foodhacking

What you are really making is an...

2009-10-01T03:52:00.000-07:00

When you take a fat (oil, nut, egg yolk, avocado etc...) and vigorously agitate it in the prescence of water (actual water, vinegar, lemon juice etc...) you can create something different than the raw ingredients. It becomes bonded together. It is a creamy liquid. And done right, it stays together.

Butter is a product of this. Essentially butter is butter fat beaten so hard it turns inside out and creates a stable suspension of fat and water. Mayo is another. Yummy Hollandaise sauce is another.

The important thing is the balance of the ingredients, and the process. Im not a trained chef. I have made Hollandaise 2 times. Both were just fine. But one thing I make all the time is yet another take on it.

Smoothies... Particularly nut based smoothies.

Almonds
Young Coconuts (water and some flesh)
Flax seeds
Sweeteners
Flavorings
VITA MIX... This is really the key. Our superhigh powered blender is as much an ingredient as the others. Almonds have some fat. Young cocnut water and meat have lots of it, and they are separate. Put these things together in a wickedly powerful agitator (10,000 rpm and 3+ horsepower) and you literally beat the water and fats into submission and force them to hold on to each other for dear life.

Without a great blender, you do get some decent results. In a Great blender, you get awesome results. Not only are thngs smooth, they are emulsified. You are doing the same things as making a salad dressing. You forcing oil (fats) and water to get married.

We also make a nut based mayo that follows the same principle. With cashews, there is a lot of fat, andwe add plain filtered water. Add a little salt, lemon juice, and a piece of garlic, and you have an incredible mayo that stays creamy.

So when you make a salad dressing, think outside your Oil and Vinegar. Use and avocado instead of all the oil. Or use nuts. Or use a flavorful liquid (like fresh lemon, orange or lime juice). Handled properly, and beaten to surrender, you can make great tasting, improvised sauces.

You just have to go medieval...

The problem with RDFP

2009-09-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

RDFP, or Recipe Driven Food Production is an endless trap...

If all you know how to do is cook from a recipe, you have 3 main problems...

How do you know the recipe is good before you spend your time and money on it?
What if you don't have the exact ingredients?
What if you don't like the way it ended up?

All recipes do is get you to follow a path without any clear understanding of why, and what to do if something goes south. Thy make you dependent on buying the next book, magazine or watch the next TV show on Food Network.

Im all for reading, and learning. But Im not going to be dependent on someone else to know what to make for myself and my family. I love to see what new ideas and concepts are out there, but I want to be empowered to innovate and create too.

Lets Try This...

2009-09-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

Someone called me a "Food Hacker" on Sunday. And I had to admit... I liked it!

So I figured I would write articles and share information Ive gathered over years of reading, watching, and making food. I love to make food and share it. It is a creative outlet for me, as well as a way to serve my family and friends.

Ill try my best to put information on here that is relevant, as well as approachable. Let me know how Im doing...