CHRISTMAS CIOPPINO DINNER

This is the photo journal of Christmas Cioppino Dinner.  The best part of this dinner is getting together with family and sharing all the joyful tidings of holiday season.  The best part of it all I didn't have to cook.  Just shop and my family cooked.
The Recipe is from Safeway seafood section.
Serving 9
The cost is about $18 per person.  $58 worth of Wild Dungeness Crab at $5.99/lb; $33.99 worth of U-15 Prawn; $21.99 Scallops; $15 Alaska Cod.  Served with Sour Dough Bread

 

 

MATCHA MILKY LOAF II

This is an attempt in baking the MATCHA MILKY LOAF #1 in 2010.  The first Matcha Milky Loaf was just as successful, but it sunk down during cooling.  This time it stood up tall and beautiful with the same recipe I got from the referenced web site. Angies' regular Hokkaido Milky Loaf  is baked beautifully.
Recipe from:  http://schneiderchen.de/237Hokkaido-Milky-Loaf.html

The important tip with this recipe is to make sure the dough is well kneaded to assure well developed gluten before it goes into 1st proofing.  I added 2 Tbsp of Matcha to the recipe.

Marrons Glacés Part Deaux

 During my Christmas vacation, I spotted fresh chestnuts at Ranch 99 Market.   It's been a while since my last attempt on the Marrons Glacés or is it MARONE GLACES? MARRONS GLACES (it depends on which country), regardless, it is a wonderful delicious 'bon bon'.  I purchased half Kilo of the best large plump shiny chestnuts.  And, I decided to try another recipe + my own modification.  I followed once more the most difficult part of this recipe to process the chestnuts described here:http://www.epicureantable.com/recipes/C/chestglace.htm

and here http://www.epicureantable.com/ffarticles/chestnut.htm 
Double click on each image to enlarge or view comment(s).

Peeling of the Chestnuts shells and membranes are labor intensive and greatly affects the final look of the MARRONS GLACÉS.  So, I carefully followed it and noted every steps. 

The recipes have been modified based on what I have tested.  As the final making of the MARRON GLACÉS takes about 4 to 5 days; If you have never seen or tasted this wonderful "bon bon", then check this out - http://www.clementfaugier.fr/fr/v4/v4_accueil.aspx; After 4 days of waiting, they turned out beautifully.

Day 1:  Carefully follow the instruction above to shell and peel the chestnuts and cook the duration in the recipe.

In medium saucepan, Sugar and water is heated without being stirred to 220'F.

Temperature is monitored carefully with Candy Thermometer. Heat/boil the sugar mixture to "Thread" consistency.

I added a 1 tsp of Vanilla Paste into the mixture which the recipe didn't call for; At this point, you can also add Rum, if you would like.
Each chestnut is dropped in carefully into the sugar mixture and cooked for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat; Cover and let it sit for 12 hours.

Day 2 - 4:

The recipe calls to heat up the chestnuts in syrup to boil for 1 minute and let it sit for 24 hours.

Then, heat it up for1 minute to boil, and let it sit for another 12 hours.

Each time after the 1 minute boiling, I turned each chestnuts carefully.

On the 4th day (I couldn't wait any longer), I set it on a plate to dry.

(The recipe calls to dry in oven.)

I served them in small cupcake cups.
The taste is well worth the waiting time. Great BON BON treat.