Re: Western Decadence Incarnate
The bacon weave is easy:
lay strips parralell in five or six rows, two strips long overlapping the center. Now lay a strip across the end. Flip every other end over the strip. Now fold every other strip back so you can lay the next one. Fold them over, and fold back the opposite strips for the next cross strip
Blog site with a few pics on weaving bacon
http://travthebutcher.blogspot.com/2008/01/honk-if-you-love-bacon.html Occasion is I have a very good friend visiting. RJW had a business meeting nearby so we invited him to stop by for a few days for some hospitality in the new digs. We decided that since we have been busting ass on all kinds of work around here to take a little time to enjoy life to it's fullest.
Recipe for French Vanilla Custard Ice Cream and Vanilla Sugar
Ingredients
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces vanilla sugar*
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Place the half-and-half and the heavy cream into a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about a third of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170F. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit in an ice bath for 30 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40F or below.
Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 90 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 1 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.
*
Vanilla Sugar
4 cups Sugar
2 Vanilla Beans
Open Vanilla Beans and place in sugar. Rub sugar inside of husk to remove the small vanilla seeds. Let sit for two weeks before using
Short Cut: After you rub the seeds out of the bean, remove the husk and stir the sugar/vanilla ben mix with a wire whip for 20 minutes to infuse the sugar by force. Not as strong as waiting two to three weeks, but will work
Mixed Berries
2C Starwberries
1C Blueberries
1C Blackberries
rinse and drain all berries, then slice the strawberries over the others into a bowl. Add a wee pinch of salt and about 2T - 3T Raw Turbinado Organic Sugar
Short Cakes are basically biscuits with lots of extra sugar. We use the recipe in Pillsbury's Best Cook Book or this one works too by Alton Brown. Only difference is mine uses buttermilk
Shortcake
Ingredients
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup half and half
Melted butter to brush shortcakes
Berries
Ice cream or whipped cream
Directions
Heat oven 450 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening. Mix in half-and-half. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown. Cool and eat with berries, ice cream and/or whipped cream.
