Yesterday we saw how I make a dough-based pie crust for fruit pies. Today we will make the pie itself. After a few spectacular failures, I finally have this down to a process that comes out delicious every time. [Recipe] Apple Pie Recipe Type: Desert Author: Burt Johnson Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 40 […]
[Recipe] Pie Crust (dough)
It has been awhile since I have posted any recipes. There have been a lot of new recipes developed over the past few months, so let’s try to catch up. I have been particularly busy working with recipes for desert and appetizers, so we will start with what has become a favorite of dinner guests […]
Wineries and Cooking Class
We wrapped up a four day stay in Mendoza, Argentina today by taking a cooking class at the Familia Zuccardi winery in Maipu. We started by making bread dough, then making stuffed bread after it has risen for awhile. To be honest, our first bread was pretty dense and not very good… 🙁 We also […]
Cooking New Orleans Style
I went to a cooking class today to learn New Orleans style menus. The class was taught by Leslie Breen in her home. Some of you might know her as the original creator and owner of Eucalyptus restaurant here in Cuenca — one of the oldest high end restaurants in town. Though she is no […]
Cuy, Family Style
Back in the USA, they are called guinea pigs and kept as pets. Here they are called cuy and are a gourmet feast most often served for special occasions and celebrations. We were invited to a special cuy dinner by Gloria, Evelyn’s Spanish teacher, last night for a night of feasting, music… and Spanish. Only one member of the […]
Learning To Cook Italian in Cuenca
For the last three weeks I have been taking Italian cooking classes at a restaurant a little over a block from our condo. I am still amazed whenever I process that sentence — I have never lived somewhere with a good restaurant only a block away (let alone the 20 or so we now have), […]
[Recipe] Sirloin Steak
Ecuador has lots of good food, but beef is rarely listed as a favorite. It tends to be tough, and since BBQ’s are rare, we can’t cook it our favorite way. We therefore mostly do without steak. I recently discovered a way to make delicious tender sirloin steak though. Obviously, you want to start […]
[Recipe] Chicken Tetrazini
This is a pasta dish that Evelyn used to make in California using the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas. When I started cooking, this is one of the recipes I got her to teach me. Of course, I made a few modifications in the subsequent years. For one thing, I no longer wait until […]
[Recipe] Locra Papa
“Locra” means “thick soup”, so one should never say “Locra Papa Soup.” Rather, it is simply “Locra Papa — the best soup you’ve ever tasted!” ☺ On May 23, I published a blog entry talking about a cooking class I took at La Warmi for locra papa. I promised I would post the recipe once […]
[Recipe] Eggs Benedict
A favorite Sunday brunch indulgence of ours is eggs Benedict. We haven’t found a good one here in Cuenca, so I decided to give it a try. I was surprised by just how easy it is to make. Of course, it has enough calories and fat that we will still hold it back for special […]