welcome to cooking!

This is where I talk about food and share recipes. At some point, I will share an edited picture of my cat as Chef Excellence. (He's always cooking up snuggles!)

^{I'm thinking of "popping" this lemon picture out so it's above the text, shrink it a bit, and have it hovering out of the boundaries of the sections.}

Food Talk

One of my favourite snacks is taiyaki, a fish-shaped pastry that can have anything as a filling. Adzuki bean paste is the most common filling, but I've also enjoyed some with a lemon-flavoured sweet potato paste. The fish shape just absolutely fills me with delight.

Recipes

• Blueberry-Lemon Ice Cubes
• Flavorful Omelettes & Scrambled Eggs
• French Toast Sandwich

I drink a lot of sparkling water (seltzer, club soda included), and I have got to have it on ice! I'm not a big fan of a lot of the flavored sparkling waters out there, so I like to experiment in the kitchen. In the process, I figured out an easy way to make some tasty ice cubes infused with some of my favorite flavors!

This recipe calls for frozen blueberries, but you can also use fresh ones. (NOTE: Recipe has not been tested with fresh blueberries.) I do not add any sugar to this potion, as it can make the ice cubes too sticky, and I personally can't handle too much sugar in my "for hydration" beverages.

In the materials, I list a double-boiler. This is to gently infuse both flavors and beneficial compounds from the herbs into solution. If you don't want to bother with heat, an alternative infusion method will be described!

Ingredients

• 1 quarter of a lemon
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon balm
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 cups of water

Materials

• Double-boiler OR Large Container
• Strainer OR Cheesecloth/Filter Paper
• Ice cube tray(s) (quantity dependent on capacity)
• A large container to collect filtrate
• Optional Freezer-safe container for ice cubes

Method

Heated Infusion

1. Combine ingredients in top part of double-boiler.
2. Fill the bottom of the double-boiler with 1 to 2 inches of water.
3. Replace top part atop bottom and cover. Turn on heat.
4. Stir contents in top part occasionally.
5. Heat time: 15 minutes
6. Once desired heating time length as elapsed, turn off burner and move top container away from heat.
7. Allow contents to cool to about room temperature.
8. Proceed to the post-infusion process detailed below.

Cold Infusion

1. Combine ingredients into sufficiently-sized container.
2. Allow contents to steep for at least 30 minutes.
   • I like to keep this container in the fridge for the brewing period. I have pretty limited counter space, plus the cool temps inhibit microbial growth.
3. Once your preferred brew timelength has elapsed, proceed to the post-infusion process below.

Post-Infusion

1. Set strainer atop collection container
   • If you do not have a strainer, you can use a cheesecloth or coffee filter by securing one of these latter two with string or a rubber band.
2. Filter aromatic potion into the new container.
3. Pour solution into your ice cube trays and place in freezer.
4. Freeze time: Variable, but allow trays to completely freeze
5. You can leave the ice cubes in their tray(s) until ready for use, or you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
   • I prefer to transfer the cubes, so the trays are available right away to make more!

This recipe is a fan favourite in my household! The details are sufficient for two people, so long as it's served with some toast. I usually eyeball the flavoring agents, so it's really up to you how much of each you'd like to add! I may come back and tweak the numbers once I measure how much I actually use. I started using turmeric in this recipe near the end of last year, when I learned about its health benefits.

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon of tap water
• ½ tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
• ½ tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• (Optional) cheese

Materials

• Cup or bowl (for combining ingredients)
• Whisk
  • A fork can also work
• Non-stick pan
  • I'm not good at making eggs in a regular pan.
• Spatula

Method

1. Whisk eggs, water, sauces, and turmeric together.
   • I like to use a measuring cup, as the handle and spout make for an easy pour. If you use fewer eggs, a pint glass also works well.
2. Heat butter on the pan (medium heat).
3. Add egg mixture to pan.
4. Allow egg mixture to cook.
5. Add cheese.
6. Flip egg disc in half, covering the cheese.
7. Cook until solid.