Cooking vs Assembling

Today was the last straw. One of the cooking blogs I follow posted a recipe for kumquat pie. The posting included beautiful photos of the finished product, as well as of the kumquats being ever-so-gently rinsed and prepared according to the recipe. And, once these delicate little fruits have been cleaned and pureed? The next step was to dump in a tub of Cool Whip.

Cool Whip??

Why would anyone want to do that to kumquat? or any other food? Why bother procuring, culling, and prepping fresh fruit if you're then going to smother it in that?

It just seemed too bizarre.

Here's the ingredient list and nutrition information from Kraft's website. While it does now indeed contain cream (back when I was a kid it was called "non-dairy whipped topping"), that comes only at the very end. Right after water, hydrogenated oil and two different sweeteners.

So why do people do this? Why take shortcuts like this? If you care enough about food to even bother with a kumquat, why not take the logical next step and just make your own mousse. Or custard or pudding or whatever cream pie base you think goes best with kumquat?

This was especially irritating last month during Holiday Baking Season. When people are making food intended for friends and loved ones. And using things like Cool Whip, canned soup, cake mixes, frozen pie crusts and cookie dough, etc. This is especially inappropriate. If you are preparing what is essentially a gift, it should be your very best effort.

Many people like the idea of making good food for the holidays. Many people like the idea of making their own food at home. Many people think they are saving time by using pre-made ingredients. Making this stuff from scratch is not all that difficult. Plus it tastes better. And you are getting more real food and less nonsense.

Over the coming weeks, I'll be posting information on how to create the basics needed to make real food at home - things like stock, roux, pastry shells and other essential building blocks to create quality meals after a long day at work without loosing your mind and reaching for that can of cream of mushroom.

If there is something in particular you're interested in learning how to prepare, drop me a line at mary@verychefy.com.

Food - image from Wikipedia

Not Food - image from Kraft Foods

Frenched Rack of Lamb

In recent weeks my counterpart has turned once again to French cooking. Aiolis are giving way to wine-based cream sauces and pans are deglaced with glee. We've dabbled with game as well, eating partridge and rabbit over the holidays. As the work week started up again and we returned to our day-to-day routine, the French influence has remained in the kitchen. Earlier in the week, lamb (a standard in our current diet) was given a French makeover when it was bundled with fresh rosemary and roasted in a similar manner to our New Year's rabbit. We chose a rack of ribs for our dinner.

A note on Frenching: This is not as exciting as it may first appear. When meat is Frenched, the butcher removes the meat surrounding the rib bone by vigorously pulling a string between the meat and the bone. Here's a helpful video for more information.


First season the lamb with a little salt and pepper. Then bundle it up with some fresh rosemary sprigs.

Pan sear the rack in hot oil, flipping after a few minutes.

Place it on a rack in a heavy skillet and roast in the oven until medium rare. While the meat is in the oven, make your vegetable medley. We used shoestringed green beans with a little leek, red pepper and fresh oregano and sauteed them with a little chicken stock and white wine.

Pull the rack and remove the rosemary bundle. Using your kitchen tongs in this process is very chefy. Try to remove as much of the rosemary as possible.  I got a bite with a hidden twig still attached and it was quite the flavor experience.

Slice the rack into individual ribs.

Serve with your vegetable medley and a little orzo.

Know What You're Eating

Heavy Cream vs Heavy Whipping Cream

Heavy Whipping Cream

Heavy Cream - WTF?????