Serendib Kitchen – Page 144 – with Mary Anne Mohanraj

October 21, 2019October 22, 2019

The first batch of roasted curry powder for Kickstarter fulfillment

So, I finally ground the first batch of roasted curry powder, and then did the calculations as to how many batches I’ll need to do for Kickstarter fulfillment. To send out 128 packets of 4 oz. each, it turns out that I need to do 100 batches. Eep.

I can do them roughly 10 batches at a time (that’s the max my big pan will hold), with about an hour each for roasting and grinding (grinding would be faster, but I need to let the grinder rest between cups, so I don’t burn out the mechanism). So 20 hours of roasting & grinding await in the next 10 days. Packing party on 10/30, with shipping starting on Halloween.

I think it’s time for Kevin, Kavya, and Anand to learn how to make Amma’s curry powder…

Also, my hair, sweater, house are going to be PERMEATED with curry powder scent by the end of this 10-day stretch. Good thing it’s such a DELICIOUS scent.

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

Layers of flaky, buttery pastry

I came home from teaching thinking I’d knock out the croissant lamination, no problem. Well, first off, it turned out I hadn’t made my dough square quite large or square enough. So I took the butter square off to try again. More rolling.

Second roll got it square enough, so I put the diamond of butter inside the square, folded over the triangles (like making an envelope), and pinched them sealed. Easy-peasy. Next — flipping it over and rolling it until it measured 10″ x 20″. I have to admit, having looked at the rest of the recipe by this point and seeing just how often it asked for measurements, I caved and went down to the basement to get a ruler. [shakes fist at the French] It took a while, and my shoulder muscles had started to ache, but I did it, finally. 10″ x 20″, achieved.

Next step, fold it over in thirds, like a business letter. No problem. Flip and turn and…roll it out to 10″ x 20″ again? Okay, I can do that. It went a little easier this time, as the dough wasn’t quite as chilled, but I feel like a wimp admitting that I was super-tired by the end of this roll. I think I still have some sort of stupid lingering cold, as I have been weirdly exhausted for much of the last week (weeks?).

I did the roll out, folded it in thirds again, wrapped it and put it back in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes, sat down on the couch to look at the recipe again. Two MORE turns and rolls? Seriously? How many layers of flaky, buttery pastry does one person need?

ALL. I need ALL the layers. But I acknowledged that I had hit the point of tiredness where this was starting to be no longer fun, and there is no point in this kind of nonsense unless you are also having fun, so I paused for the night. Croissant-finishing would have to wait another day. Instead, I took myself to bed with a few episodes of dumb interior design TV and called it a night.

October 20, 2019

Croissantathon

Croissant-making hurdle #1 — Kevin insists that the brewer’s yeast he has on hand will work just fine in bread-making, and that that jar of active dry yeast we have is very old and I shouldn’t risk it. I trust my husband, right? Right. Onwards.

Croissants, next step. So far, so good. Mix eggs, warm water, flour, sugar, yeast. This is totally within my power. I am a baking god.

Croissants, step 3. I let the frozen butter sit for about an hour, so it was no longer hard as a rock, but still cool to the touch. Sliced and into the mixing bowl. Is that enough butter for ya?

Croissants, next step. Mix butter with salt and flour in a stand mixer. Um, I used the dough hook (think maybe the paddle attachment would’ve been better), and ended up having to do a lot of shoving butter down towards the center with a spatula, which I don’t remember ever seeing them do on GBBO; am starting to question my baking god qualifications.

Still, looks all right?

8 inch square of butter mixed with flour. When we say 8 inches, we mean that I held up a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and eyeballed it from there, because I don’t actually keep a ruler in my kitchen because I am not as obsessive as the French, and I am also too lazy to go down to my craft table in the basement and get one. But that looks vaguely right, I think. Into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Ha ha ha! You thought we surely had ENOUGH butter with the pound of butter that we just sliced up. Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you have to melt MORE butter and pour it over the ‘sponge’ as they call it. MOAR BUTTER.

Um. This seems very dry. And crumbly. I’m supposed to have it come together into a dough, and then knead five minutes, adding a little four if it’s too too sticky at that point. It is not too too sticky at that point. It is super-dry at that point, and has still not come together into a dough. Also, my arms are aching from five minutes of kneading because I made the mistake of doing it up on the island instead of the kitchen table, so I don’t have as good an angle as I could have and also, I almost never make bread and am really out of practice with the whole kneading thing.

I gingerly add some warm water (about 1/4 c.), fearing disaster, as this is NOT in the instructions. And that was too much — the dough finally comes together, but now it’s decidedly sticky, sigh. Should’ve been more conservative, tried a T or two instead. GAH.

(No photo of the sticky portion, as my hands were covered in goop. As it was, my phone was getting a little more flour-y than was perhaps wise, but seems to have survived, whew.)

Okay. I think I salvaged it. A few more T of flour, and it came together into a reasonable dough, and it’s now shaped into a 9″ square (and yes, I eyeballed this one too, what kind of obsessive baker do you think I am? (There is a reason I’m more of a cook than a baker. Precision is NOT my thing.)), wrapped, and delivered safely into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Just one problem; in 15 minutes, I’m supposed to be across town at Oak Park Works, teaching publishing and writing for the next 3 hours. So I’m going to go do that, and hope that an extra 3+ hours of chilling doesn’t hurt either the butter or the dough. It’ll be fine, right? And when I get home, experiments in lamination — hopefully my sore arm muscles will have recovered by then.

(This may be the most elaborate thing I’ve ever baked. Are flaky, buttery layers worth it? Hmm….)

October 20, 2019

Croissant-making challenge, and passionfruit marshmallows

In theory, I’ve agreed to join Pooja Makhijani’s croissant-making challenge this weekend. She suggested I plan to laminate my dough on Saturday and shape and bake on Sunday.

That would’ve been wise, I’m sure, but yesterday I actually made two batches of passionfruit marshmallows and one of milk toffee, in preparation for shipping out Feast with Kickstarter goodies (also so I could take some milk toffee to Madhurima’s Diwali party last night, where it was honestly entirely unnecessary because she made a massive amount of delicious food including homemade chai and mango ice creams, and yes, I’ve told Kevin that he should seriously consider an ice cream maker for my Christmas present this year).

Anyway, I am just now about to even look at the recipe Pooja sent me, so this is likely to be a disaster, esp. as I have never even attempted croissants before. But onwards unto the breach, dear friends! Disastrous croissants await.

(I mean, how bad could they be, really? With all that butter….)

#serendib
#blog
#croissantathon

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Bonus: my kitchen smells amazing.

I mostly have masses of computer work to do these days, but the volume of it has slowed down just enough that I can start intercutting it with other things, which is a) less stressful, b) better for my back, and c) fun.

Send twenty zillion organizational e-mails? Interesting and productive, but not especially fun. Roasting twenty zillion bags of spices to make all the Kickstarter curry powder for Feast? I suppose it’s less interesting, in some sense, and I wouldn’t want to do it all the time. But it’s a lovely break from the computer work.

Bonus: now my kitchen smells amazing.

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

Reminder that I’m teaching writing classes locally

Quick reminder that I’m teaching writing classes locally this coming week through Maram at Oak Park Works — it’s rare for me to teach outside of the university, so this is a great opportunity to dip your toe in, if you’ve been thinking of trying some writing. I’m teaching with Alec Nevala-Lee, and we’re offering some intro to fiction / nonfiction classes, along with some writing coaching sessions (2 left).

Class prices are significantly discounted from normal (due to my birthday fund drive on Facebook — thanks, folks!), and we also have scholarships available; just ask if you could use one, please! It’s also a great opportunity to check out this new co-working space!

Instructor Bios:

Mary Anne Mohanraj has published over a dozen books with big presses (HarperCollins, Random House, Penguin) and small presses, and has even indie-published a few books too. She’s run multiple successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo arts campaigns. Learn more at www.maryannemohanraj.com.

Alec Nevala-Lee is a novelist and freelance writer who has sold over a dozen stories to the magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact. His group biography Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction (HarperCollins) was recently named one of the best books of 2018 by the Economist. Three of his suspense novels have been published by Penguin, and he contributes occasionally to the New York Times Book Review.

*****

Sunday 10/20:

9 – 10:30 — INTRO TO FICTION: LANGUAGE & STYLE: Writers of all levels welcome for a workshop focusing on language & style, with a focus on inventiveness, creativity stimulation, and fun (poets also welcome for this one). Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, $30 (limit 12)

11 – 12:30 — INTRO TO FICTION: CHARACTERS, with a focus on exploring various aspects of identity. Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, $30 (limit 12)

1 – 2:30 — INTRO TO FICTION: PLOT & STRUCTURE. Instructor, Alec Nevala-Lee, $30 (limit 12)

3 – 4:30 — PUBLISHING OVERVIEW: INDIE AND TRADITIONAL — a review of the current state of affairs of both traditional and independent publishing, from big presses to small presses to hybrid & self-publishing, including crowdfunded. We’ll look at what your options are for short fiction, essays, and novels, with a discussion of why you might want to choose one approach or another for a given project, and what are some effective steps towards your publishing goals. Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, $30 (limit 25)

25 minute COACHING SESSIONS (4 available)
We can discuss any aspect of writing / publishing that you’d like. I’d love to help talk through areas where you might be stuck, advise on further study (classes, retreats and residencies, MFAs, etc.), discuss publishing options, answer questions about agents, etc. and so on.
Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, $30 each, limit 1

6 – 6:30 — Coaching Session #3

6:30 – 7 — Coaching Session #4

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Monday 10/21:

HOW TO WRITE A COOKBOOK: 6 – 7:30 pm

An overview of the process, from collecting family recipes (and navigating family politics), researching and developing your own recipes, deciding how you plan to share / publish the recipes, reviewing various publication options; snacks will be provided, and Mary Anne will have some of her cookbooks available for purchase.

Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, FREE, but registration required (limit 25)

INTRO TO NONFICTON: 7:30 – 9 pm

We’ll use prompts to explore different types of nonfiction writing, from food to travel to memoir to reported articles, and will celebrate and critique each others’ efforts.

Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, $30 (limit 15)

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HOW TO WRITE A COOKBOOK: Saturday 10/26, 12 – 1:30 p.m.

Instructor: Mary Anne Mohanraj, FREE, but registration required (limit 25)

https://www.eventcombo.com/e/how-to-write-a-cookbook-36299

October 17, 2019

These women.

These women. Cee Gee came over and told me all kinds of things about fundraising that I didn’t know (Carollina, you need to meet her sometime soon re: Maram), and Karen Murphy has agreed to take on Managing Director of the SLF (!!!), and Stephanie Bailey is here right now opening Feast boxes to make sure we have enough books for shipping, after first making me go through my task list and take actual note of what is urgent, as in must-do-right-now-MA, and don’t-you-dare-start-another-project, and Heather is off in Ann Arbor, sending e-mails to the Kickstarter backers to confirm their addresses…

Kel, you were right, what you said at WisCon. I was in desperate need of a tribe. And I’m not saying they all had to be women, or mamas, but so far, the mama tribe has been an amazing enhancement to my life.

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

Many updates for Feast and events!

Feast production & event updates, many! Kickstarter ordering is officially closed! Kickstarter backers (THANK YOU), please do update your shipping addresses if needed, as we’re going to be shipping out SOON.

1) LOS ANGELES: First and most time-sensitive — if you’re going to be in L.A. on Halloween weekend, I’ll be there for World Fantasy, and will be delighted to hand-deliver signed books to you! The convention is at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, so we can meet for a drink in the bar, and I can hand you a book!

Some will be available in the dealer’s room at WFC at the Book Universe table (along with The Stars Change and Perennial), but Kickstarter backers should contact me if they’d like to pick up their copies, so I’ll be sure to set your copies aside. And ditto for anyone reading this who’d like to pre-order a copy; just let me know.

Kickstarter pricing ended last night, so books will be at the World Fantasy sale price of $37.95 (hardcover) and $22.95 (trade paperback, no photos in book). (Normally $40 / $25).

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2) SPRING 2020 LAUNCH: As for the main launch in March, I’ve now paid the thousands of dollars of shipping cost (eep!) for 2000 copies of Feast (Mascot Books edition, not Kickstarter). This is to get it from the book production facility overseas to the warehouse in America. They will literally be coming on a slow boat from China, arriving sometime in mid-January.

I’ll then be paying again to get some copies shipped to me. You’d think I could split the order and send some here and some to the warehouse, for efficiency’s sake, but it’d be an extra $2K or so to do that, just because they’re not set up for that kind of thing. Sigh. Going to try to keep it to a few hundred dollars instead.

Ah well. More unanticipated costs here, there, and everywhere. But on the other hand, Farah just sent me a lovely note about her copy of the book, so that’s at least one happy customer, which bodes well for future sales. Fingers crossed.

(I am learning a LOT in the process; I do still want to do more books with Serendib Press, but big print runs of full-color hardcovers are a major project and serious financial risk, so may not do a lot of those! Ebooks. Ebooks are lovely.)

When it’s time to get books over to me in Chicagoland, we’ll be ordering them in cartons of 14 hardcovers each, and it’ll come via UPS ground — I thought media mail, but this hybrid publisher has stopped using media mail because too many books were damaged in transit. So by mid-February, I think, barring disaster, in good time for launching at FogCon in early March. Look, it’s a schedule! We’re keeping to it. Yay!

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3) EVENTS: Next week, Pem Hessing and I are going to sit down and start working on the launch calendar in earnest. There’ll be some local events before that, though — please note the two FREE cookbook classes coming up in the next week at Oak Park Works:

Monday 10/21, 6-7:30, FREE
Saturday 10/26, 12 – 1:30, FREE

They’re free, but do require registration, link in comments. I’ll have cookbooks and curry powder available for sale there, and some milk toffee and passionfruit marshmallows to taste!

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4) COOKING CLASS: There’s also a fun event coming up soon, a cooking class at SugarBeet, where I’ll be teaching people how to make hoppers: plain, egg, and sweet coconut. I’m going to make some curries (probably one chicken and one eggplant) and sambols (coconut and caramelized onion) in advance, to accompany the hoppers.

Bring a friend or partner; you’ll make yourselves a delicious brunch, accompanied by mango-passionfruit mimosas. Print books not included, but I’ll have some books available for sale (and $10 off!), if you get inspired, and you get to take home some fresh-roasted curry powder too. What a great date!

I’m not sure how many spots are left, so register quick!

Sunday 10/27, 10 – 12, $45.

October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

A Gluten-Free Cookbook Question

Here’s a gluten-free cookbook question. For the little ebook of Vegan Serendib, I basically took a sampling of recipes from Feast. For the little ebook of The Marshmallows of Serendib, I actually did a baker’s dozen of completely new marshmallow recipes — Feast itself only has a basic recipe.

I’m trying to make sure that the new little gluten-free sampler is not just all the same things that are already in Feast (because after all, most of Sri Lankan cooking is actually gluten-free already). It’s a little tricky, planning it so that it’s useful BOTH to people who already own Feast, AND to people who might pick it up on its own.

For the gluten-free version of Feast, I’m sort of inclined to do a combo approach — some new recipes that aren’t in Feast (some of which are a bit more fusion, like the grilled Sri Lankan shrimp that I put in everything, including Caesar salad), but also some classics, so that people have a good baseline for Sri Lankan cuisine generally.

Does that approach make sense to folks?

#blog
#serendib

October 16, 2019October 16, 2019

FINAL REMINDER for Kickstarter pricing!

FINAL REMINDER and YES it’s time to think about holiday gifting already: Kickstarter-discounted pre-orders for A Feast of Serendib and assorted goodies close TODAY at midnight CST. Eep. Time to start roasting lots and lots of curry powder, making marshmallows and milk toffee (need to put Kevin to work cutting)…

My new Sri Lankan cookbook, A Feast of Serendib, launches on March 6, 2020, but we’re doing a long, slow pre-launch of the special Kickstarter edition in the interim. Right now, we still have discounted Kickstarter pricing available for pre-orders, along with Kickstarter goodies — you can pre-order here: http://serendibkitchen.com/a-feast-of-serendib/
If you’d like to support the development of more mostly Sri Lankan recipes, I’d love to have you join the cookbook club — for $2 / month, you’ll get recipes delivered to your inbox (fairly) regularly: https://www.patreon.com/mohanraj
And here’s all the foodie social media:
Serendib Kitchen blog: http://serendibkitchen.com
Serendib Kitchen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serendib_kitchen/
Serendib FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/132029834135500/
Serendib FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/mohanrajserendib/
Thanks for your su