Look! New content! Sourdough waffles! · Monday August 5, 2019 by colin newell
Hey there strangers and friends. Long time no see.
One of my most popular recipes are my dairy free waffles It is a blog best seller.
These easy sourdough waffles are a byproduct of looking for one more twist on my 2008 sourdough starter – a starter that has tolerated neglect and abuse the likes of which would likely violate the Geneva convention.
Truth be told, I have not made waffles the entire time we have lived in our new house. That is over 5 years waffle free at home. Terrible.
My waffle maker (grill) has been languishing in the basement cold room the entire time. It needed an aggressive cleaning. Today I took it outside and put in on the sidewalk and cranked the heat. It had more blackened grease and ash on it than than a heat shield on the Space Shuttle. Anyway, all cleaned and time to dive in.
Day One (the night before…)
1 cup sourdough starter (fed that day)
1½ cups unbleached white flour
1 cup water
Next morning.
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons sugar, optional
Instructions
Combine sourdough starter, flour, and water in a glass mixing bowl.
Depending on thickness of your starter you might have to adjust water. Cover and let sit overnight.
The next day preheat and oil your waffle iron.
Stir all remaining ingredients together (salt, baking soda, vanilla, melted butter, eggs, and sugar if desired) and pour on top of the sourdough mixture.
Stir with a fork until combined.
Cook in waffle maker until golden brown… usually 3 or 4 minutes depending on the iron.
Top with butter, fresh fruit and Canadian maple syrup.
This waffle mix makes stupendous pancake batter – depending on your sourdough starter, the cakes and waffles have a tangy twist as well as a gentle sweetness. All things equal, you can take or leave adding the sugar.
Colin Newell is a 20+ year blogger, editor creator of coffeecrew.com and a foodie about town – town being Victoria B.C. Canada.
Great coffee in Ottawa - creating a list - checking it twice. · Tuesday April 30, 2019 by colin newell
Origin Trade (111 York St.)
Origin Trade is in the Byward Market. …coffee beverages stellar, but the atmosphere and aesthetic of the cafe is awesome too. It’s a cozy setting is the perfect place to come study with a friend during the fall season.
Bridgehead (Various)
This socially responsible local chain was the first company in the nation to serve fair trade coffee. Specializing in specialty grade beans, their goal is to connect the producer with the customer in a meaningful way.
The Ministry of Coffee (279 Elgin Street)
The Ministry of Coffee is all about innovative brewing technologies. They rotate their drink menu every week, with selections coming from all over the continent. They do courses on home coffee prep.
Café Morala (734 Bank St.)
If you’re looking for some coffee with a Latin American flare, we recommend Café Morala! They offer various coffee and hot beverage options such as Americano and Mexican hot chocolate, along with delish Latin American pastries and sandwiches like empanadas, tamales and much more.
Happy Goat Coffee Co. (35 Laurel Street)
Happy Goat Coffee treats coffee like an art form and are happy to educate their customers about the different types available and their origins. Roasting only the most superior beans, the niche coffee company aims to protect their environment through sustainable small scale farming which supports diversity and local economies. They also sell three or six-month coffee subscriptions on their website.
Quitters Coffee (1523 Main Street South – Stittsville)
Casual cafe by day and bar by night, this independent coffee shop features chic décor, outdoor seating and quality service. Their coffee menu is constantly changing and they carry various local brands of craft beer and wine. They also serve a fantastic breakfast and lunch.
Equator Coffee (412 Churchill Avenue / 1 Elgin St. (NAC))
Equator coffee strives for good service and amazing brews. Everything they do is focused on their three main pillars: “Fresh Roasting, Fair Trade Purchasing and Organic Certification.” They value investment in and commitment to their local and global communities; they partner with SchoolBox to bring classrooms and school supplies to Central America. We especially recommend their newest location at the recently-renovated National Arts Centre! Relaxing with a beautiful view of Elgin street through its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Grounded Kitchen, Coffee & Bar (100 Gloucester Street)
Founded in the summer of 2010 by Amir Rahim and Gabriel Pollock, Grounded is definitely down to Earth with simple, natural grub and stellar coffee. The open kitchen concept of the Centretown establishment tries to evoke the feeling of an outdoor market while indoors. Much of the interior has been recycled and or refurbished, such as the whiskey barrel bar or the pair of wood carts once owned by the Museum of Civilization, lending it an eclectic vibe.
Morning Owl Coffeehouse + Parlour (Various Locations)
Morning Owl is owner Jordan O’Leary’s way of celebrating his family’s Abruzzese roots. Using organic and direct trade Little Victories coffee, this shop offers all types of coffee concoctions, including lactose-free options. Drinks range from flat whites to undertows to lattes in a variety of original flavours, such as Nut N’ Honey, Peppermint Patty, Nutella and Snickers. They have four locations scattered throughout the city.
Francesco’s (48 Jamie Avenue)
This award-winning artisan coffee chain roasts their coffee to order, using state-of-the-art equipment to make 10 to 60 kilo batches every 17 minutes. Thick roasting drums and precise control and cooling technology make some of the best coffee around. They can even deliver your custom order to your front door in under 36 hours from the time of roasting.
Instant Pot Living - Delicious Lasagna in 45 minutes · Monday April 22, 2019 by colin newell
I have been a fan of good pasta since I was eating solid food. My mom made me spaghetti and meat balls when I was still in the high chair and I have photos of yours truly eating this dish with my bare hands!
I have evolved a bit in the intervening years and, for me, the delight in eating tomato based pasta dishes has never waned.
We have been using the wonderful Instant Pot for almost a year now and finally got around to attempting a lasagna.
This recipe did not disappoint – and my thinking now is: Why make a huge batch that you invariably need to freeze when you can cook one up that is good for one big family meal or (in our case) enough for 2 with several servings left over.
Let’s dig in!
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
8 oz ricotta cheese
1.5 cup mozzarella cheese – divided in half
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese – divided in half –
1 egg
Italian spices – Oregano and Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
No-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar pasta sauce
1/2 box thawed spinach
Prepare spring-form pan with tin wrapped around the outside and oil spray the inside.
Brown the ground beef (salt and pepper to taste)
Combine all of the ricotta, half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese, egg, and the spinach. Mix it together.
Take dried lasagne noodles, breaking into suitable shapes to fit bottom of spring-form — this your first layer.
Open jar of pasta sauce.
Put enough sauce to cover first layer of noodles (1/3 of jar)
Take two ladle fulls of ground beef to spread over your layer of pasta sauce.
Take 1/2 of the egg cheese mixture and place on top of the meat layer.
Repeat sequence again: Noodles, sauce, ground beef, cheese mixture.
Add last layer of noodles and pasta sauce.
Take the rest of the cheese mix left over and place on top.
Create a “hood” of aluminum foil (oil sprayed on the inside – so cheese doesn’t stick…)
Add 1 cup of water to bottom of instant pot.
Place springform pan in silicone sling.
Lower sling onto Instant Pot trivet.
Set to high pressure for 20 minutes. Natural release for 11 minutes.
Remove from instant pot – put on baking sheet – remove tin foil hat – broil for 5 minutes to brown cheese.
Serve with garlic bread and/or Caesar salad. Serves 6.
Culinary designs for living - Making caramel sauce - warning, it's dangerous! · Sunday March 17, 2019 by colin newell
Caramel sauce is awesome on cheesecake. This entry is specifically written for the previous blog entry.
Note: Making caramel sauce at home uses few ingredients but you are in immediate danger of serious or life threatening injuries if you do not exercise caution when making this recipe. Pay attention!
Some warnings and best practices: Do not use a heavy iron pot for this task. You want a pot that absorbs and dissipates heat fast. Do not use an iron or heavy enamel or ceramic pot that holds onto energy and releases it slowly. The process of making caramel can get out of control really fast. You want a cooking pot or saucepan that releases its heat quickly.
Wear safety glasses and if you are using a candy thermometer, wear heat proof gloves or mitts. Candy burns are extremely dangerous and can result in permanent scarring.
Ingredients
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 c. water
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 4 tbsp. butter, cubed
In a small, thin, conductive saucepan over medium heat, add sugar and salt and cover with water.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring every so often until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high and cook until you achieve a deeply buterscotch-copper colour in the mix, without stirring, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Using a candy thermometer (and I hope you do) you want it to reach 350° F.
Once caramel is a deep copper color, turn off heat, remove from heat source (Oven mitts on!) and immediately stir in cream and butter. Mixture will bubble up so be very, VERY, careful!
Let cool slightly in pan, then transfer to a container to cool completely. You can keep the caramel sauce in the fridge for around one week – as if it won’t be used up within a day!
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