Hello, guys!

    It still has not hit me that I moved to Italy. I mean, the fact we have to turn on the heater for hot water and that my Spotify commercials have all turned into Italian means something, but of what I'm not sure. I'm living with an awesome German roommate who hooked me up with all the essentials. Also, she speaks Italian so she made ​​sure I did not make a fool of myself this first week. The town I live in, Bra, is cozy and tucked into a mountainous scene. Pictures of Bra soon to come. 

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    Soooo, although my school looks a bit like a castle, sadly it is not one. Thank God there is a real castle just over the gate (I guess I should get a picture of that, too).

    For those of you who do not know, I am earning my Masters in Food Communication from a university created by  Slow Food . If you do not know what SF is, you should probably look at your life and look at your choices. Jokes. Maybe. Anyway, the courses thus far have been intriguing and a breath of fresh air from the typical American university experience. 

     I have not had the chance to purchase all of my baking jawns yet, so in the mean time I had to compromise and make my roommate french toast. She was all about, even though it's not one of my fave breakie items. I have to say, though, that these lil toasts came out with a nice custard consistency in the middle. Nailed it. 

     To make this, start with the custard-like base. Combine the milk with the egg until light and frothy. Add the sugar and spices and mix well. Prick each piece of bread with a fork and then allow them to sit in the mixture for 1-2 on both sides. Place 1 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat and cook the bread. Before you flip, sprinkle each piece with a little sugar and place the second tbsp of butter in the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes in total on both sides; you just want the inside to set. Serve with maple syrup, unless your'e in Italy, then just dream about it.

Recipe

4 thick slices of white bread

1 egg

3/4 c rice milk (or whatever you have on hand)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

2 tbsp butter

a pinch of sugar for sprinkling

    Laissez les bons temps rouler!

    Happy Fat Tuesday, friends! I wish I could say that this day of celebration is an opulent detour from my normal diet, but to lie is to sin. I kind of feel bad about it, but not really. The French themselves love to moderately indulge in food day to day. Throw in a lil Cajun fierceness and you have a holiday that justifies at least a few of the seven deadly sins. I think I'm also stuck on the sin express because, of course, Mardi Gras is the last day before the Lenten season begins. Time to eat all the glorious nomnomz before you give them up. For this reason, and the day's namesake, I thought it would be fitting to make up some beignets.

Mardi Gras Beignets

I love working with dough. It somehow makes the idea of eating a doughnut that much less tragic. To make this dough, start by adding the sugar and the yeast to the warm (110-120F) water that has been placed in a large bowl. Let stand for ten minutes. Add the milk, melted butter, and egg to the equation. I added vanilla paste. Livin my life. 

Add half the flour and the salt and mix until combined. Add the rest of the flour and form the dough into a loose ball. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead for 2-4 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a wet towel, and allow the dough to proof for 1-2 hours in a warm place. I wrap my dough in a blanket because I'm shooting for mom of the year.

After the dough has proofed, turn it out and roll it into a flat log. Cut squares out of the log and set aside. Heat vegetable oil to 350F and fry those suckers up for 2-4 minutes, or until golden. Place the lil bricks of joy on a paper towel to drain and sift powdered sugar on shortly after. Enjoy with some chicory coffee or beads. No foul, no judgement. 

SPEAKING OF DOUGHNUTS...I  went to Portland this weekend and got some wicked good doughnuts from the Holy Donut and am not sure how I'm alive now. My sister and I shared a maple glazed doughnut and we also bought a dark chocolate sea salt doughnut...but we left it at the place we got brunch. Lost dreams. 

Recipe
Adapted from "Jo Cooks..."
350F 2-4 minutes
1/2 envelope yeast
1/4 c sugar
3/4 c warm water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 egg
1/2 milk
3 1/2 c flour
powdered sugar for sprinkling 
oil for frying