Over the week-end I thought it would be a good start to sell my cupcakes at local farmer's market - I never realised Houston has as many as it does...still not as many as most cities, but it's pretty good. I got my health and hygiene certificate while I was in England, which is 1 of about 5 different things you need to have so I thought I would tell you about it, whether you're selling food from home already and don't have the proper paperwork, or you've been thinking about starting about a food business from home, or selling your products to restaurants or cafes, or stores or at farmer's markets. It's not as easy and just making the product and selling it off thinking 'what a great job'. If someone where to get sick and they traced it back to your food and you did not have the proper paperwork, you would be in hell!! So first off a good thing to have is a health and hygiene certificate, they're not at all hard to get and can be finished in a few days on the internet. Basically all it is is the program will review safety procedures and hygiene codes, such as which way you should arrange your fridge, or how bacteria grows and things like that, and then after each section you have a quiz; pretty simple and self-explanatory but you must remember that one certificate doesn't last the rest of your life, you do have to update them so remember to keep up with that. The next thing is based on where you live because each city, town, state, or country is going to be different in their regulations. Contact your city department that deals with giving licenses to business and ask to speak for the home-based licenses. Before you get a license someone will come and inspect your kitchen to make sure that it is up to code and safe enough to produce goods for the general public. I can tell you right now that you must have 2 sinks, close to each other because you are not allowed to wash your hands in the same sink that you do washing up or wash foods in. I can also say that if you have an open kitchen that you can't close off with a door and you've got animals running around - their bowls are on countertops, or they spend a lot of the time in the kitchen, you more than likely will not pass because it's not hygienic. If you pass, you'll get a stamp of approval and you can then apply for your license, but be warned, they do show up to check your kitchen just like they do in restaurants, and they also go to farmer's markets to check as well. It may be that you have to go and take a course on food handling to receive a permit. The easiest way to do it is to call your cities offices and find out exactly, don't bother googling because it can lead to so much confusion and as I said it's different everywhere you go.

Well I haven't done a blog in ages, mainly because I've been pretty sick lately...ear infections, bad sore throat, a bad cough and lots of headaches, and when I'm sick...I have no energy or desire to cook. I also haven't done one in a while because I'm thinking no one reads this... is anyone reading this?? Even if you aren't it's nice to talk about cooking and food, it's my true passion in life. Like Julia Child said when asked what she liked to do...'eat!' and I most certainly like to eat :) Over the weekend I decided as we had so many empty ball jars in the cupboard to make same jam. It's pretty cheap to make and you can get so much of it from one batch; great to give away to friends and family. Strawberries were on offer so we got plenty of them, but just plain strawberry jam is boring too me and sometimes way too sweet, so I decided to make it strawberry and rhubarb. If you don't know what rhubarb is you are missing out!!! I've had a long debate over it because I really don't know if it's a fruit or a vegetable or a root or what it is but it's delicious and my favourite thing in the entire world!! I could eat rhubarb forever :) It's very long and it starts off green but then it turns it a very dark red colour when it's ready to use, and it's sweet but also quite tart and I love love love love tart things. yummmmmmmm :) I used about 3 1/2 cups of chopped strawberries, 3 cups chopped rhubarb, 7 cups of sugar, juice of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger and one packet of pectin. Pectin = a thickening agent and is a natural thickening agent found in fruit. The acid from the lemon will react with the pectin and make sure your jam sets properly. (you can find high pectin sugar which means you wouldn't need to use that liquid pectin) So I started off on a low heat, with the everything in a large pot, EXCEPT THE PECTIN, and let that slowly start to simmer and dissolve the sugar. One tip, don't start it off at a high heat thinking it will save time, if you do that your jam won't set properly and the sugar will crystalize. Gradually stirring, and raising the temperature of the pot, let it start to boil and once it starts boiling and the sugar is dissolved, add the pectin, and let it boil for a few minutes stirring a little while. To test if jam is done, put a saucer into the fridge for around 30 minutes, and then after the pectin has been added for a while, take a teaspoon onto the cold plate, let it stand for about a minute and then push your fingernail through it, if the surface wrinkles then it's done. If you don't want to do that, after the pectin has been added, remove from the heat, let it stand for about 30 minutes stirring every so often and then ladle into sterilized jars (to sterilize jars place in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, then turn the oven and let them sit in there until needed, or fill with boiling water). Seal with the lids, and let them cool down completely and store in the fridge until needed :) Delicious!! Make sure you make plenty of jam on toast, try making some lovely english scones, or a traditional english victorian jam sponge :) enjoyyyyy

This is what I think would make the perfect Valentine's Day Home-cooked meal

For an appetizer start off with a dozen fresh oysters on the half shell served with a traditional Mignonette sauce:

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup freshly minced shallots

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black or white pepper.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl, chill covered in the fridge until needed. For a varied sauce, try adding a few dashes of tabasco, or some freshly diced chili pepper for some heat. For a more tropical taste, add some freshly chopped mango, or some freshly chopped cilantro (coriander). It's really up to you and your imagination. Also pair with a cold crisp white wine.

For main course Pappardelle pasta with slow-cooked meat:

1 lb 12 oz braising meat

olive oil

a handful of fresh rosemary and thyme, with the leaves removed from the stems and finely chopped

1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 wineglasses of red wine, such as shiraz or chianti

2 x 14 oz tins of plum tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

14 oz (400g) fresh or dried pappardelle pasta, if you would rather try it with linguini or penne, but something big and hearty, not like a thin spaghetti

3 1/2 oz butter

freshly grated parmesan

1) In a large casserole type dish, fry your meat in a little bit of olive oil, until golden brown and then add the herbs , onions, garlic, carrot, and celery. Turn down the heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables become soft. Add the red wine and simmer until nearly all the liquid is gone. 2) Add the tomatoes, and just enough water to cover the meat but 1/2 an inch. Cover the pan with a piece of greaseproof paper that has been run under the tap and then rubbed with a little olive oil, then place the lid on. Cook slowly on a very low heat for 2-3 hours, depending on the tenderness and type of meat used. It's ready when the meat literally slides from the bone with a fork. Season carefully to taste . Pull the meat apart with 2 forks, discarding the bones or any skin. Put the pot back on to low heat. 3) Cook your pasta according to the packet in boiling salted water (to make your pasta not stick together while cooking add a little splash of olive oil to the pan) drain, reserving some of the water, remove meat from heat, stir in butter and some parmesan with a little of the cooking water just to loosen everything. Toss with pasta and serve with a nice glass of red wine, some crusty bread, or a simple side salad and extra parmesan.

For dessert try something chocolatey like homemade truffles and a glass of cold rosé cava:

to make the ganache:

1 quart of heavy cream

3 pounds of bittersweet chocolate, a good quality one (or white chocolate for white ganache)

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

a pinch of salt

Some flavorings:

1 1/2 tablespoons dark

4 teaspoons pure peppermint oil

2 teaspoons instant espresso dissolved in 2 teaspoons of water

1 teaspoon ground caramom

First make the ganache: 1) In a large saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer- little bubbles around the outside of the pan. In a large bowl, combine chocolate with butter and salt. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit until the chocolate and butter have melted, do not stir it, about 5 minutes. Whisk it until smooth and shiny. 2) Divide between 4 bowls, and add the flavorings, or any flavor of your choice, maybe some orange liquor, or amaretto, or lemon zest. 3) Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 - tablespoon size ice cream scoop, drop levels of the ganache onto the baking sheets. Chill in fridge until firm, about 1 hour. 4) Coat the truffles. Spoon coatings of your choice - see list below, into bowls. Moisten, not drench, your hands with ice water, keep a bowl next to you, and roll the ganache into balls, then roll into the coatings.

Toppings: Melt some good white chocolate or milk chocolate, dip the balls into the chocolate using a fork, let the truffle sit and get hard, and then re-dip into the chocolate and while its hardening sprinkle with nuts, or sugar that has lemon zest in it, or crushed toffee. Whatever you can think of. If you just want to roll the toppings in coatings there is crushed toffee, crushed mints, nuts, coconut, cinnamon-sugar, cocoa powder, whatever you can think of.

I am very tired tonight, played lots of wii today with my parents showing them how to do the wii fit and tennis and all that stuff, but it was very fun :) Today I thought I would teach you the differences in flour because sometimes recipes all call for a different type of flour, which can mean you end up with 1/2 a dozen different flours in your pantry!

1) Cake flour = lowest in gluten, suitable for soft textured cakes and cookies

2) All-purpose flour/plain flour = blended wheat flour, acceptable compromise for most household baking needs

3) Buckwheat flour = used in pancake recipes, soba noodles, blinis, and crêpes

4) Cornstarch = refined cornflour, usually used to thicken gravy and sauces

5) Pastry flours = higher gluten content than cake flour, lower than all-purpose, suitable for fine, light-textured pastries

6) Self-raising flour = sold premixed with chemical leavening agents, ratios are: 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt.

Recipe of the day:

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies:

- 2 large eggs

- 1 cup soft unsalted butter

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

- 1 cup chopped hazelnuts

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 2 cups good quality chocolate chips

- 1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder

- 3/4 cups packed brown sugar

- 3/4 cup granulated

- 1/3 cup nutella

- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1) Preheat oven to 350F. 2) In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt 3) In a mixer, or by hand, cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla , lemon zest and nutella. 4) Slowly add the flour until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts. 5) On an un-greased baking sheet, place heaping tablespoons 3 inches apart. Bake for approximately 12 minutes. Let cool on tray for 5-10 minutes, then serve slightly warm so the chocolate is nice runny with a cold glass of milk :) ENJOY!

First off here are some pictures of the banana cake I made today.

And today my tips are going to be just basic cooking tips that I've acquired:

Basil does not like the cold, put it in some water and keep it in the sun. When cooking with mussels, first off only buy them when there is an R in the month, but keep them in a shallow bowl of water with some porridge oats, BUT NO LONGER THAN OVERNIGHT. The porridge acts like plankton and the mussels feed on it expelling all the sand from inside them out. Shellfish stock is not as strong as fish stock so it's best for things such as fish soup. Use lotus leaves to cook in instead of banana leaves. Lobsters need to die instantly, if they are killed slowly they'll release adrenaline throughout their body causing the meat to become tough. When cooking with powdered gelatin, allow it just to sit in the water first so that it resembles wall paper paste before you stir it, and try really hard to get any on the sides of the pan. Mushrooms that are few days old have much more flavour than perfect white mushrooms. Egg amounts for pastries vary on the size of the egg. When making choux pastry, the kind for profiteroles, if the batter is too runny you cannot add more flour to it, you must start again. Yolks of an egg do not last, so never crack into an egg just for white. When cooking recipes that only call for yolks, freeze your egg-whites for later use. When making caramel, just melt the sugar, with no water, until it is a woody brown colour, and avoid stirring so that the sugar doesn't get stuck to the side of the pans - also only stir with a wooden spoon. Do not put salt or pepper into stocks when making them homemade, instead infuse the stock with whole peppercorns. Green bacon = unsmoked. Don't brown meat that has come straight from the fridge all at once, it's best to let it come to room temperature. Extra virgin olive oil doesn't go to high heats, instead use light oil or sunflower oil. Cook with chocolates with a 48% coco percentage and up, in the summer use 50% and in the winter use 70%, but always think about what else you're serving for your dinner, if it's heavy don't use a very high coco. Do not melt chocolate in the microwave, it can cause hotspots. Typically one egg white = 1 fluid oz. When cooking meat, the more you touch it , the firmer it will get, and do not poke meat with forks, all the juices will escaping making it dry. When cooking mussels, they must be closed, if it is slightly open give it a light tap to check if it's alive and it will close up, if not throw it out! IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT! You will get sick from bad mussels. Just ask my sister ;) If you're cooking bread, it should sound hallow when you tap it, then it's done. When you're melting chocolate for things such as mousse, try to avoid stirring the chocolate, it's called tempering, and it will cause a grainy texture with the chocolate. And always bake your pastry blind from frozen. I hope these will help you out!

Recipe of the day :

BANANA CAKE :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking soda (add to pureed bananas)
3 pureed bananas, very ripe

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar (1 lb.)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13" baking pan or two 9" layer cake pans.

2. Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Sift flour several times, then add the salt and baking powder to the flour.

3. To the creamed butter mixture, add the milk and flour (alternating, beginning and ending with flour).

4. Add vanilla and mashed bananas (with the baking soda added to the bananas) to this mixture.

5. Bake layer cakes (9") for 25-30 minutes, oblong (9x13") for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and blend well - if it's too sweet add a pinch of salt. Spread on cooled cake.

If you would rather, you can serve this with a sticky toffee sauce instead of cream cheese frosting which is delicious!!

Yummmmmm. Just had dinner :) Tonight I did home chicken parmigiana with a side of spinach fettucini tossed in cream, olive oil, and some garlic, and a very simple salad :) - deliciousness. Today I'm going to talk about cakes/baking because that really is my passion. My sister got married this past December and I made her wedding cake - my first ever! I've made cakes and cupcakes all the time, but this was my first proper, important cake. This is what it looked like: It was a christmas wedding with a theme of mistletoe. It was a Genoese sponge, with spiced buttercream and dark chocolate rum mousse for the fillings, and it went down a hit!! I had some trouble with the english fondant and gum-paste which is very different from the american stuff but we got there in the end. I've been making a lot of cakes and cupcakes the past year trying to practice different techniques and things and I have learnt a lot.These are my baking tips for you to make sure that your cakes turn at really airy and delicious. If you can it's always better to make your cake batter by hand because then you can work a lot of air into the batter which is key for getting a light spongy cake. Sometimes standing mixers don't get to the bottom of the batter, so it doesn't get enough air into it. Always always always!! I can't stress it enough that your ingredients are EXACTLY the correct amount. With the cooking it doesn't matter, but with baking it is essential that your quantities are exact! It's also important, that your butter is soft, not so its runny, but so it is easy to cream and not rock hard so it get it out a few hours before you start cooking and let it get to room temperature - the same with eggs as well. If your ingredients are room temperature, your cake will be better. Speaking of ingredients, always go for top quality ingredients, especially if your cake is for someone else or for a special occasion, always use a very good quality vanilla, free-range organic eggs, organic unsalted butter, a good flour, and if you're adding things such as chocolate, which you should always use with a coco percentage of 48% or higher, but other things such as lemon zest or whatever, always make sure that it's good quality. Here are some baking tips for the summer : if the temperature is above 20 degrees celsius, DO NOT MAKE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM. stick to just basic buttercream. make cakes bake quicker by using 2 tins instead of 1 because sometimes the top can cook a lot faster than the middle. avoid using fresh cream as a topping, and try fresh fruits instead of fondant decorations. And here are basic rules for baking : it's very important that you do not over-mix your cake batter or it will turn out tough-just until its all incorporated, or over-bake it. alwayssss read the recipe before you start cooking, all they way through just incase there is an ingredient not mentioned in the list or a step you may not know how to do, it's also nice to have a good idea of what you're going to need to do before you begin. Always make sure you use metal cups for dry ingredients and glass for liquids. Preheat the over about 10 minutes before you're going to need it ready. Use metal nonstick pans, ones made from glass are better suited for pies. Never remove your cake from the tin as soon as you take it out of the oven, it needs to rest a while just like meat does. Leave it for about 10 minutes in the tin and then remove it letting it sit on a wire rack. Always wash any fruits you may be using, and ling or grease your tin so that the cake doesn't stick! Never ever fill a cake tin more than 1/2 full or you cake will rise and not be flat, it will be like a dome. Place the tin in the centre of the oven so it can bake evenly, and for my last one, never open the door to the oven until 1/2 - 3/4 of the cooking time is over or you just release all the hot air and your oven will have to heat up again taking your cake longer to cook. I hope these tips can help you and bring success to your baking!! :) Here are some pictures of things I've baked:

Hi there!

Today's blog will just be my introduction: First off hi :) I'm Emily and I'm 19 years old and from England. I went to Culinary School and have always had a passion for cooking. I've never done one of these before so I'm not expecting much from it. Basically all I want to do is share my kitchen experiences, my tips and tricks that I've acquired, and leave you tasty recipes to hopefully cook and enjoy!! I've always had a love for cooking, most people say they got it from their mum or their grandma, helping out in the kitchen, but I don't ever remember doing that. I just remember falling in love with everything about it and I hope I can help, even if it's just one person! :)