Ham Sandwich Indicted!

OK, so they don't look like your typical street vendor/concession stand pretzels, but I can confirm they taste about eight million times better... This is the year of the pretzel for me. My goal is to achieve pretzel perfection for the day that I decide to open a German beer garden. This weekend was the first step on that path, in that it was the first time I tried making pretzels from scratch (I've already mastered the beer drinking part). While not the most attractive things, they did turn out pretty tasty. I followed a recipe from the Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes , by the head baker at King Arthur Flour....My guess is, they're probably a pretty reliable source when it comes to baked goods. This book is no slouch when it comes to baking--it offers an extensive section on the foundations of baking--ingredients, shaping, etc, then provides recipes in metric and standard measures, as well as commercial production and home baker production (need to

Damn. It's been almost a month since my last post...I blame the plague/flu/walking death that I've been battling on and off for the past few weeks. Fortunately, I'm feeling A-OK now, and am getting a post (albeit a short one) up. In honor of two of my favorite loves--food and art--I'm showing off my new newest acquisition this Valentine's Day: a limited edition screenprint by graphic designer Justin Perricone , of the complete ingredient list of a ham and cheese Hot Pocket. It's now hanging--professionally framed(!)--over my kitchen sick, where I can contemplate the awesomeness of "dipotassium phosphate," "ham ground and formed," and "natural flavor" while I do my dishes. And because you can't mention Hot Pockets without it, here's Jim Gaffigan's take on the microwave foodstuff that everyone loves to hate. Happy V-Day, all! Jim Gaffigan - Beyond the Pale - Hot Pockets @ Yahoo! Video