Finally, I'm back! I meant to kick off the new year with a list of resolutions, but first things first: Winner Celebration Party is one year old! Yes, somewhere between a quiet New Year's Day and what my doctor suspects was a short-lived virus, I forgot that on January 1, 2011, I began this pet project. Lo and behold, I'm still going.
WCP arose out of a cliche, pull-my-hair-out moment of frustration, in which I bemoaned the lack of creative outlets in my life. Some people need their daily hour at the gym or their eight hours of sleep. I need to create things, even if pedestrian. I chose food because everyone has to eat, and even I had to admit I no longer have much time to dance, draw, or play music.
Last year brought insights: Simple dishes are good. Being able to feed people is even better. The term foodie should be banished from popular culture, as should intellectualized, romanticized food (I'm a culprit). Finally, taking photos of food is hard.
This year, I plan to write about something besides recipes and to post at least once a week. This seems manageable, at least until the bar exam. I have personal resolutions, too: Get rid of non-essentials, spend less social time on the Internet, and spend more time doing nothing.
Thank you for reading WCP and for bearing with its growing pains. It befuddles me that anyone but my five best friends would read this, but hey, I will not probe the questions of the universe. In return, I promise lots of comfort food, amateur food photos, and my rambling sentences.
Persimmon Galette, a story
I prepared half of Martha Stewart's pie crust recipe. I thinly sliced some ripe Fuyu persimmons and simmered them in a solution of water and sugar, adding sliced ginger and a bit of cinnamon. Once the persimmons were soft, I strained them and set them aside in a bowl. I tossed the fruit with a haphazard combination of white sugar, brown sugar, and agave nectar. I then removed the pie dough from the fridge and rolled it out to about 1/4" thickness. After transferring the dough to a baking sheet, I spread some agave nectar in the center of the dough, leaving one inch bare all around. Finally, I spread the persimmon slices over the agave nectar, folding the edges of the dough over the fruit, forming pleats with my hands. This went into the oven until the crust looked golden brown. Honestly, I can't remember how long. Somewhere between 25 minutes and 45 minutes. My memory is awful, I know. Just use your judgment.
The verdict: This galette tasted amazing. It's simple in form but lacks nothing in flavor and texture. I normally like Fuyu persimmon raw, but I couldn't stop eating this galette. I got the idea of ginger and cinnamon from soojongwah, a Korean persimmon beverage that I drank as a child. The poaching, in my opinion, transforms the subtle flavor of raw persimmon into an indulgent, dessert-worthy thing. I will definitely make this again.
