BowenAppetit's Profile

I've been experimenting with steeping all kinds of things in the milk or buttermilk that goes into a cake recipe - like saffron, various spices, and especially teas. Recently I did this with thai tea to make thai iced tea cupcakes and people went crazy for them! Recipe here: http://bowenappetit.com/2012/05/30/thai-iced-tea-cupcakes-with-condensed-milk-buttercream/.

I love ginger syrup in lots of cocktails, but especially with bourbon, mint, and lemonade (Front Porch Lemonade). We drink that all the time in the summer.

I also heartily agree with the Dark and Stormy recommendation!

Seriously, I think Charles Shaw ("two buck Chuck" here in CA) makes pretty fantastic Sangria. (I like the sauv blanc best, but the pinot grigio works well too.) It's such a basic wine that it allows the other flavors - the fruit, the other liquor you add, etc. - shine. It's not a wine I would normally drink on its own (although it definitely works in a pinch), but it's pretty much my standby for cooking and wine cocktails (like sangria). Whole Foods has a cheap option too ($3-4/bottle), and that also works pretty well.

I once watched the egg station in a large high-end restaurant kitchen at bustling brunch time, and learned to do poached eggs that way - huge stock pot, water with a splash of vinegar at a "lazy boil," just dump in the eggs from a small bowl/cup. 3 minutes and egg is perfectly poached. Started doing that at home (not with a stock pot, but deeper water), and it works so much better than the pickier way I used to do it, fussing with every little detail. Maybe it's because I'm more relaxed, I don't know - but it works awesomely every time!

Last year around Christmas I made and bottled a huge batch of cranberry liqueur to give as gifts (as well as a huge batch of coffee liqueur). People loved it! Recipe here (http://bowenappetit.com/2010/12/20/cranberry-liqueur/).

I love to put it in champagne or mimosas (especially nice around the holidays) - or just in sparkling water for a lightly alcoholic soda. I'd love other ideas for cocktails - maybe for appetizers with Thanksgiving dinner!

Great idea! But instead I think I might chill a marble slab and just lay down on it. Sounds pretty nice on these 98+ days ...

I love to put on some 80s/90s hip hop or current pop music and dance around! (Carefully, if the task includes a knife ...)

My grandmother doesn't keep her recipes a secret, per say, but makes it very difficult to do it exactly like she does. The first time I asked for the recipe for her famous chocolate chip cookies, she gave me a list of ingredients - no quantities, no directions - and just said "make that into cookies." I've pried a few more details out of her, but she obviously doesn't want me to know everything she does.

But I'm trying! And documenting it. My aunt printed off my blog post about my first attempt and showed it to my Gram, who seemed to think it was pretty funny ... But still hasn't given up that recipe. http://bowenappetit.com/2011/05/06/perfecting-grams-chocolate-chip-cookies-part-i/

That avocado chocolate cake is AMAZING. I make a different frosting with it, but it's definitely the best vegan cake I've had!

I second (or third, or whatever it is by now) pupusas - pretty easy, and super delicious! I just made some this weekend: http://bowenappetit.com/2011/05/16/pupusas/