Author: anj68

Alice uses cast iron pots and wooden utensils and keeps the recipes as close to the traditional recipe as possible. She even utilizes a fire pit located outside her home to test authentic recipes. For more information about Alice the Cook, visit her website at http://www.alicethecook.com In future blogs, I will offer recipes, kitchen hints, and historical cooking lessons.
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Showtime is quickly approaching

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival starts on Saturday, August 18 and runs weekends and Labor Day through September 30.  Alice the Cook and her assistants will be performing at:

11:00am – Spice Blends lecture (learning how to make curry, garam masala, and ras el hanout in your own kitchen)

12:30pm – Cooking demonstration (different every weekend)

2:00pm – History of spices lecture (how they were used and where did they come from)

4:00pm – Cooking demonstration (different every weekend and different from our 12:30pm show)

We are adding a 5:00pm show on seasoning your cast iron pots and wooden utensils after the first weekend.  We have plenty of room for seating and shade to enjoy. 

We hope to see you there!

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Chocolate Chicken

This past year, my assistants and I experimented with a variety of recipes.  During chocolate and romance weekend, we developed a recipe using chocolate.  We researched various recipes using the new world ingredient – chocolate – and this is what we came up- with.  It was a delightful dish with a unique flavor, similar to mole.

Ingredients
1 whole chicken, cut up        
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon anise seed
1 cup almonds or hazelnuts, chopped
1.5 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ancho powder (to taste)
sesame seeds

Preparation
Brown chicken in a medium skillet in hot oil. Remove to a large (13x9x2) cake pan or baking dish. Pour oil from skillet and add the stock. Simmer 5 minutes. Mix cocoa with vegetable oil to form a paste. Add cloves, cinnamon, anise seed, and blend. Stir spice mixture into simmering stock and simmer 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Pour mixture over the chicken parts. Cover and bake in preheated 350-degree oven until chicken is tender (around 1 to 1 1/2 hours).

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Wrap Up

I haven’t blogged lately due to other forces in my life.  But here is a summary of all that has been going on:

  1. Successfully wrapped up a Kickstarter campaign and exceeded the goal by 7%.  The campaign was to generate funds to get a portable wood-fired oven.  The oven has been ordered through Woodland Stoves and Fireplaces and should arrive in the next week or so.  We will be documenting the camp set up including installing the oven in August.
  2. Because the Kickstarter campaign was so successful, I have begun distributing the prizes.  Last night the $5 and $10 pledges were prepared and will be mailed tonight.  This weekend, I will be preparing the $20, $25, and $50 pledge rewards.   I’ve also ordered the hardcover books for the high rewards. 
  3. My house smells so good from all of the spice making I have been doing.  The majority of it was for the Kickstart campaign, but I’ve also been testing new recipes.  Spices blends are not developed in minutes, but in hours.  The last batch of 10 garam masala and 8 curry took my two and a half hours.
  4. This next week, I will be a guest lecturer at the Medieval Minnesota Camp.  There, I will be teaching the history of spices, spice blends, and medicinal uses of spices over the years.  Each lecture is an hour long. 
  5. I have a big event on July 21, but I cannot announce it until after the event.  Once done, I plan on posting photo and information. 
  6. Gearing up for the new season of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN.  This will be my 29th year our there and my 13th year as Alice the Cook.  We have a lot of fun recipes to demonstrate.  Also as a note, I will be briefly changing characters (and costumes) for another show out there – Human Combat Chess.  I have been cast as the black side lead and you can see me perform as someone other than Alice (if you wish). 
  7. In October, I will be teaching Community Education classes for Saint Paul Public Schools.  I will be teaching on October 9 – History of Spices, November 1 – Exploring Spice Blends, and November 15 – Gifts from the Kitchen.  Once the registration information is available, I will post it here. 

As you can see, I’ve been rather busy.  Once the Kickstarter awards go out, I will be able to focus more on this website.  I know for a fact that most of you visit for the recipes.

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Traditional Food Preservation Techniques With A Modern Twist – Part I

Part I: Smoking and Salting Meats

Smoked Pork Shoulder


A well-stocked pantry or larder has always been essential to any kitchen.  It doesn’t matter that the kitchen is in a castle, a manor house, or ship.  A good cook knew how to make food items last over journeys aboard ships or long winters.  Below I have offered a variety of techniques to keep your food longer.  Many of these techniques can be used to create fantastic dishes and wonderful gifts to your loved ones.

Smoking Meats
Smoking meats were another way of preserving them.  Unlike the salting process, smoking adds a tastier element to the meat. As a note, I feel safer eating smoked versus salted meats.  Smoking meats require a lot less time than the salting process, so the rewards come quicker. Basically it comes to hours versus days. Although salting has been around for centuries, I grew up with smoked meats and still enjoy them today.

The process is quite easy; obtain wood chips (found in the same location as the charcoal briquettes) and soak them overnight in water.  Once done, place the soaked wood chips in the bottom of the pot or tray.

Continue reading “Traditional Food Preservation Techniques With A Modern Twist – Part I”

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Kickstarter

Between shows, I have been busily promoting a Kickstarter campaign where I would have a wood fired oven traveling to my shows.  If you want to show your support, please let me know by:

  1. Pledging a dollar amount
  2. Sharing the information with others and encouraging them to make a pledge.

The campaign can be found at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1211437384/wood-fired-oven-for-alice-the-cook.

I will be posting other recipes soon.  If you want to find some sooner, please visit my fan page at:  https://www.facebook.com/alicethecook/notes.