St. Arnold's New Brewery Ribbon Cutting

Here's a preview teaser to the One Pot Showdown at St. Arnold's on Jan. 31st. Enjoy! We know we will! @windaddict and I were happy to be invited to St. Arnold's ribbon cutting ceremony at their new brewery in Houston.  Along with yummy eats, we got to taste St. Arnold beers to our hearts content.  Here's some pictures of the fun. Photos by John Knox. Outside of the building.  The ribbon is still up.  The crowd is waiting for beer. A huge variety of cheeses were paired with the beers. My favorite beer of the evening - the Christmas beer. It was like Christmas in a pint! That's just to show you how big the tanks were. I'm 5'2" for your reference. That's right, 240 barrels.  Ginormous! Brock at the ribbon cutting. Look at what we have here.  Someone found the blueprints!

Chocolate Kaju Katli: my twist on an Indian Dessert

I had my first piece of kaju katli a few weeks ago when a friend I traded some cookie dough for kaju katli, an Indian dessert.  At first, it looked a little like silver cigars, but I assure you that they are quite delicious.  The kaju katli recipe I'm posting here is a traditional cashew paste flavored with cardamom and rose essence covered in chocolate.  This recipe is adapted from Show Me the Curry.  They make it in a very traditional fashion, and they also have a fun video to go along with the recipe.  The basic recipe is the same, but I've changed up some of the methods.  Makes about 16-24 pieces. Ingredients: 1.5 cups of powdered cashews 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk (instant milk) 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder 2 drops rose essence or 1/2 teaspoon rose water 2 tablespoons warm water 1.5 cups of dark chocolate, chopped, chips, or discs Sprinkles, edible gold glitter, or sanding sugar (available at candy/cake stores, hobby stores, and some grocery stores) Hardware: Double broiler Two metal bowls Spatula Oil (to oil your hands) Forks Parchment or Wax Paper Tips: Powder roasted unsalted cashews in a grinder.  I used a coffee grinder to grind small batches.  If you use a food processor, you'll have cashew paste that just won't work.  Be very careful with the rose essence. It is easy to overpower the candy. Rose essence and rose water can be purchased at Indian Grocery stores.  I've also seen rose water at some H-E-B's and at Whole Foods.   In a large metal bowl over a double broiler, combine the cashew powder, dry milk, and powdered sugar.  Allow the mixture to warm thoroughly and mix around the bowl to warm it.  Warming of the mixture helps the oils of the cashews release which is critical for getting a dough to form.  Once the mixture is warm, add the rose essence and warm water.  Add the warm water slowly, mixing it in with the spatula.  Keep mixing until the mixture starts to come together.  Once a dough starts to form, oil your hand or hands and knead the dough.  I usually knead with my right hand and use the left hand to hold the bowl.  Once the dough has about the consistency of play dough, you can start forming it into the desired shape.  I used a spherical 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to shape my cashew dough.  I packed the spoon tightly with the dough, then I pushed it out gently to not ruin the shape.  It made little dome shapes.  You can try to shape the dough by hand, but it will not typically hold well.  If the mixture cools, it may become crumbly.  Warm over a double broiler to shape.  It makes 16-24 pieces depending on how big you make each piece.  Bigger pieces will yield fewer pieces. In another metal bowl over the double broiler, melt the dark chocolate.  Once completely melted, add the shaped kaju katli pieces.  Gently (very, very gently) use a fork to rotate it around in the chocolate or spoon chocolate over it to coat completely.  Remove from the chocolate using two forks to lift it out.  Carefully place each piece on wax or parchment paper.  Decorate with sprinkles, edible gold glitter or colored sanding sugar.  Sanding sugar and edible silver glitter didn't show up well on the chocolate.  The edible gold glitter stood out from the chocolate the best, but it is really up to your preference.  Allow the chocolate to set, and then serve.  For long term storage, store in the refrigerator covered.  Enjoy! Silver wrapped kaju katli. Don't use a food processor. Use a grinder to powder the cashews. My first batch, with gold sanding sugar sans chocolate. Shaped kaju katli. Dipping into chocolate. Covered in chocolate. On goes the edible gold glitter. Finished chocolate covered kaju katli.

Love is in the air, and Wine should be in your glass.

 Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate with your beloved than with a class with the Wine and Food Foundation?  Cupid and the Kitchen and Heart Health for Wine Lovers are two events that food lovers and wine lovers definitely want to attend.  RSVP quickly as seating is limited.  Happy Early Valentine's Day and may everyone get a good dose of Oxytocin. 



TEAM CUISINE: Cupid in the Kitchen. Food + Wine = Love.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 9, 2010
TIME: 6:00 PM
WHERE: Texas Culinary Academy
11140 Burnet Road, Austin, 78758
Click here <http://www.tca.edu/>  to visit TCA's website
COST: $65 Foundation Members
$75 General Public
RSVP: RSVP Required; Seating limited! Reserve a seat by calling the Foundation office at 512.327.7555 or visiting the WFFT website here <http://www.winefoodfoundation.org/> .

Instructed by Culinary Department Chair Kevin Quinn of the Texas Culinary Academy, TEAM CUISINE offers a hands-on, in-kitchen opportunity to cook in a fun, small group setting. In honor of Valentine’s Day, Chef Quinn will take a few cues from Cupid, helping participants prepare a few recipes that are perfect for this romantic holiday. Chef Quinn will be joined by TCA Wine Instructor Jane Nickles, who will discuss a few featured wines that are guaranteed to get you in the mood for romance. The class will be divided into teams of two, each cooperating to create several recipes from start to finish. Chef Quinn will provide expert instruction and guidance throughout. Upon completion of the dishes, students will enjoy the fruits of their labor. A question and answer session will follow.
*Classes run approximately two hours, but can go longer depending on the menu. This is a hands-on cooking class.


Heart Health for Wine Lovers
WHEN: Thursday, February 11, 2010
TIME: 6:00 PM
WHERE: Twin Liquors Marketplace, Hancock Center, 1000 E. 41^st Street, Austin, Texas 78751
COST: $35 Foundation Members, $45 General Public
RSVP: RSVP Required; Seating limited! Reserve a seat by calling the Foundation office at 512.327.7555 or by visiting the WFFT website at www.winefoodfoundation.org.

February is Heart Month and in honor of your ticker, we are teaming up with the Heart Hospital of Austin and Twin Liquors for a session on how red wine benefits your heart. Cardiologist Dr. Earl Dixon will discuss what has come to be known at the French Paradox – why do some Europeans have lower rates of heart-related disease and illness? – and lead guests through a presentation on the links between good heart health and wine drinking. This event will include wine and a few light hors d'ouevres.

Ignite Austin #1: Oxytocin, U Luv it, I know u do.

January 13th was the first every Ignite Austin.  I was lucky enough to be invited to give my talk to 400 super rad and active Austinites.  From IgniteAustin.org:

Ignite events are talks given in five minutes, 20 slides. What would you say? At Ignite Austin, 16 artists, technologists, thinkers, and personalities will take the stage to answer this challenge. The goal is to spark new conversations and collaborations across cultures and disciplines throughout the city of Austin with fast-paced, bite-sized presentations. It’s a great opportunity to meet smart, interesting people (if we do say so ourselves) and maybe even learn something.

 Though my original submission to Ignite Austin was on Clean Driving and modifications that the City of Austin could make to improve and green their traffic design, I didn't have time to prepare that particular talk.  Instead, I decided to give  my talk on oxytocin, a hormone I have been researching for the last five years.  I currently have one book chapter in the Endocrinology of Social Relationships edited by Gray and Ellison. 
Follows are several photos from the event and my talk in online version.   If you are passionate about something, and you want others to learn about it too, submit a talk for the next Ignite Austin.  It's a blast!  Photos from John Knox, Eugene Hsu, and video from Greg Ackerman.  Thanks to Chris Lamprecht for proofing my talk. 

Video of the talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znExUWZClh4

Ignite Austin started with a Paper Airplane contest.  Winner received a pass to SXSW 2010 Interactive. Photo by John Knox.

And some planes were more agile than others.  This one did a 90 degree turn.  Photo by John Knox

This is John's first attempt at HDR photography.  The subject of the photo?  Trey Ratcliff, a well-known HDR photography guru.  Isn't it ironic? Photo by John Knox

The talk is starting. Photo by John Knox

Aw.... isn't that puppy in the back cute? Photo by Eugene Hsu.

People making paper whales for Lisa Maxwell's talk.  Paper whales rule. Photo by John Knox

Joshua and Whurly are happy.  I'm happy.  Photo by Eugene Hsu.

Getting my oxytocin from @windaddict. Photo by Eugene Hsu.
The talk starts now......the text for each slide is underneath it. I have added extra comments and information that were not in the talk.  You might notice that there are less than 20 slides.  Some slides were repeated.

I have a confession…. I’m an oxytocin junkie, and maybe after the next five minutes, you will be one too.  I said Oxytocin, NOT Oxycontin.  

Now we’re all going to have a little oxytocin. When the next photo shows up, every go aw…… Did you get the warm fuzzies?  If you did, enjoy your oxytocin. If you didn’t, you’re a cold hearted monster. 

During labor, oxytocin causes the uterus to contract and shrink thus aiding the birthing process. Oxytocin is released during breast feeding, and nipple stimulation increase oxytocin release thus facilitating milk let down.

Oxytocin has an amnesic effect, especially in stressful situations.  It suppresses memories of those painful moments; this is most advantageous during childbirth.  In mice that were injected with oxytocin (into the brain), they don't remember bad experiences.  You can shock them all day long, and they don't remember a thing. 

Oxytocin is also critical for social recognition.  For strains of mice that do not have oxytocin receptor sites (called oxytocin knock-outs), they also seem to not recognize each other.  It is as if after my five minutes, you still won’t recognize me. For those of you who have had too many drinks or have been spending the last minute playing with your iphones and blackberries, you might not recognize me for a different reason.

Several studies have shown that warm physical contact, like hugs, can increase oxytocin when going into a stressful situation.  Prior to a stressful event, hugs seemed to increase oxytocin levels as well as decrease cortisol levels. In studies with humans and animals, it has been found that physical contact can increase oxytocin levels in both species.  This is evidence that animal assisted therapy is not only mentally and emotionally healthful, but also physically helpful.

In an economics game based on trust, researchers found that players with higher levels of oxytocin tended to trust and reciprocate more.  Some companies quickly jumped at the chance to manufacture oxytocin. 

“Liquid Trust” is supposed to be sprayed on your body so that other people will start to trust you.  Oxytocin cannot cross the blood brain barrier, and it is in no way detected by the olfactory system or the Jacobson's organ (VMO).  This product is a fraud, however, I do have small vial that you’re welcome to try. The second product is oxytocin tablets.  However, it will never make it past your stomach acids and into your bloodstream. Let’s move onto how you can release oxytocin on your own. 

Relationships are a great source of oxytocin release.  We’ll go through a several ways of releasing oxytocin in a variety of relationships including pair bonding or romantic relationships, relationships with friends, bonding with children, and in business relationships.

One of the easiest ways to facilitate oxytocin release is with a hug.  Hugs are not only free, they are also environmentally friendly, legal, calorie free, and you get a dopamine bonus. 

One way to encourage bonding is mutual self- disclosure.  You trust each other more, you release oxytocin, and you bond.  You can also talk about and think about past bonding moments you’ve had.  Studies have also shown that just thinking about a bonding moment can release oxytocin. 

Now if those methods don’t work, you can also go to the old fashion methods.  Nipple stimulation.  That’s right, just start titillating those nipples to get the oxytocin going.  And there’s also orgasm.  To go into that will surely put me over the 5 minute time limit, so we’ll save that for another day.

Bonding and oxytocin release don’t just happen in real life with warm physical contact, it can also be released when people receive social support.  My study found that women who received social support from their partners tended to release oxytocin and became less stressed.   Social support, even online, from a variety of sources like Twitter, Facebook, or support groups can facilitate oxytocin release.  I frequently ask for it online.  Just search for how many times I use the word "luv."

It shouldn’t surprise you that I’m a big proponent in nurturing business relationships.  You know the saying, it’s not always about what you know, but who you know, and hope that they like you.  Relationships are an integral part of business.    Here’s an example of my dog using oxytocin to generate some cash flow.

This is my dog. His name is Mouse.  He is an oxytocin machine, and the best marketing tool.  He has made up to $175 in two hours just laying on the ground looking pathetic.  There’s only one job I can think of making that much money by laying around, and it isn’t legal. 

When giving children cart rides not only does Mouse make everyone fall in love with him, I have the children hold the donation jar. As we circle around, people instantly start snapping photos and feel compelled to fork over the cash. As we end the ride, I take a photo with a Polaroid and hand it to the parent. If you're at all familiar with exchange theory, you'll know what's coming next.  When asked how much the ride costs, I say, “It’s free, we do it for luv,” and out comes the wallet.  Thank you very much. Hope you get some tonight. Oxytocin that is.
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During my talk, someone wasn't listening, and she tweeted this.  It was brought to whurley's attention. He had no choice but to show the world this epic tweet.  That's right. If she learned nothing from the other 17 Ignite Austin talks, at least she learned what is most important in life.