ABigSlice Journal

June 4 : National Chocolate Ice Cream Day

Ice cream, ice milk, gelato, sorbet.... There are a lot of names for frozen desserts. But do you really know the difference between them? Well wonder no more! Here is a quick glossary of the cold confections so you can amaze your friends and win the trivia contest at the local bar. Don't forget to check out our recipe for chocolate ice cream below and have a happy and delicious Chocolate Ice Cream Day!

Ice cream - Like the name suggests, ice cream is a frozen product made from cream. Milk is often adding to the mixture as well as other flavorings and sweeteners. Did you know that up to 60% of the volume of the container is air?!? This is introduced in the whipping process and gives ice cream a light and fluffy texture. Ice creams are further divided into categories based on the amount of butterfat they contain.

• Premium ice cream has between 11% and 15% butterfat. While this ice cream is richer and denser you pay for it in the calorie count. Usually these premium ice creams come in small containers and have "gourmet" style flavorings.

• Regular ice cream is somewhat less dense and contains 10% to 11% butterfat. This type of ice cream is sold in the standard larger containers, and contains the standard flavorings. This style is perfect for milkshakes.

• Economy ice cream has exactly 10% butterfat by law. No frills here.

• Light ice cream means that there is EITHER 50% less fat OR 33% fewer calories than the regular ice cream produced by that particular company. But if you are calorie conscious look at the label. Light versions of the premium brands can have more fat and calories than the regular version of other brands.

• Reduced fat ice cream is required by law to have 25% less fat than that particular company's regular version.

Ice milk - You don't see this name too much anymore. At one time this was the low fat version of ice cream. But with advances in technology this has been replaced with reduced fat ice cream.

French style ice cream - This ice cream is made with a custard base that includes egg yolks. It is very rich and silky. Also called glace.

Gelato - This is Italian style ice cream. The big difference between gelato and American style ice cream is in the amount of air that is whipped into the product. (20% air for gelato and up to 60% air for ice cream) The result is a denser and more intensely flavored dessert.

Soft serve ice cream - This style is the same as the harder ice cream except that it is served at a higher temperature. Sometimes it is seen as tastier because it does not numb the taste buds.

Sorbet - This is a frozen dessert that is made from fruit purée and can include the flavorings of herbs and spices. It is then whipped to lighten its texture. Sorbet contains no milk.

Sherbet - Like a sorbet this is a fruit based product, but milk is added for creaminess. But by law it can contain no more than 2% butterfat.

Granita - Very similar to sorbet but granita is not whipped and ice crystals are allowed form. It has a more granular appearance, and a crunchy texture.

Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder, approximately 1/2 cup
3 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
9 ounces sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Place the cocoa powder along with 1 cup of the half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Add the remaining half-and-half and the heavy cream. Bring the mixture just to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat.

2. In a medium mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the sugar and whisk to combine.

3. Temper the cream mixture into the eggs and sugar by gradually adding small amounts, until about 1/3 of the cream mixture has been added. Pour in the remainder and return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat.

4. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon and reaches 170 to 175 degrees F.

5. Pour the mixture into a container and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

6. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and once it is cool enough not to form condensation on the lid, cover and store for 4 to 8 hours or until the temperature reaches 40 degrees F or below.

7. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Serve as is for soft serve or freeze for another 3 to 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.

May 28 : National Hamburger Day

It probably won’t surprise you to know that the term “hamburger” comes from Hamburg, Germany. Those who live there refer to themselves as Hamburgers just as the people from Frankfurt, Germany call themselves Frankfurters. All in all, we have Germany to thank for naming our fast food delicacies. Oh, with the exception of French Fries. We are so Euro!

The first hamburger was probably just roasted pork on a roll. It was delicious, hot and most importantly, portable. When the Germans began to immigrate to America they brought this idea of a meat sandwich to go with them.

There are many stories as to where the first modern hamburger was invented. If the Texas Legislature is to be believed, then that honor goes to Athens, Texas. By official state proclamation they are the “Original Home of the Hamburger”. According to the McDonald’s Corporation (and they should know) Fletcher Davis, a food vendor at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and Athens, Texas café owner, sold his ground beef on a bun to businessmen on the go. They gobbled up his hearty invention and never missed a beat.

World War II saw the hamburgers first major set back. We were at war with the Germans and were not about to enjoy a treat with a teutonic sounding name (remember freedom fries?). So, albeit briefly, the hamburger became known by the decidedly “anglo” name Salisbury Steak. Later, the paths of the burger and the steak diverged with each leaving its own mark on the high school cafeteria lunch menu.

So we at A Big Slice salute the ground beef patty on a bun with a 21 grill salute. Hmmm, interesting that honored sandwich’s day should fall on Memorial Day…. Cook out anyone?

For some tips on grilling click here.

World’s Best Burger

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
½ onion, finely chopped
½ cup grated sharp cheddar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

1. Allow time for your grill to heat up.

2. In a large bowl mix together all ingredients until combined. Form into four patties.

3. Grill patties for five minutes per side on a hot grill, or until your desired level of doneness. Serve hot on buns with your favorite condiments.

May 21 : National Waitress/Waiter Day

I never worked in food service. Therefore, I often took the wait staff for granted. It wasn't that I was mean but I never thought about their jobs. That is until a good friend of mine began to tell me about her experiences waiting tables.

The work is hard. They are required to lift, balance, run, listen, write and all the time maintain a friendly demeanor while being paid peanuts. My waitress friend told of numerous times of being stiffed by large groups of obviously well-heeled customers. She was leered at, spoken down to (even though she if one of the smartest people I have ever known) and even dismissed.

Recently I was at a wedding. The reception was in a ballroom at the local Marriott. The wait staff was amazing. They worked very efficiently, got our meals to us hot and kept our water and wine glasses full. However, almost no one at my table took the time to say thank you. I have heard people say, "It is their job." Poppycock! Everyone deserves gratitude for a job well done.

So next Monday remember those who serve you day in and day out at your favorite establishment. Remember also that they did not cook the food - they are the messengers. Give them a smile, a kind word. Say "Thank you." And tip them accordingly!

May 13, 2007: Mother's Day

As with most holidays the lineage of our modern American Mother’s Day has its roots in ancient pagan rituals. The Greeks had a custom of mother worship that was specifically dedicated to the goddess Cybele, the personification of the fertile mother earth. A little late, the Romans pretty much adopted Greek religion lock, stock, and barrel. They celebrated a similar feast dedicated to Juno called Matronalia on March 1, which was, coincidentally, the first day of their new year. On this day women would receive gifts from their husbands and daughters, a tradition that, amazingly, seemed to catch on.

Our present holiday was more recently derived from the British holiday called Mothering Sunday. Taking the British custom as her starting point, activist Julia Ward Howe issued a call for woman to become the instruments of peace in this post Civil War era. The author of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” penned a Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870 calling for peace and disarmament. Howe never succeeded in getting official recognition of Mother’s Day. That was up to the Appalachian mother/daughter team of Ann and Anna Jarvis. In 1914, largely through their efforts, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first National Mother’s Day. Now it has grown to become one of the most commercially successful holidays in the US. And, according to the National Restaurant Association, the most popular day of the year to dine out!

Eggs Benedict Recipe

Mother's Day may be the most popular day to eat out, but why not begin the day by giving your mom delicious eggs benedict in bed!

Ingredients (For 4 people)

4 fresh English muffins
8 slices of Canadian bacon
8 eggs
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 ¼ sticks of butter
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

To make a simple Hollandaise sauce:

1. Place the 4 egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and the salt and pepper into a medium saucepan and with a hand whisk, mix all the ingredients until they have blended together.

2. Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the saucepan.

3. Over medium heat begin to whisk the ingredients. As the butter melts, make sure that you blend it thoroughly into the egg yolks. Continue to whisk vigorously until all of the butter has blended into the eggs.

4. If the sauce begins to separate, add 2 tsp of water to the sauce mixture and whisk briskly until the mixture has combined together to form a creamy sauce.

5. Once all of the butter has melted and a sauce has been formed, continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon..

6. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

7. Remove from the heat and set aside. Keep the sauce warm by covering the pot with a lid a wrapping it in a towel.

The next step is to prepare the eggs and the ham, if possible simultaneously.

1. In a frying pan over medium heat fry the Canadian bacon until browned.

2. At the same time, start to poach the eggs. If you have a favorite method, feel free to use it here. If not, you might like our easy method.

3. Use a medium-sized, deep skillet (10-inch diameter) that has a lid. Add about 3 inches of water. Put the skillet over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover it to speed up the heating time. Meanwhile crack one egg each into eight small coffee cups or little measuring bowls.

4. Put all cups of eggs on a plate, and have them convenient to the stove. When the water in the skillet boils, remove the cover. Add the vinegar to the water, and some salt. Vinegar helps the egg to hold its shape. When the salt goes in, it will actually raise the temperature of the water.

5. Lower the lip of each egg-cup 1/2-inch below the surface of the water. Let the eggs flow out. Immediately return the lid to the pan and turn off the heat. Set a timer for exactly three minutes for medium-firm yolks. Adjust the time up or down for runnier or firmer yolks.

6. During this time toast the English muffins. When the muffins have been lightly toasted, butter them generously and place two in the middle of each warmed plate.

7. Remove the bacon from the skillet and sit one circular piece on top of each half muffin.

8. When the timer goes off, remove the cover. Lift each poached egg from the water with a slotted spoon, but hold it over the skillet briefly to let any water clinging to the egg drain off. Gently lay an egg on each piece of bacon.

9. Spoon the warmed Hollandaise sauce over the egg.

10. Serve immediately.