I am the lucky recipient of a couple of food-related gifts.
First, from sister #1, a gift box of Penzeys flavor extracts and more:
I had never heard of Penzeys Spices until I opened this package, with good-sized bottles of vanilla, lemon, orange and almond extracts, plus bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and whole nutmeg. I’ll put them to good use, but I could use some ideas for the lemon and orange extract. Those are flavorings I haven’t used much. Suggestions, please?
Penzey, spice fans, has opened up a shop in downtown Overland Park, Kansas (on Santa Fe between 79th & 80th). My sister was so enthusiastic that I feared for a moment she’d hired on as an Amway-type salesperson.
Then, from sister #3, I got the new edition of the Silver Palate Cookbook. (Note: The link goes to the hardcover and Amazon doesn’t show a paperback available, but Sis found the paperback locally.)
Based on a quick review, it seems to differ from the original only in that it (a) has color photos, which I don’t care a hoot about, (b) has a new introduction and (c) isn’t falling apart. Item (c) is the one I care about, given that I tend to drop pieces of my well-used original any time I pull it off the shelf.
New, left, and old
Top-down view of tattered book
Now, if I can just get all the holiday excess out of here, I’m ready to cook.
Joanne // Dec 31, 2007 at 1:41 pm
What a coincidence! I got Penzey’s spices as a Hanukah gift! Funny! (we got cocoa, cinnamon, baking spices, vanilla extract, and those good packing spices. YUM)
Lemon and Orange Extract:
Lemon Poppy seed cake
Either extract added to olive oil to coat veggies or pasta
Lemon or Orange Sugar Cookie
Homemade Applesauce with either extract
Lemon flavored pie crust for a chess pie?
Sorbet with a tiny amount of either extract as an accent
Roasted potato salad with a small amount of lemon extract, lemon juice, olive oil, green onions and other herbs with garlic
On a cotton ball, just to scent a room in the middle of winter when everything’s closed up
I hope this helps!
Janet Majure // Dec 31, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Well, I’ll say it helps! Thanks, Joanne. That’s an amazing array of options. I just use orange or lemon juice or zest or both when I make orange- or lemon-flavored things. I guess I can get the flavor and save some labor, eh? Thanks a bunch, and happy new year!