The Weekend

This past weekend was bursting at the seams with great food and even better company.  Friday evening was the night of my most recent supper club, consisting of the best scallops I have ever made (humble brag, but not really because all credit goes to bacon fat), Joy the Baker's Blueberry and Mint Lemonade, and a gluten-free key lime pie, which one of my diners dubbed "life-changing."  That's the magic of coconut macaroon crust, my friends. 

After standing in the kitchen for nearly 10 hours straight, my feet were screaming at me, and I fell asleep while sitting on the floor describing to my fiance just how tired I was.  It was the best.

The next day my sweetheart and I made our way down to the city and began our Saturday afternoon with truly classic fudge sundays at one of my favorite spots since childhood - a sweet little drive-in diner that has been serving ice cream and barbecue for 112 years.  Always get the limeade, do it. 

We went shopping and I tried on a dozen very unflattering dresses and one very nice dress and then turned to my better half and informed him that I needed to be fed.  Again.  I mean, it had been nearly three hours...

Rather than revisit an old standby, we decided to be adventurous (inspired by my Summer bucket list), and made our way down to what seemed to be a promising little hole in the wall. It was small, crowded, and filled with loud-laughers and Pokemon-searchers.  This hipster hideaway ended up being one of the best eateries I have been to in a very long time.  The menu was simple, consisting of  half a dozen or so tempting grilled cheese sandwiches and several varieties of decadent fries.  Even at the height of my creativity, I would have never thought of putting truffle-scented macaroni and cheese between two slices of bread.  But, thankfully, they did, and I ordered it, and I ate it.  In between bites I gushed about the utter genius of this perfectly executed sandwich, and then my fiance and I said a bitter farewell to our newfound favorite and sat in three hours of traffic. 

I hope your weekend was just as wonderful and filled with the best of food and friends. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Boston Cream S'mores Trifle // Summer of S'mores Pt. 2

This is one of those times where my cravings have driven me to do absurd and wonderful things. 

In the past two years I have gone from ambivalently ignoring doughnuts, to deeply and passionately adoring them.  My doughnut of choice?  The Boston Cream. 

A little shop opened near me not too long ago, and they make the most perfect Boston Cream doughnut I have ever had.  It is not overly sweet, the custard is evenly distributed, and the chocolate icing is simple, but rich.  I love, love, love this doughnut.  

Oh, if only I did not have a fancy and expensive white dress to fit into in 98 days...

I think about that doughnut often.  In fact, this entire Summer of S'mores series began as a single scribbling in my notebook - "Boston Cream S'more." 

I wanted (read: needed) to find a way to incorporate the flavors of that prized pastry into another one of my favorite things: the s'more.

Now you might argue that this is not technically a s'more, and I would agree, but the Summer of S'mores is a celebration of flavors.  All of the attributes of a classic s'more are present in this idyllic stratification, along with one very special guest.  Welcome, vanilla custard.  Also known as, the best part of any truly good Boston Cream Doughnut. 

I can see that I have already lost you because I am asking you to make custard for s'mores.  But, wait!  Custard is easy, I promise.  And just think about how much fun you're going to have licking the spoon when you are done. 

Whew.  I'm glad you came back. 

Oh yeah...I also decided my custard needed more fat and sugar, so I folded in some whipped cream.  My "oops" = a little extra happiness. 

At this point, you could just decide that you have worked hard enough for one day and eat this custard just as it is.  That would certainly not be a bad idea, but it would also not be the best either. 

The best idea involves using all the internalized hostility you now have for me (because I made you stand over a hot stove and make custard in July), to demolish some graham crackers.  Hulk smash those things. 

Actually, be civilized and use the handle of a butterknife.  The first option sounds fun until you start finding graham cracker crumbs in random places days later. 

Now we get to make everything look pretty.  Yay for edible stripes! 

Graham crackers + custard + chocolate.  Repeat.  

Do you have a blow torch?  I hope so, because this is a really fun way to use it! 

I plopped a couple of marshmallows atop my trifles and then torched them with my kitchen torch. This kept the custard cool, while still achieving that melted-mashmallowy layer that I love so much in a classic s'more. 

While these trifles are definitely indulgent, they are not overly rich.  Not in the sense that you instantly regret eating one - I hate that.  

Because the custard is not overly sweet, it brings balance to the more sugary chocolate and marshmallow elements. 

Oh, and if, for some strange reason, you do not end up devouring every single one of these immediately, they will need to be refrigerated.  Unfortunately, this will cause the chocolate to harden and the marshmallows to stiffen, BUT, they are actually very good reheated for a quick 20-30 seconds in the microwave.  The goal is to re-melt the marshmallow and chocolate, without heating up the entire trifle.  

Then again, who in their right mind is leaving leftovers here?

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Boston Cream S’mores Trifle

makes 4 / custard recipe slightly adapted from Food Network

for the custard

- 1 1/2 cups whole milk

- 4 egg yolks

- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 

- 3 tablespoons cornstarch 

- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

- 1/8 cup confectioner’s sugar

In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar.  Whisk vigorously, until the yolks have greatly lightened in color and have reached the ribbon stage.*  Whisk in cornstarch.

*The ribbon stage is signified by the behavior of the mixture.  If you dip the whisk into the batter and hold it above the bowl, the mixture should fall like ribbons and should hold its shape for a minute or two. 

Pour the milk into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat.  Scald the milk by cooking until it reaches 210 degrees, or just below the boiling point.  Remove from heat. 

Quickly whisk one-third of the scalded milk into the egg yolk mixture.  Pour the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan and place over medium heat.  While whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat, and allow to boil for thirty seconds, while continuing to whisk constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. 

Pour the custard into a glass bowl and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the surface.  This will prevent a film from forming. 

Place in the refrigerator and allow to chill until cool, about 2 hours, or up to two days.  

In a small bowl, combine heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar.  Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled custard.  Prepare the trifles.  

assembly

- 1 recipe pastry cream

- 6 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped

- 9 whole graham crackers, roughly crushed 

- 16 marshmallows 

- 4, 6-ounce glasses

Place milk chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for thirty seconds.  Stir and then microwave for an additional thirty seconds.  Repeat until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted. 

Fill the bottom of four glasses with 1 1/2 tablespoons of crushed graham crackers.  Cover with 1/4 cup of pastry cream.  Spoon several tablespoons of the melted chocolate over the cream.  Repeat until you have two layers of each element and then top with marshmallows. 

Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows and serve immediately.*  Enjoy!  

*You can prepare the custard 1-2 days in advance, but I do not recommend assembling the trifles until just before you want to serve them as the chocolate and marshmallows will be come hard in the refrigerator. 

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100 Days...

We fantasized about this day when it still lay a far off in the hazy, dreamlike future.  We spoke of it in giddy whispers, and elated imaginings of how we'd celebrate, at what point we would be in our looming to-do list, and how it would feel when only one hundred days stood between us and forever. 

While this milestone feels significant, it is simply another marker along the winding journey that is nearly bursting at the seams with busyness, excitement, anticipation, and emotion.  It has been so much fun - some of the most wonderful weeks and months of my life, but in the background lies the quiet, but nonetheless present, overwhelming feelings.  Wedding details aside, there is the fear of change, the pain of packing, and trepidation for the weeks ahead that beg for answers to questions I have not even asked myself yet.  But, it is good. 

I've been archiving blog posts in hopes that preparation will save me from insanity come October.  I have been trying to drink more water than ice coffee, which is going...I don't want to talk about it.  I have spent more time at the doctor's office than the beach.  I have learned that my fear of losing the control I do not actually have, has the power to destroy myself and take much of the glimmer out of this joyous relationship I have the privilege of being in.  I have been consciously trying to convince myself to pry open those tightly-wound fists of mine and just...wait. 

As far as the checklist is concerned....

My sweet mama and I have nearly finished my veil and my much-anticipated hair comb is waiting at the Post Office for me.  Eeek! 

I have almost figured out my "wedding day makeup" makeup, thanks to a very chic Sephora consultant who turned me into a die-hard lipliner-lover over the course of our forty-five minute tête-à-tête.  She also managed to convince me that I absolutely needed a lot of fancy things that came in pretty bottles.  I am still going through samples and trying to nail down the products I will actually be working into my everyday routine, along with those that will be just for the "big day."  If I can get a good handle on that list, I hope to share my favorites with you soon! 

I keep finding paint on my legs from all the furniture that has been painted, and repainted, over the past several weeks.  I have been trying to match my newly acquired dresser and nightstand to an antique vanity that I had snatched up at a consignment shop.  Seven cans and samples of paint later, I finally found the match.  If you are in the market for blueish-gray paint, I'm your girl.

The last part of our honeymoon has been booked and now we just have to find the perfect traveling bag.  Something that will hold all the things I need (camera, lip gloss, granola bars, train tickets...), but in a fashionable, slightly masculine facade, so that the fiancé will be willing to carry it.  Sneaky?  Not at all!  My Mama likes to call that "resourceful."

I have celebratory ice cream to eat.  I'll be back soon with more nostalgic, romantic, stress-sprinkled ramblings.  Love you, bye!

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie