Crack Biscuits

Crack biscuits. That's what bossy chef calls them. They're so darn good they're as addictive as crack cocaine.

I've tried hundreds of biscuit recipes, always looking for a lighter, more flaky and flavorful version like the ones my grandmother used to make. My grandmother Johnnie Reagan, was the ultimate biscuit maker. She and my grandfather John, lived on a 1200 acre farm in rural New Mexico, not far from the Texas panhandle. As both their names were a version of 'John' my grandfather renamed my grandmother 'Bill' so no one would be confused as to who was who.

 When my brother and sister and I were young we had the good fortune to spend several summers on the farm. We learned to ride horses, take care of chickens, milk a cow, slop the hogs, and many other daily chores that keep a farm running. We also gained about 5-10 pounds each during those New Mexico summers. It wasn't for lack of activity, because we were running around like wild Indians from sun up to sun down. A 1200 acre farm is a great place for kids to run amok.

Our summer weight gain occurred because of Grandma Bills' abundant and delicious southern cooking. Breakfast was a hearty meal, usually bacon or ham, (from hogs raised on their farm), eggs, (from their chickens of course), and either pancakes or biscuits, usually biscuits because they were fast and easy. We drank milk at each meal which came from their dairy cows. Grandmother would skim the fresh milk, and make butter with the cream. Some of the cream she would set aside and allow it to sour, she called it 'clabbered' milk. That's what she used in her biscuits. Most biscuit recipes today call for buttermilk,  you can't buy clabbered milk that I know of and unless you have a dairy cow you can't make it at home because all of our heavy cream is pasturized.

 She made biscuits so often, never using a recipe, just by the sight and feel of the dough. Once when I was about 10, I asked her to teach me how to make them. I really wanted to learn, as I loved being in the kitchen even back then. But she was all business, cooking was just one more chore on a very long list that had to be done each day. She quickly became frustrated with my ineptitude and shooed me away, afraid that I had ruined the dough because it looked too dry. I'm pretty sure she fixed it though, and the biscuits turned out fine, but she wasn't about to have me waste a whole batch of biscuit dough just so I could play. She had raised three daughters during the great depression and wastefulness of any kind was never tolerated.

Grandma Bill set the bar pretty high when it came to biscuits, and as I mentioned earlier I've tried many recipes. Some with excellent results and some were dismal failures. I've learned a few basic techniques that apply for making a good biscuit with any recipe. In no particular order:
1. Your butter or lard has to be very cold. And it doesn't hurt if your flour and other ingredients are cold too.
2. The dough should be JUST dry enough to handle, a little sticky is good
3. Do not over work the dough, the more gentle you are the more tender your biscuits will be.
4. For proper southern biscuits purists use soft red winter wheat flour, low in protein and gluten – traditionally White Lily brand or Southern Biscuit brand. These can be found and ordered on the internet. I've used them and they do make great biscuits.


Bill, aka Grandma Johnnie  has been gone for quite some time now, but the memory of those incredible meals on the farm will never fade. And since I never learned how she made her biscuits my quest to find a biscuit that equals hers continues. The recipe I'm sharing with you today comes pretty darn close. Click on the link below for a printable pdf copy of 'Crack Biscuits' from Max and Eli Sussman from their book 'This is a Cookbook Recipes for Real Life'. (Jack added the 'Crack' because they're that good!)

Sussman Buttermilk Biscuits

Thanks so much for reading our blog, we hope you try these tasty little buttery orbs of deliciousness soon, I"m sure you'll enjoy them as much as we do.

Remember I am always here for your Real Estate questions and needs. Financing has changed dramatically since the first of the year, if you would like information as to what a buyer's qualifications and requirements are today don't hesitate to contact me as the lending climate has become one of the great challenges in our industry today.

Uniquely Different.....Simply Better!!

Becky Goldsmith

720-979-3184

Becky@beckygoldsmith.com

Thank you Thanksgiving!

Ready, set, here we go again; our nations most celebrated eat-fest is a mere two weeks away. Two weeks?? Shit I'm behind schedule. Holy preparation. Research, plan, shop, prep, cook, eat, eat, and eat some more. Football, friends, family, we gather to gobble till we wobble. All in honor of Bossy's and my favorite holiday......

 THANKSGIVING

Last year I wrote about the different kinds of turkeys and the various methods to prepare and cook the mighty bird. This year it's all about my favorite part of the meal; the side dishes. Everybody fusses over old Tom, he's the center of attention and the show stopper when presented at the table. I'm here to tell you, turkey is fine and dandy but gimme second helpings of those sides loaded with butter, cream, and cheese every time. Diet busters? You betcha. Cardiac coagulators? Absolutely. A Thanksgiving without them? Not a chance. 

Growing up,  I remember cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams with marshmallows, green beans baked with Campbell's mushroom soup with crispy fried onion rings on top, cranberry sauce from a can (gross), Parker House rolls and pumpkin pie for dessert. I may have mentioned previously that my mother (may she rest in peace), was known west of the Mississippi as one of the worst cooks to terrorize a kitchen. However, she tackled Thanksgiving a time or two and although she wouldn't have won any awards she did a pretty decent job and we ate it, even more surprising we liked it. 

Over the years traditional side dishes have been tweaked, remixed, elevated, and greatly improved upon. I'll share with you some of our favorite Thanksgiving sides and maybe you'll be inspired to try something new this year. Recipes are provided at the end of this blog.

Sweet potatoes:
 Bossy and I traded in the candied yams with marshmallows several years ago for Tyler Florence's sweet potatoes with roasted bananas, honey and toasted pecans. It's become a Thanksgiving favorite and one of the most talked about dishes every year.

Cranberries:

Canned cranberries? Come on! An outstanding cranberry relish or chutney is not only delicious but super cinchy to make. There's no excuse to serve that crap from a can unless you're pissed off at your family.

Mashers:
For the mashed potatoes, we keep those pretty basic. Yukon Gold potatoes peeled then boiled in heavily salted water, riced, (makes them super fluffy and smooth) and seasoned with Kosher salt, cream and a high quality butter. Thanksgiving is where you can justify paying up for really good butter and using it in everything.

Stuffing:
This is a fun one. We try something new every year just because there are so many great sounding recipes. We'll use a basic recipe as guide then play around with it, adding favorite ingredients that go well together. Only once was I not happy with the results, but with a little extra gravy it too was delicious!

Veggies:

Your pick. The proverbial green bean casserole is great but there are so many stellar options when it comes to vegetables. We like to serve a variety of roasted vegetables, tossed with olive oil, Kosher salt and fresh herbs. It's a healthy counter balance to all of the other rich dishes. Lessens the guilt just a wee bit.

Bread:

I'm making Parker House rolls a la Bobby Flay this year. The recipe has a slew of 5 star reviews and looks really easy to make. Soft, buttery rolls hot out of the oven, doesn't get any better.

Dessert:
Ok, if you're still with me, this is where we're going to have some fun. Yep, we'll have pumpkin pie of course. If someone doesn't volunteer to bring one, I'll pick it up from Costco. I've said it before, Costco makes a great tasting pie at a price that can't be beat.

 But I'm also going to make a surprise dessert that is sure to create a bit of a buzz. While on vacation in Portland, OR. a few years ago, Bossy and I were fortunate enough to dine at Le Pigeon. A tiny bistro with communal tables and  a 1-2 hour wait being the norm. The appetizers, entree, wine and of course the company were outstanding. But all that paled in comparison to the rich, fluffy, cornbread, bacon, and maple ice cream dessert that ended our meal. At the time the flavor combinations sounded absurd, and it took more than a little coaxing from our server for us to give it a try,  but thank goodness we listened to him. The dessert is one of those rare "I'll never forget this as long as I live" foods. I was not able to find the recipe for a long time, but it's available now and I'm going to serve it this year. Maple ice cream, bacon, and sweet cornbread?  The ultimate in fall flavors! If this doesn't work for your Thanksgiving menu this year please save the recipe and give it a try soon, I promise you will be glad you did.

Bossy and I want to wish all of you a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude, peace, loving friends and family and of course great food!

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful holiday.

Becky & Bossy 

Real Estate

Becky Goldsmith

Residential Real Estate Specialist

720-979-3184

Becky@beckygoldsmith.com

Copy and paste the link below to your browser for a downloadable PDF version of recipes

https://db.tt/iDW1L8IT

Why didn't I think of that?

I love the Bossy Chef. Not only does he bring home chocolate, (lots and lots of chocolate) but recently he brought home the most wonderful cookbook that is all about chocolate.

Our newest acquisition is "Mast Brothers Chocolate - A Family Cookbook". If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the chef on your list, look no further. This book is filled with lush photography, simple, sweet and savory recipes all devoted to chocolate goodness. Throughout the book are wonderful short stories that tell the history of the two brothers, Rick and Michael and their pursuit of chocolate perfection. These unconventional 'hipster' boys from Brooklyn are capturing the attention of cacao lovers everywhere.
Their chocolate is hand crafted from the bean to the bar then hand wrapped in beautiful custom papers and shipped to specialty food shops around the globe. Yes, their chocolate bars are pricey, between $7- $9 for a 2.5 oz bar. Have I tried it? As I write I am unwrapping a bar of the Brooklyn blend dark chocolate. When Bossy found out I was writing about this book he made it his mission to find Mast Brothers chocolate bars, purely in the name of research of course.

So, I'm tasting this almost famous chocolate. It is 73% Cacao, it is strong and slightly bitter as dark chocolate should be. Smooth and luxurious in the mouth, just as great chocolate should be. There are two ingredients, Cacao and cane sugar, no added fats or emulsifiers. The ingredients in a bar of Scharffen Berger Bean to Bar San Juan De Cheni dark chocolate are: Cacao beans, sugar; cocoa butter and non-gmo soy lecithin. Sharffen Berger is excellent chocolate. The ingredients in Valrhona's Satilla Dark are: Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier, soy lecithin and natural vanilla extract. Valrhona is considered to be some of the best chocolate available.
So these guys make a pure product and it's a tasty one. Is it worth the hefty price? Thomas Keller thinks so, he uses their chocolate in his restaurants (I'll bet he pays wholesale). Thomas also wrote the foreword to their book, he likes these guys a lot.  Me? Sadly, my palate is not so sophisticated that it can discern a big enough difference to warrant paying an extra $3-$5 for a bar of Mast Brothers over a lesser craft chocolate.

But I digress. What I really want to talk about is the cookbook. As I flipped through the pages there was nothing that I didn't want to make. A novice baker or cook could easily execute most of these recipes with ease and confidence. None require a degree in science to execute and they are all made with ingredients that you most likely have on hand or can be easily sourced in your local markets. One caveat; you will need to use a high quality chocolate, their recipes are designed to work best with chocolates that contain over 70% cocoa solids. If you use a chocolate with less cocoa your results will be disappointing.

I'm giving you two recipes from the book, one sweet and one savory. It was hard to choose which ones to share with you as there are so many standouts. If you enjoy these I encourage you to buy the book, you won't be sorry.

The first one is Chocolate Chip and Ricotta Pancakes. This could be the perfect way to start your morning on Thanksgiving day. Click on the link below the picture for a printable pdf recipe.

https://db.tt/MhmWRXsa

This next one looks and sounds so good, I can't believe I've never thought of putting cocoa powder in a dry rub for meat, it makes total sense! Click on the link below the picture for a printable pdf recipe.

Cocao Dry Rub

https://db.tt/2BoQbSSO

Below is a video that was shot when the Mast Brothers were getting started.

Discovering your passion and working tirelessly to achieve excellence is both enviable and admirable. To have found your passion in chocolate is downright unfair!! Now why didn't I think of that?!

Thanksgiving is almost here and Bossy keeps asking if the menu is ready. Not yet, but I'm getting close. I have a few fun new ideas for you and your holiday table, so stay tuned and keep an eye out for our next blog, it's all about our favorite holiday!

If you're planning a move in the near or distant future I hope you'll remember that Residential Real Estate is my specialty and I would love to be given the opportunity to talk with you whether you're thinking of buying or selling. 

THANK YOU!

Becky Goldsmith

720-979-3184

Becky@beckygoldsmith.com

Real Estate

Palisade Peaches

Thank you Universe for giving us Palisade Peaches. 

Amen.

Peaches from Palisade, are to me what shrimp was to 'Bubba' Blue from the movie Forrest Gump. I like them in pie, cobbler, shortcake, drowned  in heavy cream, topped on cereal, mixed in yogurt, made into ice cream, jams, jellies, grilled, and just plain all by themselves. Colorado is a glorious state and an incredible place to live. We Coloradoans have much to be proud of and thankful for.  I wake up and thank my guides and the universe every day because I am lucky enough to live in this wonderful state.

Each year when mid summer rolls around the first peaches start arriving from the western slope, showing up in farmers markets and grocery stores. Unlike blueberries, strawberries, bananas and other fruits that can be purchased year round because they're shipped in from places like Mexico and Chile, these heavenly little orbs of sweetness are available only during the summer and fall seasons. When they're gone, they're gone until next year. The fine state of Georgia claims the peach as their official state fruit. I've never had a fresh Georgia peach, so I cannot attest as to how good they may or may not be. But I can't believe they could be better than what is grown in our state, it's just not possible.

This year the peach crop was hit by two back to back hard frosts in April which wiped out half of the crop. It was the most decimated harvest since 1991, causing prices to climb. However, plenty of peaches survived and shipments to the front range markets were not noticeably affected.

With the last big holiday of the summer only a few days away, I wanted to share with you some of our favorite ways to enjoy this wonderful fruit.

If you believe as I do that everything taste better with bacon, you're gonna love this. This is from Michael Schwartz's cookbook 'Michael's Genuine Food'. Michael is a James Beard Award winner and the chef owner of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in Miami and the Cayman Islands. Since opening in 2007 the restaurant has been lauded by the press and has become a favorite of the press, locals, celebrities, and famous chefs from around the country.

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Peaches with aged Balsamic and Piave Vecchio cheese

Click on the link below for a down loadable pdf recipe

http://db.tt/NlwXSdKC

One of the best desserts is also one of the simplest to make. Grilled peaches with Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Good God Almighty it's incredible! If you haven't had salted caramel ice cream yet, you're missing out BIG TIME. Get some, although I doubt you'll thank me because it is highly addictive.

Grilling peaches with sugar on top turns them into something special. The heat caramelizes the sugar and softens the peaches turning them into little bowls of peach pie filling. The best part is you don't have to heat up your house.
These also make a fantastic breakfast if you top with your favorite yogurt instead of ice cream.

Here's a link to a down loadable pdf recipe:

http://db.tt/sw28BGef

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have.   The Farmer's Almanac says we're in for a long cold winter so be sure to get your fill of the extraordinary bounty that summer in Colorado has to offer. 

Have you been wondering what your home is worth in this crazy up and down real estate market? With the market seeming to change with the wind it's virtually impossible to know what the value of your home is. Send me an email and I will prepare a market analysis specifically for your home at absolutely no charge.

Thank you for reading our blog and as always, Happy Eating!

Becky Goldsmith
720-979-3184
Becky@beckygoldsmith.com

HACCP

 

The Bossy Chef has been nagging me to write a post about food safety and food born illness, more commonly known as food poisoning. Not the sexiest food topic to write or read about but one that does merit some attention.  HACCP - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. Pronounced 'hassep',  is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product.

Simply put, HACCP is a system that is designed to keep us from getting sick from the food we eat.  When food safety guidelines are followed we can enjoy all the bounty that our world has to offer. But if there is a misstep somewhere along the line of food production, preparation or service, then we will suffer the consequences. Most often it will manifest as a slight upset stomach, or an uncomfortable feeling in our digestive system.  Usually we're better in a day or two so we don't give it any more thought. If a little upset stomach is the worst you've experienced then count your blessings. But if you've lived through a more serious case of food poisoning you know all too well that it's about as sick as you ever want to be. The most severe cases of food poisoning can result in death. Large scale recalls for spinach, melons, peanuts, and lettuces, to name a few, contaminated with e coli, salmonella, and listeria seem to be happening with more frequency. Or possibly the USDA is better qualified to identify and control sources of contamination than they were a few years ago. It wasn't until January 1998 that the first HACCP- based control systems were implemented in the largest meat and poultry plants. Smaller plants were phased in by January 2000. Now, upscale restaurants with creative chefs who enthusiastically take on the challenge of making their own cured meats and sausages are required to have an approved HACCP plan in place before selling their products to their customers. They are under the same strict guidelines of the Food Safety Inspection Service division of the USDA as are large commercial meat producing plants.

The Bossy Chef has had extensive training in HACCP procedures as have most professionally trained chefs and kitchen personnel. As a restaurant manager in one of my previous lives, I too was trained in proper food preparation and handling techniques. It is valuable training that carries over into our day to day lives in our home kitchens. And this is what I'm writing about today. Easy steps to follow that will ensure that the food you prepare at home won't cause your family and friends unnecessary and unpleasant side effects. 

Each year, 48 million people in the U.S. get sick from contaminated food.  Common culprits include bacteria, parasites and viruses. Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of food borne illness. Foods may have some bacteria on them when you buy them. Raw meat may become contaminated during slaughter. Fruits and vegetables may become contaminated when they are growing or when they are processed.

But it can also happen in your kitchen if you leave food out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.

The Bossy Chef is completely anal when it comes to this. Any food that is not dished up when the meal is served goes into the refrigerator, immediately.  More importantly, the food is refrigerated uncovered until it is completely chilled down. This is one of Chefy's pet peeves and we've seen people do it time and again. We were visiting our son and his family in Idaho recently. His beautiful wife Missy, whom I adore, makes a stand out potato salad.  She made a large bowl one afternoon then covered the still warm potato salad and put it in the fridge. Naturally, I couldn't keep my mouth shut so I explained in my most conciliatory voice why it would be better to put the salad in the fridge without the Tupperware top. She's well aware of our food fetishes and foibles so she laughed and let me have my way. I really do love this girl!

The fact is, when you cover food that is still warm it creates the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to grow. Food needs to be chilled down quickly, and covering the food allows it to stay at an unsafe temperature for far too long. Cover the food after it's completely chilled, it'll seem strange and will take some getting used to but it is much safer.

There are several more important food safety steps. In an effort to keep this column brief, I won't go into them here but if you'll click on the link below you can download an excellent reference guide for basic food handling safety. The guide was prepared by the USDA and includes a cold storage food chart and a hot line number in case of suspected food borne illness.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i477b9y333x9bzj/basics_for_safe_food_handling.pdf


So what are you eating this summer? We've been chowing down on heirloom tomatoes and those amazing Palisade peaches. Can't get enough of either one. My favorite guilty pleasure is to grill slices of crusty bread that has been brushed with a little olive oil, top with a thick slice of tomato and a big scoop of Burrata cheese, drizzle with more olive oil and a sprinkling of good salt. Killer! I dare you to eat just one! Paired with a delicious bottle of Rose', summer just doesn't get any better.

Thanks for reading, and as always I hope you think of me if you or someone you know is considering  buying or selling a home. I love and appreciate your referrals, Thank you so much and happy eating!

 Becky Goldsmith

720-979-3184

Becky@beckygoldsmith.com