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| Unique Visitors: 0 |
| Total Unique Visitors: 0 |
| Visitors Out: 1231 |
| Total Visitors Out: 2469 |
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| Zen Found in a Cookie |
| 2007-10-15 14:23:00 |
Can zen be found in a cookie? After tasting these delightful Ginger-Cinnamon cookies from a recipe posted over at the Tao Bums, I say (with an enthusiastic YES!) zen can most definitely be found in a cookie. These delicious and very quick and easy to bake cookies, posted by Karen from guideforselfhealing.com, are free from both grains and refined sugar. For those of us who are attempting to maintain an anti-fungal diet, these cookies provide another snack food option, in addition to the raw almonds, walnuts, berries, green apples, and grapefruit. Sometimes finding that perfect moment of bliss is as simple as eating a cookie. Cinnamon-Ginger Cookies(recipe posted with permission from Karen)4 tablespoons butter, melted1/3 cup honey1/2 tsp cinnamon1 tsp ginge
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| I HEART LARABARS!!! |
| 2007-10-05 09:24:00 |
Yes, yes, I realize that I haven't posted any new recipes in a very, very long time. And yes, I know I promised to do some new entries to coincide with my new healthier lifestyle, but...life happens (I've moved twice this year and have a new job, but I will eventually get back to the recipe posting soon). Despite my lack of blogosphere activity, I have managed to maintain the new healthier lifestyle, with only a couple of falling down and eating junk moments, which immediately resulted in an even more intense appreciation of healthier cooking, baking, and eating. Avoiding refined sugars, grains, inorganic and processed foods has simply changed my life--for the best! I'm much, much leaner and my overall health (physically and mentally) is better than it was ten years ago. I personally recom
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| Knowing the Causes... |
| 2007-08-21 00:05:00 |
Despite my prolonged absence from the blogosphere, my love for the kitchen has not ceased. However, since I last posted, my dietary lifestyle has been dramatically impacted by Doug Kaufmann. While Doug has been around for years preaching the gospel of good nutrition and warning society of the dangers of toxins in our food and drink, thanks to modern technology, I've recently rediscovered his teachings.I've also found myself revisiting my former days of frequenting natural healthfoods stores and attempting to be more environmentally responsible on the whole. I'm attempting to live a simpler, greener personal existence. While I'm not going to pretend that I have completely transformed into a eco-activist, I am simply changing some wasteful habits, buying organic--foods, personal, and househo
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| The Goodbye Girl |
| 2006-11-11 12:59:00 |
This will not be unexpected news to anyone, but unfortunately, I am finally going to bid my farewells to the blogosphere. I have become increasingly involved with volunteer work for my church and its academy. It has basically become a full-time endeavor, leaving me little time for blogging. I had hoped to be able to find a balance between the dual pursuits, but as I tend to do things in an all-or-nothing manner, this simply cannot be. I apologize for this seeming careless abandonment of my blog, but this is what I must do. I have and will continue to truly miss you all. Thoughts and prayers (with coffee),Julie
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| This is not goodbye... |
| 2006-09-30 20:14:00 |
Because my volunteer work has very nearly become a full time endeavor, and also because I will be out of town for part of November and all of December, I am suspending The Suburban Apron Company (at least temporarily). Sporadic entries and/or entries without 100% dedication are unfair to everyone involved, therefore, suspending this blog is the only fair and reasonable option to consider. You've all been great and I hope to be back sooner, rather than later. Thanks for everything!Until we meet again for coffee,Julie
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| Prayer and Farming in the Kitchen |
| 2006-09-12 22:00:00 |
Another week has passed without any particularly extraordinary or significant personal contribution to the various causes of the world. I realize that a certain patience is required; that I cannot individually change the present condition of humanity. Instead, I must do what I can, when I can. By starting small and starting local, I can offer personal aid and assistance, little by little, to those around me. And so, today's prayer is for serenity, courage, and wisdom:"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference." ~Reinhold NiebuhrStill, in a place far, far away from Illinois, somewhere close to the equator, there is a small family-owned cocoa farm, where the...
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| "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." ~Lao-tzu |
| 2006-09-04 13:10:00 |
In the previous post, I wrote about offering assistance to others in need. "To simply help." Somewhat overwhelmed by so much need, I wasn't quite sure where or even how to begin offering my particular personal assistance. And so, I've continued doing volunteer service work for my local church and its academy library. My physical contributions of service have not yet progressed to broader aid, as I've not yet swung a hammer for Habitat for Humanity or ladled soup at a Salvation Army shelter. Still, in the spirit of simply helping, I stopped and bought some apples at a local farmer's market this weekend. Although it wasn't an extraordinarily significant step in culinary activism, it was my first step. First small steps on a personal culinary journey toward ...
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| Prayers for Anderson Cooper |
| 2006-08-29 11:18:00 |
It all began with Oprah Winfrey. First, however, I must admit to not being a historic fan of her television show, but I am an insomniac and her show re-airs latenights, here where I live, and there has been more than one occasion where I've found myself switching channels and pausing on her show. Recently, I've noticed the show has become more socially responsible, with topics that are actually relevant and considerable. Perhaps the Oprah show has always been devoted to public service, with myself unaware? In my defense, whenever I had seen the show in times past, episode subjects were generally fashion trends, makeover shows, or celebrity interviews. But again, lately I've notice a trend towards episodes that matter and so, I can no longer absolutely declare myself, 'not a fan' of the sho...
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| Healthier Apron Strings |
| 2006-08-22 20:19:00 |
Admittedly, my recent activity on The Suburban Apron Company has been less than frequent. For this, I apologize. I have been extremely busy with several other projects, commanding complete personal commitment. However active in these varied pursuits, I have not forgotten The Suburban Apron Company; on the contrary, I've been giving this site much thought, regarding both its content and readers.Inspired by my recent interviews with The Hippy Gourmet and Christina Pirello, I have been seriously considering incorporating healthier baking and cooking into recipes featured on this site. While I do not have any intentions of transforming this site into a health-foods forum, I do intend to complement my usual heavy cream and sugar-laden posts with those containing
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| Extraordinary Chocolate Cake for an Ordinary Friday Morning |
| 2006-08-18 10:03:00 |
I must confess to eating chocolate cake for breakfast, again, but in my defense, this cake is so irresistible and rich, it is too good not to eat for breakfast. I didn't take a photo because I didn't have the properly molded specialty pan, so my version of this cake is not nearly as gorgeous as the photo shown with the recipe in Paris Boulangerie Pâtisserie. Since mine still tastes as beautiful as that gorgeous, glossy photo, I have to share the recipe.Le Pleyel(recipe courtesy Paris Boulangerie Pâtisserie)Ingredients:6 ounces/180 grams best-quality semisweetor bittersweet chocolate, chopped1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons/150 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons/65 grams sliced blanched ...
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| A Week in France |
| 2006-08-14 19:43:00 |
As I have previously written, there is certain comfort and solace to be found in the kitchen. Baking is solitary therapy. And there are few things more therapeutic than delicious French pastries. Paris Boulangerie Pâtisserie is a special cookbook featuring recipes from thirteen Parisian bakeries, and like all of Linda Dannenberg's books, it is filled with gorgeous color photographs and simple, but decadent recipes. Her books transport readers to beautiful locales, while introducing them to the true elegance and simplicity of classic French cuisine. Last week, I took a brief break from The Suburban Apron Company, not to vacation or escape, but to catch up on several other projects that had recently lacked proper personal attention. Having somewhat caught up, there seems some time for brief...
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| Five Questions for Christina Pirello |
| 2006-08-11 09:36:00 |
(photo courtesy www.christinacooks.com)Chef Christina Pirello recently took time out from her very busy schedule to answer five questions for Paper Palate. To read my questions, along with her answers, and to find out what's new with cooking with whole foods and Chef Pirello, you can read the article, in its entirety, at Paper Palate on the Well Fed Network.Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| A (Very) Brief Mini Break |
| 2006-08-08 07:28:00 |
I apologize for my less than frequent updates recently. I have been extremely busy with personal commitments and responsibilities. I will update again very soon--in a few days. Until then, spend some time at one of my longtime favorite online places...Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| Five Questions for Mark Tafoya |
| 2006-08-03 11:38:00 |
Chef Mark Tafoya recently took time out from his extremely busy schedule to answer five questions for Paper Palate. To read my questions, along with his answers, and to find out what's new with Chef Tafoya, you can read the article, in its entirety, at Paper Palate on the Well Fed Network.Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| Inside the Oven: A 19th Century (mini) Coffee Souffle |
| 2006-08-01 10:00:00 |
Charles Elmé Francatelli was born in England of Italian parents and studied cookery in France. While his work history included employment from various English nobleman, his most prestigious employment was that of chief cook for Queen Victoria. Having written numerous cooking books, many of which have been routinely reprinted and remain currently available. My friend, Janet, who maintains The Old Foodie and the Companion to the Old Foodie, recently added a very intriguing collection of historic coffee recipes to her already large collection of historic recipes. While many of these coffee recipes may be primitive in method, none of them seemed impossible to attempt in the 21st century kitchen. And myself being quite the co
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| Sweet Snails, Sleeping |
| 2006-07-26 19:30:00 |
Sometimes sleep seems an impossible task. These are quiet times in the night, requiring quiet work to tire both mind and body into a readiness for slumber. Breadmaking by hand is quiet, busy work. As with insomnia, patience is needed. It was during last night's late night, while replying to emails and catching up with familiar websites, that I found this simple recipe, for Pain Aux Raisins and Cream Cheese Snails, from Floyd at The Fresh Loaf. So sweet and charming, I knew I simply had to bake these delightful little treasures as well.The base is conveniently the same for these two recipes, both taken from The Village Baker , written by Joe Ortiz. While I prepared the base last night, the majority of this project actually took place early this morning. I ...
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| Charcoal and Cannoli |
| 2006-07-24 07:30:00 |
In a recent post, I revisited younger days of peak personal creativity; days where art, poetry and much tea prevailed. Later days followed with continued creativity, although accompanied not by tea, but by coffee instead. It was during these years of so much written and visual creation that my love affair with coffee was renewed. Espresso filled days of sketching and painting, and days spent striving to be clever over steaming cups of cappuccino. This is when I was still listening, incessantly, to the distinctive and divine genius of Michael Hedges. So many days of personal creation when pencil and charcoal also made distinctive noise, when pulled across heavy paper.These days, my creativity occurs mostly in the kitchen. And just as charcoal has a distin...
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| Martha's Jelly Roll |
| 2006-07-21 05:33:00 |
I recently reviewed Martha Stewart's recipe for a classic summer dessert: the Jelly Roll (included in the July issue of Martha Stewart Living). This simple dessert is well suited for either a mid-Summer brunch or an afternoon service of coffee or tea. When served slightly chilled, the almond flavor of the cake combined with the sweet, fruity jam makes this dessert a refreshing finish to any meal. To read the recipe in its entirety, visit Paper Palate on the Well Fed Network. Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| Personal Favorites |
| 2006-07-19 21:47:00 |
A brief click-to-read list of personal favorites fromThe Suburban Apron Company:A Friday "Pick-me-up" for My Favorite Domestic Goddess... Let Him Eat Cake!"Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come." --W. H. AudenSome Encouragement..."This is Coffee!"
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| Five Questions for Lidia Bastianich |
| 2006-07-19 08:17:00 |
Chef Lidia Bastianich recently took time out from her very busy schedule to answer five questions for Paper Palate. To read my questions, along with her answers, and to find out what's new with Chef Bastianich, you can read the article, in its entirety, at Paper Palate on the Well Fed Network.Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| A Time for Tea and Remembrance... |
| 2006-07-17 21:14:00 |
a unique cake, that is not oven-baked, but rather quietly and peacefully steamed...Steamed Green Tea Cake (recipe courtesy www.allrecipes.com)Ingredients:1 1/2 cups cake flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder2 teaspoons powdered green tea (Matcha)(I simply used finely ground loose green tea leaves, further ground in food processor.)6 egg yolks1 1/4 cups white sugar2 1/2 tablespoons water1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract6 egg whites2 teaspoons black sesame seeds, garnish (I omitted these.) Set a bamboo steamer large enough to contain a 9x9 inch pan over simmering water. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and green tea powder. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, water and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until mixture has tripled in volume....
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| So Good, I Have to Share... |
| 2006-07-16 11:19:00 |
ReMARKable Palate is a truly extraordinary blogsite from Chef Mark Tafoya, a Certified Personal Chef in New York City and the Executive Chef for The Gilded Fork, the stylish online culinary magazine that produces The Culinary Podcast Network. These are also must visit links, trust me! With well written blog entries that correspond to eclectic podcasts that are both highly informative and extremely entertaining, Chef Mark's ReMARKable Palate is, well, remarkable. In addition to Chef Mark's well written and well spoken words, his site also contains much helpful information and many useful resources, including ideas for dinner menus, recipes, tips for proper food handling and storage, and some really cool links, as well. If you're not already listening to (and reading) Chef Mark, you simply m
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| Chef Interviews on Paper Palate |
| 2006-07-16 09:45:00 |
A click-to-read list of my Chef Interviews on Paper Palate: (Additional interviews will be added soon.)Chef Christina Pirello, PhiladelphiaChef Mark Tafoya, New YorkThe Hippy Gourmet, San FranciscoChef Lidia Bastianich, New YorkChef Joseph Ciminera, New YorkChef Joanne Chang, BostonChef Gale Gand, ChicagoChef Sara Moulton, New YorkChef Rick Bayless, Chicago
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| A Friday "Pick-me-up" for My Favorite Domestic Goddess... |
| 2006-07-14 16:03:00 |
Recently, I was both intrigued and inspired by Ivonne's strawberry tiramisu at Cream Puffs in Venice. And since, I also always bake my own ladyfingers, use homemade whipped cream, and real mascarpone cheese in my desserts (and yes, mascarpone cheese can be homemade from cream cheese and heavy cream, although I often buy it), I agree with her sentiments, regarding the ubiquitous, manufactured versions of this wonderful dessert: it's enough to make you turn away, disheartened. But who can remain cross with such a delicious dessert as this?Autumn, my favorite domestic goddess, lives two thousand miles away from me. We are first cousins, but grew up like sisters. Despite the distance, for months, Autumn has wanted me to mak...
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| Five Questions for Chef Joseph Ciminera |
| 2006-07-13 14:15:00 |
Photo courtesy of tastethistv.comRecently, Chef Joseph Ciminera was kind enough to answer five questions for Paper Palate. To read my questions, along with his answers, and to find out what's new with Chef Ciminera and Taste This TV, you can read the article, in its entirety, at Paper Palate on the Well Fed Network.Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| a midweek mini-break with mini-cherry pies... |
| 2006-07-12 17:01:00 |
Although February is National Cherry Month, both sweet and tart (aka sour) cherries are currently in season, and to celebrate, I baked a batch of miniature sour cherry pies. Waitrose has a brilliantly simple recipe for individual cherry pies, as does Martha Stewart . While pitting the cherries proved to be a very messy endeavor (had to soak fingernails in hydrogen peroxide afterwards), my efforts were well-rewarded with these sweet, delicious desserts. However primitive or provincial their appearance, these tasty little pies provided a perfect midweek treat. Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| Yummy Homemade S'Mores! |
| 2006-07-02 05:00:00 |
Yes, homemade s'mores! Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart, as it seems that so many of my favorite good things come from her recipe collections. So, for my special Fourth of July recipe review at Paper Palate and the Well Fed Network, I made homemade graham cracker cookies, homemade chocolate bars, and yes, even homemade marshmallows (those really cool square ones) to create melt-in-your-mouth-mess-up-your-face-more-delicious-than-words-can-describe s'mores. To read the recipe in its entirety, visit my July 4th weekend article at Paper Palate.Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| A Soup to Celebrate! |
| 2006-05-05 19:29:00 |
With a few common pantry items and some very quick and easy preparation, you can serve a delicious, flavorful black bean soup that tastes as if it has been slow-simmering for hours! This soup is embarrassingly simple and will result in much praise for the chef! (Especially when served in tortilla bowls with various garnishes...) Consider adding an extra side to your Cinco de Mayo party buffet, with this recipe for, "Chompy Chomp Black Bean Soup," that I sampled from this week's Chicago Tribune for the Paper Palate and the Well Fed Network. Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| "Comfort in a Cookie" |
| 2006-04-30 04:36:00 |
These, "Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Crisps," have a texture that is both chewy and crispy, with sweet chocolate in every bite. I sampled this recipe, featured in the current issue of Midwest Living, for The Paper Palate and the Well Fed Network. The simple recipe utilizes regular pantry items, easily combined and quickly baked. The result is a very comforting, very delicious cookie.Until we meet for coffee,Julie
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| "dans le ciel amoureux, un joli petit nuage bleu danse dans le vent heureux" |
| 2006-04-11 17:41:00 |
Several years ago, I saw a dreamy little sleep pillow displaying the beautifully embroidered phrase: "dans le ciel amoureux, un joli petit nuage bleu danse dans le vent heureux," ("in the loving sky, a lovely little blue cloud sleeps in the happy wind,"). I have never forgotten this wonderfully comforting little quote and it seemed most appropriate to share on a quiet Tuesday morning.Choux à la Crème(recipe courtesy of www.yummybaguette.com)Ingredients:For the Cream:40 cl milk3 egg yolks90 g sugar50 g flour1 vanilla bean(optional 100g dark chocolate)For the Puffs:75 g flour60 g butter2 eggs10 cl water5 cl milk1 tsp sugar1 pinch saltTo make the cream: put the milk, the split vanilla bean (and the grated chocolate if desired) in a pot and bring to a boil. Du...
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| It's only Monday |
| 2006-01-30 19:43:00 |
This past week was not all that eventful, domestically speaking. I finished up the clear-out of the household cupboards, etc., but the assortment of stuff that has been collected in the basement still needs organizing and sorting, before that space can become suitably habitable. The saga of the sewing machine continues, as I finally have a new one (Singer 1120), but so far, I have only managed to remove it from the box. I plan to begin some sewing projects this week, but at the moment, my head is still reeling from this nasty sinus infection. Sigh.Regarding my transformation from being a somewhat independent feminist to being a domestic goddess...well, I'm still in the early stages yet, so I'm not vacuuming in pearls, heels, and tiny-waisted dresses. I'm still enjoying these lounge pants, ...
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