What? Tomato sauce is not with the sauces?

After reading sauces and stocks last night (JOC pg. 35-59) I was a little overwhelmed by all the choices of stocks and sauces.  I expected a very basic chapter — I was wrong. 
Ironically, before I even read the chapter I decided my first sauce would be a simple tomato sauce.  I’m having friends over for [...]

Creme De Menthe Bars, the Recipe

Definitely one of the better baking experiences I’ve had in recent months (years)! I keep opening up the refridgerator and admiring my smooth chocolate topping and creamy Creme de Menthe middle — just a mere two weeks into the JOC and already I see my patience for baking taking on a new life.
1 cup sugar
1/2 [...]

French Hot Chocolate, the Recipe

For those of you who requested the recipe … from the JOC (pg. 34)
You can keep the chocolate concentrate in the fridge and measure out single portions when you want a cup of hot chocolate.
Chocolate concentrate:
1 cup light or heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
In a medium-size, heavy saucepan, bring [...]

French Hot Chocolate

After diving head first into the coffee, tea and cocoa chapter of the JOC I came to one clear conclusion: I still love Starbucks. But, in keeping with my personal pledge I forged ahead …
Since St. Patty’s Day is a mere five days away I see Irish coffee (pg. 30) in our future and I [...]

The first pages …

Good news! The Foreword and Introduction to the Joy of Cooking – or JOC as I’m now going to refer to it — are not actually intimidating. Quite the contrary, actually. While reading the first few pages of this mammoth book I felt, well, inspired.
The Rombauer/Becker family has passed the responsibility for this book through [...]