Hello from Seattle!

As I mentioned last week, I'm in Seattle for the 2013 International Food Bloggers Conference, and want to apologize in advance if I'm unable to answer questions and respond to comments over the next few days. Feel free to reply to each other until I'm able. Thanks!

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Chia Chocolate Pudding – Sort of a Pet Project

If you’re my age, you can’t hear the word “chia” without thinking of the famous 1980’s commercial, and its “cha cha cha chia” jingle. That did make it a little tougher taking this seed seriously as a legitimate recipe ingredient, but as long as you manage expectations, it proved its worth beyond a gardening option for lazy people.

If you’re looking for a rich and decadent chocolate pudding then keep moving. As nutritious as this “superfood” is supposed to be, you can’t expect the same results substituting bird seeds for eggs, butter, and cream. That said, if you’re craving something sweet, relatively chocolately, and comparatively healthful, then chia seeds may be a good option.

Chia seeds are all the rage right now, and are usually seen in breakfast pudding form. In fact, I learned about them after seeing this on my friend Elizabeth’s blog, Saffron Lane. I’ve never been a big breakfast pudding guy, so I decide to do a dessert for my first attempt. Plus, I needed an excuse to use chocolate covered hemp seeds.

They're incredible easy to work with, and I look forward to doing more experiments. If you have any tips or tricks I should know about, please feel free to pop off. And if you’ve never tried using chia seeds before (the pet plant doesn’t count), I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon instant coffee

1/4 tsp vanilla

a few grains of salt

1 cup milk
chocolate covered hemp seeds, optional

Next Up: Cha Cha Cha Chia

Homemade Sriracha – A Hot Sauce Worth Crowing About!

If I had a dollar for every “I can’t find Sriracha, what can I use instead?” email I’ve received, I could eat at every Thai restaurant in town, twice. I usually say to use whatever hot sauce they can get, but alternatives like Tabasco and Frank’s (I don’t put that sh*t on everything), just aren’t the same. No offense.

So, instead of continuing to help people fit spicy, square pegs in hot, round holes, I figured it was time to show just how easy it is to make your own homemade sriracha. I’ve listed exactly what I added below, but when you get to the end of the process, it’s very easy to adjust with extra salt, sugar, and/or vinegar if need be.

I used about 75% red jalapenos, also sold as “Fresno chilies,” and about 25% red Serrano chilies, so this version is probably a bit spicier than the Huy Fong Foods “rooster sauce,” which you’re probably more familiar. 

I don’t want to sound “cocky,” but the flavor, color, and texture are remarkably close. Now, if I just pronounce it right. It sounds fine in my brain, but something happens in my mouth on the way out.

Anyway, this is a fun project, and a really delicious, must-have hot sauce. I hope you give homemade Sriracha a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 1 1/2 cups Sriracha:

1 1/2 lbs of red jalapenos and red serranos, stems removed

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

3 tbsp light brown sugar

1 tbsp Kosher salt
1/3 cup water

1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar