Obsession #143 and James Beard's County Fair Bread

There's a Seattle area school that is more Outward Bound than P.S. 52. Its focuses on an experiential education, based on the premise that teachable moments become embedded when they are experienced. That's my kind of school.

I learn by doing. I read obsessively about topics, experiment, and read some more. And then I consult the experts. By that point, I've read and experienced enough to have a meaningful conversation.

Lifelong friends have seen the various incarnations. It began with a horse fetish. At five, I was sneaking out of the house to visit a neighbor's horse, and followed that obsession well into my teens.

My ice cream obsession led to...a professional machine with built-in compressor (to churn batch after batch -- no freezing the bowl between batches) and 100+ tried & true recipes. When my obsession hit a fever pitch, I consulted with food scientist Shirley Corriher and Alice Medrich on the role of starch in ice cream.

You see?

It's like that.

For years, I've been a bread baker voyeur. I've taken classes with experts in the field, traveled to famous bakeries all over the world, toured wheat farms, read textbooks and countless books on baking, and have staged alongside the captain of the world champion baking team.

But I never made my own bread.

I just watched, and read.

A lot.

Last week, I took the plunge and made my first yeasted loaf. Inspired by this hauntingly delicious challah, I attempted my own. The results were passable but nothing like the challah she made. It lacked the depth of flavor that is the hallmark of a slow rise.

I tried again, armed with an intriguing recipe by James Beard. Instead of mixing the water, yeast and a bit of sugar and waiting for the yeast to work its magic, Beard's recipe jumps right in and adds it all together...liquid, yeast and flour. The addition of eggs and milk enrich the flavor substantially, and sesame seeds scattered across the top, toast beautifully.

Already my mind was spinning with possibilities. What if I replaced the water with something more flavorful, like onion stock? What if I chilled the dough between risings? This recipe calls for only two risings, but I have another recipe that calls for four. How would that change the final outcome?

You see? The genie is out of the bottle, and my bread obsession is in full swing. If you find a loaf of bread on your doorstep, that's me...parsing out experiments.

***Many thanks to Charlie for sharing this recipe. As he notes, if you're new to baking, it's a great bread for beginners.

County Fair Bread

Recipe By: James Beard, Beard On Bread


Ingredients:

5 cups all-purpose flour, or unbleached hard-wheat
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 stick butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 eggs
1 egg white, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
sesame seeds

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine 1 Cup of the flour, the sugar, salt, and dry yeast.

Heat the milk and the butter in a saucepan, just until the milk is warm; the butter does not need to melt.

Add the eggs and the warm milk mixture to the flour mixture. (This, as you will notice, is one of those newish dry-mix processes where you do not proof the yeast first-and it works.)

Mix very well until thoroughly moistened, and beat with a wooden spoon for about 5 min. Then stir in the remaining flour to form a stiff dough.

Turn out on a floured board, and knead the dough until it is quite smooth and elastic, about 5 min. Work into a ball, place in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat with butter on all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until light and doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hrs.

Punch the dough down and divide into six equal portions. Roll each of these portions into a thin cylinder about 8 to 10 in. long. Take three strips and braid them together. Place the braid on a baking sheet buttered or sprinkled with cornmeal. Braid the remaining three strips and place about 6 in. away from the other loaf. (For a more spectacular loaf, make a braid of three large strips and then a braid of three smaller strips, and put one on top of the other. This takes a good hr. to bake and a slight amount of dexterity to shape.)

Cover the loaves and let rise in a warm, draft-free space until doubled in bulk, which will take another 1 1/2 hrs.

Brush with the egg white and water, sprinkle lavishly with sesame seeds, and bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven for 35 to 40 min. or till golden brown.

Signature Dishes and Tessa's Chickpea, Feta, and Cilantro Salad

I've always admired women who have been cooking for years. They glide effortlessly through the kitchen, anticipating their next move well in advance. Armed with a killer collection of recipes--tried and true, and terrific crowd pleasers, they exude a "knowingness" that only time and experience can provide.

Over time, certain recipes weave themselves into your identity. When I was growing up, our neighbor, Kay, made the best cakes. I'll never forget the Barbie cake she made when I turned five. Barbie stood proudly erect, skirted by a dome of pink and green frosting. She may have made it for me, but that was Kay's cake, and everyone knew it.

When I think of my friend Kathy, I'm instantly transported to a spot in her kitchen. Deep in conversation about the latest New Yorker, literacy in America, or West Coast restaurant launches, we talk late into the night, buoyed by one of her famous margaritas in one hand, and a crunchy scallop fritter in the other!

And Naomi? Words cannot describe how incredible her food is. While her tamales are the stuff of legend, I've got big love for her empanadas. I leave Naomi's table with such pleasure....it's a dining experience like no other, and one that reverberates with me for days.

Now, imagine traveling around the world, collecting recipes from friends and relatives along the way. In my mind, I picture Tessa's notebook splattered, doodled in from front to back, and barely holding together. Each recipe has a story and transports you back to a particular time and place. Her book, Falling Cloudberries is exactly that, and I treasure it dearly.

My own collection of recipes includes a page from her book.

Tessa's Chickpea, Feta and Cilantro Salad makes frequent appearances both at home and for social occasions. It travels well, is easily doubled, and if there are dietary restrictions in the crowd? I've got it covered. Vegetarian? Yep. Gluten-free? Check!

Simple and yet packed with flavor, this salad has become one of my signature dishes. For an entree version, I line a platter with fresh spinach or romaine, add the chickpea salad, and top it with grilled shrimp or chicken.

Chickpea, Feta and Cilantro Salad
From Falling Cloudberries, by Tessa Kiros

1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 or 2 red chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 2/3 cups crumbled feta cheese*
4 scallions, green part only, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and fry the red onion gently until it is cooked through and lightly golden. Add the garlic and chile and cook for a few more seconds, until you can smell the garlic. Take care not to brown the garlic. Let cool completely.

Add the chickpeas, feta, scallion, cilantro, parsley, and lemon juice and season with pepper and a pinch more salt, if needed. Add the cooled garlic oil and the remaining olive oil and mix very well.

* Fetas can vary in their punch. I toss all the ingredients together, adding the feta last. Rarely do I use the entire amount specified here. Another tip: go easy on the salt until you know how much feta you'll be using.

Pancetta Wrapped Barbecue Prawns with Cornbread Stuffing

25 amazing restaurants, countless delicious bites. At the Seattle Food & Wine Experience, remember this one?

Not only did I rave about sous chef John Jadamec's dish, there was some shameless recipe begging going on here!



He quietly reached in his pocket and offered this list of ingredients.

"No, man, I need a recipe!"

We ended the night with a handshake...and a promise.



True to his word, on Friday, this coveted recipe landed in my e-mail. John notes, "The original recipe was for 1,000 pieces and I scaled it down to about 1 dozen for you." I've got big love for this guy!

If you're on the hunt for a showstopper that's packed with flavor...look no further.



Pancetta Wrapped Barbecue Prawns with Cornbread Stuffing
Courtesy of John Jadamec, sous chef, Eagles Buffet at the Tulalip Resort Casino & Spa

Poppy notes: This recipe involves multiple parts but the work is easily divided, and most of it is done in advance. Day 1: Make the sauce, cornbread for the dressing, and marinate prawns in the spice blend. Day 2: Make the cornbread dressing, wrap the marinated prawns in pancetta and quickly cook them. Serve prawns with a drizzle of sauce and top with the cornbread stuffing. In the final moments, this dish comes together in a flash! It's the perfect party dish.


White BBQ sauce:

2 c	mayo
1c	apple cider vinegar
2 Tbl	lemon juice
3 Tbl	black pepper
1 tea	salt
1/2 tea	cayenne
1/2 c	garlic
Mix everything together and chill overnight.
Shrimp Seasoning:
1 TBL	chili powder
1 tea	blackened seasoning
1/2 tea	cayenne pepper
1 tea	salt
2 tea	black pepper
1 TBL	paprika
3 TBL	olive oil
1. Mix all dry spices together.
2. Pour olive oil over shrimp and mix in
3. Mix the shrimp with the dry spices and chill overnight in the fridge. Cornbread: 1 pound unsalted butter 11 oz or about 1 2/3 cup sugar 8 each eggs 26 oz. creamed corn 1/2 lb. cheddar cheese 1/2 cup heavy cream 11 oz. or 1 2/3 cup bread flour 14 oz. or 1 3/4 cup corn meal 2 oz. or 1/4 cup baking powder 2 tsp. Kosher salt 1. Cream butter and sugar 2. Mix in eggs one at a time 3. Mix in the everything else 4. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or lightly oil, pour mix in to pan until about 1/2 deep. 5. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until it turns golden brown and poke with a tooth pick; it should come out clean.
Corn bread dressing:
3 cups	corn bread crumbles
1/4 cup	fine dice onion
1/4 cup	fine dice celery
1/4 cup	fine dice red bell pepper
3/4 cup	diced raw bacon, smoked bacon is best. I used apple wood smoked
1/4 cup	green onion sliced in thin rings
2 TBL	butter, no salt
to taste	kosher salt
1. cook bacon until crispy in a large sauté pan. Remove bacon from pan and drain the grease out. Don't clean the pan, just drain most of the grease out. 2. melt the butter in the bacon pan then add the onions, celery and bell peppers and sauté for about 1 minute, I like to keep the veg bright and crisp not over cooked. 3. turn heat off and add the corn bread and bacon then mix in. 4. mix in the green onions.
Pancetta:
This needs to be sliced really thin, about as thick as 3-4 sheets of paper. You need as many slices as shrimp you want to make. If you can have them slice it at the store on a slicer. It sliced best when it's frozen, on a slicer.
Kaiware sprouts, for garnish
1 lb 13/15 shrimp, peeled and deveined
To make the dish:
1. unroll the pancetta the best you can and wrap them around the seasoned shrimp.
2. heat a sauté pan and sauté the shrimp in a pan with just a little oil. Cook the shrimp on one side until the pancetta turns brown then flip it over and cook the other side until it turns brown. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through.
3. put the cooked shrimp on a plate, drizzle the white BBQ sauce across, top with warm corn bread dressing.
4. garnish with 2 or 3 Kaiware sprouts

Kathy Casey’s Recipe for Savory Bacon “Cupcakes” with Tabasco Cream Cheese Frosting

When I spotted celebrity chef Kathy Casey at the Seattle Food & Wine Experience, she was deep in autograph mode. Holding court in the Foster Farms Chicken booth, Kathy was signing copies of her book, The Northwest Table. The line was 50 people deep! I waved a quick hello and decided to come back later. (See my Seattle Food & Wine Experience recap here. Photos galore!)

Later...meant peeling Kathy away from a never ending line of fans. But waiting has its rewards! I happily parked myself over a tray of these Savory Bacon "Cupcakes" with Tabasco Cream Cheese Frosting. Sponsored by Foster Farms Chicken, see the map in the back? The red dots represent farmers under the Foster Farm's banner. As a grocery store staple, I had no idea the bulk of their operation was Northwest-driven.

I've never been on a chicken farm and took an opportunity to request...field trip? Hopefully we'll have a date later this year, and I'm guessing these folks will have a hand in that. At the Foster Farms Chicken booth: (L-R) Ira Brill, Foster Farms Director of Marketing and Advertising Services; Chef/Author Kathy Casey from Kathy Casey Food Studios; Heidi White, Fineman PR for Foster Farms.

Oh, man, these Savory Bacon "Cupcakes" are amazing! Minced chicken and bacon add a hearty flavor, while the batter is uncommonly moist and tender. Kathy shared her recipe and frankly, they should come with a word of warning....

...it's impossible to eat just one. Prepare for raving fans!

Kathy Casey’s

Savory Foster Farms & Bacon “Cupcakes”

with Tabasco Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes about 24

Cupcakes
1 cup small diced Foster Farms chicken raw breast (12 ounces wt.)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup each 1/8-inch-diced onion, celery and red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained well
8 strips cooked bacon, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup chopped)

Frosting
4 - ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Garnish
2 thinly sliced green onions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cupcakes:
Spray nonstick mini-muffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.

Cut chicken breast into 1/4-inch small pieces. In a small skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken breast and sauté for about 3 minutes moving around the pan with a spoon. When chicken is three-quarters cooked then add the onion, celery, and bell pepper for about 3 to 4 minutes more, until vegetables are just starting to get tender. Add the garlic and sauté about 30 seconds more. Let cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and Old Bay seasoning; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and sour cream.

Once the cooked mixture is cooled, add the cornmeal mixture to the egg mixture and mix lightly. Fold in the drained corn, bacon, and cooked and vegetables. Do not overmix; fold in just until evenly distributed.

Divide batter between the prepared mini muffin cups, fill to the top – you will get about 24 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cupcake center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pan and let cool briefly on a wire rack before frosting. The cupcakes can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated before frosting. Refrigeration is imperative if making in advance. (Poppy’s note self: duh! There’s chicken inside. Keep cupcakes refrigerated!) If reheating cupcakes, warm them for minute or so in a 350-degree F oven before frosting.

To make the frosting:
In a small bowl, mash the cream cheese with a fork, then whisk in the milk and Tabasco until smooth and creamy. Top each cupcake with about 1 teaspoon of frosting then sprinkle with green onion for garnish. Serve warm.

© 2011 by Kathy Casey Food Studios® - Liquid Kitchen™ www.kathycasey.com

7 Questions for Baking Guru Alice Medrich

Cookbook author, Alice Medrich

Oh, Alice. I've got big love for you!

Dubbed "The First Lady of Chocolate," Alice Medrich is an award-winning baker with deep understanding of ingredients, and how to coax the very best out of them. Her clear, thoughtful recipes yield memorable desserts. Pros-in-the know point to Alice as a guiding influence in their work. More than an author, she is a mentor...of the very best kind.

The launch of Alice's new blog traveled like wildfire and no wonder. This post on her creative process still resonates with me.

On a personal note, Alice was my very first interview. Over the phone, she patiently guided me through art of tasting chocolate. Before long, our conversation touched on everything from molecular gastronomy to sources of inspiration and artisan foods in Europe.

Alice has a new book coming out this fall, Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunch Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies, which is organized by texture. Got a love for chewy cafe cookies? Or do you like your cookies on the crispy side? This brilliant book has it all.

In preparation for my upcoming interview, I asked folks on my favorite chat forum..."Got any questions for Alice Medrich?" Responses ran the gamut--from tweaking a favorite recipe to swapping out chocolates with different cocoa fats. Alice surprised me with a lightening fast response, so here goes:


1. (Sandi in Hawaii) Sometimes, when I make a brownie with melted butter, the batter seems to separate during baking, as if the butter is oozing out, and pooling around the edges of the pan. The brownie ends up being dry and crumbly, instead of fudgy and chewy. What causes this?

This "butter leakage" also happens sometimes when baking cookies. The cookies start to spread like crazy, and end up being flat and greasy, instead of buttery and crunchy. It happened with a cookie recipe that called for melted butter, but it's also happened to other recipes that don't call for melted butter.

I can't predict when it happens - most times it doesn't. It only happens when I'm short on time, and have to take something somewhere!

I know the problem well, Sandi. Brownies batters (and cookie batters too) that have loads of chocolate and melted butter but not too much flour in them must be mixed vigorouly enough to emulsify the batter in the first place, before you pour it into the pan--otherwise the butter weeps out, exactly as you described. I have a couple of tricks to help the emulsification process, first, when making brownies, I usually add my eggs cold. Don't worry if the chocolate and butter mixture is hot; after you stir in the sugar, it's safe to add the eggs, stirring vigorously after each one. But, the most important tip is about mixing: after you add the flour, stir vigorously until the batter comes together into a smooth mass and actually pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If you are not strong enough to stir a heavy batter by hand, use a mixer. I write all about this problem in the new book...I hope you'll have a look.


2. (Sandi in Hawaii) How do you create a "new" recipe? Or are they all variations on old ones?

Someone once said that there is nothing new under the sun. The implication is that everything new had probably been done somewhere by someone...so it is quite possible that a bright new idea you might wake up with one morning, or even something you "discover" in the kitchen might have been thought of or dicovered by someone else as well. That being said, why worry about it? For me, sometimes new recipes are simple or elaborate variations on other recipes and sometimes they seem like brand new ideas discovered through experimenting or even (sometimes) by making a mistake. Voila! Something new and interesting.

For, example, in the new book, "Chewy Gooey Crispy"......., I include a recipe for Coconut Sticks, which I invented several years ago, but I've added several fantastic flavor variations, one with sesame seeds, one with coffee, one with hazelnuts. A great recipe deserves to be used as inspiration. Similar, I experimented with adding peanut butter to meringue and the result was so divine that I created several more "new" recipes by riffing on the concept, substituting almond butter, or tahini for the the pnb. That lead me to think about adding other flavors to meringue, such as pulverized freeze dried bananas....I even got a great recipe for fruit filled cookies called Meneinas, from a Facebook friend. I loved it so much that I created some brand new fruit fillings for it. They are in the book as well. One thing leads to another. New recipes are born...I hope you'll check out the book,


3. (MarilynFL) How do I adjust a recipe based on chocolate percentage? Say I want to make a recipe that calls for unsweetened chocolate. That recipe calls for "x" amount of unsweetened chocolate and "y" amount of sugar.

If I only have 55% semisweet chocolate or 70% bittersweet chocolate, how do I adjust the amount of chocolate AND sugar to make the recipe? I know the sugar amount has to go down. Does the fat (butter) amount change? Is there a basic rule of thumb?

Honestly Marilyn, and I don't mean to be self serving, the only book with this kind of information, charts, and discussion about percentages is my book "Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales From a Life in Chocolate". Check out the back of the book and the section on brownies where I address the very thing you are talking about...It's exciting information and once you get the hang of it you will love being able to switch from one percentage chocolate to another....

Just to give you a clue: 70% bittersweet contains 30% sugar, about 40% fat (this varies from brand to brand) and thus 30 percent dry cocoa solids. 55% semisweet chocolate contains 45% sugar, maybe 35% fat (again it varies) and only 20% dry cocoa solids. Unsweetened baking chocolate is approximately 50% fat and 50% dry cocoa solids and not sugar. If you are good at math, you can make some calculations about how to modify the sugar and butter in the recipe....! Otherwise, check out my book!


4. (MarylinFL) I actually ran into this problem [substituting chocolates] when I wanted to make chocolate fudge; the result was Dyslexic Chocolate Sauce. I had looked in both Alice's "Cocolat" and Fran Bigelow's "Pure Chocolate" books first to see if there was a chocolate conversion table.

"Cocolat" came out at a time before we had percentage chocolate in this country...most all of the bittersweet and semisweet chocolate available to us was contained only 50%-60% cacao, except of course for unsweetened baking chocolate. So, while "Cocolat" is still a great book and great reference, you shouldn't try making the recipes with chocolate that exceeds 60% cacao (or sometimes 62% ) without making some adjustments, or your results may not be quite what they should be. Some of the Cocolat recipes are updated in my book, "Bittersweet" and there is tons of info about making adjustments for chocolate in that book as well.


5. (Sandi in Hawaii) Will you start adding weight measurements in your cookbooks? I just love my scale, and wish more books had weights.

Some of my books already have weights in them, but I assure you that any new book that comes out from me will definitely include weights! Thanks for asking; I hope you'll encourage every baker you know to get a scale!!!


6. (Sandi in Hawaii -- obviously a big fan!) Any chance you'll reprint "Chocolat"?

No chance! I'd rather do new work. But I will give you a tip: many of the recipes from "Cocolat"appear again in "Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from A Life in Chocolate", updated to reflect new chocolates and percentage chocolates, and new information. I suggest you check it out.


7. (cheezz) Why do these (otherwise yummy) macaroons 'weep'? They are oozing even before going into the oven and often make very unsightly looking bottoms.

You'll see Alice recommends:
- Amount of coconut is now cups
- Lower the amount of sweetened condensed milk
- Let the batter sit for an hour before baking
- Mound your batter in 2 tblsp portions
- Notes about the chocolate (a double boiler works, and it's likely you'll have some left over)


Original recipe + Alice's adjustments:

Jumbo Black Bottom Coconut Macaroons
From Big Fat Cookies by Elinor Klivans
Makes 16 small cookies or 10 large cookies


Cookies:
One 7-ounce bag (2 2/3 cups) shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk [use 1/3 cup]
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
Pinch of cream of tartar

Chocolate Coating:
9 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Make the cookies. In a large bowl, use a fork to stir the coconut, condensed milk, salt, almond extract and vanilla together. Set aside. [note: let this sit for about 1 hour to meld well]

In an impeccably clean medium bowl, use a whisk or a hand-held mixer on low speed to beat the egg white with the cream of tartar until they are foamy and the cream of tartar dissolves. Whisking vigorously or beating on medium-high speed, beat until soft peaks form. Whisk or beat in the sugar. Use a rubber spatula to fold half of the whipped egg white in the coconut mixture, then fold in the remaining white.

Scoop mounds of the coconut batter (about 2 tbl. size) onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the macaroons 2 inches apart.

Bake until the bottoms of the cookies and the tips of the coconut shreds are light brown, about 20 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then slide a metal spatula under the macaroons to loosen them from the parchment and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the chocolate coating. Put the chocolate in a heatproof container or the top of a double boiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler) - or heat in microwave oven for about 1 min. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from water and let cool to thicken slightly, about 10 min.

Scrape the chocolate coating into a small bowl. Dip the bottom of each macaroon in the chocolate and place the cookies, chocolate bottoms up or on the sides, on a wire rack. (You will have some chocolate coating left over for another use or to pour over ice cream. It's easier to dip using a larger amount of coating.) Let the macaroons sit at room temperature until the chocolate coating is firm, about 1 hour. Or, to speed the firming of the chocolate, refrigerate the macaroons on the rack for about 15 minutes. Serve cold or at room temperature.

The cookies can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Sharing Our Strength

This post is in conjunction with Share our Strength, Oprah.com and the 12 Days of Sharing campaign to end child hunger.

Jennifer Perillo has organized an all-star team of bloggers sharing their favorite holiday recipes, and a drool-worthy list of giveaways (the Wusthof knife set is calling me!) Check out these fabulous recipes in the Virtual Cookie Jar and please, drop a donation in the bucket. One in four children are hungry in America.


As a child, the financial state of my family ebbed far more than it flowed. We were in serious jeopardy more than once. I’d like to think I was oblivious to the trouble, but it was difficult to hide. Constant worrying manifested itself physically. My mother suffered from bleeding ulcers and ongoing back problems most of my life. Hurt and frustration turned to anger and individually, we comforted ourselves the best we could.

My brother and I earned extra money by delivering newspapers. He took the morning route, and I covered afternoons and weekends. Winters, he shoveled snow for money, and I sold Girl Scout cookies to secure a free trip to camp.

In the early years, my mom was on the career track. That came to an abrupt end the summer I was six. I was at the babysitter’s house…and fell from a tree. I dropped 16 feet and landed on my back. Rushed to the hospital, they did exploratory surgery, checking for internal bleeding. E-rays confirmed a broken vertebra in my back. I was hospitalized, and then strapped in a brace for 6 months. Before I left the hospital, I also contracted the chicken pox. My mother was forced to quit her job and nursed me back to health. From that point on, babysitters were out of the question. Mom worked only while we were in school, and never in the summers.

I’ll never forget the day I rode my bike to the bank. Depositing funds from my paper route, the teller passed my savings book across the cool marble counter and I proudly checked my balance. My entire savings had been wiped out! The teller offered little explanation other than, “The numbers don’t lie.”

I cried all the way home, falling into my mother’s arms, wailing, “The bank stole my money!”

After the sobbing subsided, she explained what happened. We shared a joint account and in desperation, she withdrew the money to pay taxes on our house. There was no alternative. I was 10, maybe 11, but I’ll never forget that look on her face. I can’t imagine what went through her mind. Embarrassed and ashamed, she vowed to pay me back, somehow.

We knew lean times….but we never went hungry. I’m sure it was close sometimes.

After my humble background, my life in food seems quite ridiculous sometimes. While foodies debate the merits of grass fed vs. grain fed, fair trade vs. locovore and declare “I’m so over pork belly and truffles.” The fact of the matter is, these are choices of luxury.

When there’s a rumble in your belly and the cupboards are bare…the situation becomes dire. I know. Our house in the suburbs with the perfectly manicured lawn hid many secrets.

In the richest country in the world, hunger is far more prevalent than you might imagine. And that is why I’m proud to join Share Our Strength’s mission to end child hunger in America.

Can you help?

With Share Our Strength’s buying power, $25 can make a significant impact. Skip one night out on the town and donate to a worthy cause…The price of one entrée, can help end child hunger.





****

Chocolate Crinkles
From Christmas-Cookies.com

When times were flush, mom made these Chocolate Crinkles. Rolled in powdered sugar, they expand when baked, creating snowflake patterns against a chocolaty background. Mom would pack them in shirt boxes, lined with tissue. Stacked in our garage through the frozen Midwest winter, the cookie-laden boxes would last for weeks. My brother and I became quite stealthy, sneaking into the garage for “just one more…” Word of warning…drifting powdered sugar may leave tell-tale evidence on your chest!


Makes about 72

1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioner's sugar

Stir together oil, chocolate and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well

mixed. Add vanilla. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into confectioner's sugar. Roll in sugar; shape into balls. Place about 2" apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

*****
Update: This post was profiled on Food News Journal's Best of the Blogs, December 18, 2009.

Cooking Up a Storm at Queen Anne Farmers Market

Earlier this spring, I received an e-mail. "Need chefs for cooking demos, who do you know?" As a devotee of cooking classes and a former guest chef booker, I've got the lowdown on the city's best instructors.

Scrolling through my list of contacts, I fondly recalled each instructor's technique. The majority of my cooking skills? I owe to a long roster of Seattle's finest. (Live demos--unscripted and uncensored, teamed with in-the-flesh Q&A beats Food Network any day.)

As I compiled my list, I was struck by a curious urge. "I'm an accomplished cook and enjoy speaking in public. Why don't I teach cooking classes?"

After a long hesitation, I mustered the courage and added a tiny sentence at the very bottom of the e-mail, "If you'd ever consider me, I'd be happy to teach a class." I held my breath and hit 'send'.

The response? My first class was scheduled on August 20th!


Overwhelmed and filled with trepidation...I consoled myself with the fact that August was peak harvest season....and combed through hundreds of cookbooks for the perfect recipe.

To ease my anxiety, eventually I settled on tried and true recipes...modified versions from two of my favorite chefs, Jerry Traunfeld and Gina DePalma. My demo? A refreshing minted fruit salad with a side of ricotta poundcake (recipes below).


The day of my demo arrived and I walked the market stalls, searching for my fruit du jour.

Gorgeous nectarines, peaches and last-of-the-season Rainier cherries






"Doughnut" peaches and local blueberries

Voluptuous blackberries (Got a bumper crop of blackberries? Try my favorite vodka infusion.)








Stroller pile up on Crockett Street! Queen Anne Farmers Market is very kid-friendly.







Kid watching is particularly fun. (I want a pair of those crocks!)







Following my demo, Cookbook Chronicles blogger Lorna Yee prepared dark chocolate cupcakes with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Watch for Lorna's book, The Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together, due out Spring 2010. (via Sasquatch Books)

Lorna's cupcakes were a hit!

Friends came out in droves to throw support. (See the woman in the black shirt? That's Robin Leventhal, Bravo's Top Chef Season 6 contender. Leap of faith, a bucket full of charisma and voila! Last night we attended her preview party. Good times people, good times.....)


And now, without further ado...the recipes:



Minted Fruit Salad

Adapted from The Herbfarm Cookbook (Scribner, 2000)
by Jerry Traunfeld

This fruit salad is my 'go to' recipe for nearly every occasion. Went overboard at the farmer's market? Fruit salad. Brunch with the ladies? Fruit salad. Picnic fare? Yogurt or ice cream embellishment? You get the idea.... Best part? It's delicious and refreshing. No matter what combination of fruit you use: mellon, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, rasbperries or nectarines, this recipe is a crowd pleaser.


Serves 8

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (gently packed) fresh mint leaves, thick center vein removed*
2 tablespoons fresh squeed lime juice
8 cups mixed sliced ripe fruit and berries, such as melon, peaches, nectariens, apricots, plums, pitted sweet cheeries, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries

*Lemon verbena or basil make lovely alternatives

Process the sugar and mint in a food processor to a very smooth green paste, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the lime juice and process briefly. Shortly before serving, toss this dressing with the fruit in a large mixing bowl.




Ricotta Pound Cake
Adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen (W.W. Norton & Co., 2007)
By Gina DePalma

The seal of approval in my house is a moment after the first bite. In my solitude, I have been known to shriek, "Damn! I made that?! " And so it goes with this poundcake. Light and full of flavor, I love it simple and unadorned; topped with a bit of lemon curd and berries; toasted with jam; or, in this case, with a side of minted fruit salad.


Makes one 9-inch cake.
Approximately 10 servings

1 ½ cups cake flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks/6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups fresh whole-milk ricotta*
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
Zest from 2 lemons or limes

*Note: Please use a dry ricotta. Locally, I use Precious brand ricotta with excellent results. If your ricotta is not dry, strain it through a cheese cloth for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the center.

Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the extracts & zest.

On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat the batter for 30 seconds on medium speed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a few gentle whacks on the counter to remove any air pockets. Bake the cake for 30 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees to ensure even browning. Continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30-45 minutes more, depending on your oven & ricotta moisture.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert on the rack to cool completely. The flavor is best on the next day. Any leftover cake may be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.