The Bakers Dozen

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #14 - create a new blog all about Beer & Baking

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:30:25 -0400

Tumblr, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve made a new blog.

And it’s all about, well, brews, baking, and the incredibly amazing combination of both of them. I hope you like it.

Here’s a sneak preview of today’s feature (pomegranate cupcakes & celis white) ooooh yumm

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #13 - Bell's Octoberfest

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:37:41 -0400

“Bell’s Octoberfest Beer is a smooth, highly drinkable lager that opens the door to the coming autumn with a light, dry toasted malt note.” from Bell’s Brewery

Summer isn’t over nooooo! I’m not ready to let go, no no no. September is late summer. So what are all these Oktoberfests and Pumpkin Ales doing in the stores and at the bar? Tempting me. That’s what. I can’t face the fact that fall is coming, but I just can’t resist Oktoberfest and Pumpkins.

I’m pretty sure this is the first time I haven’t been ready for fall since, well since I was a kid. (Okay so I’m still a kid in a lot of ways…cookies for breakfast? totally a kid) Anyways, I think it’s because I haven’t been in school in a while. When classes started back up again every year, we would be walking around in the sweltering August heat from class to class, growing frustrated with every moment at the weather. Arriving at class with crazy hair, wanting just to lay in front of an air conditioner with minimal clothes on, really doesn’t put you in the mood for learning. For over a year now I’ve had a 9-5 job with air conditioning, so…I don’t really have to deal with that. I get to reap the benefits of coming home at 5, and actually enjoying the heat afterwards during a sweaty bike ride, round of golf, or a run later during the warm twilight. I love fall, I really do, but that means months of cold cold weather is coming. Maybe these fall beers will help me be nostalgic for some fall goodness soon.

All in all…I haven’t had enough Oktoberfests to compare this to any others yet, but I’m very much enjoying this and it’s gorgeous copper color. I’m not jumping for joy, but this is going to become a fall staple this year.

Recommend to a friend? I’m looking forward to seeing if there is another Oktoberfest I’d prefer, so we’ll wait and see about this.

Safe for lightweights? 5.8% I had one of these, as well as that Southampton last night and was okay to drive home after an extra hour and several glasses of water.

When and where? An all occasion. Last night and today’s weather was H.O.T.T. but this was still refreshing and light. I cannot…cannot wait to have some fall beers at a park, and over a campfire. (Flashback to a four-pack of Punkin’ ale and camping last fall awmann good times)

Plus one? See above.

I totally missed yesterday - Tumblr for the iPhone was not...

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 11:17:38 -0400

I totally missed yesterday - Tumblr for the iPhone was not cooperating & I couldn’t get a picture worth anything in the Heorot. Anyways, had my first pumpkin ale of the season (even though it was 95 degrees yesterday). Nom Noms.

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #11 - Ernest Hemingway

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:48:17 -0400

“But Paris was a very old city and we were young and nothing was simple there, not even poverty, nor sudden money, nor the moonlight, nor right and wrong nor the breathing of someone who lay beside you in the moonlight.”

- A Moveable Feast

Got yelled at all day by customers, am so sore I couldn’t...

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 20:34:00 -0400

Got yelled at all day by customers, am so sore I couldn’t bend down to tie my shoes…all I needed was item #10 (to get you to hockey season). Now I feel much better.

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #9 - a bucket of...

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:40:57 -0400

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #9 - a bucket of golf balls & blisters

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #8 - NHL look alikes

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:26:00 -0400

1. Sidney Crosby & Andy Samberg - Can you imagine how awesome their lovechild would be? Sick hockey skills, hilarious, can somehow look like every great tennis player…

2. Evgeni Malkin & Nick Jonas - okay I don’t think this one is quite spot on, but hey he’s crazy awesome. I have to get him on here somewhere.

3. Andrei Markov & Mr. Bean - BAHHHHAHAHA

4. Alexei Kovalev & Sean Bean - Boramir!!

5. Alexander Ovechkin & Richard Kiel…oh dear

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #7 - practice your...

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:42:56 -0400

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #7 - practice your short game

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #6 - bake + brew

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:06:45 -0400

It’s Saturday. It’s sunny. I made meringues for the first time, and have beer to go with them. There’s an adorable kitty napping on the bed. (How do they make napping look so comfortable?) There’s chocolate pie in the fridge, and I’m going out for a girls night tonight. Life is good right now.

The bake & brew:

Wunderbar. I was a little nervous that the almond & lemon flavor of the meringue plus the apricot flavor of the ale would be too much all at once. But it turns out they play off of each other really well, and one doesn’t overpower the other at all. To me, the meringue on its own had a little too much lemon, and this Pyramid brings out more almond to help balance it out. I bought a Sunset Wheat just in case the Pyramid didn’t work out, but I’m really glad my first instinct worked out well.

The lowdown on the brew:

All in all…“Boldly going where no apricot has done before.” This is another light & airy fruit ale with a very obvious apricot flavor (as it should). The apricot flavor is good, but no other flavors really come through beside it. Apricot. Beer. Done.

Recommend to a friend? Yeahh…I’m not really sure at this point if I would recommend having it on its own. With the meringues, yes. If you’re going for a 100% fruit beer, I’d go with something a little more dynamic. If you’re going for something citrusy, I’d go with something more like Sunset Wheat or an Orange Blossom Cream Ale.

Safe for lightweights? 5.1% Yes ma’am. Especially if you are stuffing your face with meringues.

Plus one? I still have a bunch of meringues left. I need something to drink with them.

The lowdown on the bake:

Ah nom noms. I haven’t been a fan of meringues in the past. I’m pretty sure I just started disliking them when I was in 2nd grade, because they had a funny texture. Boy have I been missing out. Be prepared though, these have the potential of being a gigantic mess to make. Meringue is super sticky, but if you’re willing to put up with the mess it’s actually very easy. Almonds are always a little pricey, but the other ingredients are pretty basic.

Lovelyfluffy Lemon Almond Meringues from Joy the Baker

Makes about 2 dozen small meringues

1/4 C finely ground almonds (I ground slivered almonds because it’s easier)
1 T cornstarch
2 large egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 t lemon juice
1 t lemon zest
1/3 C sliced almonds
1/3 C powdered sugar
1/8 t cream of tartar (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Using a food processor, finely grind almonds. Slivered almonds are easier, but whole almonds are much much less expensive. Once you have ground them as finely as possible, measure out 1/4 cup. Spread ground almonds on one of the lined baking sheets and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Mix in a small bowl with cornstarch and set aside.

With an electric mixer (this time you do really need a real mixer), beat egg whites, pinch of salt, and the cream of tartar on medium speed. It may seem too fast, but it does need to be on medium speed. You will see it transform from the egg whites swirling around to a smooth, fluffly white. Increase the mixer speed to medium high while gradually adding sugar. Pour in the lemon juice and beat until glossy and it holds its form.

Remove the bowl and add ground almonds and lemon zest. Fold in until mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Using a large piping bag, or using a spoon to drop onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, create 2 inch cookies.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and more almonds.

Bake for 50 minutes at 200 F. When done, turn oven off, open the door a little, and let meringues cool. Transfer to wire rack when cool, and after a few hours store in airtight container. They should keep for about a week in the fridge.

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #5 - ampersands

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:26:00 -0400

Soooo pretty. Thank you to PG Web Designs for providing this awesome list.

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #4 - wish lists

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:18:00 -0400

Today was one of those days. Do you ever have those? The “funk” days? Maybe I just had too much time at work to think and over-analyze life. It was also one of those “girls rule boys drool” days, too. Sorry fellas. When those days come along there are a few tried and true remedies, some of which are:

1. Diving into Joy the Baker recipes (2nd reference in a row…I know I have a huge girl crush)

2. Daydreaming about pretty things, pretty places, and baking goodies.

3. Brownies

4. Mason Jennings

And I got to bring home some of the best baking goodies today. They are the #1 best present I’ve ever received from my brother. #2 and #3 were LPs of A Ghost is Born by Wilco, and Christmas on Mars by the Flaming Lips. I have the coolest in the brother in the world. It’s okay that you’re a little jealous.

But back to these mixing bowls. They’re all the way from a bowl big enough for a double batch of cupcakes down to a teeny bowl for beating a couple eggs. And so lovely colorful.

You can get away with only having a few staple supplies in your kitchen, but man do things get so much more enjoyable once you have more gadgets. And a dishwasher.

Hold the phone.

I have a dishwasher now…I’m in heaven. There is nothing more of a buzzkill for baking than having stacks of dishes, bowls, and spoons with gookey cake batter stuck on them to wash. The worst is when you have to wash dishes in the middle of baking, because you don’t have enough supplies to get you through making the frosting. Yuck. Being twenty-something out of college really makes you use baking supplies wisely.

The bare essentials:

1. Small, medium, and large mixing bowl (microwave safe)

2. Whisk

3. Spatula

4. Saucepan

5. Cookie sheet

6. Cupcake pan or 9x9 dish, or cake pan (whatever you will be baking the most of)

7. Measuring spoons

8. Measuring cups

9. Glass pyrex liquid measuring glass

What am I forgetting? If you find yourself in the middle of baking a cake and you suddenly need whatever I forgot, my apologies. I’ll send you an apologie cookie.

Also, I lasted two years without a mixer so it can be done. It’s hard, and there are some things you may not be able to do. But it gives you some creative constraints to work within. The best present I ever received from my father was a Kitchen Aid mixer (I probably hugged him every day for two weeks). That really, honestly, was the best Christmas ever. Somehow he still doesn’t realize I love beer, but at least he realizes I like baking. Anyways.

My wish list, so far:

1. A sifter (for flour and 10x sugar)

2. Candy thermometer

3. Spoon rest (I go through wayyy too many paper towels)

4. Bundt pan

5. A really good lemon juice thing. I’m sure that’s the professional name for it.

6. A pretty apron. Right now I’m using my American School of Paris apron. That’s still meaningful though so it will do for a while. Grandma Daisy’s apron only covers my lower half. I went through a lot of chocolate stained shirts before I learned my lesson.

7. My own set of frosting/piping supplies.

8. Peach corer (random, yes. But just you wait and try to core a peach)

9. Fantastic rolling pin

10. Pie plate

11. Mini cupcake pan.

12. A new crepe pan. I didn’t know I was supposed to use plastic supplies on teflon. Oops.

13. A puppy. How’d that get on here?

14. My own tulip beer glasses.

15. Some good gin.

16. Mason Jennings

17. Jon Hamm

18. Okay I’m getting off track here.

I’ll be dreaming up more things to add here tonight.

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #3 - bake + brew

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:44:00 -0400

brown sugar + oats + cinnamon + almonds + butter…how could this ever go wrong?

This seriously took five minutes to prepare, twenty minutes to bake, and one minute to inhale. Your fingers will be covered in sticky brown sugar and butter after devouring this, so it may be a little embarrassing to eat in front of anyone, but if they taste a bit hopefully they’ll forgive you. Because this, my friend, is just too scrumptious for anyone to judge you.

And with Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.? One or two sips was good with the cobbler, but milk is still the way to go.

The lowdown on the brew:

All in all…“Brewed with an obscene amount of malts & hops.” That’s what I like to hear. But on the balance of smooth vs bite, it’s neither smooth nor does it have much bite to it. Unfortunately it falls into the awkward limbo in the middle of the two.

Recommend to a friend? Out of the IPA’s I would choose something that is either smoother (a 400 Pound Monkey) or actually has an edge to it (Ruination IPA). This one’s good, but there are too many better brews out there.

Safe for lightweights? 10% Nooo. Especially if all you’ve had for dinner is peach cobbler.

Plus one? Nahh.

The lowdown on the bake:

Peach Cobbler for One from super-baker Joy the Baker

1 ripe peach

1/4 C All-Purpose flour

1/4 C packed light brown sugar

3 T rolled oats

1/4 t ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 T shredded coconut (I don’t like coconut so I just added more almonds)

1 T slivered almonds

2 T cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Place a rack in the center of the oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice a peach in half and remove the pit. With a small spoon, scoop out the dark red pit center, creating just a bit more room for the crumble topping.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, salt, coconut (if you wish), and almonds. Add butter and, with your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients. Quickly break up the butter until it is well combined. Some of the butter bits will be the size of oat flakes, others will be the size of small peas.

Place peach halves, cut side up, in a small, oven safe dish. Top each peach half with a generous portion of crumble topping. And LOTS of it.

Bake for 20 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cold milk. Best served warm from the oven. (Really, it’s incredible)

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #2 - Eat way too...

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:41:20 -0400

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #2 - Eat way too much mexican food

30 Things to Get You to Hockey Season : #1 - running

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:28:00 -0400

There aren’t 30 days until the actual season, but the first Penguins pre-season game is on September 21…I just can’t wait 6 weeks until the 2011-2012 season begins, so this will have to work. I apologize for that horrible run-on sentence-I just got done with a run so my brains isn’t too sharp at the moment. Yup, I just made brain plural…oh heavens I need some food.

Right, well the next thirty days are going to be dedicated to various things that will keep me occupied until that Pittsburgh V Vancouver game actually happens.

#1 : Running

Things I learned from running today:

1. My high school cross country skillz didn’t extend through college.

2. I like running uphill.

3. Don’t run. Ride bikes. Much faster.

4. Beer doesn’t count as a “pre-run” snack.

5. My neighborhood has all kinds of awesome dogs. All kinds of dogs that like to bark. Rawr.

-Rebs

pumpkin cupcakes w/maple buttercream frosting

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:01:27 -0400

It’s true. These just happened:

They’re so rich & wonderful, I’m not sure I can handle one whole cupcake all to myself.

Let alone four.

The incredible wonderful glorious cupcakes to make you wish it was Fall already.

Cupcake

2 C flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 t + pinch ground cinnamon

1 t + pinch ground ginger

1/4 t + pinch nutmeg

1 C packed dark brown sugar

1 C granulated sugar

1 C butter, melted & cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can or 15 oz pumpkin puree (sometimes labelled as pure pumpkin)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

2. Separately, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Be careful not to overmix! Fold in pumpkin puree with a spatula.

3. Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, around 3/4 full. I did 3/4 full at first, but ended up putting more in so that the cupcake rose light and puffy above the liner. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Maple Buttercream Frosting

6 T crisco (yup, crisco)

1 lb confectioners sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1/8 C water

6 T pure maple syrup (not that Log Cabin or Aunt Jemima stuff…and yes, 6 tablespoons)

1. Cut the crisco into the full pound of confectioners sugar using a mixer until crumbly.

2. Add the water a little bit at the time while mixing.

3. Add vanilla extract, and maple syrup 2 tablespoons at a time until you have the consistency and taste desired.

Using crisco, you can leave the cupcakes out for several hours without worrying about safety, and the frosting doesn’t get all gooey and melted looking when it’s out in room temperature. And though I don’t expect you to take my word for it as it’s crisco, it seriously tastes divine.

And I have to admit another thing…I may have been prancing around to this while I was baking…Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks

let's talk about dreams

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 22:12:03 -0400

I’m going to admit it. My dream may seem boring to you. But after so many ideas have been flitting around in my head, this one has been clearly forming among all the others for a while.

Do you know what my dream is?

I wake up earlier than the sun, take my two dogs (both Bernese Mountain Dogs-these have been my dream breed since 4th grade…they’re perfect) on a jog, go into my future bakery to start baking & open everything up, at the end of the day go running or on a ride with my dogs again, and end up on the front porch in a rocking chair among friends with a beer. On the weekends I’m camping with the boys (doggies), kayaking, and biking.

Yes, I want dogs, a sickeningly adorable and tiny house, and a bakery. I want to fish on quiet Sunday mornings with a Stanley thermos of coffee. I want to stand on my feet for hours on end in Great Grandma Daisy’s apron, baking goodies that put smiles on faces-I want to make someone’s day by giving them a perfect piece of cake, cupcake, whatever you please. My happiest moments in life are either when there’s a gigantic dog in my lap or when someone’s eyes light up when they’re having a yummy treat I just made for them.

But there it is, and you know what? It sounds pretty perfect to me.

via rachelfairbanks: Wanted! From my Svpply.

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:28:44 -0400

via rachelfairbanks:

Wanted! From my Svpply.

The Thirsty Thirty : Day Thirty - Brew Dog 5 A.M. Saint & FABULOUS FIVE!

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:42:19 -0400

All in all Ah what a blessed beer. The hoppy hoppity hop hop flavor is incredible (seriously, HOPPY…i LOVE it), balanced, and perfect for the last of the thirty days. Tastes like an IPA, but doesn’t leave you with a rot-gut taste afterwards. If it were regularly available at the bars and inexpensive, I would be adding this to my stand-bys.

Recommend to a friend? Maybe if I pray to the beer gods another one will pop up in your fridge.

Safe for lightweights? 5% even. Huzzah!

It’s so luuv.

Plus one? Maybe if I pray to the beer gods another one will pop up in my fridge.

Aw shucks guys, it’s been great. I’ve figured out what my next project is going to be, and am stoked to start it tomorrow. But looking back, what were the most memorable beers from this month? The ones I look back upon and think “ahhhh how lovely that was,” ones where I’ll turn to my friends and say “really though, you HAVE to try this.”

One…

Two…

Three…

Four…

Five…

The Thirsty Thirty : Day Twenty-Eight - North Coast Brother Thelonious

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:21:14 -0400

1. 2nd to last day of The Thirsty Thirty. And I’m just a little nervous/excited/in disbelief that a month has flown by.

2. Mmm good. Scrumptious. There’s a tiny bit of burnt malty aftertaste that I’m not a fan of, but everything up until then is great.

3. Best enjoyed while listening to a bit of Mr. Monk himself. I mean, who else would you dare listen to while drinking this?

4. 9.4% Careful now, this one is a sneaky little bugger.

5. Having access to my dad’s record collection = superb.

6. For some reason I felt the strange urge to scour the kitchen and clean the bathrooms after having this…how odd.

7. Best part: “When you buy Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale you also help to support the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz whose mission is to offer the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by America’s jazz masters and to present public school-based jazz education programs for young people around the world. All of these programs are offered free of charge to the students and schools.” from North Coast

The Thirsty Thirty : Day Twenty-Eight - Unibroue Trois Pistoles & New Belgium Mothership Wit

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:41:02 -0400

My picture of Trois Pistoles was just shameless…a bar in the evening just makes for the worst lighting in the world for anything. But Trois Pistoles…high fives all around. Mothership Wit? Liked the coaster…the beer? Eh…

Happy Monday!