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Category: Food

Review: The Teastick

Aug

2009

I wouldn’t call myself a tea connoisseur, but I drink enough of it to warrant purchasing a new tea infuser. Now I had a tea ball that I purchased from Dollarama last year, but after a bunch of uses and as cute as it is, it’s a bit difficult to clean the wire mesh, and I noticed that when I use fine leaf teas, they often seep through the tiny holes.

That’s when I decided to try something a little different. When I visited the new David’s Tea, I picked up a delicious tin of crème caramel rooibos tea. After looking around at their selection of infusers I came across the Blomos Teastick. It seemed pretty cool, but I didn’t want to shell out $25 plus tax for it. I searched the net for similar teastick, since I was worried that the perforations in the Blomos model were a little too big for oh-so-scrumptious rooibos tea. I stumbled upon Gamila’s Teastick, and found one selling on eBay for $15.99. After reading some favourable online reviews, along with the fact that it saved me a few bucks over the Blomos Teastick I decided to purchase it. Gamila states that:

this is the ultimate infuser for tea enthusiasts features intuitive “scoop-slide-steep” functionality while it reflects the aesthetic of traditional loose tea service. Durable enough for industrial use, it has no breakable mechanisms and is constructed entirely of 304L stainless steel with holes small enough to infuse the finest of teas.

Entirely made of kitchen-grade stainless steel, The Teastick boasts it’s made for a lifetime of of home use (we’ll see about that). I must admit, the design is very stylish, but does it actually work like an infuser should? I can now say that it does after finishing a warm cup of tea. Even the packaging is pretty cool, complete with info on how to use and care for your teastick, as well as some brewing tips.

After washing my Teastick in warm, soapy water, I dried it off and got ready to test out my new gizmo. It slid open pretty effortlessly, and I noticed the little locking mechanism on the top of the perforated sleeve. It’s pretty

roomy inside the Teastick once you slide the sleeve all the way to the top. I was worried that the tea wouldn’t have enough room to steep.

When scooping up loose tea with your Teastick, make sure you kind of shimmy the tea in the scoop so that it levels off with the fill edge. And you want to be careful not to overfill it because tea needs room to unfurl.

I had a small cup, so I didn’t fill it too much. The sleeve slipped back down and locked easily and I dunked the stick into my cup of hot water and waited about 5 minutes for my rooibos tea to steep. What I also like about The Teastick is that it doubles as a stir-stick (and it also looks pretty chic in my cup of tea).

Clean-up was a breeze: I just slide the sleeve back up, dumped out the tea, and washed The Teastick with soap and water (note that it’s also dishwasher safe). If some loose tea leaves get stuck in the little holes, the sleeve is large enough that you can use your finger to pry any out (and this is coming from someone with pretty big hands ). I also like the little curved handle at the top of The Teastick. It prevents it from falling into larger mugs or teapots, and allows it to rest evenly on your table or saucer with minimal drippage while you sip your tea.

Now, because the type of loose-leaf tea (rooibos) that I used it had some small needle-like leaf particles in it, and a few did float through the perforations, but it wasn’t as much as I thought it would be. For drinkers of full-leaf tea, such as green or black, I think The Teastick would be perfect.

Scoop it. Slide it. Steep it. Brewing a cup of tea is that easy with The Teastick. I think this was worth what I paid for it, but if you can’t afford to pay for the $18 + shipping as noted on the Gamila site, check out eBay for sellers. I haven’t seen this model of infuser in any stores in Canada as yet. And if a teastick isn’t your thing, then you can always test out the various tea infuser balls, glass tea infusers, infuser cups, Gamila’s new super-cute Teastick Gems, or simply stick to the ol’ teabags. Happy sipping!

Gee… I feel like making more tea!

Tags: Gamila, Review, Tea, Teastick
Posted in Food, Rants & Raves | 2 Comments »

Recipe: Plantain Chips

Aug

2009

Plantains are such a versatile “vegetable-fruit”, and are used in a wide array of Caribbean dishes. Whether they are green (starchy, not-yet-ripened), yellow or black (fully ripe and sweet), plantains can be used in sweet or savoury dishes.

I usually see these “giant bananas” priced at about 99¢/lb. They can be hard to peel, especially when they’re not fully ripe (and you don’t really want to eat them raw). When you’re frying plantains this way it’s best to use them is when they’re yellow and firm (about a medium ripeness). Plantains become more soft and sweet as they ripen.

Plantain chips, also known as platanos, chifles, tajadas or tostones, are best served warm and will leave you craving for more.

Yield: 2 servings or about 40 chips

Ingredients:
2 plantains (greenish-yellow colour)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
canola oil (enough to cover the surface of a frying pan)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat (about 375°F).
Using a mortar and pestle grind together the sea salt and the garlic (or you can use the back of a spoon). Set aside.
Cut off the ends of the plantains. Using a paring knife, slice the skin of the plantain from top to bottom, being careful not to cut the plantain itself (going along the seam will help). Make a total of four even slices, and carefully pry the skin off one of the sections using the tip of the knife. You can use your hands to peel off the remaining sections. Cut each plantain into slices about 1/8″ thick. Feel free to cut them in diagonals if you like. (I used a mandolin slicer which made this a bit easier).
Place half of the sliced plantains into the frying pan (they should gradually come to the surface if the oil is at the right temperature). Be sure not to dump them in all at once or put too many inside the pan (this will lower the temperature of the oil and affect the cooking). Fry the plantains for about 4-6 minutes, flipping occasionally, until golden-brown.
Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate or tray. Sprinkle with the prepared garlic-salt while they’re still a bit oily and hot, coating evenly. Repeat the process for the remaining slices.

Tags: Caribbean, Chips, Plantain, Recipe
Posted in Food, Recipes | 2 Comments »

Recipe: Crispy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Aug

2009

Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my search to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie, I knew I wanted a certain texture along the same lines of shortbread cookies, but not so soft that they break apart in your hands. At the same time, I didn’t want to create them too hard and crispy that they were a tooth hazard. So after three attempts I think I’m satisfied with this version of mine. The first time around I added too much cornstarch and they crumbled in my lunch bag like streusel topping. The second attempt I was trying to think about how I could make them a bit more crisp. I guess I shouldn’t have added that extra egg, because the cookies (while delicious) came out too “cake-like” and that wasn’t what I was aiming for.

In my trials and research I learned the following baking facts:

More butter = more spread; more flour = less spread
By reducing the amount of ingredients that retain moisture (e.g. egg, flour or brown sugar), you can make a nice, crispy cookie.
Using white sugar instead of brown sugar allows for a crispier cookie, since brown sugar has molassas (higher water content)
Adding an extra egg, milk or water to the dough can lead to a cake-like cookie since the additional moisture adds steam during baking (making them puff up)
Baking a cookie for a longer duration and at a lower temperature will allow your cookies to become more crispy.

So now for attempt number three, and as they say, third time’s the charm. This recipe has just the right amount of a chewy, soft centre, and a crisp outside that will leave tasters asking for more.

Yield: 24-32 cookies (depending on size)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugars with a wooden spoon. Add the egg and vanilla until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In three parts, gradually fold the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop about a tablespoon of cookie batter onto the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-inches between each cookie.
Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden-brown.
Remove baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest about 5 minutes before placing on a cooking rack.

Tags: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cookies, Food, Recipe
Posted in Food, Recipes | 2 Comments »

Recipe: “Eggcellent” Egg Sandwich

Jul

2009

Egg Sandwich

Eggs are one of the most versatile and nutritious foods that anyone can have in their kitchen. I was re-introduced (because I faintly remember having this meal in my youth, but I mainly enjoy egg-salad sandwiches) to this dish by a friend earlier this year and am now making it part of my regular meal plans: The Egg Sandwich. Sound simple? Well it is. Anyone can make this super-healthy sandwich as a start to the day for breakfast, or a protein-packed after-school/work snack.

Yield: 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

1 large egg
1 tbsp milk
2 slices of sandwich bread (I prefer to use Villaggio Italian Style 100% Whole Wheat Bread)
1 slice of cheddar cheese (not the processed kind, enough to cover one slice of bread with cheese that’s 1/8″ thick)
3 lettuce leaves (e.g. Boston or Romaine)
1 small tomato (sliced)
1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
1 tsp dill (chopped)
1 tsp butter
1/2 tbsp Miracle Whip dressing
A few drops of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

In a 7″ skillet (Chef Steph uses this Starfrit one which makes the egg the perfect size of the bread) over medium heat, melt the butter.
In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk and hot sauce. Add the parsley, dill, salt and pepper to the egg mixture and pour into the heated pan.
Using a small spatula or fork quickly mix together the egg mixture with the butter in the pan (almost like you’re scrambling eggs, the butter give it a bit more flavour and texture) until the egg is set evenly on the surface. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip (you can try a nifty pan-flip if you like) with the spatula and cook the other side for another 2 minutes.
While the second side of the egg is setting put your bread in the toaster oven on 250°F with the cheese on one slice of the bread. Toast for 2 minutes until the cheese is slightly melted. If you like your toast more on the crispy side, feel free to leave it in a bit longer.
Remove your egg from the heat and place on top of the cheesy slice of your toasted bread (then again, it doesn’t matter what order you put this in, it’s all going in your mouth anyways). Complete your sandwich by topping with lettuce, tomato and spread on the dressing. Cut in half if desired.

Tags: Egg, Recipe, Sandwich
Posted in Food, Recipes | 2 Comments »

Recipe: Jamaican Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Apr

2009

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

So as I was leafing through a copy of Metro I ran across a recipe for a pineapple upside-down cake. And not just any pineapple upside-down cake: a Jamaican pineapple upside down cake! So natually I had to tear the recipe out of the paper. I tried out the recipe a couple weeks ago and it came out superb. I think the last time that I attempted to make a pineapple upside-down cake was when I was 8-years-old. This recipe is adapted from Lucinda’s Authentic Jamaican Kitchen by Lucinda Scala Quinn. I used less granulated sugar than the white cake portion of original recipe suggested (about 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup) and it still tasted great, with just enough sweetness (esp. because of all the brown sugar on top). Instead of vegetable oil I used Canola oil, and instead of whole milk I used 2%. I also added some maraschino cherries in the pineapple “holes” to add to the visual presentation. I used the Earth Chef‘s awesome 11″ skillet to bake this recipe in, so make sure that you have a skillet that’s oven safe. This recipe will definitely be a hit.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
14 oz (400 mL) can pineapple slices
1/2 cup pecan halves
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Melt butter in 10-inch, cast-iron skillet on medium heat. Remove from burner. Sprinkle in brown sugar evenly. Arrange pineapple slices in pan (8 slices fit in my pan). Place one maraschino cherry in the middle of each pineapple ring. Arrange pecans in the remaining spaces around pineapple rings.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk and oil. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Scrape bowl. Add egg, zest, juice and vanilla. Beat just until well combined.
Pour batter evenly over pineapple in pan. Bake in preheated 350F oven until tester inserted into centre of cake comes out clean and top of cake is golden (about 25 to 30 minutes). Remove from oven and let the pan sit for 5 minutes. Carefully invert onto circular platter. Eat warm or at room temperature.

Tags: Cake, Jamaican, Pineapple, Recipe
Posted in Food, Recipes | 3 Comments »