Pecan Sticky Buns

Oh ya. You know you want it. I know I want it. Again.

The first thing I say to people about this is "hey GUESS HOW MUCH BUTTER." I often like to start off conversations like this; "Guess how long it took me to get here" or "guess how much money I spent on this." Sometimes I think I was meant to be a game show host.

But come on. GUESS HOW MUCH BUTTER! so much. so much butter.

We had a brunch at my place and this was my contribution. These sparkly wonderful pecan sticky buns. And I'm saying, I haven't been this proud of a creation before. I made a good brioche! Last time I tried to make brioche the thing didn't rise, and I also used a weird pan that had holes in it to bake the rolls, so there was butter dripping all over the damn place. 

But these rolls, they rose. Many times. And the butter caramelized and made a sugary topping. Granted I almost broke my cuisineart because I decided to use it to pound my brioche into submission, and then it started SMOKING, but I got it right!!

Diz-amn. 

Ginger Apricot Scones

During Seafood Chowdown 2012, ginger syrup was made for cocktails and its byproduct (candied ginger) was left in my fridge for a number of weeks. I love me some candied ginger but I couldn't just snack on it. It was a little too sugary and maybe psychologically I couldn't bring myself to grab candies from the fridge. I'm stuck in my old fashioned, room-temperature-candy ways.

So the other morning I ran across a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine for ginger scones and WHAM-BO, magic. I didn't have cherries (which the magazine suggests) so I replaced with some dried apricots.

I like any morning that starts with Amy Goodman. I apologize, Amy, for the bad screen grab. I can't seem to catch you looking pensive, only midway between a sneeze and a snore. You can't help but look dignified though.

So anyway, we were just hanging out watching Democracy Now, with matching mug (no big deal guys)

YUM-BO

Quick post before a longer one...first time taking pictures in a restaurant. I still feel moderately awkward sitting at a restaurant and taking my camera out and catching some shots of my food. It's a social gesture that is strangely loaded in my opinion...but I really just couldn't get over this.

Truffle Butter Chanterelle Omelette with Pancetta at Mitzi's in Toronto with two of my faves...