SPORK
S P R I N G 2016
SPORK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR
Marie Louise James
VISUALS DIRECTOR
Caroline Smith
STAFF
CONTRIBUTORS
ADVISER
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Emma Bezilla
Evelyn Bentch Annie Dobler Leah Hirschman Angela Kim Karina Lieb Grace McGuirk Avery Peterson Hilola Agzamova, Alex Bank, Beth Blizzard, Jake Caddeau, Jordyn Cane, Nathan Drezner, Caleb Eckstein, Elise Gerdes, Jackie Girouard, Nikita Khatri, Annie Kim, Taran Krishnan, Juliet Malkowski, Coco Mi, Isabel Monseau, Alexander De Gogorza Moravcsik, James Patten, Kelly Qiu, Blaine Rinehart, Chris Rosca, Everett Shen, Mason Shor, Allison Spann, Katie Stewart, Rinat Tal, Aaron Wu, Keri Zhang, Patrick Zhang
Letter from the editor As the days get longer and the weather gets better, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay inside and to focus on schoolwork. Spring means soaking up the sun on the front lawn during break, smelling the blooming flowers, and, most importantly, enjoying the exciting foods that the warm weather brings. As we say goodbye to the cold, we welcome spring produce: fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more. With recipes that incorporate spring florals and fresh eggs, the Spork Spring 2016 issue brings you the best of spring. If you’re looking to up your brunch game, we have three new ways to cook eggs, in addition to ways to use edible flowers. If you’re still looking for more, check out our Instagram account @sporkphs for food inspiration and visit our website sporkphs.com for extra recipes and features. Enjoy!
Emma Bezilla
What’s inside
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Egg-cellent recipes
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Emma’s favorite cookies!!!
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Flower power
Kristina Donovan
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I want maca-more!
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Tour-rific times
cover photo: Caroline Smith
Eggs: eat them hard-boiled, fried, sunny-side-up, scrambled, over-easy, soft-boiled. They’re probably the most versatile of all foods, and besides being eaten alone, their uses within other foods are endless. We’ve tested and tried as many varieties as we could and compiled our picks for your eating pleasure.
photo: Aaron Wu
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By Hilola Agzamova and Elise Ger Adapted from Food. Serves 4
About 120 mL zesty reduced-fat I ad dressing (or any homemade dr 4 Portobello mushrooms 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced eighths 2 medium summer squash, sliced eighths 4 eggs 1 teaspoon white vinegar 2 English muffins, toasted Parmesan cheese, grated (optiona Parsley, chopped (optional)
By Beth Blizzard Adapted from AllRecipes Serves 2 ¼ cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter 1 6 ounce can crab 1 6 ounce can salad shrimp ¼ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1 dash nutmeg Salt and pepper, to taste 3 eggs, beaten ¼ cup heavy cream Salt and pepper, to taste 1. Prepare the filling by stirring together Dijon mustard and chicken broth in a saucepan until dissolved. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then add ¼ cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until reduced by half, then stir in crab and shrimp. Keep warm over low heat. 2. Prepare the sauce by warming ¼ cup cream and 1 teaspoon mustard over medium heat. Once hot, whisk in the shredded cheese, then season to taste with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Continue to keep warm over low heat. 3. Whisk eggs, ¼ cup cream, salt, and pepper together until smooth. Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat, and lightly oil with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup of the egg mixture into hot pan, and swirl to make a thin, even layer of egg. Cook until firmed, then flip and cook for a few seconds more to firm the other side.
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1. Coat peppers and squash with d and squash soften and brown; abo 2. Add mushrooms and broil until broil until cooked through. 3. In a large skillet, heat water un ing a spoon, create a circular curr slide it into the water. Repeat for 4. To serve, take 1 toasted English and a poached egg. Sprinkle with fancy, drizzle the plate with a bal
rdes
Italian salressing)
d into
d into
al)
dressing. Place on baking dish. Broil 6” from heat until peppers out 5 minutes. Turn peppers. l they are soft; about 3 minutes. Turn mushrooms and continue to
ntil it reaches a near boil. Add a teaspoon of white vinegar and usrent in the water. Add 1 egg into a separate bowl and then slowly the remaining eggs, making sure to cook each one separately. h muffin and top with a portobello mushroom, peppers squash, parmesan cheese and parsley if desired. If you want to get really lsamic vinegar glaze. By Chris Rosca and Katie Stewart Adapted from Tasty Serves 6 3 slices of bread 3 tablespoons of any kind of shredded cheese 6 slices of bacon, cooked 6 eggs Salt and pepper Green onion (optional) 1. With a jar or cookie cutter, punch two circles out of each slice of bread. Place the circles in muffin tin cups. 2. Wrap a piece of cooked bacon along the edge of each muffin cup—make sure the bacon is just cooked and still warm so it doesn’t break or crumble. 3. Sprinkle ½ tablespoons of cheese into each cup, then top with an uncooked egg. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Bake at 400°F for 15 min (bake slightly longer for firmer yolk). 5. Optional: top with green onion.
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Featured baker:
Rinat Tal by: Jackie Girouard and James Patten visuals: Caroline Smith
A pinch of salt, a dash of nutmeg, a drop of almond extract: a smell of something delicious hang in the air. The warm, familiar aroma wanders out of the kitchen and throughout the house. What could it be? A small child comes racing through the house, eager to find out—grandma must be cooking. These are the memories of Rinat Tal ’16. Inspired by her grandma, Tal began to explore the tastes and wonders of cooking at a young age. “I guess [my passion for cooking] started when my grandparents moved in with my family,” Tal said. “[My grandma cooked] dinner every night, and I wanted to be like her when I was really little.” Since her kindergarten kitchen days, Tal has blossomed into a wonderful chef and baker. She is most known for her iconic pink frosting cookies. For any special event, from a friend’s birthday to a Latin Club bake sale, Tal would showcase her signature dish. “It’s like a sugar cookie but thicker, kind of cake-y with a cream cheese frosting. They’re really good, [but] I don’t know why they’re iconic,” Tal said.
Tal didn’t realize how popular her cookies would be until people started asking her for the recipe. Her friends now know that they are in for a treat whenever they see the smooth and fluffy pink frosting. Cookies are not her only specialty though. “I would like to think of myself as a chef; I bake mostly, but I also do a lot of other stuff,” Tal said. It is not uncommon to find her making pasta or lamb chops. “[Some] of my favorites [chefs are] Ina Garten and Ree Drummond,” Tal admits. “I have a bunch of their cook books at home.” Tal continues to improve her craft, drawing inspiration not only from famous chefs but from apps such as Foodgawker, where she first found the recipe for her cookies, or the Food Network. While she drew inspiration from her grandmother, Tal hopes to find her own touch as a chef, improving and expanding her recipe list. And before you know it, her esteemed pink frosted cookies will rival Chef Dominique Ansel’s legendary cronut.
To try the Big Pink Cookie recipe, visit our website sporkphs.com! 6
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ua vis
ls: Caroline Smit h
As spring approaches, the trees and plants around us start to change. Beautifully colored buds emerge from the grass, leaves turn vibrant shades of green, and dormant plants become vital again. These recipes are sure to get you in the spring mood if you aren’t already. 8
Hibiscus Flower Vinaigrette Salad Adapted from The New York Times Serves 6 to 8 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 garlic clove 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste ½ cup vegetable oil ½ cup olive oil ¾ cup dried hibiscus flowers (We got ours from the Savory Spice Shop.) 18 to 20 ounces spinach leaves, rinsed, drained and thickly sliced 1 pound white or brown button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 6 thinly sliced scallions, white and light green parts only ¾ cup caramelized almonds
1. Two days before serving, prepare vinaigrette. In a blender, combine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With motor at lowest possible speed, add vegetable oil and olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified, about 10 seconds. 2. Add hibiscus flowers and allow to soften in liquid for a couple of minutes, then process until roughly chopped. Pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days to 1 week. 3. In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, mushrooms and scallions. Add vinaigrette to taste (all may not be needed), and toss gently. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.
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Pansy Petal Crepes By Juliet Malkowski Adapted from Laura Ashley Makes 12 crepes 1½ cups milk ½ cup water 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 eggs 1 cup pansy flowers (about 12 flowers) 1/2 cup buckwheat flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1. Place all ingredients except pansy flowers in a blender. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. 2. Let batter come to room temperature before frying. Shake well. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat until a bit of butter melts quickly when added to it. 3. Lift skillet from heat and pour 1/4 cup of the batter in the middle, tilting and swirling the pan to distribute it quickly and evenly. Return to heat. After about 1 minute, sprinkle with pansies. Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the crepe from the sides of the skillet. Flip crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Turn or slide it onto a serving plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
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Rose Sharbat By Nikita Khatri Adapted from My Cooking Diary Serves 2 1 cup sugar ½ plus ¼ cup water 2 cups pink rose petals 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder ½ cup fresh pomegranate juice 1. Heat the sugar and water in a pan until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture appears to be syrupy, set aside. 2. Crush warm water and the rose petals to make a paste. 3. Add cardamom powder and pomegranate juice. Mix well. 4. Leave this mixture about 4 hours or overnight, then strain it through a very fine sieve. 5. Add sugar syrup and lemon or lime juice. Stir well. 6. Pour some syrup in a glass, mix with chilled water and ice, then serve.
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McCaffrey’s
$1.50
fruit, coffee, strawberry (pictured, McCaffrey’s offers a variety of several staple flavors, such as passion t as vibrant, and although the weren’ colors decorated with poppy seed), chocolate, and pistachio. The sweetness. With the lowest in d balance macaron cookie was slightly crumbly, the flavors were subtly . craving n macaro price of the four places we tried, it can certainly satisfy your
Olives
$2.00
makes a relatively small batch of Because they sell so many different varieties of other pastries, Olives a time, though always fresh and at macarons every day. As a result, they only offer one or two flavors of these vibrantly colored texture the carefully prepared. We tried their raspberry macaron (pictured): dual filling of raspberry jam a by ed almond cookies was slightly crunchy, but we were pleasantly surpris and buttercream.
MACARON T 12
House of Cupcakes
$1.95-$2.25
of macaron flavors and sizes: we Coming in second place, House of Cupcakes had the greatest variety io. The pricier confections were tried praline, green apple caramel (pictured), and the classic pistach d crunch and chew. The slightly balance portion cookie the carefully decorated with colorful drizzles, and apple caramel macaron was a fun play runny fillings could have offered greater flavor definition, but their on the taste of spiced apple pie.
Bon Appetit
$2.49
and colors, including lavender honey Bon Appetit presented a great variety of unique flavor combinations pearl dust or sprinkles, the macar(pictured), peppermint mocha, and peanut butter cup. Decorated with . The cookies have an outer crunch ons are bigger in size, serving as more of a dessert than amuse-bouche several different flavors (for example, and chewy, smooth inside, and their fillings are often composed of peanut butter and chocolate ganache). Definitely our favorite.
TASTE TEST reviews and visuals: Marie Louise James
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Ingredients
Homemade Macarons by Kelly Qiu Adapted from Entertaining with Beth Serves 24 3 egg whites (at room temperature) pinch of salt ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar ¼ cup white sugar (50 g) 1 cup almond flour (120 g) 2 cups confectioners sugar (200 g) Choice of ganache, buttercream, or jam Food coloring (optional)
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Directions 1. Preheat oven to 300ͦ F. 2. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add salt, cream of tartar, and white sugar. 3. Beat for an additional 8–10 mins or until they form a peak that stands upright. Add food coloring, if desired. 4. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar, and discard any large pieces of almond. 5. Fold the flour and sugar mixture into the egg whites using between 65–75 turns of your spatula. Stop folding the batter when it can drip off the spatula smoothly but is not runny. 6. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag and pipe out 1 inch rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 7. Tap the pan hard at least 2–3 times to release the air bubbles. This will prevent the tops of your macarons from cracking. 8. Let the piped macarons sit out for 20– 30 mins, or up to an hour. They should be “tacky” to the touch, but not sticky. 9. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow macarons to cool before taking them off the parchment paper. 10. Place half of the cookie shells on their backs, and pipe a small mound of the chosen filling on them. Top the filled shell with the other shell.
Around the World in 8 Days The 2015–2016 school year was a busy year for the globetrotting musicians of Princeton High School: PHS Studio Band went to Portugal and Spain in December; PHS Orchestra to Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, France and the Netherlands in February. Spork had representatives from both trips—violinist Coco Mi ’18, cellist Patrick Zhang ’19, vocalist Allison Spann ’16, and trombonist Caleb Eckstein ’16—catch us up on their culinary adventures with some of their top gourmand moments.
Studio Band: What was the most interesting thing you ate on tour? CE: Cuttlefish. While in the Barcelona market, there was a seafood stand with all types of octopus and fish, and ‘la seppia,’ which I found out was cuttlefish. It wasn’t as chewy as squid, but had a very mellow flavor and paired well with lemon and pesto. What classic local dish would you recommend to visitors? AS: Paella! Most definitely–especially if you like seafood. Every time we had it, it was a little different, but always so fresh and flavorful. CE: But be warned, not all the paella is great in Spain. So I will recommend is ham, a huge staple of the Spanish diet. Even at a gas station, you can find a pretty good ham sandwich for less than two euros.
Did you have any memorable culinary experiences? AS: Studio band took a cooking class together, where we learned to make many traditional Spanish dishes. We made gazpacho, fried calamari and dogfish, Spanish omelettes, Spanish potatoes, and fresh mussels. Bringing those skills home meant so much more than just the food itself, because now I’m reminded of tour every time I cook up a Spanish omelette.
PHS Orchestra: What was your favorite dish on tour? CM: After our concert in the Eglise de la Madeleine church in Paris, we went to a cafe-restaurant called Les Editeurs. We were served beef bourguignon: a stew of tender beef braised in red wine and broth over a bed of boiled vegetables, pearl onions, mushrooms, and bacon. PZ: The fries I ordered in the charming Delft, a canalringed city in the Netherlands, were easily my favorite dish out of the many I tried. They were crisp with just the right amount of salt and, of course, served with a mayonnaise unlike anything we have in the States. Which city did you like the best, from a culinary perspective? CM: I liked Paris the best. Not only was the food itself incredible, but I felt that the ambiance of every venue was really special. From dinner at a restaurant, to breakfast in a hotel, to lunch in Montmartre, every dish hit the spot. What classic local dish would you recommend to visitors? PZ: After dinner in Brussels, we all had a waffle for dessert. Even though I have had countless “Belgian” waffles back at home, eating a true waffle for the first time was a unique experience. Simple, topped with powdered sugar or hot nutella, the Belgian waffle has a denser, candied texture.
graphics: Marie Louise James
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