Cupcakes: Carrot, Cardamom, Cashew, and Bourbon

First off, allow me to apologize for the picture. My place of work doesn't get picture friendly light, but allow me to go on. This cupcake is awesome. Period.

Originally, I was planning to use persimmons but, alas, there were none to be had. Switching gears in the store I went with carrots instead; a glad decision as their sweetness and flavor permeated this light and moist carrot cupcake. The mellow-sweet flavors of the roasted cashews support the carrots and add a nice crunch to the cake. The bourbon provides a slight bitter and tangy flavor that helps cut through the sweetness while the cardamom gives it spice and fragrance. With an over-whipped and glossy cream cheese frosting (also spiced with cardamom and bourbon) it is by and far the best carrot cake I have ever had, a sentiment echoed by many of my co-workers. The CEO even asked for the recipe. *insert loud peal of satisfaction*

I am going to tinker with this recipe a bit for something a bit more spring-ish when Easter rolls around.

Carrot, Cardamom, Cashew, Bourbon Cupcakes

Makes 2 Dozen

1 cup of cashews
1 pound of carrots
3 large eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of bourbon
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1) Heat the oven for 350F. Place milk and lemon or lime juice together in a cup and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

2) Toast the cashews in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then chop coarsely.

3) Rinse, peel, and grate the carrots.

4) Mix the carrots, milk and juice mixture, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and bourbon together and whisk.

5) In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spice together.

6) Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture. Then fold in the cashews.

7) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake for 19-21 minutes at 350. Place on a wire rack to cool.


Spiced Bourbon Frosting
8 ounces of cream cheese
2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cardamom
1 teaspoon of bourbon

Whip the cream cheese for 3 minutes at high speed. Add the bourbon and cardamom and whip another minute. Add the powdered sugar and whip for 5 minutes. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

New Roommate - Candace (No Citrus, Makes Good Soda Bread)

I have a new roommate once again, my old one moved away to be with her boyfriend which left an empty room and half of a rent check that needed to be filled as soon as possible. As soon as I was in the know the Craigslist ads went up and the updated duplex pictures I took for just such an emergency were highlight and touch-up'ed before being plastered all over the internet. The search was on and with great intensity. At the time I was happy for Danielle, but for myself I felt only apathy and exhaustion. Roommate hunting is anything but pleasant.

No drugs, no whores, no bores. I lived with all three before in my life and I wasn't looking for a repeat. In the past I have had good roommates, great roommates, ones who started great and turned evil, and ones who were just awful. From hiding pot to, spreading rumors, to finding a naked 50 year old man standing in my kitchen (I have tried to actually stab that mental image out of my head) there have been roommates that I am just more than happy to be through with. Others who I cooked with, shared secrets with, and talked out life problems long into the night over a few bottles of wine and cold pizza with. When living with people, it's always such a crapshoot.

The candidate search was not something I was looking forward too. The last one was a pain as a seemingly endless parade of people I would probably walk on the other side of the street from in order to avoid came through the door. Crazies with cats, scary tattooed men, and a family with a toddler (three people in a tiny 10X10 room? I think not) all came to examine the humble abode. Lucky for me I found someone on the first go this time around. Candace, a smart, bright, and perky girl with a sense of humor similar to mine. While just a college graduate, she looks about the age of 12, but her oratorical skills and humble demeanor belie her intelligence which one might find suspect if judging the book by its cover.

Furthermore she cooks a lot, loves cats, and actually she reads the blog so she kinda knew what she was getting into. Stars seemed to align for this rental drama.

We've been spending a bit of time getting to know each other the past week. She doesn't eat mushrooms or eggplant and is allergic to citrus of all kinds (I think I would spontaneously go into a stroke if a doctor ever told me that). Her specialty is Southern comfort food, something I have no familiarity with but am looking forward to learning. She advocates the use of sugars, fats, and heavy cream in order to make food taste good and that trying to lighten dishes that weren't originally light and diet friendly to begin with is a crime of the highest order. A good sign if I ever saw one.

As such, I've been teaching her Chinese and Lebanese food. Simple stir fries, kibbehs, and pilafs - simple things that can easily be replicated once learned. She in turn has shown me how to make soda biscuits and southern style mac-n-cheese with half and half, cheddar, ham, and all kinds of garlicy deliciousness.

I do believe it will be a good fit.

Score

This message goes out to the dude at the sammich shop who was yelling on his cell phone at his wife and bitching her out over the phone in front of countless people. In your huff of pure dickitude and calling your wife lazy you grabbed my lunch by accident.

Given, maybe you are in the right. Maybe she really is an awful person and you deserved to just let it out. But making a scene of it for over 30 people and ruining their lunches? Do it in your car. I reserve my breakdowns for home or on the blog.

Or, maybe you really are just a total scumbag and she needs to pack her things and go. Whatever.

Anyways, by now you surely realized you grabbed my lunch which had cheese. You're lactose intolerant. You made that very clear when you ordered and yelled at the poor guy working there that you "might fucking die if there's cheese." 

Anyways, thanks as well. Due to you taking my lunch I got free soup to boot for the extra wait. Score for me.

Did Jesus Drink Bourbon? (No, he did not.)

I have a bad habit of interrupting people and interjecting myself into conversations that I'm not neccessarily a part of (but feel the near stroke inducing need to make my opinion heard). It's something I'm working on controlling, however time and again I find myself pulled into a dailogue with the gravitic force of a neutron star. I can't help it, I was raised to be vocal and make myself heard and damnit I will be.

The situation in question today occurred at work where many strange and ususual conversations have taken place before (I'm still trying to find that carrot bush). I tend to be a sort of universal axis for the inane people of the world, it all draws close to me, soley. No longer a case of simply Murphey's Law, I belong to a the greater intellectual and situational sphere of Murphey's Physics: All shit and everyone else's shit can and will happen to me.

As I sat at my desk my ears perked up to hear, "I think Jesus probably drank bourbon. I mean, he's Jesus." There was no sarcasm or smile, this statement was made with all seriousness. Struck with my inability to let someone exist while being wrong I decided to jump in and save the day with my own informed and obviously correct opinion (in this case read: fact) as is the duty of Know-It-All's everywhere.

"Actually, I doubt Jesus ever once tasted bourbon," I interjected. "You see it just wasn't around back then. Wine, heck yeah. Probably pomegranate wine and some form of mead too, but no way bourbon."

The couple having the discussion turned my way, the girl seemingly curious for me to continue, her friend raising an eyebrow at me. The eyebrow arched obtusely, challenging my forceful rebuttal.

"How do you know that for sure? Jesus was Jesus, he could have any drink he wanted," asked Eyebrow.

"Well, bourbon was developed in the Southern United States, a country which wouldn't exist for another eighteen-hundred years or so. In fact it's named after Bourbon County in Kentucky. Bourbon could never be in Israel at the time."

"Well, what if they shipped it over?"

"Also not possible. If no one is making it how could it be shipped? Corn wasn't even over on that part of the continent yet, nor did they use barrel aging in that part of the world to make spirits. They used earthenware jars. So the Middle East had neither the corn nor the method, as it didn't even exist in the birthplace of bourbon. I mean, yes, it's possible they had the corn, but they didn't make bourbon from it."

"Jesus could simply make bourbon. He would just know what it is."

"I don't think the bible said Jesus was a precog or psychic of any kind." I'll give it that Jesus had some awesome power, but lord almighty...

"He's Jesus, I'm sure he could find something very similar and buy that instead."

"No, he couldn't." I was now irate and beginning to show it. "There is the possibility that something similar to it could exist at 15 A.D., but it's not actually bourbon unless it's from the United States which didn't exist. Actually, no, I doubt it was anything like bourbon. And even then, Jesus was a carpenter. He was poor. I doubt he spent any money he did make on good booze. Any money he did have probably went to help people."

"Jesus could find and have it if he wanted to!"

"Based on what!?" I shot back.

"He's JESUS!" voice now raised.

Point for Eyebrow! How can I fight this razor sharp wit and spot on logic?

At this point a friend calmed me down a bit and told me I was needed elsewhere. I wasn't, but it was obvious this was going to escalate.

I suppose Jesus could have turned wine into bourbon if he knew what it was, but really, I doubt it. If Jesus blogged, he be over at Vinography I bet.

Traveling Tajine Project Update #1

The Traveling Tajine Project has started with Ann Rolke, blogger for Sacatomato. A resident food writer here in Sac and a known cookbook author I figured she would be the right person to start us off.

She's developed a great chicken tajine recipe for everyone to check out. I have to note that this tajine is not the greatest heavy duty piece of equipment like more traditional ones. In theory you can use a tajine over a low gas flame and easily move it from stove-top to oven. However, ones from Crate & Barrel have a tendency to crack over direct heat that is any hotter than a low setting. This tajine is my second one as the first one cracked and nearly broke in two after attempting to simmer over a low gas flame. As such, you may have to get a bit creative or use a second pot to do any simmering (take note future TTP participants!).

Anywhose, Ann did a great job working around that little issue and came out with a a great dish (and an interesting idea that you should all read about, I'm curious to see if it works!).