100th Recipe: Chocolate Stout Cake

Isn’t it funny how things happen sometimes? A couple of weeks ago I simultaneously noticed that I was approaching my 100th recipe on the blog and that I was preparing to yet again make this cake for my roommate’s birthday. This is my go-to chocolate cake recipe, and once you have it in your repertoire, you will never need another chocolate cake recipe ever again. I promise. Anyway, I was flipping through my cookbook and came across the “real” recipe that I had originally torn out of an Elle Canada magazine, and it was like a classic glass-shattering moment in How I Met Your Mother: something clicked. The credit for the recipe was from Smitten Kitchen, one of my all-time favourite food blogs, and certainly one of the most well-known ones, too. But previous to Smitten Kitchen, I don’t think I knew of or cared about any food blogs, and definitely hadn’t ever thought of writing for my own! So somehow, this little recipe and my curiosity as to who could create such a masterpiece of a cake were the beginning of and the inspiration for all of the food blogging I’ve done to date. Um, and yeah, that’s just how freaking good this cake is.

It’s so good that, if you are a devout Three Cheeses reader, you may already be aware of the fact that I’ve blogged about this cake here. I’ve been meaning to make this cake and take “proper” photos of it to give it the justice it deserves. So, thanks to my roommate’s patience for allowing me to spend an extra half hour fussing over photos and lighting and details before letting him dig into his own birthday cake (welcome to the food blogger’s curse), I give you: chocolate stout cake, recipe 100!

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Edited: May 12th, 2011

The Four Cheeses Macaroni

You know, for all this blog’s name is the “Three Cheeses,” I really don’t post enough recipes with three cheeses in them. Considering how much I, and those I cook for, love cheese, this is a bit amazing. What’s even more amazing is that we now live next to a Harris Farm, which means that getting great local / artisan / quality cheeses is incredibly easy. One would argue too easy. So, in a quest to remedy the blog’s lack of cheesiness (har har), I went and invested in a variety of cheeses with this amazing classic in mind. And you even get a bonus cheese!

The result? A beautifully, mouth-wateringly, cheesy dish. And it was so easy to make. I realize that so many other people would have made some sort of Haloumi-in-cheese-fondue gourmet extravaganza (and that may yet still happen!), but seriously, why mess with a good thing? Macaroni & cheese is just about one of the best things in life. The only thing better is cold mac & cheese, but that might just be a throwback to my kitchen raid at summer camp days.

So the next time you need a comfort food pick-me-up, keep this classic in mind!

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Edited: January 30th, 2011

Fried Tofu Bites + How to Press Tofu

You may or may not have noticed, but in recent weeks I’ve been making more of an effort to cook vegetarian. Partly for health, partly to save a bit of money, and partly because I was getting just darn bored with chicken-this, chicken-that, beef-this, blah blah blah. Besides, remembering to defrost your meat ahead of time and cleaning up after cooking with raw meat can be such a chore. Eating vegetarian is fun, too—who wouldn’t love Roasted Walnut Balls or hearty soups or homemade falafel?

Getting the hang of preparing tofu can take a bit of time, but is endlessly rewarding—it’s incredibly versatile and can complement a wide variety of dishes. I’m sure you’ll see it in upcoming stir fries and the like, but this is a great tofu treat if you’re in the mood for something a bit different. These fried tofu bites are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and are just a little bit amazing!

Curious about this tofu pressing business? It helps keep your tofu firm and non-crumbly. Read on to find out more!

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Edited: September 19th, 2010

Beer Stovies

A few weeks ago now, I made a very impulsive purchase—I found two Jamie Oliver cookbooks on sale for $15 each. I had to get them! Ever since, I’ve been trying all sorts of new recipes. I love his emphasis on using fresh, organic, and locally sourced produce and meats, as well as making things from scratch. This recipe is from Cook with Jamie, though I’ve well and truly altered it. Certainly not because I can do better, but because I just like being adventurous now and then!

Jamie Oliver’s version of this recipe first drew me because of its inclusion of celery leaves. I had just bought a giant head of celery that had these beautifully lush leaves—it broke my heart a little bit to think about just tossing them in the bin. Celery has such a delicate flavour that it’s difficult to find recipes that do it justice—its leaves are a bit tangier than the stalks, fortunately, and help to cut through the sticky potato flavour in this dish.

Even though this is just potatoes, this is surprisingly tasty on its own. Serve as a part of a balanced meal, but don’t underestimate how easily these potato morsels get gobbled down!

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Edited: March 19th, 2010