food for when you are ill
Right,
It appears that I’ve come down with something since early monday morning, and still at the tail end now (hoping the rest will get rid of the final symptoms).
Unfortunately, my kitchen hasn’t really been brim full of anything of late. A combination of being away at the weekends (my usual food shop time) and trying to use up some bits in the larder/be inventive, left me with a desolate fridge.
This in turn lead me to get takeout on Sunday night, and ill soon after (anyone see cause and affect); the effect was me not being so good!
So things to eat/drink when you are ill:
- Sips of water (don’t want to dehydrate)
- Nothing but sips water (for a while to try and cleanse the body and settle a stomach)
- Try some clear soups
- Light fruit juices (not too much, can have unpleasant effects)
- Some toast
- Fruit pieces (again not too much, more about flavour)
This also doubles up as my week 9 summary, as thats pretty much my intake this week!
Any other good advice, or things to consume? Let me know below.
Daring Bakers – Chocolate Valentino
So, when you like baking and like challenges, then the only thing that seems to be needed is to join the daring bakers. And I did.
The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
They chose a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.
February’s challenge is a Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Valentino, inspired by Malaysia’s “most flamboyant food ambassador”, Chef Wan. Recipe comes from Sweet Treats by Chef Wan.
So, it required chocolate, and eggs. Lots of both were required, I’ve put up a couple of pictures of the creation. I must say that I don’t think I ever want to whisk egg whites by hand, time to get some robotic help in the kitchen.
Unfortunately, due to rubbish light, unsteady hands and general clumsyness I’ve only got a picture of the cake from aware; and you can’t see how rich and heavy it actually looks.
The recipe:
Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated
1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.
Pizza Bismarck
It’s that time of year, when the card shops are full of hearts, flower sellers having ordered in lots of roses; and the restaurants all have ’special’ valentines menus. These are of course no doubt filled with menus combining aphrodisiacs of oysters, asparagus and viagra.
Rather than face the town, I’ve been in the kitchen making pizza. It may certainly not be upto the Franco Marco standards (a spate of recent visits have happened in some food blogs I follow) – but I still think as long as it’s tasty then we all win! Continue Reading
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