MariannaF’s Profile
Recent Comments
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
I am a big wine lover and I very much enjoy the whole process of discovering flavours and picking up on the notes with each swirl- I find it terribly fascinating. I ve had some oenology courses before and they made us smell & taste hundreds of different scent & aroma samples to "cultivate" our nose.& tastebuds. I'd love to take another course again and spend more of my free time studying wines. I also very much love discovering new world wines, I've tasted some great ones from chile & new zealand.
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
noo this is not right!! cookies should be in # 2!
What to Do With: Candied Ginger?
I recently tried this new chocolate flavour which was candied ginger, lemon & dark chocolate- it was delicious and SO refreshing. Absolutely fantastic to finish off a meal.
I also like making little cakes with candied ginger & strawberry (I find these 2 flavours complement each other v.well)
Candied ginger also adds an interesting twist with bread. I sometimes make small bread rolls with pieces of candied ginger inside, and I'll include these in the bread basket if I'm having people over for dinner. It's a nice change from the regular.
Otherwise, sometimes I'll add a bit of it into a salad.
And recently I tried the most amazing rice EVER- it had ginger in it, but it wasnt candied. I think if you add candied though it would be just as good, but with a tad of sweetness.
See more comments by MariannaF »
Recent Posts
Personalize your chocolate bars!
Posted by MariannaF, November 21, 2008 at 10:15 AM
See more posts by MariannaF »
Recent Favorites
Éma, Syrian Ice Cream from Bakdash in Damascus
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 9, 2009 at 3:15 PM
See more favorites by MariannaF »
Recent Polls
MariannaF hasn't answered any polls yet.
Recent Quizzes
MariannaF hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
Recent Comments | Response to Comments
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
I dont mind- but it depends who the uninvited guest is.
There are some people that would do the same for you and where it's always reciprocal...
...and others that are just abusive and repeatedly "unexpectedly" invite themselves over... and whenever you are at their place, their kitchen is always completely empty, or the only thing they can share with you are crumbs.
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
I am a big wine lover and I very much enjoy the whole process of discovering flavours and picking up on the notes with each swirl- I find it terribly fascinating. I ve had some oenology courses before and they made us smell & taste hundreds of different scent & aroma samples to "cultivate" our nose.& tastebuds. I'd love to take another course again and spend more of my free time studying wines. I also very much love discovering new world wines, I've tasted some great ones from chile & new zealand.
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
noo this is not right!! cookies should be in # 2!
What to Do With: Candied Ginger?
I recently tried this new chocolate flavour which was candied ginger, lemon & dark chocolate- it was delicious and SO refreshing. Absolutely fantastic to finish off a meal.
I also like making little cakes with candied ginger & strawberry (I find these 2 flavours complement each other v.well)
Candied ginger also adds an interesting twist with bread. I sometimes make small bread rolls with pieces of candied ginger inside, and I'll include these in the bread basket if I'm having people over for dinner. It's a nice change from the regular.
Otherwise, sometimes I'll add a bit of it into a salad.
And recently I tried the most amazing rice EVER- it had ginger in it, but it wasnt candied. I think if you add candied though it would be just as good, but with a tad of sweetness.
Be Honest: Are You a Snob?
yes i am somewhat of a food snob- but i try not to show it all the time bc well not e-one on this planet is a food snob and it can get on other ppl's nerves. but i think as much as i try to hide it, all my friends have come to realize that i'm a food snob.
the truth is that i cant help it. i've loved culinary arts since as long as i can remember. living in Paris for so many years also explains part of the story. and my swiss hotelier education explains another part too.
i cannot help but love everything that involves good high quality food prepared by creative minds. i cannot help but enjoy wine & champagne rather then a redbull-vodka on a night out.
so there are some things i wont keep rubbing in people's face, but there are others i'm very clear about: no canned food, no frozen vegetables (if possible), and no cake mixes out of a box. no waffles or croissants in the "baked goods" aisle in a food shop-there are some things that need to be eaten in the right places.
coming from a mediterranean family, there has always been a habit of cooking enough for a nation resulting in a gigantic amount of leftovers for the following X # of days. today this is probably one of the things that pisses me off the most- when i cook, i'm cooking in the right quantities. anything the next day does not taste as good, and that, i am very very picky about.
and yes, i'm picky at restaurants, but sometimes i'll keep it to myself depending on who i'm with. but i do observe all details from the cutlery to how well polished the wine & water glass are to the quality of the table cloth.
but it's all in good spirit really. it's not because i enjoy being picky, but the culinary arts is such a passion for me. i'm nothing other then a food snob that keeps her eyes, mouth, ears, hands, and nose actively in function. when something affects all your senses the way food does, you can only understand the thoughts that run in a food snob's mind.
i just feel we need to be more sensible to what we eat or cook, the way we prepare it and the way we present it. we're still human beings and stuffing "junk" down one's throat is just not human for me.
Classic Luxury Foods?
champagne (high quality champagne)
truffles
lobster
and i think more recently (at least on this side of the world) tea has become quite a luxury. there's been a lot of marketing on premium high quality tea. now that may be true luxury or just marketing.
Can I Cook Risotto in Advance?
ya i have to agree w.those who are saying it takes max 30mins to cook a risotto on the spot. (and if you do your mise en place in advance and have good organization, it's guaranteed 30mins max) i would personally highly NOT recommend making risotto in advance... but if you really have no choice, like some have mentionned above- cook like 3/4 through and continue the 1/4 process next day and keep broth on hand. the broth is key IMO. even when im cooking on the spot, if i dont serve the risotto immediately then it can dry up, so i always always always count in some extra broth to ensure that it has the good texture with no drying up.
or what you could do is prepare your mise en place the day before- prepare absolutely everything, so that the next day all you have to do is stir in the ingredients. you'll save a lot of time this way.
Where and What to Eat in Switzerland?
ya rosti is one of my faves!! and you must try the local bakeries- switzerland IMO has some of the best pastries ever! also if you get a chance, don't leave without a box of Sprungli chocolates! :-)
Baking vs. Cooking
I prefer cooking by far- although I blog mostly about my baking experiments. Both definately share as much creativity, but with baking you have to be ULTRA precise (which sometimes is a pain!) whereas what I love about cooking is that you can control what you are cooking and in some way makes you feel more involved.
Oprah Blames Weight Gain on Organic, Multigrain Blue Chips
OK people there are more serious things happening in the world then Oprah's weight gain...! And yes, "organic", "low fat", "zero fat", "sugar free", whatever the label reads... what counts at the end is eating in MODERATION and a minimum amount of exercise.
Falafel ~ Tried and True Recipes?
I have seen falafel being made from scratch & fried in the family kitchen many a times (dad is Egyptian) and I've seen it done the Egyptian way (with fava beans & parsely) or the "other way" as done in most other countries of the M.East (with chickpeas). I posted my family's "secret recipe" on my blog which has been tried & tested numerous times and almost always turns out successfully mouthwatering! Here is the recipe: http://swirlandscramble.blogspot.com/2008/04/falafels-from-scratch.html
Do you eat your vegetables?
I eat veggies everyday- cant have a day without some veggies in my plate! My absolute faves however is zucchini (#1 !!!), eggplants, really really ripe tomatoes, pumpkin, asparagus, broccoli, snap peas, fresh spinach , etc etc.
As strange as it may sound, but I realized Im very much tempted by green veggies and I get that same euphoric feeling off of them that I do from chocolate...!
My issue however is fruits- I almost never have any!!
Do you eat a bed-time snack? What is it?
Oh man, bedtime snacks are the best- but unfortunately they completely mess around with my digestion and talk about trouble going to sleep...and even nightmares! So I really try to avoid bedtime snacks, but if I do have then it's either something really rich like chocolate or ice-cream, or pasta carbs or bread with cheese! I crave sugar at late hours.
But overall I really do try to avoid bedtime snacks, just cant sleep properly after that!
Photo of the Day: Mario Cake
I love this cake!! Wow, I used to LOVE Mario Bros when I was a kid, back in the days of old-school Nintendo!
What Are Your Recipe Deal Breakers?
So far I can only say macaron recipes! I feel like they are all lies, and no one is willing to reveal the true secret to making a perfect macaron! WHYYY?!!! All that talk about leaving eggs out for 3 days, Italian vs French meringues, bla bla bla yada yada yada... by far the most frustrating recipe yet. And despite all the frustration, I'm still stubborn and will give it another try just because! Could it be that I actually enjoy the suffering, for macaron's sake?
Snapshots from Italy: Sfoglia or Frolla?
Sfogliatelle! Brings back memories of my wonderful trip to Napoli :-) I was told there that the best place to try sfogliatelle is at a place called "Scaturchio", in front of Piazza San Domenico.
It's really a shame that the city keeps having these garbage crisis...I thought it was a beautiful place, really a pity that these garbage issues keep coming back.
Sugar Rush: Coffee Pocket
yaaa we don't have these in France, but I keep seeing them when I travel to Italy (actually when I'm in Italy I "discover" the entire Ferrero kingdom of products lol). Always been tempted to buy one, but never have for some reason... thanks for this post!!
Essentials: Hummus
ya cumin really is a must. If you're travelling in the M.East you'll never taste a hummus without some cumin, and sprinkled on top too. Then depending on the occasions and who you're making your hummus for, you can create fancier variations by topping off finished hummus with chickpeas or almonds, pinenuts, etc.
Also, our family has a very long lived tradition of adding yoghurt too. I can guarantee that it produces the creamiest texture ever and IMO really does something wonderful to the overall taste of hummus. If ever, I posted a recipe to it here: http://swirlandscramble.blogspot.com/2008/02/little-bit-of-this-and-little-bit-of.html
Top 10 ingredients I will never have in my kitchen
hehe this is a fun one :-) First of all in France we have no such thing as Miracle Whip or Cool Whip...and even if we did I would blacklist both items!
1. Any tube-y stuff: cheese, mayonnaise, fish paste etc.
2. Ready made pasta sauce
3. Ready cake, cookie, whatever mix.
4. Bottled salad dressing
5. Margarine
6. Frozen meals
7. Minute rice/pasta preparations, you know the ones that come in a plastic kind of pouch
8. SPAM! (ok this one should had been way up there)
9. Patés & Rillettes (French speciality thing)
10. "Diet" cookies and chocolate. Biggest joke in the world, it's like eating cardboard for not all that much less calories at the end of the day. Just buy real full fat & sugar pastries but eat less of it!
How to Make Macarons
OK so I've done all of this with my macarons, but it NEVER works!!! I've also tried leaving the macs out 1 - 2 hours before baking, and I've also tried not leaving them out (and to be honest, it does'nt make a difference).
I feel that what I'm getting wrong is the "magma" part. I don't know what the heck magma is, even after having read gazillion of descriptions on "not too thick, not too liquidy". I just CANT DO MACARONS aaahhh. What's wrong with me? I can do plenty of other stuff, but not macarons!! :-(
Robyn, the macaron god has selected you as one of his lucky few chosen ones.
From Marianna- angry at macarons.
Korean Shrimp Roll and Hot Dog Pizzas
woow. i love the "local" versions of "global" brands/products etc. This is interesting. When they launched this pizza in France (minus the shrimps)they plastered metro walls with huge posters...of pizzas that looked like tarantulas.
The Best Fresh Tomato Recipes: What Are Yours?
I've been eating a lot of tomatoes recently, fresh and uncooked. I love them plain or with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. And I also like to dice them, mix them with chopped basil leaves and add all that to a thick slice of warm toasted crunchy bread that's been brushed with olive oil.
I've also recently spotted interesting "tartare" style salads: diced tomatoes, raspberries and parmesan.
TOMATOES tomatoes sigh..
Snapshots from Italy: Sfoglia or Frolla?
Never found a decent Sfogliatelle where we live. A few years ago we became so desparate we learned to make them. Found a recipe in Nick Maglieri's dessert book. Have been making them a few times a year ever since. They are a labor of love as they take at least two days and each time I have to re-learn the shaping. They are not easy. One bakery here did make them but you had to catch them just as they were taken from the oven as they stored them in refrigerated cases which made them tough and soggy at the same time. Of course in the North End of Boston they never seem to be refrigerated, selling out in a few hours and without the American hysteria about spoilage.
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
Diets and diet aids do not help anyone. The only way to successfully lose weight and get the body that you deserve is by using the right information. This information is in the book Lose Weight Using Four Easy Steps which can be ordered through the website www.bbotw.com Everyone who has gotten a copy of this book has lost weight.
Korean Shrimp Roll and Hot Dog Pizzas
I am so glad I don't live in Indiana!
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
My guilty pleasure for 50 years: Mayonnaise sandwich. Just Hellman's slathered on a good bread or roll - if the bread is crunchy (toasted enflish muffin works for this, there's a nice contrast to the lovely unctuous mouth feel of the mayo. In the summer, I'll give in and add a slice or two of garden fresh tomato.
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
@Pav , if somebody stopped over unexpectedly, I'd be gracious, and I'd offer food and drink. It wouldn't matter if I was working, not working, or if they woke me up in the middle of the night. If someone needs me, I'm there.
However, I still think it's a bit rude to just "stop by" and assume that the hosts have nothing else to do and that they live on the same schedule you do. These days, no one is far from a phone. I don't think it's a big burden for a guest to call ahead. If it's a tradition among family and/or friends that stopping by is okay, that's a different story.
Even in families where stopping by is a tradition, there are unwritten rules for what times are acceptable for visits. Some folks might be more open to evening guests than to having them show up for coffee at 6 am.
For example, I don't open the door until I've showered and dressed, unless maybe it's the SWAT team banging on the door. Give me a call before you arrive, and I will be showered and dressed and there will be fresh coffee brewing. Stop by without a call, and chances are that I won't even go to the door. It's not that I'm saying you can't come by, just give me warning so I can be ready.
When we were younger it was less of a problem for people just to pop in because our lives and our schedules were different and pretty much everyone we knew lived on the same schedule we did.
As far as evening guests, I'd be less inconvenienced than DH. He gets up at about 4 am, so he goes to bed really early and he likes a little time to unwind in the evening before he goes to bed. So stopping by in a normal "after dinner" timeframe is encroaching on his bedtime. He also would be gracious and stay up and entertain the guests until they left, but he wouldn't be a happy camper the next morning when he had to work on less sleep than usual.
We've actually had guests that have come over after he'd been undressed and ready for bed, and he has gotten dressed again and not made a fuss about it. Once in a while, it's something he can deal with. But if it happened often, it would become a problem.
Some guest are very understanding when you explain that you don't have a lot of time to spend. Others show up with an attitude that you should drop everything and entertain them, because they are more important than anything else you could have on your schedule. The first ones, I have no problem with. The second ones annoy the heck out of me.
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
@Lamora - This has nothing to do with your husband's family being Hispanic. I am from a very large Hispanic family and the majority of us would never dream of "just dropping in" on somebody and expect them to feed us. We were taught to always call first AND bring something with us, even at a very informal gathering. Granted there are some family members who act like your husband's family but they have no class and we prefer not to socialize with them. I suspect that is the type of people you are dealing with...
For some reason, people know not to "just appear" at our doorstep. Gee, don't know why, lol! But when we have parties, we ALWAYS get a few people who have not been invited show up. Sure it's irratating but we always go overboard on our food and have plenty to eat for everyone.
This just happened at our Christmas brunch. Very small party of 12 (mostly family members) turned into 14 when my Dad's best friend (and his wife) rang the doorbell unannounced. I was beyond irritated but kept my cool. They couldn't find a restaurant open for breakfast on Christmas Day so they called my dad to see where he was at... (My dad never mentioned this call to me and told them he was at my house and they said, we'll be right over!) I know I had enough food to feed them but really! They had just come from their son's house and didn't care for the "continental breakfast" that he had prepared, they wanted real food so I guess this means that I serve "real food"! I know it is mean spirited of me to be upset but boy, it really burned my buns!!!
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
I'm with the people who offer something small but put dinner on hold. I recently graduated from college and am currently the only one of my group of friends who has an apartment in nyc, so we constantly have house guests. fortunately, they all understand that the budget doesn't cover rent and food for 5 other people, so everyone is constantly pitching in. i don't mind if someone just stops by with a bag of bagels!
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
Simple , I'd feed 'em.
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
I was raised in a Latvian home where the European adage always rules: You feed a guest whether they want to eat or not. We sometimes got some interesting foods when visiting my Mamite...like cold hot dogs...There is always room for one more and they will eat.
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
I would always feed a guest. A good lesson from Greek mythology: you should always treat your guests as though they could be one of the gods!
How Do You Handle Uninvited Guests?
My in-laws called me 1.5 hrs ago to tell me that they're in my driveway and forgot to call and tell they were coming, so Is it OK to come in?. They are my in laws and they're already in my driveway, so I can't tell them, no, I'm working (I, too, work from home) and trying to eat a bowl of onion soup. Although I did mention to them that I was in the middle of my soup and asked if they wanted any. They said no, we're fine. And proceeded to stay for 1.5 hrs. Like I said, other than mid-soup, I was in the middle of a large and complicate audit I'm working on. I just lost 1.5 hrs of workable time and returned to my cold half-bowl of freaking soup. I'm so pissed, I can't even tell you.
Essentials: Hummus
I find that a garnish of some (or a lot) of sweet paprika also boosts the flavor of the hummus.
What to Do With: Candied Ginger?
I "dumbed down" a complicated whole-grain bread recipe that called for crystallized (candied) ginger. I simply add it to whole-wheat bread dough. Absolutely ravishing for special dinners. You could make rolls out of it or a fancy challah-style braid. Use a fairly rich recipe – with eggs and a little extra sweetening in it.
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
My "eureka" moment and the catalyst for a career involving wine was experiencing an intense aroma of roses while drinking a Johannisburg Riesling and dining on spicy BBQ shrimp - I'm sorry to say I've long forgotten who I dined with, but I've never forgotten that incredible moment of wine and food synergy.
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
@JGordon:
Try this...have some always soft spreadable BUTTER around by keeping some in a little covered croc outside of the fridge. It won't kill you because it's at room temp, I promise.
I was really surprised by margarine at number three. I really thought that we had started to make some headway in the learning process as far as nutrition was concerned.
The oils in margarine are so processed and then combined with emulsifiers, food coloring, etc. And while I am sure that lower end butter has it's own over-processing cross to bear, at least there are excellent quality alternatives where the ingredients (CREAM, SALT) come from reputable sources. I'm not so sure that they make a margarine with the same guidelines. Maybe Healthy Balance.
Just use butter! In moderation! It's better for you.
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
This article was super helpful. I have a tendency to just look for traditional flavors when I taste like blackberry, leather, etc. I never thought to look for green pepper or soy sauce, but that makes perfect sense. I'm looking forward to expanding my diet and expanding my wine nose and palate. Thanks!
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
greta article =) my light bulb moment was with an exceedingly green peppery cab sav too.
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
Alas, I'm still waiting on my eureka moment. I love wine, but really can't taste all these magical things others detect. I'm a super taster (about 25% of the population are), and so have twice as many taste buds as regular people. Consequently, I taste things really intensely. The problem is, alcohol completely overwhelms my taste buds, so all those delicate flavors are washed out. Hard spirits are even worse -- a fine single malt Scotch tastes like vodka with a drop of liquid smoke. I'm jealous of people who can taste all these wonderful things I cannot.
But, I'm still willing to try. :)
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
This is totally right - but how do you learn to use wine discriptors that reference things you can't taste? http://laasinvineyard.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/do-i-have-to-taste-a-wild-boar/
Why Serious Eaters Should Be Serious Wine Tasters
i definitely agree -- i used to think it was all BS, that wine people would were over exaggerating the detection of flavors.
then i went to mosby winery in santa ynez, CA, and the guy pouring the wine told me "this one tasted like an almond joy." and i could taste, very clearly, the chocolate, almond, and coconut notes in the wine. it was really eery at the time, but it was definitely my "eureka" moment like you mention above.
What to Do With: Candied Ginger?
If you're really nauseated, it can help.
What to Do With: Candied Ginger?
How about adding it to scones or pumpkin muffins? If you need a recipe, let me know.
Hillary
Chew on That
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
I will NEVER understand why people like mayo so much. It's disgusting--the way it tastes and the way it feels in your mouth are both repulsive. Ranch dressing grosses me out, too.
What to Do With: Candied Ginger?
Don't you think it would taste good with a pork roast? Even a ham!
Mayonnaise Is Second Most Popular 'Treat' For American Dieters
If I don't have mayo on my sandwiches I feel like I'm in prison! Bring on that mayo!
Recent Posts
Personalize your chocolate bars!
Posted by MariannaF, November 21, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Recent Favorites
Éma, Syrian Ice Cream from Bakdash in Damascus
Posted by Robyn Lee, January 9, 2009 at 3:15 PM
Polls
MariannaF hasn't answered any polls yet.
Quizzes
MariannaF hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
I dont mind- but it depends who the uninvited guest is.
There are some people that would do the same for you and where it's always reciprocal...
...and others that are just abusive and repeatedly "unexpectedly" invite themselves over... and whenever you are at their place, their kitchen is always completely empty, or the only thing they can share with you are crumbs.