The Asier Dessert Ice Or Ice Cream

Summer demands cool desserts. However there can  be a sweat in creating them.  Which is easier?Is a bowl of frosty flavored ice? Or a cone of creamy , custardy ice cream? Is gelato easier to make than these both? There are differences and easy options any home chef can choose.

First of all what is ice. It can be shaved or pebble or fork sifted as with the Italian granite.Keep in mind you will need some kind of ice machine, whether it's for shaved or snow cone kind of ices.They're both very different thanks to the texture of the ices.Most home chefs opt for the snow cone one. They're great for kids parties and you can create an adult version of snow cone with a shot of some alcohol. Any ice machine does require maintenance . Both types eventually will need replacement blades as well as cups and plastic spoons.They do have kits that come with already made bottles of syrups. The syrups can be made at home.You will need two cups of sugar , one cup water and any unsweetened fruit flavored drink mix.Fresh fruit can be used for purists along with agave or syrup for flavoring.You can try a pound of strawberries, blue berries and or blackberries for a fresh , flavorful, spoonful. A simpler ice is the Italian granite. This is a fun quick dessert.It's two cups of strong brewed coffee or espresso mixed with sugar and then frozen in a tray (usually an ice cube one)It's scrapped every two or three hours to create a gritty texture.Granita is usually served with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa. There's really zero effort in making it and it's the easiest frozen dessert to make..

Is there an easy ice cream recipe? Yes there are a few no cook recipes you can use. Most , however, do use a custard recipe that requires cooking egg yolks and cream.Non-custard versions do require heavy cream for body and smoothness. A classic chocolate  one has a blend of cocoa powder, heavy cream, sugar, whole milk and vanilla.It's beating the cocoa powder and heavy cream first  The vanilla is added in , then the milk and sugar.It's chilled first and then gone through the ice cream maker. Can you make this without an icecream maker. Yes, you can,. You can sort of create your own ice cream maker by using a plastic bag and a bigger plastic bag. Fill the larger ine with four  cups of fresh crushed ice and four tablespoons of coarse salt. The salt lowers the freezing point of the ice and creates an extra cold atmosphere. This squeezes out all the heat and makes for a better ice cream. Fill the smaller bag with the ice cream mixture and then wrap the larger bag in a towel and shake vigorously until frozen. The more you shake the more frozen it will be. You can also buy an ice cream ball from Wal-Mart or Amazon for a quicker freeze.

what is easier to create? Ice, especially granita is the simplest. Yet if you want a quick ice cream then go for a non custard one for a sweet and fast dessert.

The Cult Of Weiser Melons

 There are new stars in SoCal and its the Weiser. They're hitting Los Angeles by storm and becoming the darlings of the West Coast culinary world. Yet what is it about this fruit that makes them so special?

Regular contributor and Los Angelino herself, Tejal Rao wrote about this fruit phenom in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.The Weiser melons  are grown by by Alex Wiser son of the original owner Sid in the farmland outside of Los Angeles. The farm , once known for its; potatoes and apples now grows a wide variety of melons. These are usually sold at trendy farmer's markets through the Los Angeles area. He offers several different ones, namely eight varieties all used by the top chefs of the area. Weiser melons are so known in the area that they;'re named dropped on melons. They're also versatile being employed in a variety of savory and sweet dishes. Famed chef Aaron LIndell who runs  Echo Park's Quarter Sheets pizzeria uses two kinds in his sweet and sour salad. His melon salad uses Bonny a sweet and sour melon variety along with PIel de Sapo or brilliant melon.The chilled fruit is drenched in a vegan fish sauce, left to infuse with melon straps tweaked with lime juice and olive oil.It's served on a bed of toasted sesame and coriander seeds.

Other chefs have gotten creative with the Weiser melons as well. Yang's Kitchen in Alhambra uses the melons for  a pale orange soft serve ice cream.It's flavor is so intense and sweet many would mistake it for being artificially flavored. Some diners have it swirled with vanilla and compare it to  the taste of Melona - a Korean ice pop.At the Iranian restaurant Aziramin Silver Lake  the farm's cantaloupes are frozen into a delicate and hydrating paoudeh, a granite infused with rose water.It's layered with half a dozen more varieties of chilled melon. A mint syrup is drizzled over this. Yet many home chefs also go wild for the Weiser melons There are also melon jam filled doughnuts  at Ed Cornells  Cafe Tropical. They're the Weisermelon Doughnuts.What makes the melons so successful with both professional and home chefs is wide choice of different types that appeal to the many ethnic groups that make up the area. Ms. Rao asked for help as she soughtt different ones She chose several different ones, such as Piel de Sapo and the Cavaillon both sweet in their own way.

Weiser melons are the darling of the LA area. Hopefully they'll make their way to the East Coast. It would be wonderful trying these sweet gems when they're in season.

Everything And The Kitchen Sink

 Kitchen sinks are often not thought of as being a vital part of a kitchen, yet they are. They're part of the prepping process along with being the key to clean up. They should not only be in sync with the surrounding decor but in good working order too.

Sinks have been around since our Neanderthal days. These early ones were simply a rock with a concave middle i n which rain water collected. Hopefully our ancestors knew to wash greens and veggies  plucked form the dirt or washing excess blood from animals before roasting them. Throughout history castles had some kind of sink and drainage in the kitchen.It wasn't until the 1800's that a proper kitchen sink was invented. They were first made of metal and were basically a sink within a sink. These metal troughs were built into cabinets and home chefs then used them for the same purposes we do now, washing and cleaning food, utensils and dishes along with pots and pans. Wealthy homes had copper or nickel silver ones. The last is an alloy made from a combination of zinc copper and nickel. Poorer homes probably had ones made from tin. Rich homeowners had what's known as a butler's sink, one that's inserted into a counter  where food prep happened. Other homes had what's known as farmer's sinks which has a sink on the edge of a counter ,making ti easier to do washing. By the 1920's homes had indoor plumbing and that meant sturdier sinks. They were usually made from manganese silicon and carbon. Porcelain was standard after the Second world War.

Now sinks can be any style and made from any material, There are a lot of choices to choose from if you are looking to replace. your old one Many homeowners have fallen in love with stainless steel sinks. These are low maintenance and require very little upkeep (unlike porcelain ones that have to be constantly scrubbed and bleached). However they do show water spots and scratches They have different thicknesses called gauges, yet it doesn;t really matter about the thickness.Granite sinks are also at the top of the popularity list. They are not only pretty but sturdy. Old school copper is another fine choice and thanks to its' consistency copper sinks are always hand wrought. it will come with a patina, or shiny finish which will brown over the years. This is normal due to being exposed to air and water. You can also choose another sturdy material - namely  stainless steel. These retain their beauty for decades if they have an enamel coating .Otherwise they will rust.Other materials used are fire clay, a type of ceramic fired to dry at high temps. You can also go for stone or enamel acrylic or solid surface sinks are less expensive than all of these however they have to be treated with kid gloves. They can easily scratch if scoured with steel wool pads.

Sinks are one of the most vital parts of a kitchen. They help in prep and washing up. Choose one that fits your needs.

DIY Kitchens Can You Do It?

Like everything else ,kitchens get old and worn. Cabinets need to be updated. Sinks need to be replaced.Besides redoing the room is always a lift. There's nothing like a brand new kitchen to cook in. There is one problem - cost. Can  you afford it? Or do you think you can do it yourself.

The average cost of kitchen remodeling in the States is anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000. A usual remodel consists of upgrading your sink and faucet, installing or replacing your counter tops,along with adding a tile back splash. The biggest transformation are the cabinets. It's refacing or refinishing.  If they're really old then a complete tear out is necessary and new ones will be installed. A new oven and microwave may be installed as well. It's an expensive deal that only a home loan can cover. Many remodeling companies can redo kitchens but the price can be extraordinarily steep. You can save money by remodeling it yourself. If you're handy and ambitious , then this is the project for you and your friends. Just know your limits. DIY stores like Home Depot has classes for this. Take them. Garner as much info about reconstruction  and plumbing as you can. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You have to be well prepared before you start. One small mistake could lead to something major disaster later on.

Before you start , look over decorating sites and magazines. Get an idea of what you want. Whether you do it yourself or get a company in , have a clear vision of what you want in your kitchen. Do you want solid cabinets or one with glass panes? Then there's the question of what wood to choose. Do you go for maple which is the sturdiest  but the staining it could come out blotchy? What about the most inexpensive pine? It's pretty and rustic looking but can easily dent or scratch due to it being soft wood. Cherry is another beautiful  choice, but's it's super expensive. The same goes for walnut and oak.What kind of sink do you fancy. A double or a single basin? Counter tops are important too. There are a mouth watering array of different stones. Granite is by far the most popular yet again, it's costly. However it does add to a home's resale value. Soapstone is also popular because it can absorb water along with giving the kitchen a rich antique look. Of course there is marble, the lushest of all the counter top materials. The deep grey random veining will give any kitchen, large or small, a glam vibe. Like quartz  countertops, it's expensive and heavy. A more affordable material are the classic tiles. They're pretty, come in a variety of different patterns and add charm to any kitchen.Other choices are laminate and wood.

Do it yourself kitchens can be a rewarding and fun fall project. Just know what you're getting into. There's a lot of work but then end product is a beautiful new kitchen. 

Your Ice Cream Guide

The warm weather brings about much wished, things, days at the beach , barbecues, and of course ice cream. This is the start of the frozen treat season. Yet many of us don't; know the difference between  gelato and an ice cream or frozen milk and regular ice cream. Just like flavors, there are so many different kinds of ice cream and ices .

Most of us usually have a brick of ice cream in the freezer.This is known as hard ice cream because of its consistency.It's made with not only milk and cream but also with eggs and stabilizers to keep it from melting..It's churned to keep the ingredients from freezing into a solid mass Ice cream can be made at home thanks to an ice cream maker or one of those balls with a canister inside to hold the mixture.French style ice cream is a bit richer thanks to the addition of eggs to make a thin version of  crème anglais.That boardwalk favorite frozen custard is similar but uses more eggs or just  yolks. Both are cooked and left to cool prior before freezing. Both are denser than regular ice cream and have a silky feeling.There is also Philadelphia style ice cream which is made without eggs.It's simpler to make at home. Remember without the egg base it does freeze firmer and harder. The Italians give us that classic treat gelato. The name simply means frozen in Italian . It can contain eggs or not but it is denser  than our version, thanks to having very little air whipped into it There is also semifreddo.. It means half cold and is a variation on ice cream or frozen custard.It's frozen in a loaf pan and then sluiced and served with fruit.It's usually made at home with just cream and eggs.

Of course there is the lighter side of frozen treats.These don't have  as many calories, yet still have     flavor. There is ice  milk which  doesn't have enough milk fat to be considered ice cream.It is still creamy but lighter and lower in calories. Sherbet has always been a warm weather favorite. Classic kinds are made with fruit juice sugar water or even wine..Some versions do contain milk, buttermilk, egg whites or gelatin.It is sometimes confused and labeled sorbet which is completely vegan. This has been traditionally used as a palate cleanser between large courses.It's usually lemon or strawberry flavored and very light on the tongue and taste buds. Granita is one of the easiest frozen treats to make at home.It's made from mashed ice and usually the preferred flavor is coffee.It can be served with ice cream but is good on it's own with a chocolate syrup and side of whipped cream.  Then there is ice.It can be known as Italian ice or water ice if you're from Philly.It can contain egg white as a binder but it's mostly just water and syrup churned like ice cream.  Another treat is President Obama's love Hawaiian shaved ice and this is the most refreshing of all the ices.It starts with a block of ice that's been shaved with a special gadget , mounded into  cone and then doused with syrup.  Three different flavors can be poured over it for a yummy rainbow ice.

Just as there are so many flavors, there are so may types to choose from. Make a semi freddo for a weekend get together, have a cone on Sunday and maybe some ice during the week. No matter what you finally opt for, it's all cool , sweet and delicious, a perfect break from the sweltering heat.