The Fail Train

Streaming from PRI: Smiley and West website

Download free from iTunes.

My 2nd cheesecake shows a crust of wrinkle where I poked the side experimentally, which despite the very souffle-esque interior, did not fall one whit when cooled or flipped. Again, good technique when prepping, mixing, and folding makes a big difference - Cold eggs and utensils. Absolutely no fat or water when beating eggs. Proper folding technique. Etc. Etc.

This cake really did need some more time baking. The top doesn't have the dark shiny layer that it could, and the inside was more souffle-like and soggy than it should be. Ample time for the interior to firm up and dry out however, makes the texture and flavors come together. I find weighing ingredients much easier than measuring.

8.4 oz milk, room temp

9 oz cream cheese, room temp

60 g unsalted butter (about 4 tbsp), room temp

6 large egg yolks
opt. 1/2 tsp lemon zest, juice or vanilla
60 g cake flour
20 g corn flour

6 large egg whites, chilled; in a large chilled bowl, with chilled beater attachments

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

130 g granulated sugar, or caster sugar

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a tray, the size of a pie plate, filled with 1/2" of hot water on the bottom rack.

Oil and flour a 9" cake pan with 2-3" sides. Place a circle of oiled and floured parchment on the bottom. You can also use a spring form pan with the bottom well insulated with foil to stop leakages.

Heat milk and cream cheese in a double boiler over low-medium heat till thickened to the consistency of cream. Do not let the water boil or even simmer to prevent the milk and eggs from curdling. Just be patient. Low heat may take longer but will cause less grief in the end. Melt in the butter slowly, then turn off heat and whisk in egg yolks. Sift the flours into the batter in several batches, whisking thoroughly each time. Pour the custard into a mixing bowl.

Remove the chilled egg white and implements from the fridge - a cool kitchen helps during this step as well. Immediately begin beating with a mixer on high. After the egg whites foam up, add half the tartar while continuously beating. When the eggs start going pale, tip in the rest of the tartar and start drizzling in the sugar very slowly. Keep non-stop beating till the eggs form stiff peaks. If necessary use a spatula to scrape down the sides. The bubbles must be small and uniform.

Fold egg whites gently into the now cooled custard - good technique is key because the batter likes to hide beneath floating clouds of meringue. I do this step three times in batches. Each "session", I incorporate well, so there are no streaks. Do not mix vigorously or beat together.

When the batter is a uniform color, pour into the cake pan and gently smooth the surface with a spatula.

Place in oven on the rack right above the tray. Bake for around 70 minutes or more - until top is well browned and a toothpick comes out very nearly clean. Remove water tray and turn off heat. Crack the oven with a kitchen spoon and let the cheesecake cool down for at least 10 minutes. When the cake has mostly pulled away from the pan on the sides and is cool enough to handle, remove from oven immediately. Run a knife around the edge, invert to a plate and then a wire rack.

Chill for several hours.

cool and drain

bring to a high boil

add aromatics

poach in boiling water

cool and drain

strain scum till clear

add aromatics

This variation on Hong Kong style spaghetti is a dish I've eaten in many different asian households, where the vegetables tend to be sweated rather than browned or sauteed. Heck, they were probably frozen or came from a can. Diced carrot is a popular addition, like a bolognese, but also crushed black olives, which is what I like to add right before serving. Sometimes, I add in a glug of red wine, or a several pinches of dried oregano or basil, just because. The flavor should be more sweet than your normal spaghetti, and probably a bit ketchupy.

1 medium onion, diced
clove garlic, opt

salt, pepper to taste
opt. wine, spices, olives

4. On the fence about Dany, though her blankness is perhaps expected given her story. And both the Queen and Catelyn are more vulnerable than I expected, though this may also be a red herring, or simply paving their future motivations in a way that makes sense. 

Reading such long serials, one tends to forget after several books the simplicity with which we first see a character. Then again, Martin always gives you a clue when he introduces someone. Wether or not the reader catches it at first or remembers it despite the following intrigue is something best left to hindsight.

I need to go read the book again...