FoodieStudent - an introduction

My name is Vicky Bennett and I am not a foodie. Phew! That was a tough confession to make. Actually not really. Most people who know me would not be surprised by that at all. Until about 6 months ago I lived on salads, frozen dinners, and fast food.

Then one day something miraculous happened.... I came across Pioneer Woman's website. PW single-handedly piqued my interest in making food from scratch. Her recipes are simple yet ambitious at the same time. The step by step pictures mean even microwave-only chefs (like me!) can attain her culinary heights. Once I started trying her recipes I was amazed at how my kitchen confidence grew and I was able to branch out to other recipe blogs and websites, although I will always stay true to PW and her initial inspiration. I still check her site on a daily basis.

The more I tried, the more I wanted to experiment. I wanted to see how close I had to follow recipes to the letter and which shortcuts I could take. For example, how important is sifting the flour when making a cake? Is buttering and flouring a pan any better than using non-stick spray? Does salt really enhance the flavour of chocolate and other sweets? For that matter, is kosher salt better than table salt?

This is the blog where I will research, experiment, and document the results of these wonderings.

To kick it off, here is a picture of a loaf of brioche I made during a food network monthly challenge in January 2009. I made it using the flour shown (Robin Hood's blend of white flour and wheat bran.... healthy like whole wheat but cooks and tastes like white flour). The results were less than satisfying. Brioche is supposed to be flaky like a croissant and it seems that for the right texture only white flour will do. This loaf was crusty and dense... still edible but not what I would call a success given the expected texture.

I couldn't end my first post with a culinary failure so here's a success. For a St. Patrick's Day buffet I made mini-cupcakes and some chocolate shapes with the leftover green and white chocolate. At the back are the two mini-cupcakes (that simply ooze with cuteness) and in the front from L to R are a shamrock, mug of green beer, and a green chocolate in the shape of a peanut butter cup. Not only did I eat all of the above by the handful but they were the first items to disappear from the buffet table. There is no greater compliment for a FoodieStudent like me :)

Thanks for reading my blog. Check back for a new post with my first official experiment soon!