It’s been two months and we’re still on lock down. I’m still only going out to buy groceries. It’s a really nice day today – sunny, 20C and a long weekend, too. But unlike previous May 2-4 (Victoria Day) weekends, I wasn’t able to get a pedicure (the first of the season) nor was I able to have brunch at one of many neighbourhood favourites. I DID, however, order brunch from one of my favourite (comfort) vegan restaurants (avocado toast with scrambled tofu and a side salad).
I’m still baking weekly, and I’ve added butter making to the list of DIY projects. I thought it was going to be complicated, but nope, TOTALLY EASY with a food processor (I was NOT about to attempt mason jar butter. I don’t want to shake a jar for 20 minutes. #justsaying)! 500 mL of 35% cream in a food processor on a medium-high speed for six or so minutes. Drain, rinse in ice water until the water is clear and bingo. I don’t know exactly how much I have – I’d say it’s around a cup or so. A quarter of it is sitting in the fridge, with the remaining frozen. We don’t eat/use that much butter in the house (I tend to use quark or olive oil on bread. Or hummus). I’m now trying to figure out what to do with the remaining buttermilk. This is old fashioned buttermilk, not the stuff you find in grocery store (cultured buttermilk).
So what should I do next? Cheese? I’ve been Googling and cottage cheese doesn’t sound too hard to make. Nor is quark. I have an Instant Pot and know that yogurt can be made fairly easily too. Of course, I could just start baking other things. I’ve been meaning to make chickpea squares (it’s basically the same recipe as socca/farinata/chickpea flour pancakes, but baked in a pan and cut into squares), so maybe I’ll make that. Or savoury carrot loaf. I think Jr. Mintz would like chickpea squares as seems to have an obsession with baked goods. No, I probably won’t be making cake or cookies, unless it’s a variation of two ingredient oatmeal cookies (mashed bananas and oatmeal).
I DO have to admit that one thing I’ve been meaning to make are apple dumplings using Chinese dumpling wrappers (can be savoury (if you add cheddar) or sweet (with ice cream)). If you read a post from the fall about my pumpkin mooncakes, you’d know that I LOVE to rehash traditional foods into things more Jook sing (if you speak Cantonese, you’d know what this means. If not, then here’s the definition). I can’t really call these dishes “Chinese” as it may be seen as appropriation – and we don’t want THAT these days! The legit term is, of course, a form of fusion, but Jook sing is just my identity, and I prefer that.
What have you been doing? Any DIYs? Any suggestions for me?
