Ready, Set, Bake: Le Cordon Bleu College Teams up with Share Our Strength’s Great American Baking Contest

Ready, Set, Bake: Le Cordon Bleu College Teams up with Share Our Strength’s Great American Baking Contest

Sip and Savor at The Atlanta Wine School

Did you know that 85% of what we taste actually comes through the sense of smell?  Or did you know that sommeliers are not only wine experts, but they also must be well-versed in beers, craft beers, spirits, waters, and even humidors?  Thanks to Michael Bryan of The Atlanta Wine School, I can confidently answer yes to those questions.

I can think of no better way to wind down on a Monday than with some of my favorite foodie friends over a few glasses of wine.  Alumni and friends of Le Cordon Bleu met up for Sip and Savor, an Alumni Wine Tasting Event at The Atlanta Wine School.  Michael Bryan, founder and owner of this enologist's paradise, shared his expert knowledge on all things wine from the best glass for serving wine, to how to hold a wine glass properly, to how to stage a wine tasting party.

My take away from the tasting is that what we serve can impact the whole mood of our event.  Michael pointed out the difference in how two sparkling wines can set the stage for different scenarios.  For example, Prosecco says inviting, welcoming whereas a champagne may infer more formality and austerity.  If there is a specific taste in wine that you prefer, Michael urged us to learn as much as possible about that wine, the grape, the region, and the winemakers that make that type of wine.  If nothing else, find a wine consultant that can help guide your choices.  After learning a few basics, we sampled about 7 wines.  My personal favorites were the Prosecco and the Moscato. 
Check out http://www.atlantawineschool.com/ to learn more about upcoming classes and events at The Atlanta Wine School.

What I Baked for Dessert Today

Favorite Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 1 (3-layer) cake

This is my go-to cake when I need a taste of home.  It's been a favorite in my family for a long time.  I start out with a basic 1-2-3-4 yellow cake which is probably the first cake that I learned to bake when I was a child.  It follows the basic ratio of 1 cup butter to 2 cups of sugar to 3 cups flour and 4 eggs.  I've filled this version with a cooked pineapple filling, but it's good with other fillings as well.  Keep this recipe handy for your next family celebration. 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

4 extra large eggs

1 cup milk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Pineapple Filling

Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350°F.    Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. 

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl.  Gradually add sugar, creaming until light and fluffy.  Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.   Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture alternately with milk and extracts, stirring well after each addition.  Pour into prepared pans evenly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tester inserted into cake comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks until completely cooled.

Spread Pineapple Filling between layers.

Frost top and sides of cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Pineapple Filling

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

Combine pineapple and sugar in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Stir together a little bit of cold water into cornstarch to create a slurry.  Add slurry to pineapple, stirring to combine.  Cook until thickened.  Stir in butter until combined.  Set aside to cool slightly.

 

Cream Cheese Icing

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy.

First Lady Obama Celebrates the 1st Anniversary of Let's Move!

What an honor to be able to hear Michelle Obama celebrate the first anniversary of the Let's Move! initiative.  I immediately jumped on the opportunity  to attend the speech, and it was well worth a sacrificed afternoon at the office.  Mrs. Obama's speech really encouraged me to continue to push hard on making sure that I feed my family healthy, nutritious foods and to ensure that we exercise daily. 

What I enjoyed the most was that she wasn't there to preach to us.  Her message came from the voice of a mother who at one time or another had many of the same concerns about her own family's health and wellness that many parents have.  When America's First Lady can relate to what most average Americans may experience, it makes it easier and more believable to follow the Let's Move! campaign.  Mrs. Obama reminded us of a time when fast food was something special and not the daily norm and when exercise was a regular part of our days.  I, too, remember when a McDonald's Happy Meal was a real treat for me.  My mom believed in cooking "real" food.  On the days when she was too busy to cook or when she had to work late, she made sure that we ate dinner in the cafeteria at Spelman.  If we didn't eat there, we would stop at S and S Cafeteria, Morrison's Cafeteria, or Picadilly.  And she chose those places because she knew that I would get a hot, balanced meal complete with veggies.  A visit through the drive-through of McDonald's or Burger King was not a part of our reality.  So, when I did have a chance to eat fast food, it was something that I looked forward to, but I certainly didn't expect it. 

Now that I am a busy, working mom of 2 boys, I find that I do make the effort to prepare a meal for them most weeknights.  And yes, there are times when it would be far easier for me to pull through that drive-through window, I try to resist that temptation because I know that a) the food is not going to be as good as what I can prepare and b) it's just not healthy for us. Don't get me wrong...there are times when picking up dinner is the best solution.  With food prices rising, however, sometimes it seems that eating out is even cheaper than cooking at home.  Again though, the cheaper alternative is most likely the least healthy alternative.  Eating out does not have to be disastrous if we know how to select healthier options and how to make those options more attractive to our children. 

What we struggle with the most in our home is the endless snacking.  Between the potato chips and cookies, it sometimes it feels as if we've lost the war to the snack pack.  Like Mrs. Obama chided, sometimes it's just easier to hand over the chips than it is to continue harping on why the chips are bad or why you should eat the vegetables.  That's where our resolve as parents must click in.  We are the decison makers and the purchasers in our home.  Our children are most often the ones influenced by all of the commercials and ads luring them into the coolness of all types of great tasting but bad-for-you foods and habits.  At the end of the day, though, we are the ones that spend the dollars at the cash register.  We are the ones that cook the meals or make the choices of where and what we will eat.  We are the ones that have the power to either allow our kids to be couch potatoes or encourage them to be active daily.  Mrs. Obama encourages us "to find creative solutions that work for our families."  We have to find the best way to incorporate change into our daily lives that is realistic, doable, and sustainable.

While we may have more conveniences and technological advances now, it is still our right and our duty to ensure that we make food and health choices that will benefit our children, not harm them.  If 1 out of 3 American children are obese, then it is clear that the decisions we make about what we feed them and how we train them are failing our children.  And in the long run, these decisions will have dire health consequences for our children and ultimately for our nation.  First Lady Obama poignantly reminded us that "we have a voice.  We can change things when we come together."  Her words certainly sparked something in me.  For more information on the Let's Move! initiative, visit http://www.letsmove.gov/.

ATL's Hot Spot for Hot Dogs

The other night my husband and I watched A Hot Dog Program on Georgia Public Broadcasting.  Quite naturally my tastebuds just started craving a hot dog.  We will drive anywhere for a darn good hot dog just like we'll burn a tank of gas to find the perfect barbecue.  Great American Hot Dog in Ellenwood is one of our favorite spots.  Yes, it's quite a hike from our house, but it's well worth the drive.

It's located next to a gas station, but don't let that fool you.  The hot dogs here are top notch.  I like to order the chili dog, which comes with chili and mustard.  Beware, the dog is topped with onions.  My husband likes the Chicago Dog which is authentically served complete with tomatoes, pickle, and a poppyseed bun.  Oh, and I love that they butter and toast the buns.  They also offer sausages and specialty dogs including the HotHot, New Orleans, Southwest, Hollywood, New York, and the Mexican.  Take your pick...I'm sure you can't go wrong.  Another plus is their hand-cut French fries that are made from fresh potatoes.  Fried fresh, they make a great side item.  Pass the salt and malted vinegar, please.  They also serve wings, but the mainstay are the hotdogs.

Check them out at 5426 Bouldercrest Road, Ellenwood, GA 30294.  They are open Monday-Friday 11am-8pm and Saturday 11am-7pm.  Closed Sundays.  Cash only

Welcome to Cybil's Feasts and Finds!

Hi and welcome to my blog!  The inspiration for Cybil's Feasts and Finds is everyday living.  Doesn't sound glamorous, but I am fortunate to live a wonderful life.  I take pleasure in celebrating life's everyday moments with my family.  I am an avid cook, and I enjoy exploring local food spots that offer unique tastes of my local community here in Atlanta and elsewhere.  I hope that you'll enjoy my musings, and let me know if you know any spots that you'd like me to check out.  I'd love to hear from you at cybil@allaboutfoods.com.

Delicously yours,
Cybil

Passing the Mixer from One Generation to the Next

My grandfather's KitchenAid mixer was passed down to me many years ago.  There was always a bone of contention as to whether the mixer was supposed to go to me or to my aunt.   Back in those days, a KitchenAid was a prize possession.  Expensive and reserved for real food enthusiasts or professionals at the time that he probably bought it, it wasn't something that was a part of the ordinary cook's equipment inventory.  Papa used it to bake large, dense pound cakes and his favorite Japanese Pound Cake.  It was always clear that it was Papa's mixer.  Granny had her own mixer, a tried and true Sunbeam stand mixer.

In the end, I wound up with the mixer thanks to the persistent lobbying of my mom. Little did I know at that time that I would use it to make cookies with my very own children.  Sharing the simple joy of making Chocolate Chip Cookies reminded me of the days when I would help out my grandmother and grandfather in the kitchen.  I hope that my boys will remember these moments when they are older with children of their own.  And I promise to make sure that they each have their own KitchenAid mixer.