The Perfect Cake The Swiss Roll

One of the most perfect cakes is the Swiss roll.This is a simple cake with a complex look. It is a great cake to make for a Sunday dinner or to bring as a  dessert. It can br made in a variety of flavors with a variety of fillings . It is one of the most customised cakes any one can create.'

Swiss rolls came into being during the Victorian Era and was quickly incorporated into teas. Its' origins were not in Switzerland but probably in the Czech Republic or Austria where baking hit its' height during the 1800s.It was also called a jelly roll in American recipe books and magazines.This version was more of a fancy cake made at home for holidays or for  weddings The French Christmas favorite, buche de Noel is  one of the most famous examples of a roll cake. .The  recipe is a simple one. Bake a square of sponge cake let cool, butter on a filling and then roll it. It does take a knack to do the latter. however and you may want help for your first cake.,

Most Swiss or jelly roll cake recipes use a simple sponge cake as a base. A sponge cake has a well beaten batter similar to an angel food cake. It should have the texture of a sea sponge with air pockets laced through it.As for the filling, raspberry seems to be the one of choice .Most bakers use a raspberry jam however you can also use marmalade too for more zing. Some also use a butter cream however a light touch would be a  slightly sweetened whipped cream.. You can decorate it with a simple dusting of  confectioner's sugar or with puffs of cream.If you want a lusher roll then ice it completely but again  use a lighter whipped cream.A regular buttercream may be too much and too sweet in taste/.

The Swiss or jelly roll is an easy but elegant cake to make. It's a nice ending to a dinner party or made as a gift . It's perfection and prettiness rolled together,

Hot Savory Pies

This is the weather that calls for a hot pie- no, not one bursting with fruit but with savory goodness.There's nothing like a pie that explodes with flavor.A hearty slice is the perfect dinner or lunch,especially teamed up with a salad. Quiche is one of the easiest savory pies to whip up.What is great about it is that it can have a variety of fillings.A typical Quiche Lorraine has bacon and Swiss cheese in it.This centuries old dish is staple in almost every brasserie in France.It is easy to make ,simply using a pre made pie shell.It is actually German in origin as is the recipe zweibelkugen.This is an onion rich quiche which can also have ham strips or chunks added.Quiches can also be made with chicken or seafood such as crab.You can also make what's known as quiche lets, small individual pies for a Sunday brunch too.You can vary the ingredients on this, going from tomato basil to four cheese Another hot savory pie is a meat pie.Nothing beats a homemade beef or chicken potpie on a colk night. This takes a little more work than a quiche.You have to make both the bottom and top crusts.What you put in them is up to you.You could easily fill it with a type of thick stew, redolent with potatoes, corn,peas ,and carrots.Meat pies can be made individually too ,using pre made biscuits and muffin tins.For these you can think fun.Experiment with chili or ratatouille. Calzones and empanadas are variations of pies and these, too , are perfect for a weekend night. Calzones are good stuffed with ricotta and ham while the empanadas are open to any filling.Both are easy to make and bake,and you might want to start with them before heading onto meat pies. Nothing beats a hot savory pie on a cold night.Enjoy an egg rich quiches or a gravy laced meat one for lunch or dinner. They are warm and hearty, the perfect meal for these chilly days.

Hot Baked Dishes

A cold weekend night demands a hot baked dish.It's a great meal to come home to, especially after shoveling or just sleighing.This kind of dinner is versatile too.You can try a hearty shepherd's pie one week and baked cannelloni the next.Either way, they're a great way to warm up an empty stomach. Lasagna is one of the most popular baked dishes.Kids go mad for it and it 's guaranteed you'll have few leftovers afterwards.The recipe is basic, starting with layers of wide noodles alternating between ricotta cheese and sauce.Some add chopped meat or for a vegetarian spin ,layers of roasted eggplant ,carrots and asparagus.You can also try the Greek version of moussaka.This is made with eggplant ,red wine and a variety of spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg .A béchamel sauce is then poured over it and then it is served.A real crowd pleaser is shepherd"s pie.This really isn't layered so much as it is topped off.A crispy mashed potato covers a rich lamb or beef stew. These are the most popular however there are other baked dishes that are equally delicious. Manicotti or stuffed baked crepes are another perfect oven dish.Like lasagna, this can have variations.Usually stuffed with ricotta cheese, they can also be filled with spinach.You can also fill them with ground beef too.Cannelloni is similar too ,made with roman cheese.A mid century classic is tuna casserole.Not many make it these day,heaven only knows why because it's just as good as any other dish.The ingredients are egg noodles,tuna, mushrooms and mushroom soup?Noodle casseroles don't have to layered like the others.Simply mix in a buttered pan and bake. The weather outside may be frightful but a baked dish inside is delightful.Make any baked dish from lasagna to shepherd's pie ,from moussaka to tuna casserole for a tummy warming dinner.It's the perfect antedate for a chilly weekend dinner.

Oatmeal Your Winter Friend

One of the most versatile cold weather dishes is oatmeal.It makes for a great start to the day along with being a neat and unusual ingredient for main meals.It is also loaded with all that good stuff to keep you healthy and happy during these bitter cold snaps.Best of all this centuries old classic is one of the easiest to use. We actually have the Egyptians to thank for this grain however it was the Scots who truly integrated it into their cuisine.Oats were a main ingredient in the New Year's dish ,haggis.In this country oatmeal was and still is the healthiest breakfast there is.It lowers cholesterol as well as helps to keep the heart healthy.It also lowers blood sugar and regulates diabetes.A hot bowl of oatmeal is one way to chase the chill.You can get the already flavored or make your own using either cinnamon or maple syrup for sweetening.You can also add fruits such as sliced banana or dried cranberries or blue berries.A weekend treat is oatmeal cookies.They"re not only fun for the kids to make, they're also good for them too.Add to the goodness by using whole wheat flour instead of usual white and brown sugar instead of the refined. Now here's a surprise - oatmeal can also be used as a savory dish - and not only in haggis.There are several recipes from breakfast to dinner that features this grain.You can try it with a poached egg for breakfast,breaking the yolk so that it mixes with the grains.You can also add mushrooms and onions to it as a side.For a quick lunch add any shredded cheese to plain oatmeal.For a thickener you can add oats to a watery curry to make it thicker.Oatmeal bread is one a fun thing to do on a snowy day and two, a great way of making a sandwich healthier.You can use other all natural ingredients like dark wildflower honey and whole wheat flour along with tossing in some sunflower seeds too. Oatmeal is one of the best 'winter' foods to have.It is versatile ,going from breakfast to bread along with being super healthy.Make it a cold weather must have.

Stews For A Winter's Day

Chilly days call for hot stews.There's nothing like them to warm the body and the soul.They're also great to male and freeze for a later date too. they're also one of the easiest dishes to make too. Dave Tanis gives his own spin on this great cold weather dish in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Dining section.He uses winter vegetables, French cooking methods and Indian spices to create a warm, toasty and flavorful dish.He mixes squash and parsnips along with cauliflower and chickpeas with curry and turmeric for bounce and flavor.With these he layers the veggies in true Gallic fashion with the onions first as the base followed by potatoes, then after these are semi cooked, carrots and peas are the final level.It's a great way of melding and blending all the flavors. You don't have to make your stew that fiery.A French style stew is always welcomed.While Mr. Tanis omitted any kind of meat you can add beef, chicken or lamb.The classic , though is beef in a red sauce.A good red wine, onions and carrots also add taste and texture. Italian bacon , panecetta is used to give it more flavor and body (if you want, you can omit this)Garlic is also employed as is cremini mushrooms.A classic stew dish is a lamb oneBritish chef, Gordon Ramsay,t's it with muffins(but you can use dumplings) All you need is a good leg of lamb ,red wine onions and thyme.If you want ,you can add whatever veggies you want to it but add it towards the end of the cooking time, for a firmer texture and richer flavor. Stew is the perfect dinner for a cold winter's night.Make it spicy with an Indian twist or traditional with red wine and onions. Either way a plate of it is a great chill chaser.

Women In The Kitchen

You would think that women running restaurants and being top chefs would be common by now.Surprisingly it isn't.For the last two centuries men have been on charge of the world's best eateries.However that's all changing.There are a growing number of influential female chefs who have making their mark in the tough and demanding world of the industry. Julia Moskin explored this in today's New York Times Dining section.Ms.Moskin herself is the doyenne of this newapaper's section and she ,too has contributed some of the best written features and recipes over the years. her research has shed light on the restaurant industry.While top female chefs are no longer a rarity. They aren't exactly commonplace.Men still rule because there are no perks.As any restaurant worker can tell you, there are very few benefits.No insurance palms are offered as wells no paid vacations or pay raises.However that's changing Some of Manhattan's top restaurants like Momofuko are offering paid maternity and paternity leaves as well as all inclusive health and dental insurance.Progressive chefs like the famous Alice Waters who created Chez Panisse wants fellow restauranteurs do to more.She herself has pioneered job sharing jobs for parents along with furloughs to allow workers to take a break from the busy and always stressful life that comes with kitchen work. This way of thinking and treating employees fairly is still an uphill battle.A restaurant kitchen is like a combat zone and workers from the sous chef to even busboys get stressed out by it.Unfortunately when they do complain to their managers ,they're almost always shown the door.(especially in diners).Even famed places ,like the late great Lutece was Dickensian to work for as one chef recounted.Ivan Orkin who now owns his own restaurant,IvanRamen Slurp Shop has said that even if you broke your leg ,just lean against the wall and continue on.Luckily for women restaurant workers nowadays there is the Toklas Society which helps them.Named for Gertrude Steins"s friend Alice B. Toklas. This networking group helps them find jobs as well as INS in some of the best restaurants. Hopefully there will be more women chefs than men one day.Thanks to better work conditions it will happen.The kitchen is a workplace and like any workplace equality should reign supreme.

is Veganism For You?

A lot of people want to change their lifestyles with a new year.One choice is This is vegetarianism to the extreme.Is it feasible to go from a dairy loving carnivore to all natural herbivores.Yes and no.The answer depends really on the person. True vegans eschew meat, dairy and eggs.They probably are choosing this life style because they are true animal lovers and cringe at the idea of harming any living creature.This is solely a plant based diet.It can be extreme, especially if a person loves ice cream or a Western omelet.There are substitutes such as soy eggs as well as varieties of soy and coconut based ice cream.Cow's milk can be replaced with almond or rice.It doesn't have the smoothness or body of "real milk" and may ruin a recipe calling for milk.You can also buy vegan cheeses too made with soy.They can be used to make grilled cheese or used in salads.Portabello mushrooms are a must if you switch over.They are a whole food and can be cooked like any steak. One of the problems with veganism is trying to replace a favorite food.Sometimes that garden burger just won't cut it and that newly minted vegan really wants a juicy burger.Another problem is most fast-food joints and restaurants are not truly geared for vegans.Your best bet is Wendy's where you can get a baked potato with margarine.Also try pizzerias that feature a no cheese version of Sicilian pizza known as nonna's or grandma's style.Chinese restaurants and take outs have a little more variety as far as with true veggie dishes.Settle on any noodle, rice or bean curd based dish.Also spring rolls and cabbage stuffed dim sum are good choices whether for appetizers or the main dish.As for desserts ,most large cities like New York andLos Angeles have vegan geared bakeries.Also the web can lead you to vegan bakery sites where you can order on line. Veganism is a healthy route to take.It can also be a difficult one too.Luckily you can sub in non animal based foods with plant based ones