A Year Ago…

A Year Ago…

Hey, friendly followers who stick with me through thick and thin!  Guess what today is?  It’s officially 1 year since I posted my very first recipe.  Can you believe that?!  One year!  And look how far we’ve all come!  I’ve got followers, a twitter account, exciting new recipes, collaborations, and friends in foreign countries.  This blog thing has turned out to be one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made.  And even though I’m still not posting regularly (this time thanks to my garden and backyard: photos on Instagram tomorrow if you want to see them!) I’m getting better and you are all so supportive I feel like it’s all okay.  That everything is okay.

So thank you to the people who have supported me, pushed me, and helped me get from point A to here in the last year.  In other words – thank you to all of you!  In honor of this auspicious anniversary here is a reblog of my very first recipe: Wildberry Crepes!


What seems like an eternity ago my husband and I went to Paris.  This was easily one of the best experiences of my life and I brought back a serious love for french pastries.  I set out determined to master every single one I had eaten.  The easiest to master was the crepe.  My high school french teacher taught me how to make his secret recipe, weaseled out of the corner crepe stand proprietor while he was living in France.  I already had a lot of experience making them before my trip but I was able to perfect it after watching the way the locals made them.  So when I accidentally made a crepe in Breath of the Wild I was so excited!  Link could make crepes!  It felt so cool to make something in the game that I love making in real life.  This made the decision of which recipe to create first simple.  It had to be the crepes that had brought me so much joy.

Hylian Wildberry Crepes:Difficult and Time for this recipe

The equipment for this recipe is pretty straight forward: a bowl for the batter, a whisk, measuring materials, a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy, and a frying pan or crepe pan.  I make crepes so often it was worth every penny to buy a really amazing crepe pan.  I use Le Creuset.  I love their cast iron quality and the spatula and rateau (spreading) tools are perfect.

Layout of crepe ingredients

Crepes start with some forethought because they are best if there’s very little air in the batter.  They make a smoother surface with no pockets or holes for the delicious insides to ooze out of.  Eggs, milk, flour, and butter are whisked together until there are no lumps.  This may take a minute or so.  The flour can get really finicky when added to the egg mixture.

Plastic wrap placed on batter

In order to get rid of all that pesky air a piece of plastic wrap is pressed down onto the surface of the batter, the bowl is given a few gentle shakes, and the entire thing is put in the refrigerator to rest for at least an hour.  Since I usually make crepes for breakfast I make the batter the night before, that way they are fresh and ready for the morning.

Gently cutting in any butter that may have come out of solution is key!  You didn’t let it sit for an hour just to ruin it now!  Pans should be heated on medium low and butter should be added to the entire surface.  Don’t skimp out on me now, we are making crepes not a salad!  Add the first half cup of batter, spreading it by tilting a frying pan or using the rateau with a crepe pan.  First crepes are a sacrifice to the Goddess: it’s meant to be made made and then promptly thrown away.  If your sacrifice has been accepted you won’t need to butter your pan again.

How to pour and spread the crepe

Every crepe is an adventure.  The amount of batter you add and your attention to spreading will produce different sizes and different shapes.  The challenge is to get each one perfect.  It’s definitely a super gut check challenge.  Easier with pratice, the right elixers, and the right gear.

Cut and cored strawberries

Only the best berries should be used, which usually means purchasing in-season.  These wildberry crepes feature strawberries, the current berry-of-the-month.  My favorite, however, are raspberries!  Use whatever feels right.  Wildberry is vague, allowing for some fantastic judgement calls.  To make them a little syrupy dip the cut side of the berry into sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes.

You can pipe or dollop the whipped cream.  Honestly, after the pretty photo shoot was over, my husband and I stood over the crepe pan spooning on the cream and berries faster than I could make them.

Crepe with whipped cream and strawberries

Link’s Wildberry Crepe recipe:

    • Fresh Milk
    • Bird Egg
    • Tabantha Wheat
    • Cane Sugar
    • Wildberry

Hylian Wildberry Crepes

  • Servings: 6-8 crepes
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Crepes with berries and whipped cream from Breath of the Wild

Crepes

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk, any percentage will do
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour, sifted
  • 3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

  • 24-32 small strawberries, 3-4 per crepe
  • 1 cup whipping creme or heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar plus a few pinches for dusting berries

Directions

  1. Whisk together eggs and milk until smooth.  Slowly add sifted flour and salt and whisk until combined.  Add butter and continue whisking until the batter is smooth with no flour lumps.
  2. Gently press a piece of plastic wrap down into the bowl to rest on top of the batter and cover it entirely.  Refrigerate and allow to rest for at least one hour.
  3. While the batter is refrigerating prepare the berries and whipped cream.
  4. Cut strawberries in half and lightly cover the cut side in sugar.  Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to produce a little syrupy goodness.
  5. Whipping cream can be made three ways: a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, a blender, or a bowl and hand mixer with a whisk attachment.  For any of these options add the whipping cream to the blender or bowl and whisk on high.  Slowly add the sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form and the cream becomes shiny.
  6. When the batter is ready gently peel back the plastic wrap.  It is perfectly normal for some batter to stick to the wrap.  In fact, if it doesn’t, you may not have pressed the plastic down enough.  Some butter may have separated at this point. Using a knife or spoon gently cut and turn the batter until uniform.
  7. Heat pan on medium low until hot.  Add butter to cover the surface of the pan.  Add 1/2 cup batter to the pan and twist or spread using a rateau until the batter covers the bottom of the pan.  Allow to sit for about 1 minute until the bottom sets up.  Flip the crepe and cook about 1 minute more until lightly browned. Throw this first crepe away.  It usually has too much butter to taste really good.
  8. Continue adding 1/2 – 2/3 cup batter at a time to the pan without re-greasing the pan and follow step 7 for cooking instructions.
  9. Remove from pan and immediately pipe or spoon on whipped cream and strawberries.  Crepes are best enjoyed hot but are still delicious cold.  They do not store well so make and enjoy all your crepes that day!

Wildberry Crepes

Wildberry Crepes

What seems like an eternity ago my husband and I went to Paris.  This was easily one of the best experiences of my life and I brought back a serious love for french pastries.  I set out determined to master every single one I had eaten.  The easiest to master was the crepe.  My high school french teacher taught me how to make his secret recipe, weaseled out of the corner crepe stand proprietor while he was living in France.  I already had a lot of experience making them before my trip but I was able to perfect it after watching the way the locals made them.  So when I accidentally made a crepe in Breath of the Wild I was so excited!  Link could make crepes!  It felt so cool to make something in the game that I love making in real life.  This made the decision of which recipe to create first simple.  It had to be the crepes that had brought me so much joy.

Hylian Wildberry Crepes:Difficult and Time for this recipe

The equipment for this recipe is pretty straight forward: a bowl for the batter, a whisk, measuring materials, a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy, and a frying pan or crepe pan.  I make crepes so often it was worth every penny to buy a really amazing crepe pan.  I use Le Creuset.  I love their cast iron quality and the spatula and rateau (spreading) tools are perfect.

Layout of crepe ingredients

Crepes start with some forethought because they are best if there’s very little air in the batter.  They make a smoother surface with no pockets or holes for the delicious insides to ooze out of.  Eggs, milk, flour, and butter are whisked together until there are no lumps.  This may take a minute or so.  The flour can get really finicky when added to the egg mixture.

Plastic wrap placed on batter

In order to get rid of all that pesky air a piece of plastic wrap is pressed down onto the surface of the batter, the bowl is given a few gentle shakes, and the entire thing is put in the refrigerator to rest for at least an hour.  Since I usually make crepes for breakfast I make the batter the night before, that way they are fresh and ready for the morning.

Gently cutting in any butter that may have come out of solution is key!  You didn’t let it sit for an hour just to ruin it now!  Pans should be heated on medium low and butter should be added to the entire surface.  Don’t skimp out on me now, we are making crepes not a salad!  Add the first half cup of batter, spreading it by tilting a frying pan or using the rateau with a crepe pan.  First crepes are a sacrifice to the Goddess: it’s meant to be made made and then promptly thrown away.  If your sacrifice has been accepted you won’t need to butter your pan again.

How to pour and spread the crepe

Every crepe is an adventure.  The amount of batter you add and your attention to spreading will produce different sizes and different shapes.  The challenge is to get each one perfect.  It’s definitely a super gut check challenge.  Easier with pratice, the right elixers, and the right gear.

Cut and cored strawberries

Only the best berries should be used, which usually means purchasing in-season.  These wildberry crepes feature strawberries, the current berry-of-the-month.  My favorite, however, are raspberries!  Use whatever feels right.  Wildberry is vague, allowing for some fantastic judgement calls.  To make them a little syrupy dip the cut side of the berry into sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes.

You can pipe or dollop the whipped cream.  Honestly, after the pretty photo shoot was over, my husband and I stood over the crepe pan spooning on the cream and berries faster than I could make them.

Crepe with whipped cream and strawberries

Link’s Wildberry Crepe recipe:

    • Fresh Milk
    • Bird Egg
    • Tabantha Wheat
    • Cane Sugar
    • Wildberry

Hylian Wildberry Crepes

  • Servings: 6-8 crepes
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Crepes with berries and whipped cream from Breath of the Wild

Crepes

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup milk, any percentage will do
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour, sifted
  • 3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

  • 24-32 small strawberries, 3-4 per crepe
  • 1 cup whipping creme or heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar plus a few pinches for dusting berries

Directions

  1. Whisk together eggs and milk until smooth.  Slowly add sifted flour and salt and whisk until combined.  Add butter and continue whisking until the batter is smooth with no flour lumps.
  2. Gently press a piece of plastic wrap down into the bowl to rest on top of the batter and cover it entirely.  Refrigerate and allow to rest for at least one hour.
  3. While the batter is refrigerating prepare the berries and whipped cream.
  4. Cut strawberries in half and lightly cover the cut side in sugar.  Allow to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to produce a little syrupy goodness.
  5. Whipping cream can be made three ways: a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, a blender, or a bowl and hand mixer with a whisk attachment.  For any of these options add the whipping cream to the blender or bowl and whisk on high.  Slowly add the sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form and the cream becomes shiny.
  6. When the batter is ready gently peel back the plastic wrap.  It is perfectly normal for some batter to stick to the wrap.  In fact, if it doesn’t, you may not have pressed the plastic down enough.  Some butter may have separated at this point. Using a knife or spoon gently cut and turn the batter until uniform.
  7. Heat pan on medium low until hot.  Add butter to cover the surface of the pan.  Add 1/2 cup batter to the pan and twist or spread using a rateau until the batter covers the bottom of the pan.  Allow to sit for about 1 minute until the bottom sets up.  Flip the crepe and cook about 1 minute more until lightly browned. Throw this first crepe away.  It usually has too much butter to taste really good.
  8. Continue adding 1/2 – 2/3 cup batter at a time to the pan without re-greasing the pan and follow step 7 for cooking instructions.
  9. Remove from pan and immediately pipe or spoon on whipped cream and strawberries.  Crepes are best enjoyed hot but are still delicious cold.  They do not store well so make and enjoy all your crepes that day!

Speedrunning and Distractions From It

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Once upon a time, during the Awesome Games Done Quick January event, my husband told me he watched someone speedrun Arkham City.  First of all, I had no idea what AGDQ was.  But more importantly, I had no idea what speedrunning was.

“What?! Speedrunning?” you say.  “But, Teri Mae, speedrunning has been around forever.  How could you possibly have not heard of it until January?  And not just any January, but January of 2017?!”  And maybe, you say to yourself, she’s just an exaggerator and she knew about it but had never looked into it.  To that I respond no, I had literally never heard of speedrunning until exactly 6 months ago.  How does a serious gamer go this long without knowing about something so integral and awesome as speedrunning, you may wonder?   I’m not really a social media kind of girl.  I wasn’t interested in Twitch and I was pretty limited to my online multi-player gaming.  And by limited I mean sometimes, when my husband has to go do something, I’ll take over his Uncharted or Battlefront match.  But other than that I stuck to what I knew and loved – Legend of Zelda and Mario.

But the idea of speedrunning opened up an entirely new and exciting vista of possibilities to me!  I decided to see how fast I could play my very favorite, Ocarina of Time.  After all, I thought, I am pretty good at Zelda games.  I have every puzzle memorized and had, what I thought at the time, a pretty good algorithm for time management.  So, without knowing anything about what actual speedrunning looks like, I timed myself playing it.  Wanna know what my time was?  8 hours, 29 minutes, 57 seconds.  I thought that was decent.  With only one major mistake while beating Ganondorf I was impressed with myself and I bragged to the only person who really knew what was going on, my little brother.  So he, in true little brother fashion, decided to break my heart and crush my soul.

He sent me a YouTube video of the twitch stream in which DannyB21892 makes his world record-breaking glitchless run.  3 hours something minutes (he has since broken that record so I’m unsure of the exact minutes).  I was stunned when I saw the time.  And then I started actually watching it.  I had no idea how much effort and thought had gone into figuring out work-arounds, precise paths, and which items to skip and which were necessary.  I learned that I was WAY out of my league.  But it just made me that much more determined to learn speedrunning.  To get into the muck and be the very best.  Like no one ever was.  Despite this new enthusiasm and wanting to dive in headfirst, I hesitated.

While I think it would be the coolest thing ever to beat every single glitchless OoT world record and be a serious contender to DannyB21892’s obvious dominance in that arena, I am nervous about playing my favorite game to the point where it becomes a bit passé.  I still loved taking my time and pausing to hear the music.  But the longer I think about it the more I realize that I don’t exactly enjoy wandering and exploring anymore.  Maybe speedrunning is the next step to leveling up my game.  And I still might do it.  Just not right now…  Because right when I had decided to make that commitment and jump in Breath of the Wild was released.

Now, I still maintain that OoT is my absolute favorite Zelda, but Breath of the Wild is stunning.  I have had WAY more fun playing that game than I originally anticipated.  I’ve always been a pretty thorough person so I explore every single new tower area 100% before I move on to the next one.  And the only quests I leave undone are the ones that require me to go to an unexplored area.  I’ve only been playing for about 210+ hours so I’ve only explored about 60% of the map.  The thing that just keeps blowing me away is that I have 250 korok seeds.  What am I missing that, having explored half the map, I don’t even have half the korok seeds possible?  How does that even work?  When the DLC releases the new mask am I really going to go back and re-explore every area to find them all?  You bet I am.  I even considered using the official guide to find them all but I’m an independent woman who wants to figure things out herself… while using perfectly legitimate add-ons like masks…

But back on topic.  Where were we anyway?  Oh, right!  Breath of the Wild and why I won’t start speedrunning until much later in the year.  Or maybe starting next year.  It’s really hard to find time to do much of anything when all you want to do is bake and play Breath of the Wild.  So will I be starting a speedrunning twitch?  Definitely.  Will it be soon?  Definitely not.  Will I probably start streaming Breath of the Wild and cooking tutorials for this blog?  More than likely.  Is that something people would be interested in?  I sure hope so!  Leave your comments below and let me know what you think.