Recipe Mutiny steals recipes from food blogs and recipe sites. Then we publish them. With credit (Naturally).
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
The Pope Celebrated His 81st Birthday With a Giant Pizza
Ain’t no party like a papal pizza party! Of course, Pope Francis knows this. The popular pontiff celebrated his 81st birthday this weekend and had epic pie made in his honor. It was over a dozen feet long and big enough to make a Ninja Turtle drool.
He was joined by a group of kids who receive services from Dispensario Santa Marta, a Vatican pediatric clinic, and he insisted they “eat all four meters (13 feet),” saying it would make them grow. Now this is the kind of godly advice we can abide by! They also helped him blow out the lone candle, which of course was placed in the pizza.
In Italy, pizza is often baked in the long form, especially when made for special occasions. The rectangular shape makes it easier to serve large groups of people.
This mega-pizza is totally on-brand for the cool pope (move over Jude Law) as his love of tomato pie is well-documented. Pope Francis fed over 1,500 homeless people pizza to celebrate Mother Teresa’s canonization as a saint. That’s the kind of upgrade from proverbial bread that Jesus Himself would have been proud of.
In an interview with Mexican broadcaster Televisa, Pope Francis acknowledged that the only thing that bothered him about being pope was constantly being noticed in public. He said, “The one thing that I would like is to go out, without anyone recognizing me, and go to a pizzeria to eat pizza.” Same, Pope, same.
The official Vatican Cookbook, which was put together by the Pontifical Swiss Guard even includes a pizza recipe in Pope Francis’ honor. It also has an Argentinian twist (it’s made with faina flatbread) since that’s his native country.
There’s no telling where The Pope’s pizza obsession will lead next. We’ll just have to wait until he turns 82 to find out.
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Cocoa Coconut Macaroons
I am so excited to share the recipe for these Cocoa Coconut Macaroons because they are seriously one of my favorite things to come out of my kitchen, ever.
Continue reading "Cocoa Coconut Macaroons" »
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7 Homemade Hot Cocoa Mixes to Give as Gifts
With homemade hot cocoa mix and a simply decorated jar, you’re all set with an easy and delicious gift for friends and family! And, if you’re tempted to skip the jar-decorating and skip the giving (and, let’s be honest, your goal is to just make and drink as much liquid chocolate as you can), then you should check out our How To Make Hot Chocolate From Scratch article—it has delectable recipes better-suited for enjoying at home than for gift-giving.
For giftable cocoa mixes, you’ll want to have a few items on hand:
- Mason jars or tins. These are the gift containers. They can be fancy or plain, and you can dress them up with some ribbon or a gift tag, if you’d like.
- Food processor or blender. For some of the recipes, machine-chopping up something like a bar of chocolate is required and, for others, you may find it nice to give the end product a few pulses in a food processor to make the mix smooth and uniform.
- Cornstarch. Only one of the below recipes calls for cornstarch, but adding a teaspoon or two will help prevent clumping in your mix.
- Mini marshmallows. Add these to any of your jarred mixes if, like us, you believe that a mug of hot cocoa isn’t complete without foamy, melting marshmallows.
Make any of these below recipes, put ‘em in a jar, and you’re ready to give friends and family the gift of cozy, chocolatey sipping.
Living a Sunshine Life
This recipe for The Best DIY Creamy Hot Chocolate Mix uses only powdered sugar, cocoa powder, dry milk, salt, and (optional) chocolate chips. If you include the chocolate chips, a food processor will help you chop them finely enough to dissolve quickly when hot milk or hot water is added to the mix. Get the recipe.
Shaken Together Life
With this recipe for French Vanilla Hot Cocoa Mix, French vanilla coffee creamer does all the heavy lifting to transform the flavor of your hot cocoa. This recipe also includes tips for using baker’s twine, bells, and gift tags to dress up a mason jar as a more festive gift vessel. Get the recipe.
A Mom’s Take
The simple addition of crushed candy canes converts regular hot cocoa mix into this Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix. Smash up the candy canes in a sealed plastic bag and layer with your mix, as the recipe directs, or blend up all the ingredients with your food processor for a smoother mix. Get the recipe.
A Southern Fairytale
For a spiced-but-not-too-spicy flavor, try this recipe for Mexican Hot Cocoa. Cinnamon and cayenne pepper make this mix extra-warming, and this is the recipe that explicitly directs you to use cornstarch (and a food processor) for a super smooth, easy-dissolving mix. The recipe also uses semi-sweet- and white-chocolate chips, as well as brown sugar. Get the recipe.
The Young Austinian
If your giftee might enjoy more spice and heat, you can put in a little extra effort with this recipe for Ancho Chile Hot Cocoa Mix. The recipe recommends infusing the sugar with ancho chile flavor by storing a dried, crushed pepper in a container with the sugar for a week, shaking occasionally. Afterward, you blend all the ingredients except the chile, and add the chile pepper back into the mix to slowly release any residual flavor. Get the recipe.
Cooking a la Mel
This recipe for Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Mix uses regular sugar and vanilla extract for the caramel-making portion, and coconut sugar (or brown sugar) for the final mixing of ingredients. The homemade caramel gets pulverized with the help of a food processor, and then processed once more with all the remaining ingredients. Get the recipe.
A Mother’s Shadow
While this recipe for Instant White Cocoa Mix still contains dark cocoa powder, it achieves its white chocolate color and flavor through the incorporation of white chocolate chips, pieces of a white chocolate bar, vanilla creamer, and white chocolate or vanilla pudding mix. Blend everything together, stick it in a jar, and hand to it a loved one! Get the recipe.
So easy, so tasty, so festive! Keep a few of these gift jars on hand and be prepared for those “Ooooooh, thank you so much for this gift! I…definitely…also…got you something…” moments.
For more tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas and Holiday Entertaining Headquarters.
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A Beginner’s Guide to Fine Dining
You’ve gone and done it. You’ve saved your pennies (read: made available some credit card balance) and made your first reservation at one of those restaurants. You know the kind—white tablecloths, amuse bouches, mother-of-pearl caviar spoons and the like. Your fanatical consumption of all things food media has been leading up to this, your personal gastronomic Mount Everest.
When you called to make your reservation, though, you couldn’t help but notice that your palms began to sweat and you began babbling in a bizarre tongue that can best be described as “attempt to speak with cosmopolitan swagger meets having a stroke.” Subconsciously you must believe that even talking with a member of the restaurant’s staff requires something of an elevated mien, nevermind that the reservationist is likely a 22 year-old college student simultaneously Snapchatting while taking your call. Could it be that you are nervous?
Fear not, your nerves are normal and not at all unfounded. While the whole point of treating oneself to a meal in a fine dining restaurant is pleasure, not knowing entirely what to expect or how to behave can lead to some uneasiness, at least for the hyper-socially-conscious among us. The purpose of this guide is to walk you through certain aspects of the experience so you can relax and enjoy it. You had to call three months in advance for your reservation. You don’t want to spend the three hours actually in the restaurant on edge.
No matter what, remember that the name of the game is hospitality, and the ultimate goal of the staff is not to catch you out as some hopeless rube, but to ensure that you have the best experience possible, whether you are a practiced fine-diner or a first-timer, and whether your budget is modest or enviable. Here are some moments to look out for which might not be obvious how to navigate.
Unburden Yourself
Leave your preconceived notions at the door, along with your coat or cumbersome bag. This is not only for your benefit so you feel uncluttered, but also so the staff can easily get around your table without tripping over the tails of your North Face.
Know thy Cocktail
Kitchen Swagger
You may be asked if you’d like to start with a cocktail or glass of Champagne before any menus are even presented to you. If you have a go-to classic drink such as a martini or Manhattan and (this is important) you are interested in drinking one, then feel free to call for it. But you are not obligated to do so, and simply asking to see a cocktail or wine list at this time is the way to proceed, especially if there’s a chance you might blurt out “Slippery Nipple!” left to your own devices.
New World Food Order
It’s generally best if everyone at the table agrees to the same type of menu, whether it’s three-course, six-course, chef’s tasting menu, etc.. This may or may not be restaurant policy, but it will make for a more graceful experience when everyone is on the same timeline.
Speak up about any food allergies and even aversions you may have. You have every right to your own preferences, but then let the captain suggest accommodations, or consult with the kitchen to create a bespoke menu for you. Tasting menus are not meant to be choose-your-own adventure opportunities for you to mix-and-match.
Putting the “Yay” in Sommelier
The very term “sommelier” can strike fear into the heart of even the most practiced fine dining guests, conjuring images of some sneering French-person trying to upsell you into something as unpronounceable as it is cost-prohibitive. The key to communicating with a member of the wine team is honesty, and an open mind—which goes even further than having an open wallet. Be honest about what you like, what you know (don’t overplay it), and how much you would like to spend. If you are self-conscious about naming a price range in front of a date or client, pointing to an item on the list that is near to your target is perfectly fine. Hear them out for suggestions on pairings, even if it’s something you’ve never heard of.
Inviting Emily Post
No need to hire an etiquette coach and behave as though you are auditioning to be a dining room extra on “Downton Abbey,” but a touch of refinement to your normal restaurant behavior could be welcome. You can revel in the most effortless service by keeping your tabletop—and especially the space between your fork and knife where plates must land —free from cell phones, purses, eye glasses, and your limbs. There is a lot of coordinated effort to both presenting your dishes and clearing your table, so allow the space for these flourishes to happen.
Check Your OCD at the Door
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In modern fine dining, you will be set with new silverware for each course specific to what you ordered, so you need not worry about which of five available spoons to use. However, any settings that are put on the table, including bread plates/knives, glassware, etc., should stay relatively where they are placed. Try to resist your OCD urge to rearrange everything.
Play With Your Food
Don’t take everything extremely seriously. If it seems like something is meant to be eaten with your hands, do it. Certain things are never meant to be eaten with a fork and knife, so if it looks like the restaurant is trying to do something irreverent or playful, they probably are. You are more likely to be targeted as a rube if you’re sawing away with utensils at something that looks suspiciously like an ice cream cone or slider.
Hostage Situation
You will probably have to ask for the check. Excellent restaurants should never rush you out, or even hint that they need your table back by presenting the check automatically. Your captain may ask a leading question such as “is there anything else you need?” but unless you state that you want the check, you will probably be the last guests in the dining room.
The goal of fine dining hospitality is an experience that feels like it happened for you, not to you, so allow for all those gracious moments to happen, and do your part to ensure that they can happen seamlessly. In short, lean into the hospitality, but lean away from the table
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