Memphis has to be one of my favorite cities in the country. It's just the way it should be - people are friendly, the live music is phenomenal, and pitmasters are venerated as gods.

I've been there three or four times, most recently in 2000, a trip which, in retrospect, seemed like my own version of the movie "Sideways," as two college friends have a last road trip together before one of them gets married.

Well, kinda. I guess you have to substitute BBQ sauce for wine, and Leslie is a vegetarian anyway (Which made things really fun at Rendezvous) and, well, I don't really know where I fit in. But it was a road trip.

Like I said, I'm not talking about meat, yet.

First, check out hezbollah tofu The premise here, for those of you not familiar with the site, is to create vegan versions of Anthony Bordain's Recipes. Even without the hilarious premise, the site's writing makes it worth visiting.

Second, let me share one recipe.

This recipe was inspired by Perfect Muffins and Bakes, which I found on a sale table at Half Price Books. This was the recipe that leapt out. I changed both the method and the ingredients slightly, but it's well worth it.

ESPRESSO SQUARES

2 Sticks butter, softenend.
1 1/2 Cups AP flour
2 t Baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t unsweetened dutch process cocoa (regular cocoa is okay too, i suppose)
1 C sugar
4 eggs, beaten
3 Tablespoons good strong espresso (instant espresso, via the powder, is fine, but remember, that powder is strong!)

White Chocolate Icing
4 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces
2 oz butter, softenend
3 T whole milk
1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Oven to 350

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 9 baking dish with the butter wrappers you have just liberated.

Sift together the flour, bp, salt and cocoa into a large bowl. Sit aside

Slowly add the sugar to the eggs, whisking constantly. Add the butter, again slowly. Add the espresso water.

Add the sugar/egg mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Spread into the pan, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until center is just set.

While the cake is baking, prepare the icing: Melt the chocolate and the butter and the milk over very low heat, stirring constantly, add the sugar.

(I like to add a drop of orange oil into the mix, up to you)

Allow the cake to cool before frosting.

Dust with cocoa and serve.

Anyway, yum.

So I'll try to post a couple times this weekend. Memphis beckons.

Posted by Jeff at 11:45 pm:: Permalink :: Leave Comment

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