Category: eden cooks?

‘Tis a Far, Far Better Thing I Do

But seriously, the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do is get Joshua to try something he doesn’t already know he likes.

Why is that hard? Because I like to cook weird crap. Ask the French-toast fried oranges Emily and I made. Ask those disgusting egg fries. Ask that chicken cacciatore. Joshua knows enough to be cautious when I say, “I’ll make something cool for supper.”

This time, though, I really am making something cool for supper–a salad I made up and a salad dressing I made up. I don’t have all the right ingredients, but I didn’t have all the right ingredients for the cacciatore, either, and that had minimal consequences at worst. Remember this blog’s motto: “There is no ingredient so crucial that it can’t be substituted for.”

I believe that whole-heartedly. I also believe that, with time, I can convince Joshua that it’s true. If all goes well, I’ll tell you about the salad.

Would you believe…

These are the most recent things I was going to do with my life:

1. Steampunk out those mini-laptops (and whatever other electronics I could) for people.

2. Re-learn the guitar, then learn the banjo, fiddle, and harmonica. Start a bluegrass band.

3. Open a coffee shop in Kirksville called “eden” and pretend like me and the coffee shop were mystically connected. I’d try to be in the same mood as the coffee shop and somehow get the idea across to the patrons that it was part of me.

I really threw myself into these ideas. For about three or four days apiece, I was SO committed that I looked up material costs, made plans, talked to realtors about buildings…you get the picture.

Remember when this was a blog about cooking? That was another idea that didn’t pan out. I’m kind of wondering what my next big thing will be.

Title Track

I promised to hook you up with a way to make cappuccino in your trailer, and here I am to follow through. Of course, you don’t have to live in a trailer to be white trash. Personally, I’m hoping to move up to a houseboat in the near future. The point is, it doesn’t matter whether you live in a low-rent apartment or a penthouse, whether you’re rich or poor, whether you’re not even white. White trash is a state of mind. It’s a way of life, not a race, tax bracket, or location. One of the easiest ways to tell if you’ll find this blog helpful is to ask yourself: Do I want to make something I don’t have all the ingredients or equipment for? Would I rather substitute something in the recipe than buy the thing I need? Am I a cheapskate with expensive tastes? Then this is the place for you.

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WHITE TRASH CAPPUCCINO

What you’ll need:
+ a saucepan/small pot (I suggest using something without Teflon because, if you don’t, you’ll probably scratch it up.)
+ an espresso maker, some freeze-dried espresso, or a coffee maker
+ some coffee
+ some milk
What to Do:

1. If you have an espresso maker, you probably know how to use it. So, get that started. If you’re using freeze-dried espresso, skip this step. If you’re using a coffee maker, get some brewing–I’d say about half a cup for each person you’re serving. If you’re a fancy coffee snob and you’re mad because espresso is only brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans, not by Americana coffee makers, get a life. This is “White Trash Cappuccino,” not “Know-It-All Hipster Cappuccino Made by a Barrista in a Dark Corner Cafe.” You’re probably on the wrong blog anyway.

2. Rant completed. Please continue to the next step.

3. Start out with cold milk (keep in mind that higher fat content=better foam retention) in your saucepan. Put that on high. You can start whisking right away if you want, or you can wait until it’s good and hot.

4. Pour the espresso into a cup, glass, or mason jar–that Salpica jar is my preferred travel mug–until it’s about a third of the way full. If you’re using freeze-dried espresso, drop the ratio recommended on the container into the milk and finish whisking.

5. When the milk’s hot enough and you’ve got enough foam to suit you, add that to the espresso. Add some sweetener if you want, then enjoy. Maybe catch the end of Cops if it’s late or the Farm Report if it’s early.





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I hope you like it. I think I’ll make something with chicken in it next.