Houston's Premier Scuba and Dive Shop Oceanic Ventures Inc.

(713) 523-3483 (dive)
5808 Newcastle Drive
Houston, TX 77401

Archives for October 2020

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Chef Recommended Osmanthus Cake

In looking through my email today I found an unusual cake recipe, Osnanthus Cake from the Woks of Life website. You are probably asking what is Osmanthus? Well… Osmanthus is a sweet, fragrant flower native to East Asia. You may find it as a dried tea, in syrup for baking Chinese desserts, or as a flavoring in wine for braised meat dishes. The closest equivalent you might know of is elderflower. Both elderflower and osmanthus share the same lightly floral, yet not overpowering flavor.

You can find the complete instructions for making this cake including photographs at the Woks of Life Website but here is what you will need:

Osmanthus Cake

This cake is the perfect dessert dressed up with whipped cream and berries (or just a scoop of ice cream), or the perfect breakfast and afternoon tea cake..

  • Servings: 12
  • Prep Time: 25 Minutes
  • Cook Time:35 Minute
  • Total Time: 1 Hour

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter(at room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup oil (we’ve used neutral flavored coconut oil, regular coconut oil, avocado oil, and vegetable oil with success)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup osmanthus syrup
  • 1 1/3 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup self-rising flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Glaze

  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar(sifted)
  • 4-5 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons osmanthus syrup

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan. You can also use an 8-inch square pan, but the pan should not have a dark non-stick coating, or it’s likely it will burn. 
  • Add the room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 minute. If your coconut oil is solid, add it at the same time as the butter. If it’s liquid, add it after the butter and sugar have had a chance to cream together.
  • The mixture may be a little separated if you are using liquid rather than solid coconut oil. That’s okay. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and then add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. It should be golden in color and thickly emulsified. Mix in the osmanthus syrup. Give the bowl another scrape to make sure everything is mixed evenly.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, self-rising flour, and salt. Turn the mixer speed to low, and gradually add the dry ingredients in three batches.
  • Pour the mixture into your prepared pan. Immediately place into your preheated oven, and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F, and tent the cake with foil. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.
  • The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. NOTE, poking the cake prematurely may cause it to collapse in the center. (If this happens, it’ll still taste good, so don’t worry!). Remove the cake from the oven to cool. It should be a deep brown color.
  • Cool for 20 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. A paring knife around the rim of the pan helps loosen it. Let cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
  • If glazing the cake, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, milk, and osmanthus syrup until you get a smooth glaze. Start with 4 tablespoons of milk and only add the last tablespoon if the glaze looks too thick. Pour over the cooled cake.

Let me know how it turns out for you….

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Finished Their Instructor Evaluation!

The unusual situation created by the COVID shut-down allowed two of our staff members, Robert Archer and Joseph Thompson, enough time to complete their Instructor Training class with Eric.

Robert, who is usually traveling was home for a while so it provided the perfect time to reach one of his goals — to become an Open Water Scuba Instructor! And his partner in crime for the training, Joseph Thompson, who is an attorney, was able to devote his available time to the endeavor of reaching his goal as well.

“They had to learn to adapt to an ever changing situation” said Eric Keibler, their trainer. Their classes became virtual where they had to contend with family management as well as attending classes throughout the summer. They had to learn how to present their classroom sessions virtually as well and to keep the attention of their “students” at the same time.

Pool sessions were moved to backyard pools which had the added benefit of cocktails and snacks after class. As many of our Instructors will tell you, backyard pools present their own challenges. The deep ends are shallow, they are too small for more than one or two students and there is a lot more equipment maneuvering by the staff.

They came through it all with flying colors and this past weekend, they attended an Instructor Evaluation here in Houston and with a lot of stress and work, they completed the evaluation coming out as Open Water Instructors!

They are probably more prepared for this “Twilight Zone” world we are living in than any of our other staff since they have been both students and presenters while working with the new parameters and restrictions.

And lest we forget, it takes a village to run these events and we really appreciate all of our staff who assisted with the Evaluation and the dinner at the end. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to help the candidates succeed and helped with the event. “No offense, but I hope I don’t ever have to work with ‘Lee Madison’ again!” For those of you who have not met him in a stress & Rescue class, “Lee Madison” is Madison Lee’s alter ego for this type of training. Madison is one of our Assistant Instructors.

This weekend also marks the re-entry into scuba instruction for Alex Witschey. While Alex is now a practicing attorney with Thompson, Knight, he is now back teaching scuba on a part-time basis with Oceanic Ventures. Welcome back Alex!

Clear Water at Blue LAgoon

Congratulations Robert and Joe!

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Chef Recommended – Baked Apple French Toast

I am getting tired of Eggs in the morning (although Ann never tires of them) do I have been looking for some fun alternatives. I found a wonderfully simple recipe in Jennifer Segal’s Once Upon a Chef. It will make a nice treat!

Baked Apple French Toast

A lovely mash-up of French toast and apple pie, this prep-ahead baked apple French toast has all the makings of a special holiday brunch dish.

  • Servings: 8
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the French Toast

  • One 1-lb challah or raisin challah
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups half & half
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional; replace with apple cider or half-&-half if desired)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Apple Topping

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Serving

  • Confectioners’ sugar and/or maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Butter a 9 x 13-inch or 3-QT baking dish. Slice the bread into 3/4-inch-thick slices.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
  3. Dip each slice of challah into the custard mixture for about 5 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish. Be sure the entire bottom of the dish is covered with the bread. Pour any remaining custard over the bread. Set aside.
  4. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are softened and the sugar-syrup is thickened, about 8 minutes. Spoon the apples and sugar syrup evenly over the bread, making sure not to leave any of the syrup behind. If not baking immediately, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise, proceed with the recipe.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  6. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and, using a fine sieve, dust with the confectioners’ sugar. Serve with maple syrup.

Let me know how it turns out for you….

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New Zealand – Boat Projects

I’m often asked what cruising sailors do when they are not sailing.  Carl once replied to that question by saying his job during those times was “boat maintenance in exotic ports.”   During their stays in the “cyclone safe zone” the Stranges spent some of their time refurbishing, cleaning and maintaining their floating home.  Of course part of the time, it was not floating at all but resting on terra firma.

Boat Maintenance in Exotic Ports

But like all of us, it was not all work and no play.  Rebecca continued with her horseback riding lessons while Carl and Karen watched, thankful she had progressed to a point they no longer had to jog along beside the horse with her.

Horseback Riding

They also toured New Zealand from the shore and by boat.  However, it seems that while Carl was touring New Zealand he was vacationing from his newsletter updates.  So there is a bit of a lag in the adventure, but with the passing of the cyclone season and the advent of the cruising season, Carl and Karen have felt like writing again.  With this renewed writing spirit, the Strange Chronicles continue for another year.

Carl Strange Avatar
Carl and his wife Karen set-off on a journey around the world on-board their sailboat S/V Enchante. Along the way, they had a lot of adventures and in Aruba, a new member of their crew was born. Now a family of three with Rebecca’s birth, they sailed the Caribbean and the Pacific experiencing life along the way.