Jello and liqueur

So the Kitchn had some very interest articles on it today. One is in reference to Jello well really gelatin which is good because I was wondering about it for a strawberry mousse I have been trying to make for a while now. I actually use strawberries and turn them into a syrup. The syrup is always to liquid so I have been trying to use gelatin to get it firm so that when I fold it into the whipped cream or meringue that it won't add to much liquid to that. Well the article covers amount of gelatin per amount of liquid so that was very helpful. The second article is all about liqueurs and fruit and the art of mixing them to make something even better. Just something I have been interested in.

Linking Technique

I posted about this the other day. I wanted to put up my pics of the Brats I did this weekend and also show the new linking technique I was working on.

Brats

So I did about 6 lbs of Brats last night that came out pretty well. They had a little more ginger then I would like but Dillon was a big fan. The last time I made Brats it didn't go so well because of to much salt. This time though it was the right amount and other then the ginger which wasn't bad just more then I like it turned out pretty well. I will have to investigate some additional ingredients for the Brats. The recipe I used basically adds cream and egg before you stuff the sausage which I think makes it really smooth. It is still missing something though so I will have to start a log on the Brats to figure out what to alter for the perfect Brat. Pickard has suggested we need to make jalapeno and cheddar Brats but that will be a little down the road, first we have to get or base recipe down. I took pics of this new linking technique I have learned and it is actually working out pretty well. I will put those up tonight fall all to enjoy. In total to make 6 lbs of Brats it took me about 2 to 2.5 hours of work. That is a little misleading because I actually spent a lot of time cleaning up after myself so as to not have a huge mess in the end. The actual break down of time spent on work was like 10 min to butchering, 5 min grinding, 5 min mixing, 10 min stuffing so you can see I spent a lot of time cleaning. The actual amount of time to do 15 lbs or 30 lbs wouldn't be to much different from the 6 lbs so that is a good thing. Like I said I will try and have pics up tonight from the Brats.

More Meat Pics

Here are the last set of sausage pics for chorizo. This was the best batch so far and I have had a couple of people provide pretty good feedback on the batch. The nice thing about this batch is it was pretty much my own recipe based on the previous couple of batches that I have done. Hopefully tonight I will be able to pump a couple more pounds out. I am also trying to get to do some cracklin with the skins.

Not enough money or time

It seems like there is a real lack of money and time in my life right now. I mean yes I am getting a lot accomplished but because of all of that I am definitely losing out on time that I spend enjoying life to the fullest. All of this work has lead me to buy a lot of equipment and books for research which has all been while not a drain on my wallet it definitely has been preventing me from getting ahead like I normally do this time of year. I have been putting all the nightclub profits into upgraded equipment, books, and meat to work with. I would love to be able to do all of that and go on a relaxing trip but I don't know if that is in the cards. I written about his before and I don't think I can emphasize it enough, when you want to start something yourself like the business that I want to start there is no one to really help you. Yes there are resources like the SBA and others that have started businesses but I haven't had anyone yet who really wants to hunker down with me and solve the issues I am running into. I know it is because everyone is also busy but it often feels very lonely when I am doing what ever it is I am doing. Which of course makes it hard to spend the time and money that I have to get something off the ground. It makes me worried that if it does get off the ground then will I feel just as lonely sense most of the people I know wouldn't do this. I don't know, but it is something that I think I will have to remember if I am able to ever help someone else start there own business.

Pastry

So I have been talking a lot about the Charcuterie lately but that doesn't mean I am not still interested in Baking and Pastry. In fact it took me a little while to track this one down. I saw this book at the CIAs Greystone Campus in Napa and have wanted to book for awhile now. I had the hardest time remebering the name of it though. Well the book is Patisserie of Pierre Hermé, and if you follow the link you will have seen that the price is $260 which after seeing it in California I can assure you it is totally worth every penny.

City Guide

I was commenting that I really like the site SeriousEats.com and here is there DC Guide.

Just wanted to throw some links up

The Kitchn has some good stuff a lot of time. Here is a link to some good breakfast to go ideas and here is one for Rainbow Cakes and Countertops.

Getting good at this

Well I can honestly say that I am getting pretty good at cooking now. I have been crazy lately starting with the charcuterie. Beyond that though I have been doing things like making my own butter, I did a whole thing of unsalted and then salted this weekend. I also have gotten to the point where I am able to prep meals ahead of time, like the Guinness and Herb Roast Chicken I did last night which I had to start preping on Saturday to make on Monday. While I was getting my brine ready I was making the butter and then Rice Crispy Treats using the butter I had created, the only thing I wish I had time and a recipe for was to make the marshmallow from scratch also. Earlier on Saturday I was slicing flank steak for jerky prep and setting up marinating bags with Pickard. I am also a little frustrated because I am reaching the point where I don't need to throw away things like chicken carcasses but I am, I should really be using those to make homemade chicken stock and then the next week make a soup out of it. Even when I make sausage or pancetta I am wasting the skin which could be cracklin, who doesn't love cracklin. Its just becoming all very amazing how it all starts to make sense and the whole picture comes into focus once you get down to the basics. On a side note I am still frustrated about having not found a place to make the sausage products. It is amazing to me that I can be getting so close and yet I am still very very far away. Though if a place where to come up tomorrow then I would be on the verge of actually starting the business, crazy.

Del Ray Charcuterie In Effect

So I just wanted to put up some pics of the meat processing as it is going on. The first couple are of sausage making with the KitchenAid and it gets a little messy. The second set is of our first attempt at making jerky which we are taste testing currently. I don't have any pics of the dehydrator but you will see the new slicer in the pics of the jerky. I also have gotten in my stuffer and am waiting on the grinder which should come today. Sorry the pics are fuzzy I had to use my camera on my phone but you will get the idea.

Girl Scouts and Tacos

So just wanted to put these good things out there. I typically forget where I find all of this stuff so I have to remember to put it on the site more. Well here is how you make Girl Scout Cookies and here is a good Taco Recipe. Also I am in the hunt for a simple and good homemade marshmallow recipe, so if you got one send it my way.

Vaca Recap

So it was a very long holiday vacation for me. I guess lets start with the things I did column. Didn't really go anywhere but did have folks come in to see me and Dillon. One of the most important people to come back is Sgt Payne who got back Christmas Eve from Iraq. Glad to have him back and man does he have news, but that is another post perhaps. The folks came into town the day before Christmas Eve and stayed with Dillon and I for like four days which was really nice. We did Xmas Eve at Grandma Dillons with the folks and it went well. We then had Xmas at our house and pretty much stayed in for the day, I think Dillon and Dad went to Arlington the see all the relatives. Then I made a great standing rib roast for dinner and we all had a pleasant evening. Alberger and his clan where also in town and I got to see a little of them which was great. I worked on the yard a little the weekend after Xmas which is kind of fun todo. We had dinner with the Mastropietro's and got a firepit that we lighted up the same night. We spent time with the Pickards and meet a lot of there clan. I worked the night club for New Years and Dillon wored the ER so we had it covered, I got you drunk and Dillon took care of you when you hurt yourself. I didn't get to see Pinkham which is a dissapointment but hopefully her and I will get to hang out here soon. I also worked every Friday at the club and came away with a good little chunk of change.
That leads us into the Charcuterie biz. So I made some of my best Hot Italian last week with the help of Pickard who wanted to learn how to grind and stuff. Having made so much money at the club I decided to invest in a new Meat Grinder, Meat Slicer, Sausage Stuffer, and Dehydrator.

Now I have to admit that I have been really down lately about the biz. I have run into so many issues as of late that I was pretty much ready to give up like two weeks ago. I had called the health department because I wanted to cover my bases and make sure I would be covered under someone elses license. Turns out its is a good thing I called because I found out that I would have to get my own license for that facility. This means I would need to have storage space and that well just isn't going to happen at the places I am looking at. So I talk to some folks at the night club last Friday and they think they might know someone who could help me out and there shop is in Olde Town. So with that great news I went over to the Korean Wholesaler in DC and got a pork belly for Pancetta and about 15 lbs of Picnic Ham for sausage. I preped the Pancetta on Saturday night and I looks great so far. I preped the pork for the sausages last night and they are ready for grinding tonight. I am going to try and repeat the Hot Italian and have also got a simple Sweet Italian and a Chorizo. If I can get these three down in the next couple of weeks I am going to feel really good about having my basic selection completed in time for the opening of the market in April. I am going to take some pics of the meat processing tonight and have them up hopefully tonight as well.