Mouthy Bits | Notes On A Meal

Sugar, part 3

posted by Lemon Tart on 2012.05.02, under Baking, food, Food pic, Good to know, lesson learned, lessons, Mouthy Bits, stuff

05.02.12

From a culinary perspective, sugar is a very important ingredient so understanding how it reacts while being heated, melted, dissolved, etc is very crucial. One of the most integral parts of this is an understanding of what happens in a simple sugar and water solution. In this case, the sugar molecules have a tendency to bond to each other in orderly arrays and form dense solid masses (crystals). When sugar crystals are dissolved in water, H2O molecules have a tendency to overcome this bond between sugar molecules and form their own bonds. If the sugar molecules become too crowded with the water molecules, they begin pairing off with each other and form crystals once again.

{ no comment } :| { Tags: Baking, food images, sugar, words of wisdom, worth reading }

What is a macaron?

posted by Lemon Tart on 2012.03.17, under Baking, Food pic, food pics, Macaron, Mouthy Bits, Photos, pics

03.17.12

So all week I’ve been posting about these wonderful little desserts but I haven’t even answered the most basic of questions: What is a macaron?

{ no comment } :| { Tags: Baking, dessert, food images, food pics, images, macaron, macarons, Photos, pics, words of wisdom, worth reading }

The Grizzly Project, Barcelona

posted by Lemon Tart on 2012.02.06, under Baking, chefs school, food around the web, Mouthy Bits, stuff, Video

02.06.12

This is a very interesting clip on the design and making of a chocolate grizzly bear by the Barcelona Pastry Guild School for the World Chocolate Masters competition this year. Enjoy!

{ no comment } :| { Tags: Baking, challenge, chef, chef school, chefs school, chocolate, food around the web, food images }

Whole wheat, banana berry muffins

posted by Lemon Tart on 2012.02.02, under $20 Challenge, Baking, food, Food pic, Good Food, Made in Toronto, Mouthy Bits, Photos, pics, recipes

02.02.12

Simple and very very healthy, possibly also somewhat tasty, these muffins are a great way to start the day. Should mention that they are egg free and can very easily become dairy free or gluten free. I made mine with wheat germ, blueberries, dried currants and coconut but the possibilities are endless as long as you remember to balance out flavors. Another good combination would be carrot, orange and ginger.

{ 1 comment } :| { Tags: Baking, cheap food, food images, food pics, Photos, Recipe }

Science, making booze boozier.

posted by admin on 2012.01.27, under Good Food, lessons, Mouthy Bits, remains, Video

01.27.12

The good people at Terressentia have come up with a way of using science to make booze taste better by removing impurities left over from the distillation process. In short, with typical distillation, there are lesser alcohols that are formed that leave a harsh taste in the mouth and contribute to hangovers. By using their patentend process, Terressentia can remove these unwanted elements making the refined product taste cleaner and smoother. The distillation process has pretty much been the same for the last hundred years or so and after watching the video, I am surprised that no one has thought of this before. I suppose purists may argue that the real craft of making superb liquors is in the skill of the brewmaster. That being said, the idea of demystifying the process through science is very appealing to geek in me.

{ no comment } :| { Tags: booze, building better booze, cocktails }

Tuna Sales Record: $736 000 or $2800/kg

posted by admin on 2012.01.05, under food, Mouthy Bits, Uncategorized

01.05.12

At the first auction of the new year at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, a world record for tuna was set when a Sushi mogul purchased a 269kg blue fin tuna for just shy of $2800 a kilo. For those doing the math that works out to about $736 000.00 US.

{ 1 comment } :| { Tags: bluefin, cost of tuna, tuna auction, tuna record }

New Loblaws – Queen and Portland, Toronto

posted by Lemon Tart on 2011.12.15, under food, Food pic, food pics, Good Food, Great Food, lessons, Made in Toronto, Mouthy Bits, Photos, reviews, seasonal food, stuff, Torontos Finest

12.15.11

I must say that, in my opinion, Loblaws really tops all the other grocery stores in Toronto for the quality of products offered and their variety. Although it may be pricier than others, freshness is always guatanteed and the customer service is definitely admirable.

{ no comment } :| { Tags: cheap food, food, food images, food pics, grocery store, loblaws, toronto, words of wisdom, worth reading }

The Norwegian Butter Crisis

posted by admin on 2011.12.11, under Mouthy Bits

12.11.11

Thanks to a new diet fad, butter has been flying off the shelves in Norway. According to Reuters, butter sales jumped 20% in October and 30% in November. Further, butter production has been slashed dramatically due to a wet summer which saw a decline in animal feed quality and thus a shot fall off 25 million liters of milk.

{ no comment } :| { Tags: }