GringoRicans in Fajardo
After several months of thinking and planning, we scheduled a return trip to Casa Anolis for the last two weeks in October. Our plans included bringing down a spare computer along with a laser printer to replace the laptop that we left the last time. Dean continues to connect and automate Casa Anolis, integrating it with our home library of music, movies and programs. We also continue to fine tune our automation plans using the Revolv system including thinks like door monitors, etc.
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened (3 tablespoons)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.
In a large saucepan, combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the sugar dissolves and the vanilla flavors the milk, about 4 minutes. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the salt. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.
Strain the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pack the ice cream into a plastic container.
Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and close with an airtight lid. Freeze the vanilla ice cream until firm, about 4 hours.
from here
Bad pun/reference, I know. My life is full of them and Phil Collins would probably shoot me for that one. But what he wouldn’t shoot me for is the luscious offerings from out D.I.Y. sous-vide cooker. This project, which has been in the works for well over a year has finally come to fruition. As I write four lovely, bacon-wrapped filet mignons, gently massaged with olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and sea salt are luxuriating in a bain maire of 54 degrees Celsius. Not 55 or 53… exactly 54. And in that gently circulating bath of precisely controlled water, good things happen. Very good things, indeed. It’s the magic of sous-vide. Continue reading “Sou, Sou-Vide-eo!”
I thought that I might share some of the other photos that I took around the condo. Here is the living room with some of the new furniture from Ikea. We like the scale and it fits the room perfectly. The TV is a 50″ with a sound bar and a subwoofer and is hooked up to a media laptop, which is perfect for streaming from the internet. We decided that rather than a cable package, internet access was much more important since we have a Slingbox and everything from our rather extensive DirectTV service (plus everything that we record) is available. Also, we have a very extensive movie collection on our server and with internet access it’s all available. Continue reading “This and That”
So we are back in New Jersey. The return week was a whirlwind of catching up but now things are slowing down. Time to reflect on Casa Anolis again.
We didn’t get everything done, but the projects that are left are relatively minor. I still have to install the a/c units in the bedroom. The master bedroom never had one and after thinking about the project, I realized that power tools will have to accompany me on the next trip as there is a plywood blank that has to be cut to take the unit. Fortunately we stocked the apartment in such a way that we need no carry-ons. Clothes, toiletries etc., were left behind so the luggage can be just for the things that we want to go down.
