot Journey now for a month, and I've cooked anything it's inspired for me. So today I bid goodbye (finally, and without remorse) to this novel by Richard Morais…

Below you will find my book review, and rating of this novel.

The Hundred-Foot Journey
By Richard Morais
(Non-Fiction)

       This was the first book I’ve read in this category, and it’s also the first book I’ve read based so heavily upon food. Richard Morais’s The Hundred-Foot Journey is a story greatly centralized around the burgeoning growth of Hassan Haji - a budding young chef in his family’s clan. Morais focuses heavily for the first half of the novel upon the Haji family’s relationship with that of Madame Mallory a Michelin star chef 100 feet across from their newly established Indian restaurant.

       The three most prominent characters in this whole novel are Hassan, Abbas, and Madame Mallory. Hassan is by far the most centric character in The Hundred-Foot Journey as this book is largely taken from his first-person narrative, and we get to experience his journey as a young teen to an older man in the end. Abbas is the true old-fashioned patriarch, and he truly plays the part through every bit of his interactions. By far the one character that really led me to believe that hey were real was Madame Mallory. The insight that Morais gives us into Madame Mallory’s life is insightful, and totally relatable for those of us that have lost out time and again on something we hold dear. It also highlights the nature of our own personal beasts that we tend to harbor and grow like a cancer when we are not at peace with our own selves.

       Madame Mallory is also relatable in regards to how she is willing to admit wrongs done, and the capability of making amends in her own way. It is through her development as a character that we see Hassan develop from a fledgling chef in his own family’s restaurant to Madame Mallory’s student of traditional French cuisine. As Hassan grows more with his skill as a chef, it becomes more prominent that he has now outgrown the teachings of Madame Mallory and a new direction for him becomes clear. This change from Lumiere to Paris however is where I found The Hundred-Foot Journey to begin its lapse from engaging, to tepid.

       The spice of The Hundred-Foot Journey was with characters back in Lumiere, from Madame Mallory, Abbas, and the rest of the Haji clan. Unfortunately Morais took Hassan and stopped developing him personally as a character - instead focusing on his development as a chef. Morais treated Hassan more like a kitchen instrument that cooks the food, as opposed to a character in his own right. Or that at least is how I felt. To be honest I felt so disappointed, like I had been in a spicy relationship, only to have it’s flavor cooked out as opposed to honed.

       The other thing that really killed this novel for me was Morais poor execution of narrative. The Hundred-Foot Journey starts out as a first-person narrative, but then becomes a third-person narrative when needed. Sadly the third-person narrative of Madame Mallory is truly the only real character development he was able to execute through the novel. To me it was a shame because I’ve read novels before based on first-person narrative in which the character is amazingly developed, as well as any other characters they interact with. I could just be biased, but character development for me is the number one thing that I find important in a novel.

       At most an author could have poor grammar, some crappy clichés, and dead sections but as long as the character is engaging it covers up such basic errors. Instead Hassan’s lack of character only accentuates Morais’s constant run-on sentences, and poorly chosen sexual innuendos.
       In the end, I still can’t shut out how much I liked the first half of this novel. It was engaging, colorful, and vibrant. In the end though a strong start doesn’t finish out a novel, it’s really every aspect that makes or breaks you. Richard Morais is a talented writer I’m certain, but for me this novel really didn’t do it for me. If you want a novel that is entertaining at parts, an easy read for those boring days, and something that makes you want to cook - then pick up a copy of The Hundred-Foot Journey. To me it’s been shelved in my “Not to Read Again” list...

My rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars.

If any of you have read this book, I'd love your thoughts. Do you feel that I'm way off the mark in my review? Or did I touch upon some of the things that you may have found lacking as well? 

I'd love anyone's thoughts and feelings on this book, as I love to see what other people caught that I didn't.

If any of you haven't read the book, and don't think you will then you can get some aspect of it in the movie's rendition of The Hundred-Foot Journey. 

After I finished this novel, Ricky and I went to see the movie (come on it's Steven Spielberg!) Like most movie adaptations of books - it was different, but highly enjoyable all the same. 

I'll leave you all with a trailer just in case! (Sometimes it's never bad to skip a book and just go to the movies.)

Coconut Ladoo - The Ending Note to The Hundred-Foot Journey

I'm posting this today along with my review for The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard Morais.

I told myself that I was going to finish every single book I've read with a little dessert in order to finalize everything on a good note. (Even if the book was dreadful.)

I found it hard to truly come up with something for this book as a dessert, and it has nothing to do with lack of recipes. It was more or less just what I thought summed up the book best. I wasn't sure if it would be a French dessert or an Indian dessert. As such, it turned out for me the ending of the book, how Hassan felt, and some of the other factors towards the end - that an Indian dessert was more suitable.
This Cocount Ladoo was something I thought went deliciously with a handcrafted tea made for me by my friend Sarah from Homegrown Herb and Tea in Portland, Maine.

She blended me a special Indian-French Tea (heavy Indian influence) that was so heavenly. Three other individuals ended up getting the same thing!

Masala Pomme Chai Tea
Made in Maine
by Homegrown Herb and Tea

I think that this was a great finish, and certainly the sweetness of this treat will help resolve any of the bitter feelings that The Hundred-Foot Journey may have left on the tip of my tongue. So without further ado I'll be giving you guys the recipe for this sweet little treat!

Coconut Ladoo

Main:

• Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 Cup)
• Shredded Coconut (1 Cup)
• Almonds (12, Chopped)
• Butter (1 Teaspoon)

Instructions

• Heat the Butter in a small frying pan, and toast the Almonds.
• Once the Almonds are toasted, set aside and add the Sweetened Condensed Milk ad Coconut.
• Mix well and cook on low until the mixture becomes sticky and resistant to stirring. (Approximately 10 minutes.)
• Turn off the burner, and add back in the Almonds mixing well.
• Roll the mixture once it's cool enough into small balls, then take the Ladoos and roll into some extra Shredded Coconut.
• Plate and Enjoy!

These little treats were simple to make, delicious, and perfect for just Ricky and myself to consume as a little snack. I thought it paired well with a rich Masala Pomme Chai Tea, and it took very little effort. (Such a bonus!)

Since I've made dessert to help stymy off the negative vibes I've got from the book, tell me: What is your go to dessert to make you feel better after a wasted effort on something dismal?

Spicy Beef Stew

Let me just say, nothing beats coming home to a crock pot meal. Especially when it makes your whole house smell delicious!

I will say my stew came out a little more thin than a thicker sauce like I wanted - so bear that in mind when making this. (Maybe you can remedy the problem!)

Spicy Beef Stew

Main:

• Beef (1 Pound, Cut into Chunks)
• Water (5 Cups)
• Garam Masala (2 Tablespoons)
• Chili Powder (1 Tablespoon)
• Garlic (3 Cloves, Minced)
• Ginger (1/2 Tablespoon, Minced)
• Apple Hardwood Smoked Bacon (1 Piece)
• Onion (1/2, Cubed)
• Green Pepper (Deseeded, Cut into Chunks)

Instructions

• Place all of the ingredients in the crock pot. Set it on High, and leave it be for around 5 hours, or until the meat is cooked. 
• Remove the Bacon. (It was only for flavoring.)
• Dish it up and enjoy it!*

*If you want a thicker broth, try using the flour method. (I didn't have enough patience with mine and it didn't thicken up…)

I liked the level of spice in this stew. I had my parents over to be the first taste testers on this recipe (thanks you guys!) My mom thought it didn't have enough salt, and it wasn't thick enough. I stand by the thickness of the stew as well, but I preferred this without salt as it brings out the flavor of the cinnamon from the Garam Masala spices. 

Either way, to set something like this up on a cool fall morning, and to come back home to this is delicious. 

There are plenty of variations of an Indian Spicy Beef Stew. I made my own version, but I know there are others. I personally wouldn't mind trying a Nihari version. It's a Muslim Indian Beef Stew, and I know that in The Hundred-Foot Journey this is probably the version that Hassan's sister made. (But I really wanted to put Bacon in mine…)

If any of you try making the Nihari Beef Stew let me see your pictures, and I want to know what you thought of it!

Spicy Beef Stew for the Chilly Autumn Days Tomorrow!

Hello everyone!
Today is an amazing fall day. I wish I could post a video on here of some of the activity going on around my neighborhood, but then I'd be broaching into a separate category of what this blog is about. Yet it's just so amazing watching all the squirrels in our backyard run around and get ready for this winter. They've been burying nut caches in our raised bed gardens as of late, and it really makes me think that this may be a pretty bad winter. If anything means that I'm going to be cooking more crock-pot meals because it's something that helps permeate the house with a warm, nostalgic aroma. (Then I can curl up under a million blankets while it's cooking!)

I decided to cook a Spicy Beef Stew tomorrow for The Hundred-Foot Journey. (Yes it's the last meal recipe!) I think it's fitting, and I also believe that it's great for these cooler fall days. (As I say that the wind just picked up…)

"It was lovely to see your sister again, after so many years. She was so good to us, when we just showed up unannounced at the door. So kind to the children. And my, can she cook! Ooh la la. Just as well as you. She gave us dinner. Délicieuse. A spicy beef stew, thick and gooey, perfect for the chilly night. And so different from our boeuf Bourguignon." (Morais 237-238).

See even Margaret from the book mentions what a great dish this is for chilly nights! (Trust me we'll be needing it!)

I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of (rather immensely) excited for the fall and winter this year. I've never lived in a beach community that almost shuts down in the off season, and Ricky and I are rather excited to experience it. I also think it's going to be great baking in this house. Which reminds me, I plan on baking a small cake or treat of some sort that is reminiscent of The Hundred-Foot Journey. That will be made for probably Wednesday which is when I'll be posting my book review. This time I truly mean to post a baked treat, unlike my failure at Apricot Almond Pastries…

So come scope out my Spicy Beef Stew tomorrow, and get yourselves ready for Wednesdays book review and baked goody!

Tomorrow I'm Making Ratatouille!!

First of all let me just start by saying the following: thank you for all of you that have now started following Cook and Books, or have shared my blog through your own sources. It means a lot to me and I appreciate the support. So thank you!

I know that my posts have lately been shortened in regards to context, and I truly don't mean to neglect my writing just because I may not have liked what I've read. Therefore I promise from today onward, that even if the book I'm reading is something I ultimately despise, I will still write good content to make it worth while. Hell it will probably just highlight more of my sarcastic tendencies. (Something my Professors said I could never eliminate from term papers...) 

So in this regard I bequeath to you a more detailed description of the meal I'm cooking tomorrow and how it ultimately ties back in to The Hundred-Foot Journey!

"Tomorrow we throw out our menu, everything we have done for the past nine years. All the heavy sauces, all the fancy dishes, they are finished. Tomorrow we begin afresh, entirely. From now on we are only going to serve simple dishes at Le Chien Méchant, dishes where the most beautiful and freshest ingredients speak for themselves." (Morais 203-204).

I absolutely love this about Hassan, because he finally is going back to his roots. This was the first time in this part of the book that finally invigorated me again. Personally this section really touched upon me in an interesting way because it made me think of Maine. I know you may be wondering how a book taking place in France can make me think of Maine - but it has to do a lot with Maine's (specifically Portland's) strong local food growth. There are a quite a few restaurants popping up that believe firmly in the concept of farm-to-table dining now, and to me that's amazing. (And difficult to implement here on off-season.) 

To me for Hassan to finally touch back on the roots of pure simple cooking was huge because it finally brought into him a sense of character. Something I find lacking in him as a whole. 

I chose to cook Ratatouille because Ricky and I have a lot of homegrown tomatoes that need to be cooked, and also because the ingredients are in season here in Maine. I wanted to keep in the realm of what this passage had a deeper meaning to - therefore this dish is going to be implemented.

I hope you all tune in tomorrow to see how my Ratatouille comes out. (I plan on making it look more like the one from the movie Ratatouille.)

Bacon Wrapped Cornish Hen in a Red Wine Reduction

I'll admit something, I don't know what it is, but I absolutely adore cornish hens. I think it has something to do with how small they are, and how easy it is to make a meal for two people with a whole bird. (Try doing that with a full chicken…)
I also love how much you can do with a baked chicken dish - it's limitless. Hell I've even made a cornish hen for my cat's birthday cake. (Yeah I'm not joking…)

Moving on, I'd like to introduce the following dish:

Bacon Wrapped Cornish Hen in a Red Wine Reduction

Main:

• Cornish Hen
• Tooth Picks (3, Rinsed)

Sauce:

• Baby Bella Mushrooms (1/4 Cup, Chopped)
• Onion (1/2, Minced)
• Butter (2 Tablespoons)
• Red Wine (Merlot, 1 Cup)
• Thyme (1 Teaspoon)
• Garlic Powder (1/2 Teaspoon)
• Salt (To Taste)
• Pepper (To Taste)
• Cornish Hen Stock (4 Tablespoons)

Cornish Hen Wrap:

• Baby Bella Mushrooms (3 Mushrooms, Thinly Sliced, Save the the Stems)
• Apple Wood Smoked Bacon (3 Slices)
• Cloves (4 Whole)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Put the Cornish Hen in a large pot of water, and bring to a slight boil. Cook until the Hen is 50% done. (Only pink in the middle.)
• Put all the Sauce ingredients together in a sauce pan and cook until reduced by half. 
• For the Cornish Hen Wrap, you'll be placing the Hen in a baking dish, and carefully lay the sliced Mushrooms on the top of the Hen. 
• Place the four Cloves evenly on each corner of the Hen, inserting through the Mushrooms. Take the remaining stems from the Mushrooms and insert into the Hens cavity. 
• Carefully wrap the Bacon on top of the Cornish Hen, tucking the sides under as best as you can. If necessary you can help secure the bacon by inserting the Toothpicks as a placeholders. 
• Take half of the sauce and poor over the Hen. Making sure that the pan has a sufficient amount of liquid in it. 
• Bake for about 60 minutes, or until the chicken is done. 
• Plate and enjoy!

This dish seems labor intensive when you're reading the instructions, but I promise it's not. It's a set it and forget it type of meal once you prep for it, and everything flows together. 

The bacon helps keep the bird moist, and the apple wood smoked flavoring seeps into the hens meat. The sauce brings all of the flavors together and adds a bit of robust flavoring. I imagine a more delicate white wine would make the hen pop for a summer dish bringing out more lighter fruit flavors - I personally prefer the robust and rich flavoring of this pairing. 

I think the biggest testament though is when Ricky eat's the whole thing. To me nothing speaks louder than an empty plate. Honestly and truly if there's one thing I can count on it's that Ricky will always be honest about a dish - after all I never live down the disastrous Peanut Butter Chicken recipe I made one time… So for Ricky to finish a dish, it means I'm doing something right. 

I also find that the French flair of cooking has more heart in every meal because each of the ingredients is paired harmoniously with one another - neither steps above another in this dish. 

I don't want to get to sentimental here over a damn Cornish Hen, so I'm just going to say this: try this, and let me know what you think!

If you didn't do a cornish hen, then what is your favorite bird to cook? (Don't say Turducken…)

See you all tomorrow!

A Cornish Hen Tomorrow - Merci!

For the love of God, am I glad I finished The Hundred-Foot Journey today… I've already begun typing up my review of the book, which I shall be posting Wednesday of next week. (You'll get to hear my sarcastic rating!)

Since we aren't yet there for this review, then I would like to move on to what my next dish is - a Cornish Hen for Friday's dinner. 

"Paul's Partridge in Mourning, as I named the dish, was the highlight of the evening, as the papers reported the following day. Up until that point, I was, I must confess, trying to hide my terror of performing before such a demanding audience, but the generous comments I received from my table suggested that my risky menu had paid off. In particular, I took great joy in seeing Le Comte de Nancy - who always called things as he saw them, was in fact capable of an insincere remark - tearing a bread roll apart with great gusto before lunging in to mop up the last smears of juice." (Morais 211-212).

I know - I'm not cooking a partridge… (You try finding one at a regular grocery store.) The recipe that Hassan made is actually based off a hen dish - he substituted partridge instead, thus I shall substitute back to hen. (It all comes full circle anyway.) 

I've actually made a cornish hen before, and I do love how it's a perfect meal for two people. Half a hen each, and there's really no difficulty determining how to do a "serving" size. I have the worst time shrinking recipes down for two people, and because of that I tend to waste food sometimes. (At least it makes great compost!)

So tune on in tomorrow evening for Cornish Hen! I'm personally excited to make Cornish Hen again, I love baking dishes in my oven. 

Bruschetta

Well hello there everyone! I'm proud to say that I'm finally feeling better, it's probably because of the amount of garlic that I've been cooking with. It's only weird if it doesn't work though!

I know I feel like I've been posting significantly later on in the evenings lately, and a lot of that has to do with putting away Summer things! (Buh-bye warmth…) I'm loving it though, as this is the first time I've ever been able to decorate for Fall since Ricky and I now own our house as opposed to being renters.

I could bore you all with talking about the crafting things I've made for hanging up around the house for the season, but I won't! Instead I'll eventually blog about it in the form of food! (Apple picking is right around the corner!) For now though, let's just get down to business with the Bruschetta I made for my uninspired bit from The Hundred-Foot Journey.

Bruschetta

Bread

• Italian Bread (Halved)
• Butter (2 Tablespoons)
• Garlic Powder (1 Tablespoon)

Topping

• Tomatoes (3, Diced)
• Onion (1/2, Diced)
• Fresh Basil (1/2 Cup)
• Garlic (3 Cloves, Diced)
• Olive Oil (1 Tablespoon)
• Parmesan Cheese (Freshly Grated, 1/4 Cup)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Place Bread sliced side up on a pan, and spread the Butter on. Carefully sprinkle the Garlic Powder over the slices as evenly as possible.
• In a medium sized bowl mix together all of the Topping ingredients, spoon this mixture over the Bread. If you have made too much mixture just set it aside for now**.
• Bake the Bread for no more than 10 minutes, or just until the Parmesan Cheese is melted. 
• Plate and enjoy!

**Any leftover topping can be used as an omelet filling for breakfast!

They're like little mini pizzas! (And oh so delicious!) I'm not going to lie, I absolutely love Bruschetta… I think I could (sadly) live off Bruschetta and Amato's Pazzo Bread… This is one of those times where I'm absolutely glad that The Hundred-Foot Journey gave me no true inspiration, because instead I was able to create and enjoy this. I'm sure I could somehow (in a roundabout way) tie this Bruschetta in together with the book, but I'm just too lazy… I suppose in some circumstances Hassan may have served this in his restaurant as an appetizer, but I doubt it. 

I'm going to go back downstairs though and clean up the kitchen, and sneak another piece of Bruschetta in before I start unwinding from the day. 

Tomorrow's my blogging day off, so I hope you all check back in on Thursday to see what I've got planned for my kitchen concoctions on Friday! 

What to Cook Tomorrow - Especially When Uninspired…?

Hi everyone… I knew this was bound to happen at some point. I have a current lack of inspiration, and I'm not sure what's to blame - be it an insipid section of The Hundred-Foot Journey or just Autumnal Blues? Whatever the case may be, I still have no true inspiration for tomorrow's cooking. Yet I always turn to a rule of mine when these things happen, cook what's going to go bad… (Boy do I have a lot of stuff that's about to go bad…)
As you may imagine, I'm going to have a bunch of things thrown together tomorrow, and I find that I'll probably be making Bruschetta. (I know it's so easy!) Another reason I'm not feeling up to making another meal tomorrow is for another simple reason - leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. (Anyone wanna come over for dinner?)

One thing I'm grateful for right now though is that it's feeling more like Fall. Ricky and I bought some awesome decorations for Halloween, and no we have not put them up yet. (It's too damn early!) However at a local market we did grab two bunches of freshly cut corn stalks - they'll age beautifully through the fall season. (They'll also make excellent compost.)

You may be wondering why I'm mentioning the grateful feelings that I have - or hell you may not care (I wouldn't if I didn't know someone!) There is a reason though as to why I mention it, and it's because I am absolutely dreading reading the last section of The Hundred-Foot Journey… I don't really want to delve too much into it because I'll be reviewing it next Wednesday, but I'll be so disappointed if I feel like I've wasted time on this last half of the book. (For nothing…)
Let's just put it this way - my next book may have to be a Fantasy novel or something to bring back the oomph into my reading.

Have no fear though! The cooking will go on for another week for this novel, and there'll be a review next week as well for those of you wondering why the hell I'm dreading the last quarter of Morais's novel.
Tune back in tomorrow for a guaranteed Bruschetta, and who knows what else!

Crock Pot Lamb Stew

Hello everyone, I'm posting this as my Seahawks are making a remarkable recovery against the Chargers right now. I also want to post this before the other big game tonight between the 49ers and Bears. (Da Bears!)

I have no idea really what else to call this recipe except simply - Crock Pot Lamb Stew. It's different, I'll give it that. It's good though - very simple and nice for just a basic meal.

Crock Pot Lamb Stew

Main

• Lamb Chunks (1 1/4 Pound)

Broth

• White Wine (1/2 Cup)
• Garlic (3 Cloves, Crushed)
• Carrot (1/4 Cup, Diced)
• Celery (1/4 Cup, Diced)
• Pear (2, Cut In Eighths)
• Thyme (2 Sprigs)
• Salt (To Taste)
• Pepper (To Taste)
• Water (2 Cups)

Instructions

• In a decent sized pan, braise the Lamb on all sides prior to placing in the crock pot.
• Meanwhile place all of the Broth ingredients (except the Water) into the crock pot, making sure some of the liquid seeps through to the bottom. 
• Add the Lamb, including any of the grease contents from the pan to the crockpot.
• Cook on high for one hour allowing some of the broth to seep into the meat. 
• After an hour add the Water and cook on low for another hour, or until the Lamb is done.
• Plate and Enjoy!

This is a very basic stew, and is very hearty. I personally find it soothes a sore throat, and would also pair favorably with a stout instead of a wine as a broth base. For what it is though, sometimes you just can't go wrong with a very simple stew, especially on cold fall days, and watching Football Sunday with family. 

Let me know what you guys think - and also start swinging book ideas my way. (I've only one more week people!)

Crock Potting a Lamb Stew for Tomorrow!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the late post - tonight was Ricky's sister's birthday dinner at the family's. His dad even lit off some fireworks for us all - they were great for the unseasonably cool night tonight. (No really, it's unseasonably cold.)

Tomorrow's recipe is a little different than the one in The Hundred-Foot Journey, mainly because we can't just go out and buy meat such as rabbit at a grocery store. Ricky came up with the idea however of buying lamb because it has a similar taste to a gamey meat. The reason why I'm choosing to make this rendition of a recipe is due to the similarity of the first time Hassan made a dish for his family's kitchen and it was complimented. This is the first time Hassan makes a dish solely on his own in Madame Mallory's kitchen, and in the book he's making a hare stew.

This may not seem entirely like a compliment - but coming from Madame Mallory this truly was a change for Hassan's status in the kitchen. 

Mine won't truly be a game dish - however I hope that you all will come back for a recipe that I whip up tomorrow. It's going to be a crock pot meal - perfect for a chilly Football Sunday. (Also perfect for lazy individuals.)

Aphrodisiac Oyster Soup

In case you all need some "sexual desire" food, then make this soup right here!

I personally don't need it right now anyway, I'm so sick I just wish I could curl up in a ball and wake up all better - but we know that never happens. Mainly because I'm tired this post isn't really going to be that uber-awesome, or full of sarcastic jabs. Unless you all want to hear about the dozens of nasty cold symptoms I'm having. (I'm sure you don't.)

So let's just get down and dirty tonight (slipped that pun in there)!

Aphrodisiac Oyster Soup

Main

• Butter (1/2 Cup and 2 Tablespoons)
• Carrot (1/2 Cup, Finely Chopped)
• Onion (1/2 Cup, Finely Chopped)
• Celery (1/2 Cup, Finely Chopped)
• Flour (1/4 Cup)
• Chicken Broth (4 Cups)
• Can of Artichoke Hearts (14oz - 8 Hearts)
• Bay Leaf (1/4 Teaspoon)
• Cayenne Pepper (1/2 Teaspoon)
• Herbs De Provence (1 Tablespoon)
• Heavy Cream (1 Cup)
• Oysters (12 Shucked, with Brine)

Instructions

• Take 2 Tablespoons of Butter and sauté in a large saucepan the Carrot, Onion, and Celery. This should be around 5 minutes of time.
• Add the Chicken Broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
• In a separate pot melt 1/2 Cup Butter with the Flour and whisk till creamy. 
• Place the Butter and Flour mix with the soup, drain the can of Artichoke Hearts and add.
• Add the Bay Leaf, Cayenne Pepper, Herbs De Provence, and Heavy Cream mixing for just a few minutes.
• Take the shucked Oysters and add to the soup with the brine. Simmer for approximately 3 minutes, or until the edges of the Oysters curl in. 
• Put in a bowl and enjoy!

I loved the blend of herbs in this dish, I think the Cayenne Pepper was honestly needed to help balance out the richness of the dish. I didn't add any salt, mainly because the Brine from the Oysters generally would give it enough salt flavor - it's truly a preference thing.

So now that you guys have some food to set the mood to, go out and eat it! 

Aphrodisiac Oysters for Tomorrow Night

Hello all, sorry for the late post this evening.

Ricky and I just failed a State of Maine exam tonight and needless to say we needed to go drink a bit at the Great Lost Bear this evening. (Sorry for random misspellings - I'm sure you'll figure out why!)

I have no freakin' clue what the hell I'll be making tomorrow - the only certain thing is that it'll involve oysters! Why oysters you may ask? Because that was precisely what Madame Mallory secretly tested Hassan with after he started working at the kitchen. I'm not joking when I say it took up like four pages of just straight oyster talk. (I mean seriously.)

I double checked the amount of oyster talk - it was only two full pages about it. (But still.)

As you may also have noted, the way this book hit me this week I'm not nearly as much of a fan of The Hundred-Foot Journey as I was when I first started. I still think it's a great read, but I'll leave the rest about this on a book review sometime in a couple of weeks. If anyone else has read this I'll hope you chime in and let me know what you think.

Anyway I'm also losing in my Fantasy Football Team right now, and I must at least go watch the game tonight. Nothing beats failing a test like coming home to see your fantasy stud player walk off the field injured to boot.

PS: I promise this will be the last mopey post for at least another month, I'm entitled to one dammit.

See you guys tomorrow!!

Apricot Almond Pastry Disasters...

Ok so I'm not going to even waste a post on a recipe that was abhorrent. There's a good reason I've never baked a pastry before in my life, and it pretty much gets summed up in two words - I suck.
I had a great concept, the dough looked lovely - hell it even smelled good not baked. So where did I go wrong? I tried using a small amount of Apricot Preserves because getting true Apricots here in Maine this late in the season is impossible… This leads me to point out something for everyone:
Rule Number One of Cooking - Don't Cheap Out
Rule Number Two of Cooking - Try to Cook Seasonal Foods

Let's just face it, I was all excited for this recipe, I loved the concept of it - I even loved the way the book described it. I ruined what could have been a good recipe though by getting a cheap substitute that (quite frankly) isn't even remotely close to just pure Apricots…
I will admit that I laughed though - because I can now officially post my "no-show" recipe of the evening. I did mention when I started this blog that I was still learning, and part of that learning process is at least admitting that I screwed up. (Or at least I keep telling myself that).
Hell I could've lied to all of you and said it turned out great, and to try it at home! (On second thought, where's that delete post button…) I didn't though because I think it's hilarious that a simple little mistake can completely alter the chemistry of a baking project.

Someone once told me baking is a science compared to just cooking, and I couldn't agree more right now. (I also was never great at science.) I think I'll try a redo of this recipe once again when apricots are in season here in Maine - mainly because I won't take this one failure as an answer to never making this recipe again.

Let's just catch back up on Thursday everyone, and I can tell you all what I'll be cooking on Friday (which won't be a no-show recipe I promise!).

PS: Does anyone else have some recipe screw-ups that they'd love to share?

Tomorrow is Apricot Almond Pastry Day!!

Wanna know a secret? I've never (not even once) baked a pastry! I've baked cakes, muffins, bread, and cookies - just not pastries. I've no idea why, there are so many really nice pastries out there. Therefore I jumped at the first opportunity to make the Apricot Almond Pastries that Madame Mallory bakes Hassan.
I'm not going to completely elaborate, but I will say this is the very first thing Madame Mallory does to right things with the Hassan's family. I found that these simple pastries opened up the door for an important eye-opening revelation for Madame Mallory. In doing this it has thus far changed the momentum of the book - granted it will never truly fix her mistakes in the first sections, but it is a start.

I don't really have a recipe for the pastries I'm making tomorrow, I have a general idea so I guess we'll all be in the same boat when I make them tomorrow.
I'm excited to bake for a while tomorrow because it has finally cooled down here in Maine, and compared to the heat we had just a few days ago it's almost freezing. I also believe firmly that I'm just a pansy when it comes to seasonal changes in temperature… I do know though that yesterday evening Ricky and I caved in and placed our feather down duvet on our bed. Yep, it's only September - I value comfort however over "seasonal" norms.
A nice hot stove baking away tomorrow though, sounds infinitely nice…

Chicken Tikka Masala

I have made my very first Masala dish tonight. Ever. I'll also brag a little bit - it's good, my best dish thus far ever. Yeah I said it, but so did Ricky and I cook for him all the time. I wanna know what you guys think after making this though. Was this something that you find authentic tasting?

I have about 58 minutes before the Broncos and Colts game, so this may seem rushed. It's only football though right? Wrong! It's a game where my fantasy football teams are riding on just one pass throw from a loss. (And I just can't, can't lose!) So moving on though let's break down this recipe as if it's just a half-time report before the biggest matchup of the evening!

Moving on the field we have the Ingredients this evening with the champion Chicken making a star appearance…. (No but seriously, see below). 

Chicken Tikka Masala

Main

• Chicken Breasts (1-2 Pounds)
• Jasmine Rice (Cooked, 2 Cups)

Chicken Tikka

• Ground Cumin (1/2 Teaspoon)
• Ground Coriander (1/2 Teaspoon)
• Cayenne Pepper (1/2 Teaspoon)
• Salt (1 Teaspoon)
• Plain Yogurt (1 Cup)
• Vegetable Oil (2 Tablespoons)
• Garlic Clove (Minced)
• Ginger (1 Tablespoon)

Masala Sauce

• Butter (3 Tablespoons)
• Medium Onion (Minced)
• Garlic Cloves (4, Minced)
• Ginger (1 Tablespoon)
• Serrano Chili (Seeds Removed, Minced)
• Tomato Paste (1 Tablespoon)
• Garam Masala (1 Tablespoon)
• Cayenne Pepper (1/4 Teaspoon)
• Crushed Tomatoes (28 Oz Can)
• Heavy Cream (2/3 Cup)

Instructions

• For the Chicken, mix the Cumin, Coriander, Cayenne, and Salt in a small bowl. Rub this into the Chicken on both sides until there is no more left. Cover this and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• In another bowl combine the Yogurt, Garlic, Ginger, and Vegetable Oil. Set this aside as well in the fridge. 
• Meanwhile for the Masala Sauce heat the Butter in a large saucepan and add the Onion. Saute for five minutes, and add in the Garlic, Ginger, Chile, Tomato Paste, Cayenne Pepper, and Garam Masala. Cook for five more minutes.
• Add the Crushed Tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the Heavy Cream, and simmer.
• While the sauce is simmering, adjust your oven rack so that the rack is 6 inches from your broiler. Turn the broiler on high, and prep a baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Take the Chicken and Yogurt from the fridge, using tongs (or your hands) coat the Chicken completely in the Yogurt mix.
• Place the Chicken on the foil lined pan, and broil for 10 minutes on each side. You should get some lightly charred spots on each sides of the Chicken. 
• Remove the Chicken when it is 95% cooked, and slice into chunks. Place these chunks in the Masala Sauce. 
• Place Jasmine Rice on a plate, and spoon the Chicken Tikka Masala over it. Enjoy!

There's just something I love about cooking Indian food lately too - it's so beautiful looking. I absolutely love the colors, and the simplicity involved in these dishes. They are never overbearing on your tastebuds, instead they complement each other in a nice way. The yogurt on the chicken adds a depth, and it also tames the spice. 

This dish also flowed well, it may seem like a lot is going on but when you're marinating the chicken for 30 minutes, your sauce has already been brought to just a simmer point. Then your able to make the rice and chicken so everything comes out perfectly in under one hour. (I'm all about simplicity on Sundays.)

I have a little treat planned for Tuesday's dish - and yes, I mean that literally. So stay tuned to find out what that treat is! (It's not Indian food!)

Chicken Tikka Masala Tomorrow? I Think Yes!

Tomorrow ladies and gentlemen, is the much awaited Football Sunday of the season! It works out great as well because I have Chicken Tikka Masala on the menu. I may or may not alter the chicken so it comes out crispier for Ricky to enjoy while we watch the games… I guess you'll all discover which one I do once I figure it out too!
I don't want to give away too much about what the significance is with but it's important!

I hope I didn't leave you guys aching for more with that quote or anything… You know? I do know though that maybe it will make you all intrigued enough to read the book! You guys can still catch up I'm only on page 134 now! If you're still unsure though you can still wait for the book review when I have finished this one. I should have that done in about a couple of weeks.

I will say this though, I absolutely love love love masala! Needless to say I'm already hungry for tomorrow nights dinner. I think another reason I'm looking forward to it so much to though is because it's friggin Football Sunday! (God how I've missed you NFL…)

Now that I am at the half way point though for this book, does anyone have suggestions for me to read? Any books that anyone wishes someone would review? Or any ideas in general for me to read that is something outside of the realm of fantasy or science fiction? I'd love your thoughts! Spill 'em to me in the comments section below or email me!

Steak, Frites, and a Beet Salad!

Hello hello hello! Happy Friday everyone! Today's post is actually kind of a three-for-one deal! Basically I have the one main meal recipe, and two sides! This steak is so simple you could almost pair it with anything, so experiment, experiment, and experiment. That's the best way to devise a meal that works for you and yours. Quite honestly more than half of my recipes come from the need to purge anything that's about to go bad... Thrifty cooking at its finest! However sometimes I find that my best recipes have arisen from those situations, and it forces you to think simple (I.E. Less is more).

Moving on though, I'll split this recipe into three separate parts for you guys! (It makes it a lot easier). 

Steak with Shallots

Main

• Vegetable Oil (1 Tablespoon)
• Steaks (2 of any cut)

Sauce

• Butter (2 Tablespoons)
• Shallot (Minced)
• Red Wine Vinegar (2 Tablespoons)
• Red Wine (1/2 Cup)
• Parsley (1/2 Teaspoon)

Instructions

• Place oil in a skillet, and cook steaks till desired temperature. Remove the steaks and set aside.
• Using the same pan place the Butter, Shallot, and Parsley for five minutes. Add the remaining Sauce mixture and reduce for 15 minutes.

Frites

Main

• Potato (Sliced Thin)
• Oil (2 Tablespoons)
• Salt (To Taste)
• Pepper (To Taste)
• Thyme (1/2 Teaspoon)

Instructions

• Place the Potatoes in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.
• Grease a pan, add the seasonings and bake at 425 Degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes - flip halfway through. 

Beet Salad

Main

• 2 Beets with Greens (Sliced Thin, and Greens Chopped)
• Butter (3 Tablespoons)
• Shallot (Minced)
• Salt (To Taste)
• Pepper (To Taste)
• Blueberry Mead (1/4 Cup)
• Cheese (Any Kind, 3 Tablespoons)

Instructions

• Saute the Butter and Shallots until caramelized.
• Add the Beets, Salt, and Pepper cooking for around 15 minutes or until the Beets are tender.
• Add the Blueberry Mead, and the Greens. Cook this until it's wilted.
• Place in a bowl and add the Cheese.

Once all these things were done I plated them up, and this was quite honestly a pinch to make. A perfect meal for a late summer or early fall evening. I liked this very simple French flair of cooking, but I'm kind of looking forward to delving more into it as The Hundred-Foot journey progresses! 

French Food for Tomorrow!

I'm officially introduced to Madame Mallory from The Hundred-Foot Journey now.  I will say damn what a spit-fire old woman! I do not want to start giving away little tidbits about her now just yet! I want to give a full review later when I've completed this novel!

For Friday I will be cooking a French dish - not to French just yet mind you… However it will be a little taste of France (I hope). I'm going to make the following dish - steak with frites (fries), and a beet salad! (The beets are grown from someone in Ricky's family!)

I know this may not seem too French to some of you, however I found that this simple meal was a nice introduction to Madame Mallory's establishment - Le Saule Pleureur. It also helped unlock something in Hassan that he never quite mentioned since leaving India.

I'm still not 100% sure what I'm going to make for the steak (or the cut of steak), but I know that it'll be perfect for my dinner tomorrow night with Ricky. (Plus grilling in nice weather is a plus for both of us!)

PS: In case anyone cares, tonight the Seahawks are playing, and I want everyone to know that I hope I kick everyone's butt this week in my two fantasy leagues!

Mushroom Risotto

I have now made Risotto twice in my life, the first time was bland, boring and cheaply done. (I.E. I was lazy) This time though I swear it's been one of the better meals I've made. (Withstanding my Shepard's Pie recipe.) This was also a nice meal to cook because it allows you to work on everything at once without having to truly prep everything in a timely manner. This Italian dish was also a nice little break from some Indian food for a bit, which is nice because after a bit my taste buds almost become immune to chili pepper. (I swear I could've added 5 Tablespoons to my Hassan's Dry Chicken dish). Therefore Mushroom Risotto equals a nice change.

Mushroom Risotto

Main

• Arborio Rice (1 Cup)
• Mushrooms - Preferably Porcini (16 Ounces - Thinly Diced)

Saute and Stock

• Water - Boiling (2 1/2 Cups)
• Chicken Stock (3 Cups)
• Dry White Wine (1/4 Cup)
• Butter (2 Tablespoons)
• Olive Oil (1/4 Cup)
• Shallot (Minced)
• Garlic Clove (Minced)
• Bay Leaf (1/2 Teaspoon)
• Parmesan Cheese (1 Cup - Freshly Grated)
• Salt (To Taste)
• Pepper (To Taste)

Instructions

• Place 1/2 cup of Mushrooms into a heat-proof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Allow the mushrooms to steep for 10-15 minutes. 
• Drain the Mushrooms, keeping 1 Cup of this "Mushroom Tea". Set the mushrooms aside.
• Mix together the Chicken Stock and "Mushroom Tea", seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Keep this set aside on a very low simmer.
• In the meantime heat 1 Tablespoon of Butter in a large saucepan, sauté the shallot and garlic till softened.
• Add the Arborio Rice, and the Mushrooms that we had set aside and coat with the Butter. (Add a little more if needed). 
• Add the Wine and Bay Leaf until the Arborio Rice takes in most of the liquid. Add 1/4 of the Chicken Stock and "Mushroom Tea" blend to the rice. 
• Continue adding the Chicken Stock and "Mushroom Tea" blend until the Risotto is now suspended in a creamy sauce.
• Blend together the Parmesan Cheese, and remaining Butter. Simmer for no more than another 10 minutes as you cook the mushrooms separately.
• In a large frying pan, heat the Olive Oil and add in the Mushrooms. Continue cooking the Mushrooms - it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.
• Plate and Enjoy!

Did I mention how much I friggin' love Risotto? I mean, I could eat Risotto every single day and never get bored. (Same with Gnocchi.) There's just so much you can do with a simple rice dish!

I may not have used Porcini mushrooms in this recipe, but it's not for a lack of trying. I must've looked in the mushroom section for 10 minutes trying to find the damn things, so instead I settled for a "Medley Pack" of mushrooms, and my Mom gave me portobello mushrooms that they weren't going to use in time. I'm not gonna lie, I still very much dislike mushrooms, and for me it's more just a personal thing. I did try a bite of the mushrooms on top and they came out well. I think the proof is in the pudding though when Ricky comes home and in five minutes eats two portions of this dish. If you're not a fan of mushrooms (like me) just remove the mushrooms from the equation and sub in one more cup of chicken stock!

I think it'd be cool to experience the Porcini Mushroom Festival they celebrated in The Hundred-Foot Journey in Tuscany. I may not like mushrooms but I can still enjoy food festivals… 

Tomorrow I'm taking a blogging break so that I can read some more in this novel, and to be able to come up with some more recipes for the cooking. You guys should all start thinking of a book you might like me to cook for, or even just review for you! After tomorrow I'll be fifty percent through The Hundred-Foot Journey which means in three more weeks I'll be writing a review and on to a new one!

Leave a comment or email me for any books you may be interested in!