Mike and I went out for dinner with a friend last night at a Vietnamese-Cambodian place. The tables are arranged so that you’re basically sitting at the same table as the people next to you. I couldn’t help overhearing what appeared to be an extremely awkward first date situation. It made me feel so bad for both the guy and the girl. But maybe more so for the guy because he was just trying so hard without getting any response, positive or negative from the girl.
At first they seemed like any other couple, but during a lull in our conversation as we were happily chowing down on wings, I overheard:
Awkward Asian Man: Your sweater…it’s so white.
Aloof Asian Girl: silence
Awkward Asian Man: How do you keep it so white? Do you use bleach?
Aloof Asian Girl: Bleach?
Awkward Asian Man: Yeah, you know, the laundry chemical? To make clothes white?
Aloof Asian Girl: silence
Awkward Asian Man: I mean, your sweater, it’s so…white. Is it new?
Aloof Asian Girl: silence
Granted, it wasn’t the best way to start a conversation, but at least he was trying? It kind of seemed like he was impressed with the girl’s laundry skills but at the same time there was this intense interrogation going on. Is this what dating is like now? Please please please tell me it’s not like this out there.
I told Mike about it in the car on the way home and he brought up a good point: maybe the guy actually was interrogating her on laundry skills. Some people are very particular about laundry. In fact, I have a good friend who broke up with a boy over laundry. Okay, fine, the laundry wasn’t the only factor, but she did complain a lot about how he washed his socks and underwear in with his regular loads.
Side note: I actually did not realize this was a thing, but I just did a quick google search and OMG I will never wash socks and underwear together again with regular loads. Actually, who am I kidding, I’m horrible at laundry. It’s a good day if I even remember to put a load into the machine let alone separate out the items. Um…I just spent 20 minutes falling down a google hole about bacteria breeding and laundry. My world view has changed. I definitely need to start separating things!
Anyway…on to more pleasant things, like these super delicious mini black pepper and cheddar gougère BLT sandwiches! If you’ve ever had gourgères, you know just how incredibly addictive they are, especially right out of the oven. Gourgère are light. airy, crisp French cheese puffs that are a bit eggy and so so good. When you make them into mini BLT sandwiches for an afternoon beer party, they’re even better. They may have been my favorite thing on the entire platter. I may not be the best at laundry or have the whitest sweaters on the block, but I can make damn tasty sandwiches, so there’s that!
Black Pepper Cheddar Gougeres via Dorie Greenspan
makes 24 puffs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
- freshly ground pepper
Preheat to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the milk, water, butter, and salt to a rapid boil. Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to a medium-low and stir, stir, stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will come together and a light crust will form on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes to dry out the dough. The dough should be very smooth.
Put the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle. Add the eggs one by one and beat on medium speed until the dough becomes thick and shiny. At first, the dough will separate, just keep beating. When the third egg goes in, it should come together again. When all the eggs are incorporated, the dough will be thick and shiny and, when you lift some of it up it will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon. Beat in the grated cheese and use immediately while still warm.
Use 1 tablespoon of dough for each gougere – use a cookie scoop dipped into water or drop from a spoon. Leave 2 inches of space between each puff. Top with a generous sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.
Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake until golden and firm, another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or let cool slightly.
Notes: This recipe makes quite a few puffs. What I like to do is to make the full batch and freeze it. To freeze, shape as above and freeze the entire baking sheet. When the dough is completely frozen, remove from the baking sheets and wrap them airtight. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. There’s no need to defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes onto the baking time.
BLT Cheddar Gougeres inspired by Spoon Fork Bacon
makes as many as needed
- crispy cooked thick cut bacon
- dijon mustard
- mixed greens
- sliced tomatoes
- cheddar gougeres, as needed
Slice the cheese puffs in half and add some mustard to taste. Top with the bacon, a few leaves of arugula, and slices of tomatoes. Enjoy!
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