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FOOD, TRAVEL, RENOVATION & HOME LIFE

Monthly Archive: July 2023

Food / Kristen Cooks

Almond Angel Food Cake

In the summer, I am always looking for recipes that will leverage all of the fruit that is in season. I was never one for baking, but over this past year, I have become obsessed with finding recipes that are not only a little bit of a challenge for me, but taste and look amazing. This recipe for Angel Food Cake was fun to make, goes great with just about any fruit you have in the house and was definitely husband approved!

One of my go to resources in the kitchen is the America’s Test Kitchen website. There are endless recipes, helpful hints and reviews of kitchen gadgets (another one of my obsessions). They have multiple versions of Angel Food Cake, of which this recipe is a bit of a simple spinoff.

Required Tools

  • Food Processor
  • Mixer
  • Angel Food Cake Pan (tube pan)
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Sifter

I used a food processor, as well as a mixer, but a blender and/or hand mixer could be substituted in. A fine mesh sieve can be used in place of the sifter.

There are only 6 core ingredients in this recipe, making it quite manageable.

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Ingredients

  • 1.75 cups of white granulated sugar

  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp cake flour. Do not substitute all purpose flour here (see tips below)

  • 12 large egg whites (see tips below)

  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

  • 1.5 tsp cream of tartar

  • 1.5 tsp Almond Extract (you can substitute Vanilla, if desired)

  • Optional Ingredients

  • Any type of berry, banana, or other fruit, confectioners sugar for dusting, whipped cream or mascarpone to top

Instruction

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Set rack to middle position in oven
  2. Using a food processor or blender, pulse all of the sugar until it is a very fine consistency. Remove 1 cup of the sugar from processor and set aside
  3. Add the salt and flour to the processor and pulse only until combined
  4. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to mixing bowl. Set mixer to medium high and slowly incorporate the 1 cup of sugar that you had set aside. Mix until you have soft peaks. This should take about 5 mins. Feel free to stop and check the mixing attachment to ensure you are not over mixing. Once you have soft peaks, add in the Almond Extract and mix for only the seconds it requires to be completely distributed
  5. Here is where you need some patience. To avoid creating a dense Angel Food Cake, sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture very slowly, using your spatula to fold in the dry ingredients. Slowly work out any pockets of flour, but the name of the game it to not overwork the batter and work slowly getting it combined
  6. Once batter is ready, pour into ungreased Angel Food Cake pan. Use spatula to lightly spready out the batter evenly
  7. Bake for 40-50 mins, beginning to check for a golden brown top at the 40 min mark. The top should feel springy to the touch
  8. Invert cake, in the mold, upside down onto a cooling rack and allow to cool in the mold for 2 hours. Once cooled, carefully run an icing spatula (if you have it) around edge of cake to release cake, with the bottom of pan from main part of pan. If you do not have an icing spatula, a flexible knife will do the trick. Carefully remove the bottom of pan and turn cake over, bottom side up on your platter.
  9. Finish with confectioners sugar and fruit, as desired!

Recipe for Homemade Whipped Cream

Ingredients – 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, 1 Tablespoon confectioners sugar, 1/2 tsp pure almond extract

Instruction – Using stand mixer, hand mixer or a bit of resilience and a hand whisk, add all ingredients into bowl and whisk until peaks are smooth and the consistency looks like you would serve it. If using a stand mixer, be sure to pay attention to ensure you do not over whisk. Whipped Cream can be stored for up to a day in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container

Tips

  • Do not skimp on the Almond Extract. Only use pure
  • When separating the egg whites from the yolks, use a separate bowl and separate each on its’ own, before adding to the rest of the whites. This is to ensure there is NO yolk in the mixture of whites. If some yolk does get into your whites, use a shell half to fish it out and remove
  • If you decide to use Vanilla, rather than Almond Extract, also adjust the recipe for whipped cream to also use
  • Do not substitute in flours other than Cake Flour
  • Be sure to use an Angel Food Cake pan, and not a Bundt Cake pan. It will be too difficult to get the Angel Food Cake to release
  • Enjoy!!

If you like this recipe, you may also like my recipe for amazing Strawberry Muffins as well!

Uncategorized

Travel – Charleston 3 day itinerary

With 3 days on your hands in Charleston, there are so many options for amazing things to do, see and EAT! I am a huge fan of not packing any schedule so tight that there is no relaxation, so will stick with making each day count, but with enough time to slow down and savor the city! So, mainly sticking to the main parts of town.

Where to stay?

I am a huge fan of staying in the Canonborough area of the city. It is a central location with plenty to do and see. There are many quaint restaurants tucked down side streets, as well as the many shops, cafes and restaurants heading both north and south on King St. (main road running north to south through the city). There are 2 hotels that we have had luck with, the Hyatt Place and 583 King St. , which is a Bluegreen Vacations resort, but can be booked via AirBnB most of the time. Provided the link has not expired, here is an example of the hotel listing on the AirBnB site. Both of those hotels offer rooms with kitchenettes, so if you are a fan of coffee and light breakfast before leaving the hotel, it is an option.

Speaking of AirBnB, we have also rented 4 times with them in the Canonborough area with great success. Once with our pup, once with friends and 2 other times just me and the husband. Stay Duvet is also a property management company and great resource, renting well managed apartments in the Charleston area.

Pics of Bluebreen – 583 King

What to Do? – Plan of attack

If you read my Charleston 1 Day Itinerary, you know that I am always a proponent of a city tour, such as this one if you are a first time visitor. If you are visiting during the summer (think..HOT), there are also enclosed bus tours to ensure you are getting some time out of the heat while riding. There is something to be said for getting your bearings, allowing an expert tour guide provide history and interesting facts providing you a better grip on those places and things that you saw that you know you would like to get back to to do more exploring.

I also recommend that for Day 1 of your stay in Charleston, you stick with those recommendations made in the 1 day itinerary linked above. It is aimed at giving my “do not miss” spots, which holds true even with a couple more days on your hands.

With 2 more days, there is the opportunity to tailor your activities to the type of weather you have, as well as specific types of sights you prefer etc. As well, you can fit in MORE of my favorite restaurants mentioned in the 1 day itinerary! I do recommend spending 2 of your days enjoying the core of Charleston, and 1 of your days getting to one of the many places of interest a bit outside of downtown or the northern end of King. If you have a car, you are good to go. If not, most of these recommendations can be reached via organized tour, such as those you can find on Viator. If you are feeling splurgy, there are also options for private or custom tours. Another interesting option is checking out the site called “Tours by Locals“, where you can find local tour guides, many certified, that can be hired directly to help you customize your time/tour.

Outside of the city

For the beach lover – you cannot beat Sullivan’s Island for a few hours of strolling the sand, enjoying the waves and getting yourself a great cocktail and breakfast, lunch or dinner. From downtown Charleston, the ride is about 20 mins over the Ravenal Bridge, providing a view of the Patriots Point Naval Port and Museum. Parking and other detail can be found on the Visitor’s site here.

Lunch or weekend brunch – You cannot miss a meal at The Obstinate Daughter if you make your way to Sullivan’s. Pizza, pasta, small plates and their Raw Bar are the focus of the menu. I have had a little of everything there and nothing disappoints in terms of food, service and atmosphere!

Dinner – The Obstinate Daughter also serves dinner. Another option would be Longboard. I ordered a whole local fish with posole rojo, hominy and corn and it was amazing!

Drinks and Snacks – Poe’s Tavern is the local watering hole and perfectly fits the bill. The front side of the bar is open to the street, so perfect for a beautiful day.

For the history lover – I recommend seeing at least Drayton Hall. Driving up the long drive, you can just imagine the days when the plantation was thriving. The grounds are beautiful, backing up to the Ashley River, with a variety of enchanting trees and plants. The human and botanical history is rich and the tour worth taking of both the grounds and the house. If you want to make a day of touring, just down the road, you can also visit Magnolia Plantation or Middleton Place. Both are within 10 mins drive from Drayton, have historical signifigance and amazing gardens to enjoy.

For the Museum lover (or a rainy day!) – You cannot beat the Charleston Museum for a super hot or a rainy day. Get out of the elements and enjoy America’s first museum! There is something here for everyone, but most importantly, it tells the story of the South Carolina low country. If you buy your ticket, be sure to get the 3 site ticket, which includes the Joseph Manigault House, as well as the Heyward-Washington House, both sites that are worth your time to visit.

Day 3

One of the benefits of having a car, or a bicycle while in Charleston, is the ability to explore the northern part of the city. North of Spring Street, there are so many newer (say within the last 10 years) restaurants, shops and cafes. I absolutely recommend renting a bike and heading north. If you are not into bicycling, hop in the car or work with the local pedicab company or Uber to arrange for rides between stops.

Travel Tip coming at you: If you own bicycles and are traveling most major airlines, you can purchase a bike bag such as this one and travel with your bicycles in standard baggage check. You will want to call ahead to ensure there is space and that the size/type of bag is accepted. We fly Delta and have not had an issue getting our bicycles checked in, so we are ready to hit the ground running when we arrive in Charleston!

If you are not traveling with your bike, you can hit Bilda Bike, to rent for the day. Get on your seat and head north! My husband and I tend to pack in as many amazing meals and coffees as possible when in Charleston. So, full disclosure…this Day 3 is about walking/riding and eating!

Grab yourself a coffee at The Daily to get your day started. Pop into Wynsum Antiques & Interiors to look through the amazing array of art, furniture and antiques. This place is truly amazing, if even just browsing. Head over to Lewis BBQ for lunch. My tip here: If you are in the sandwich game, rather than the full meal, skip the line and head directly to the bar. You can order directly from the bartender and enjoy one of the city’s best brisket or pulled pork sandwiches, along with a nice cold beer!

From Lewis BBQ, you can walk over and check out Butcher and Bee or Edmund’s Oast, for an outdoor seat and a cool refreshing drink or cocktail. Note that both of these restaurants are great suggestions, if you are not wanting BBQ. Wind your way back south and hit Leon’s Fine Poultry and Oyster Shop. Here, you can get anything from Oyster shooters to fried chicken, to an amazing whole roasted fish. Not up for a meal yet, no problem, they have an amazing atmosphere inside and out for just hanging out and chilling with a drink in hand. This is an old service station converted to restaurant and bar. It is unmatched for creative vibe and is lively at all times of the day.

For Dinner

If you have not hit all of the reaturants mentioned in the 1 Day Itinerary, I can recommend a few more located close to the 583 King Street area.

For seafood – Chubby Fish – This restaurant does not take reservations, so plan to be there when they open or close to when they will close. Their seafood is unmatched and the atmosphere is amazing! Go for the whole fish…you will not be disappointed!!

For a menu that will suit everyone – Vern’s – This place came out of nowhere for us. We were visiting Charleston for about the 8th time and this restaurant was mentioned to us by a number of bartenders and others we came across. It was lauded as the new and very well loved place to be. We had to book and…wow..it knocked our socks off! We had the sourdough bread with Allium Butter, bitter lettuce with garlic confit, and chicken with brown butter jus. Just a perfect meal. Yum!

If you have not found what you want, in terms of food, in this post, check out Eater’s list of places not to miss in Charleston here!!

If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to me at any time. I am happy to provide recommendations or help with planning! watchusdostuff.com!

Home & Life

The Poems – The Fourth of July

If you have read any of my former posts about my amazing uncovering of a book of poems that I wrote as a ~8 year old kid, you should understand the hilarity and…well, embarrassing element of me disclosing them. Former posts about Thanksgiving and Dew Drops and Butterflies show a side of my inner child that, quite honestly, is really fun to look back on.

On this holiday weekend, I wanted to share yet another, masterfully written poem. It is entitled, “The Fourth of July”. What makes this poem particularly fun for me to read now, is the contrast in mindset, child to adult, regarding guns.

Don’t get me wrong…I have been to shooting ranges and gun clubs. I have shot many a rifle, handgun and automatic in my 50 years. However, I am not a gun toter. At the fear of disclosing this and having us taken under attack, we are not “gun” people in my house. Note, that I can weild a knife with the best of them! However, apparently, at 8 years old, my schooling taught me well that our 2nd amendment was something to hold dear. Oh my! hahaha!!

Enjoy this summer holiday nugget of excellence!