Cookbookmaniac
  • Indian-style Salmon Curry with Tomato & Lime – Bill Granger
    Indian-style Salmon Curry with Tomato & Lime – Bill Granger
    Asian Recipes

    Buying herbs. I am a wannabe frugal foodie. It frustrates me when I approach the herb section of the greengrocer to find that bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil and parsley are packed in amounts that will never see full use in my kitchen. Fresh bay leaves are often sold in quantities of 20 but a recipe will only specify the use of two or three. I often only use parsley as a garnish for most of my dishes, but it is only sold in bunches. I am fraught with worry as to how I can best utilise these herbs before they deteriorate past being edible. I have dreamed of having my own potted garden, perhaps a very cute one that hangs outside my kitchen window. It would excite my poor little heart to simply open a window and pick off the necessary leaves. It would not only be a…

  • Madeleines – Marcel Proust and his heavenly cookies
    Baking Recipes

    Marcel Proust unintentionally immortalized madeleines in his novel Remembrance of Things Past. He vividly describes the moment in which he dips these sweet scalloped-shaped cakes into his tea and how it magically brought back warm memories of his childhood. She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called petites madeleines, which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim's shell. And soon, mechanically, weary after a dull day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place…at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters…

  • Homemade Pop Tarts – AMAZING!!
    American Recipes

    Pop Tarts were my preferred choice of breakfast back in the days of high school. My mother was always concerned that I was not getting a healthy breakfast, but I was never an early riser and these were ready in a matter of minutes before I rushed out the door. After ten years, I no longer eat pop tarts, but I still rush out the door to head to work. Old habits die-hard. I was looking to make a sweet pastry pie, so I bought Bubby's Homemade Pies. (I will use any excuse to buy a beautiful cookbook). Sweet pastry pies are not very widespread in Australia like they are in the US. The only ones I find easily available are from Sara Lee in the frozen food section at the supermarket. Movies & TV Shows like Fried Green Tomatoes, Waitress and Pushing Daisies, have propelled my craving for this…