in a pickle.

we've been in monsoon season for the past few months which means lots of wind, lots of rain, and the end of the current fruit crops (boo). we had a couple of weeks of tropical storm-strength wind earlier, which was bad for most of the crops, but with all the unripe, green mangoes that fell, i had the perfect opportunity to make one of my favourite snacks/condiments, pickled mango. unripe mangoes (as you can imagine) are sour, acidic things, but pickling mellows the acidity and well, sour is what you want in a pickle anyway. there is a discernible mango taste, but if you've never had a green mango, i'm not sure i can describe it to you (anyone want to take a stab at it?).

generally on island mango pickles are pretty basic: large spears of green mango are marinated in a white vinegar and water mixture, along with some boonie peppers/thai bird chilis, or a generous dose of chili pepper of choice. i like my pickled mangoes to be sour-sweet, so i add sugar, and try to play around with the spices and types of vinegar so it's not just solid heat and pucker. the ones above were made with apple cider vinegar boiled with sugar and salt, a random assortment of chilis and whatever was in the spice pantry--bay leaves, fennel seeds, star anise, cinnamon sticks. three days in the fridge seems to be enough to get a good saturation, yet keep the mangoes firm and crunchy. like any good pickle, i reckon.

if the ones above are 'good' pickles, then maybe koolickles qualify as 'evil' pickles. i read about them for the first time at the beginning of summer (cathy also posted about them), and i have to say i was both repulsed and attracted. 'koolickles' are dill pickles that are partially marinated in a sweetened drink product, and take on an unearthly reddish sheen, along with a pronounced artificially and naturally flavoured fruit-like flavour. mmmmm. boy howdy! where do i sign up? actually, i, like cathy, wasn't sure if i would actually like them, but i suspect our reasons are different--i just don't like cucumber pickles. however, i do like a number of other fruit-based pickles like ones made with watermelon rind, green papaya, and (of course) mango. so, it stood to reason that other pickled fruit besides cucumbers would probably be a better vehicle for the soft drink mix. colourwise, it is already similar to a type of hawaiian pickled mango, and flavourwise, well...we'd just have to see.

'struth, so help me, these mango koolickles were awesome. much like artificial sweeteners in li hing mui/preserved plums amplify the flavour of the preserved fruit, the soft drink mix's artificiality amplified all the natural flavour of the pickle--the sourness and fruitiness were sharper, the sweetness tempered nicely by the citrus edge. the mango itself still tasted like mango, but a little like pineapple too, and slightly candied to boot. it reminded me so much of a type of hawaiian crack seed product, that i decided to add some li hing mui powder for a bit more savoury flavour.

honestly, how this isn't a staple here on guam or in hawaii already, i don't know. it has all the familiar components: mango, pickle, bright artificial dye, fruit punch (yes, red fruit punch is actually popular in hawaii. and guam.)--in fact, these pickles could easily be made with the red fruit punch syrup that is a staple here, instead of the powdered drink mix for a more "authentic" feel. (ha!)

i might get you to try this, but i'm sure this might be a hard sell to some: pour a generous slug of the koolickle juice into a glass of ice, top with some fizzy mineral water or club soda, and you'll have quite a refreshing, piquant soda. or maybe a more appealing sell: instead of carbonated soda, how 'bout vodka? maybe you'll forget what you are drinking and enjoy it :)

**

pickled mangoes

4 cups/1 qt. of green mangoes, peeled, de-pitted, and cut into spears (note: you'll want unripe ones, not immature ones, which will be too acidic)
1 pint vinegar (i use apple cider vinegar for something more piquant, rice wine vinegar when i want it mellow)
1-1 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown, your choice)
1/4 cup of kosher salt (you can omit the salt if you want, and use less sugar)
water
*optional spices, to taste:
fresh chili peppers (i use green arbol or serranos)
slices of fresh ginger
whole star anise
fennel seeds
cinnamon sticks
cracked peppercorns

pack mangoes into clean, widemouth jars. tuck a couple of chili peppers in with the mangoes. set aside. mix vinegar, sugar, salt and any spices you'd like to use in a saucepan; bring to a boil. stir constantly, until all the sugar and salt has dissolved, and the mixture becomes a bit syrupy. pour evenly over mangoes (if they are divided between jars, put equal amounts of syrup in each jar). fill the jars with enough water to just cover the mangoes. seal tightly, shake to mix, then refrigerate for several days, turning bottles intermittently. three days seems to be fine, but can take up to a week. keeps for an indeterminate length of time.

**

mango koolickles

2 cups/1 pint of green mangoes, peeled, de-pitted, and cut into spears (you can also use partially ripe or ripe but sour mangoes)
1 packet unsweetened kool-aid® drink mix, preferrably red--tropical punch, cherry, strawberry and 1 cup white sugar
or
1 cup hawaiian punch concentrated syrup or generic fruit punch syrup
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
*optional li hing mui powder, to taste

pack mangoes into clean, widemouth jars. mix drink mix and sugar (or fruit punch syrup), vinegar and water until completely mixed and dissolved. add li hing mui powder, stir. pour mixture over mangoes, add extra water if needed to completely cover fruit, shake to mix. seal tightly, and refrigerate for several days, turning bottles intermittently. when mangoes turn a radioactive red, they are most likely ready to serve.

DIY fondant

i don't use a lot of fondant in my kitchen, and i was always under the assumption that it was difficult to make--that's why everyone buys it to use for their cake decorations and confections. i used storebought fondant in some previous efforts, but it was always a somewhat annoying experience, because i never knew if i was going to find it locally, and i would have to buy a big, costly package, yet only use half the contents, leaving the rest to dry out before the next project arose. so, when this petit fours project came up, i really made an effort to find an alternative, which i did, thankfully; a very, very simple recipe that doesn't involve corn syrup, candy thermometers, loads of money, nor time. all you need is a package of marshmallows, a lot of powdered sugar, and a liberal glop of vegetable shortening. the recipe with step-by-step instructions is here, along with a lot of other questions answered and some lovely photos.

it's basically this: melt marshmallows with a little water in microwave. add powdered sugar. mix with liberally greased implement (spatula, spoons, hands), until smooth and pliable. fondant! not only is it cheaper than the prepackaged variety, it's also much tastier. you can keep it in your fridge for weeks, although you might be tempted to play with it instead of keeping it for a special project.

i have some ideas in mind, but i don't think i'll ever get as fancy as my friend veronica gets (albeit, she makes her fabulous cake creations for a living). she made this great tokidoki/le sportsac-inspired cake for my birthday, isn't it fab-yoo-luss?

the figurine is made with coloured fondant and a zillion toothpicks, whilst the cake itself is wrapped in rolled fondant (the hearts and crossbones were made with piped royal icing). her harry potter-inspired mandrake cake featured a sculpted fondant root embedded in milk chocolate, on top of a base of devil's food cake and cake crumbs.

way cool. and now equipped with a cheap and tasty fondant recipe, you too can try your hand at such decorating wizardry.

simple and pleasing petit fours.

even though i grew up on a tropical island, the elementary school i attended was run by a southern colonel and his colourful wife. they were a social couple who enjoyed organizing events for the children and their families, including a headmaster's tea at the beginning of the school year, where he would formally introduce himself to "the troops." i have to say, i enjoyed these rather genteel events, which passed for exotic in our world, and absorbed all the details of finery and frippery that were presented to us.

so, i was rather excited to learn that the headmaster's tea was to be resurrected, decades after the colonel and his wife retired, with some of the trademark confections to return, including the petit fours that were the precious jewels of each of the silver platters of assorted cookies and biscuits that were served during the tea. they were nothing more than bite-sized cubes of sponge cake covered with fondant, but they were gaily coloured in easter pastel colours, with a tiny piped rosette on top, like a lovely little gift, just for you.

petit fours are typically small decorated cakes that are served at the end of a meal, but can also be any number of diminutive pastries. the name is french for "small ovens," and they were created as a way for bakers to use up leftovers at the end of the day, as the ovens were left to cool for the night. i've only tried making them a couple times previously, one of them being a white chocolate sponge creation for miss deborah. they turned out tasty, but i had difficulty in covering the cakes with something that could withstand the humid weather and remain adhering to the cake. although many petit fours can be quite elaborate, i knew i had to make 12 or more dozen, so i decided to go with a very simple iced cake confection, with a minimum of steps.

deciding what kind of cake was easy; i went with a pound cake, as it is sturdier than sponge, and with the amount of sugar in the icing, i thought the buttery, eggy cake would be a better balance. i used flo braker's recipe for apricot pound cake (obvs without the apricots), from her book, "the simple art of perfect baking." the cake was excellent--a beautiful, fine crumb, dense but not too heavy, fragrant with vanilla, and not too sweet (even if you do not make the petit fours, this turns out a great loaf ).

after quite a bit of research on the nets, i thought the best covering would be poured fondant, as it would dry to a smooth, hard finish. pre-made poured fondant isn't sold here, so i knew i would have to make it myself. i really wanted to find a recipe that was easy, fool-proof, and hopefully didn't involve corn syrup (which i don't like to use), nor a candy thermometer (eeek. not good with those either). i came across a few recipes, but they all involved the dreaded corn syrup and/or candy thermometer, or they were poorly reviewed. luckily, i did find a suggestion to thin out pre-made rolled fondant with simple syrup for a poured fondant icing, and that worked out remarkably well.

these petit fours are easy to make, but there are quite a few steps; i've broken it down into three sections: cake, icing, assembly. once you get these down, it will be a breeze. you can add more (layers of jam, chocolate, sugar syrup laced with liqueur, more decorations, whatever), or substitute cake or icing to your liking; the possibilities are endless, and the product almost always charming.


simple petit fours

semi-special equipment you will need:

rectangular baking pan (9"x13" or thereabouts)
ruler
microwaveable bowl
drying/cooling rack set on top of baking sheet lined with silicone mat or wax/parchment paper (for easy cleanup)
mini-muffin/cupcake liners (optional)

for the cake:

1. bake cake (here's the recipe for flo's pound cake) in rectangular baking pan that is greased, floured, and lined on the bottom with parchment. top tip: pound cakes will rise and crack in the middle; you can minimize (but not completely eliminate) the dome--in both a sheet cake and in a loaf--by pushing some of the batter towards the sides, or creating an even, shallow well in the center with a spatula (same difference).

2. after cake has cooled down, put in refrigerator or freezer for at least three hours, or overnight--a cold cake is easier to cut, with less crumbing and crumbling. you can level the cake if doming on the cake is significant; if you are not too worried about the difference in the height of your cakes, then don't sweat it. i almost always ice my cakes bottom side up because it is a smoother, more even surface.

3. use a ruler as a guide to cut your cakes to size. i can't really recommend the best knife to cut cakes; i use a cheap OXO chef's knife because it has quite a thin blade which i find helpful. petit fours are about one inch square and 2 inches high, but feel free to cut them to whatever size with which you are most comfortable. my petit fours were 1 1/4-inches square and about 1 1/2-inches high, just because.

**

for the icing:

you will need:
rolled fondant
granulated sugar
water
lemon juice (optional)
other flavourings or extracts (optional)
food colour (optional)

1. make or purchase rolled fondant--i made mine (that'll be covered in the next post), as well as the simple syrup. cut the fondant into one ounce pieces. note: the difference between simple syrup and sugar syrup is the ratio of sugar to water--simple syrup is 2:1, whilst sugar syrup is 1:1. use the simple syrup for this fondant icing recipe (sugar syrup can be mixed with liqueur or juice or any flavouring to brush on top of the cake for extra flavour if you want). i don't really know how much icing you'll need, but i made approximately one quart of icing for six dozen cake pieces (with quite a bit to spare).

2. heat simple syrup in a microwave, on high for 2-3 minutes in a microwaveable bowl. the syrup should be bubbling slowly. add fondant pieces, 1 or 2 at a time, stirring after each addition, until the fondant melts, and the icing reaches a sort of school glue-like consistency. you will use roughly one ounce of fondant for every 1/4-cup of simple syrup. if the icing is too thick, thin it out with warm water or lemon juice--added a teaspoonful at a time--until it reaches desired consistency. if it's too thin, you can add powdered or icing sugar to thicken it.

3. tint the icing with food colouring and/or add any flavouring; mix well.

assembly:

1. skewer cake pieces onto a bamboo skewer, or fork, or use your fingers if the icing is cool enough for this next step. dip the cake into the fondant icing; one plunging dip works better than a couple of shallow ones. allow most of the excess to run off the cake before placing it on a cooling rack fitted on a baking pan to dry. don't worry if you don't dip the cake completely or if it runs down too gloopily; once the petit four is in a decorative paper sleeve, you won't really see any blemishes on the sides.

2.while the cakes are drying, place any decorations you may want on top of the cake. non-pareils, sugar sprinkles, and candy work well, or you can cut out shapes from tinted rolled fondant. if the icing has already dried completely, brush a tiny bit of water on the surface of the cake so the decorations will adhere.

3. after the icing has set, place each petit four in a mini-cupcake liner. pack away in a clean, dry container.

you can make the un-iced cake several days ahead and keep it refrigerated or frozen. any fondant decorations can also be made ahead, but kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry area. you *shouldn't* refrigerate the fondant as the colours tend to run once defrosting sets in. it's best to make the poured fondant icing just before use, however, as once cooled, the icing turns into a strange candy concrete; it can be reconstituted with a few drops of water and a quick zap in the microwave, but timing and amounts can be tricky. the petit fours themselves should be made the night before or same day as they are to be consumed; store them in a cool, dry place or in an airconditioned room, but not in the refrigerator.

see? it's not all that difficult to create, and so totally worth the effort.

boiled peanuts.

boiled peanuts are a popular snack throughout asia, but not so much anywhere else except for the southern united states (and hawaii!), where the nation's peanut production is centered. generally, peanuts are served roasted which brings out the nuttiness, but once boiled, it takes on a beany flavour--unsurprising, considering peanuts are not in fact nuts but legumes. peanuts that are used for boiling are the same for roasting, but generally the younger, fresher legume (called 'green' in the us, even though they aren't literally so) is preferred for a sweeter, more subtle taste.

in the united states, boiled peanuts are still considered somewhat of an oddity, and yet boiled edamame soy beans can be found quite regularly. there is quite a similarity in taste, although i find the peanut to be sweeter and a little more complex. perhaps one of the reasons why they aren't as popular as they could be is because it does take quite a bit of boiling time to get the peanut tender; however, with a slow cooker, you can pretty much get away with dumping some raw peanuts and salt into the pot, cover with water, set it and forget it. have a good night's sleep. clean the garage. take the dog on a long, long, long walk. return to a tasty and relatively healthy gem of a snack.


boiled peanuts, slow cooker method

(for a 6-qt. slow cooker/crock-pot)

1 qt/4 c. raw peanuts
4 qts water
1/2 c kosher salt

*optional: star anise, cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, szechuan peppercorns, dried whole chilis (for a little asian flair, use at your own discretion. personally i prefer to add just a few whole star anise for a lovely licorice tinge)

dump everything in the pot, cover, and set on 'high'. ignore for 6 or 7 hours. sleep, go to a movie, clean your room. return to tender p-nutty goodness.

back in the kitchen

...and ready to raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahck!



my new purchase. good colour, yes?