Doughnuts Doughnuts Doughnuts

When was the last time you ate a doughnut? The last time I ate one was this summer at the Gathering Together Farm in Philomath, Oregon. The Gathering Together Farm is an organic farm/restaurant. My mom, dad, uncle Peter, and I stopped there on our way back to Portland, Oregon from the coast. My mom remembered the farm's name from some brochure she had picked up some where, and luckily, Peter had his iphone with him and was able to use the GPS to successfully guide us there. The restaurant is located in the middle of several fields. It serves a terrific Saturday breakfast and sells produce from the farm and these mighty fine chocolate-covered potato doughnuts. After breakfast, we ordered one for each of us. They were heavenly. Peter didn't eat his right away, but he put it in a box for later. In the car, Mom kept hopefully asking at one hour intervals, "Pete, when are you going to eat your doughnut?" We should have bought her one for later!

My sister, Katherine, is a big fan of doughnuts. She's been known to whip up a batch of doughnuts on the weekend and invite her friends over to enjoy the feast. Her enthusiastic telling of such occasions over the phone inspired me to invite my dear friends Chloé and Louis over for brunch last Saturday. And that's how I found myself making doughnut dough at 1 AM while talking to Katherine on the phone to verify that I had the right consistency.

Deep-frying often scares people. But there is nothing to fear. It's simply a matter of experience. And you don't need a fancy deep-fryer or a fire extinguisher or a special kind of oil (although if you plan on serving a deep-fried meal every week, I highly recommend purchasing one as it is easier to control the temperature).

These doughnuts are super easy to make and a great way to impress your guests (or yourself).

Caprial's Doughnuts
From Caprial's Deserts (an excellent book).

Makes 8 big doughnuts, plus the holes.

This is a cake doughnut and straightforward to make. The only difficulty I had was the amount of flour to use. All flours behave differently. I would start with the amount that the recipe calls for and then add more if you need to. If the dough is slightly sticky, don't worry. It will absorb more of the flour overnight in the fridge.

A doughnut cutter is the easiest way to cut the doughnuts out, but a glass and a shot glass would work too.

An instant read thermometer will help you keep the temperature of the oil constant.

1 3/4 C flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of five spice powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/8 cup unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg
1/2 tsp salt

1 litre of vegetable oil for deep frying
white sugar for dredging the cooked doughnuts

- Mix together the dry ingredients.
- Mix together the vanilla and milk in another bowl.
- Cream together the butter and sugar, add the egg.
- Add half the flour and half the milk to the butter and blend on low.
- Add the remaining flour and milk and blend until well combined. Add more flour if necessary. You may need to knead the dough.
- Cover the dough and chill it overnight or for 2 hours.

To deep fry

- Pour the oil into a large pot and heat over medium high. Check at regular intervals with an instant read thermometer for the temperature.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface until it's 1/2 inches thick.
- Cut into the desired shape using a doughnut cutter or a wide-mouthed glass and a shot glass for the holes. It's fun to make a whole bunch of small doughnuts using only a small glass.
- When the oil reaches 350 F, try out the temperature with a doughnut hole. If it bobs up to the surface after about 30 seconds, the oil is ready. Slide in 3 or 4 big doughnuts and turn them after 3 minutes. You can also go by colour: golden brown means they're done!
- Transfer the cooked doughnuts onto paper towels and let cool.
- Shake them around in a paper bag with some sugar and serve!

After you finish cooking and the oil has cooled, place some cheesecloth in a funnel and pour the oil back into the bottle. Keep it in the fridge for the next time you want to make doughnuts!

Birthday Coffee Cake

I've had the most wonderful summer. I went swimming in community pools. I gardened, even though my garden produced zilch. I rode my blue Peugeot bike to and from work. I sang Joni Mitchell songs from the Rise Up Singing songbook. I made Thai curries and pork tonkatsu and lots of sushi rice. I started watching Minuit, le soir, an incredible Quebec T.V series. I translated at the Ecocity World Summit 2011 in Montréal and learned about designing cities for people not cars. I read a lot on my Kindle (Matterhorn, Karl Marlantes, A Visit From the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan, and The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver). I went home to Victoria where I saw maternal relatives, played tennis, realized my sister is growing up big time, had big life discussions with mom and dad, and ate a lot of fish. I went to Oregon where I saw paternal relatives, swam in the lake, played tennis, read, made blackberry pie, and ate a lot of granola.

And, there have been many birthday celebrations. Birthdays are important in my family, as all celebrations are. When I was younger, I used to average two or three birthday parties. One with my friends, one with my family at home, and one in Oregon. With cake and presents at all of them. Of course, everyone in my family teased me relentlessly (and they still do)  about having so many parties. But they only encouraged it with their organizing and asking me weeks in advance for birthday dinner requests! (Mind you, I do send my birthday list out as a group email on July 1st.) Despite any teasing, we still feel evening birthday dinner parties aren't quite enough. You have to have birthday breakfast too, even if it means getting up at 6:30 on a week day. And that means birthday coffee cake.

Dad started making birthday coffee cake maybe 10 years ago. I think his dad made it for him and his brother and sister when they were small. It was one of the few things he made when they were kids. The recipe's originally from the Joy of Cooking, and there's nothing else quite like it.

This summer, Dad made the coffee cake for my birthday when I was home, and I made it for JB's birthday last weekend in Montréal. Everyone loved it, especially after they figured out it wasn't a cake made of coffee but a brioche-type delicacy.

Birthday Coffee Cake
Adapted by Eric Murphy from the Joy of Cooking

The recipe will be different every time you make it depending on flour, oven temperature, memory, and state of mind. Use instant yeast, it's easier. I make this the night before, putting the dough in the fridge over night after it has risen once. Then, in the morning, I take it out early to let it rise before cooking.

 Dough 

1/2 C butter, SOFT
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 TBS lemon juice
2 beaten eggs
1 C milk
1 tsp vanilla

4-5 C sifted white spelt flour or all-purpose white flour (quantities will vary depending on which flour you use)
2 TBS instant yeast

- In a big bowl, cream the butter and sugar until creamy. You can do this by hand, with beaters, or in a stand mixer.
- Add the salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Mix well.
- In another bowl, sift 4 C of flour and whisk in the instant yeast.
- Gradually add the flour. When the dough's too stiff to stir, use your hands to mix the rest of the flour in. If the dough's sticking to your hands, add more flour until it's just barely sticky.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes or until smooth. You should be able to stretch the dough without it tearing, but you don't have to knead it as much as bread dough.
- Put the dough in a clean buttered bowl in a warm place. I turn on the oven for 5 minutes (100 F) with the door open and turn if off before I put in the dough. Let it rise for 2 hours or until it has doubled.
- Punch it down and either roll or stretch it into a 9 X 9 rectangular baking dish. Let it rise for another 30 minutes. Make the topping (see below for recipe).

- OR: Once the dough is in the pan, you can cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge over night. The cold will slow down the rising. In the morning, take out the dough 1 1/2 hours to let it rise before baking.

- Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes. The cake is done when you press your fingers in the middle and the dough springs back. The middle cooks last.

Topping

Make the topping while the dough rises for the second time.

4 TBS flour

4 TBS butter

4 TBS brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

- Mix together well.

We bought JB the Italian-made Avanti espresso machine for his birthday. It makes terrific espresso and accompanied the cake perfectly. And, as I said, if espresso makes you feel like you have jet engines  under your feet, tea would be fine.

Out of the box

Turns out someone I graduated from high school with is a farmer. I felt pretty damn awesome about that so I joined her CSA for the summer and have been kicking my butt to find interesting ways to eat radishes, arugula, and greens greens greens. The following are some of my favs thus far...more to come as I endeavor to eat everything before it goes bad...

Walnut, Radish & Arugula Sandwiches (are my new favorite meal)
from Mark Bittman's Food Matter's Cookbook

Drop one bunch of washed radish's into a food processor. Whiz them up until they are in chunky little pieces. Remove as much as you can to a separate bowl, stragglers, are ok. Put .5 cup walnuts & 1 cup packed arugula in the food pr...ocessor. Grate the zest from 1 orange (or 1 lemon) into processor as well. Whiz all of that up for about 1 minute - it will look a little gritty. With the food processor on, pour about 1-2tbsp. olive oil in the spout. This will emulsify with the walnut/arugula/zest and produce one beautiful green paste. Turn processor off, taste and salt and pepper as necessary. Spread that number on some bread or crackers and then sprinkle with pre-prepared radish bits. Surprisingly delightful & addictive. 

Potato Salad with Radishes & Fennel Tops
based on a recipe by Ethan Stowell in the July 2011 Food & Wine Magazine, page 180.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When water is boiling, add 1.5 lbs of organic potatoes cut roughly to .5" square pieces. Boil for about 15min, or JUST until you can pierce pieces with a fork. When pot...atoes reach this state, drain into a colander and run cool water over them to prevent further cooking.

In a large bowl measure .5 cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp. champagne vinegar (you can substitute a white wine vinegar here, but champagne vinegar IS pretty delicious). Whisk up and season with salt and pepper. Fold in potatoes (it's ok if they are still a little warm, they will smell great in the dressing!). At this time also add the roughly chopped tops and stalks of 1 fennel bulb. Allow this business to cool completely.  

When you are ready to serve the salad fold in 1 bunch of sliced radishes. Taste it, add more salt, more pepper & enjoy!

Apricot Glazed Napa Cabbage or Bok Choy with Fennel
based on a recipe from Terry Walter's "Clean Food" 

In a large skillet or dutch oven saute 2 tbsp grated ginger in 2tbsp olive oil for 1 minute. (Keep it moving, ginger gets sticky!). Add 2 sliced delicious little baby Five Acre Farm fennel bulbs, tops removed and saved for another dish.... Saute for about 5 minutes until fennel is soft. Stir in three tbsp good Apricot jam and 8 cups washed & chopped asian greens (bok choy or napa cabbage are both great here. Cut the ends off of either green and then just slice into strips across stem. Wash and rinse, you're good to go). Gently fold the picture together in your skillet, watching to make sure that nothing is sticking to horrifically to the bottom. Remove from heat when greens are wilted & stalky bits are soft - the bright green color is usually a good cue. Sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds and serve!

Thai Curry on a Weeknight

I have a cookbook called The Best International Recipe by Cooks Illustrated. In it are recipes for international recipes, all tried and tested to perfection in America's Test Kitchen. The recipes are made with ingredients that North American cooks can buy at the grocery store, but the lists are long. I've been swooning over a recipe for Thai green curry for months, but I haven't mustered up the courage to buy 18 different things and spend an hour and a half sweating over a simmering pot, no matter how delicious the results may be.

JB's brother Pierre is a chef, and a darn good chef at that. Sometime last month, he made a Thai curry at our house, proving that you can make an awesome curry with a little coconut milk, curry paste, and the protein of your choice. He also showed me a little trick: reduce the coconut milk until the oil separates out and starts to brown in the pan. The rest is easy.


I remembered exactly what Pierre had shown me and wanted to compare his method to others. I found another quick recipe for Thai curry in Matthew Amster-Burton's Hungry Monkey cookbook. What d'you know? Matthew also reduces his coconut milk and uses store-bought curry paste. (Matthew also has an excellent, simple recipe for Pad Thai, you can read about it here.)

Different brands of curry paste vary in quality and flavour. I've found, just as Matthew suggests, that Thai Kitchen pastes are less spicy and less flavourful that Mae Ploy pastes. Their flavour is also less complex. But if Thai Kitchen is all you can find just add a bit more or a little less! It's all to taste anyway.

Green Thai Curry
From Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton

Serves 4 with rice

Make a big pot of your favourite rice (I've been really digging sushi rice) and follow the directions on the package.

1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 TBS green curry paste
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS fish sauce
1 pound shrimp, fish, chicken, tofu, you choose.
1 TBS fresh lime juice

Chopped green onion and cilantro for garnish.

1. Heat a skillet on medium high.
2. Shake your can of coconut milk before opening it. Open the can and pour half the milk into the skillet.
3. Bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the milk until a thin shimmer of oil appears on the surface and little bubbles start to form (about 5 minutes). You'll need to stir! The milk will hiss when you drag a spoon through it. It will look like this:

4. You want to wait until it looks like this (keep stirring!):


5. Now add your curry paste. Stir!
6. Add the rest of your coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir!
7. Add your protein of choice. (Shrimp take about 1.5 minutes. Chicken takes about 5 minutes. Tofu takes about 5 minutes as well, you want it nice and tender.)
8. Bring the sauce to a boil.
9. Off the heat, stir in lime juice and cover the whole dish in chopped cilantro (or mint or basil) and green onion.
10. Serve! (With rice, don't forget.)


- Murph

Petites galettes à l'orange

I moved in with Jean-Baptiste in January. I also started working as a full-time translator at the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre. Between unpacking, painting, going to choir practice, taking singing lessons, cooking for two, planning meals, and trudging around in the snow, I found it hard to write here. Impossible, actually, as my absence proves!

Moving really knocked the snot out of me. The temperature on the day of the move was -25 C, and I was super sick. There was also a serious mold problem in my apartment, hence why I had to move, and why things were tense between me and my landlords.


Even though I moved into JB's apartment, there was a lot of work to do. The kitchen sure didn't look like it does now. We're more settled now: I'm working part-time, with a few contracts on the side, and it's summer. Our apartment is starting to feel like home, and life has slowed down to a much more reasonable pace. I like being busy, and I like having things to do, but all the transitions and new beginnings made me so tired. Life's like that. Those times are crazy. You have to hang on tight and enjoy (or try to) the ride.

Last weekend, JB's mom, Pascale, came over to make some Galettes à l'orange, or orange cookies. French is a funny language: these cookies are called galettes, but the word for cookies is really biscuits. There are also other words for cookies, such as des gâteaux (a word we associate with cake) or des cookies (clearly an English word!).

Galettes à l'orange

Yields 20-30 cookies, about.

from JB's mom

These cookies are not too sweet and perfect for munching on with green tea or iced coffee or whatever else you can think of, morning, noon, and night.

Pascale has a little trick: use one measuring cup and one bowl and you'll have less dishes. She tributes this to 40 years of cooking! (She started when she was around 10, I think). We used a small water glass that equals 1 cup.

The next time I make these, I'm going to add orange zest. Maybe 2 tsp. That would really boost the orange flavour.

1 C fresh squeezed orange juice (or regular orange juice)
1 C white sugar
2 tsp baking powder

1 C oil
2 egg yolks
flour

1 - Mix the orange juice and sugar together. Add the baking powder and let it react with the acid in the orange juice for 3-5 minutes.
2- Add the oil and two egg yolks. Mix well.
3- This is the tricky part and where experienced cooks will do better than inexperienced ones: add flour until the dough is the consistency of a very smooth pie dough, but this dough will be wetter than pie dough. When you touch it, it should feel smooth and plump, like the baking powder is doing it's job well.
4- To make rolling out the dough easier, refrigerate your dough for an hour or two. We rolled the dough out right away, but it was a bit sticky.
5- When your dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350 F.
6- Roll out the dough. Pierce the rolled out dough all over with a fork to help the dough relax and puff as it's baking (this is easier to do when the dough is in one big sheet).
7- Use your favourite cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Pascale brought over her comma-shaped cutter that was her husband's mothers. I, unfortunately, have no cookie cutters to my name.
8- Mix up another egg and milk and brush the cookies with it.
9- Cook until golden brown. (10-15 minutes depending on your oven).

NOTE: The best baking sheets are two-ply. Your cookies will cook too fast in most ovens on a "cookie sheet" with sides. If this is all you have, keep a close eye on your cookies and rotate the sheets throughout the cooking.

REMEMBER: Cookies continue to cook once you take them out of the oven. It's usually best to take them out of the oven just before you think they're done.

Dieting

Let me be the first to aknowledge the following:

1. I do not need to diet for health reasons. It is pure vanity. I want to be able to wear the jeans I wore before I got a desk job.

2. I loath exercise. It is absolutly the last thing on my list to do, and if I have time to bake or take a walk, I will bake.

That being said, I am trying to lose a little weight (goodbye pastry). My partner, who can slim down to his nice trim mesomorph form after a month of pure gluttony in about, oh five minutes, has committed to dieting with me. He also is endeared to exercise and bio mechanics in a way that should be outlawed, so he is equally helpful and exasperating in this endeavor.

So what's on the diet you ask?
6 days a week we stick to beans, proteins, vegetables - and try to avoid foods that convert quickly into sugar (refined starches, milk, fruit, etc.) Do I cheat? Yes. Often? No. Stopgaps for me are a decaffeinated chocolate hazelnut tea (unsweetened of course), natural peanut butter, almonds and hard salami.We're getting creative with lentils, soups, and curry.

In addition - there is a big planned break on Saturday. On Saturday, everything is fair game. Without this opportunity to go a little pastry crazy, I probably couldn't stick to it.

We've been at it three weeks now and I've lost five-plus pounds. So I sojourn on. I think in time we can evolve into a gluten free diet, so I'm looking forward to meals of rice and buckwheat noodles.

Here's to making mindful adjustments and seeing where they lead us.

Dhal for lunch.

Kelsey

I know you thought I was dead.

When really I was anything but. In the past eight months I've moved home, started two jobs, re-navigated the waters (both figuratively and literally) of the mass transit system and generally been deliriously happy to make a life in my native northwest. I teach at community college, I enter data for farmers, and I find time to cook and sleep in between. Today, I felt the irresistable urge to post on my lunch break. So here are some highlights:

1. I love this recipe. It brought me to buy a mandolin. I am still actively seeking excellent frozen puff pastry.

2. Matt collected wild blackberries this summer while job hunting. We made runny blackberry jam that people compliment even though they don't have too.

3. The cheese plate here is something I think about before falling asleep at night.

4. I've had this book on my shelf for years, and only recently really dived into it. I stand by the soups first and foremost. And the Teff peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. In fact, I've become such a devotee, I bought the second.

5. I made Matt and his mom wait for over an hour to eat here. Canadian hipster. The only things that might come close to waiting an hour for are the Shao Bing and a whiskey/ginger fizz business that was by far the best thing I ate/drank all night.

That is all for now. Back to farmer support. XXOO.

Kelsey

Excellence

My mister is crazy about T.V shows, and he introduced me to Frasier a couple months ago. I can hardly say "introduced me" because I've known about it as long as I've been watching T.V. It was the show that played absolutely non-stop when I was a teenager. Every time I wanted to sneak an episode of Friends after dinner without my parents knowing (T.V was against the rules), Frasier was on. I found this more than annoying. I didn't understand the jokes! So I never appreciated the beauty of Frasier. But since I started episode 1. season 1., I understand what all the fuss was about.

I grew up thinking T.V was bad, forbidden, and basically evil. I was always trying to sneak programs and watch what all my friends were watching. My parents, especially my mom, seemed to think T.V was going to kill me, ruin my "angelic" thoughts, or "put ideas into my head." Well, there were certainly enough of those "ideas" in my "angelic" head, and I certainly managed to get into enough trouble without T.V, so I'm not sure what all the fuss was about. Turns out, Frasier is hilarious. Jean-baptiste and I watch it drinking chamomile tea and eating popcorn dusted with nutritional yeast. We kill ourselves laughing! This has been a good addition to my sometimes, over-serious life.


Frasier, the protagonist, is always learning. He always takes himself way too seriously, and often says or does the most ridiculous things, but in the end, he laughs at himself and learns. His family and friends help him see through his arrogance and pull him off his high horse. The beauty of this show is that everyone sees themselves in all the characters. I, like Frasier, take myself too seriously. This can be a good thing and a bad one; it comes from a strong desire to be excellent. But I can't be so excellent if I'm so worried about not being excellent. Sometimes I worry so much about being excellent, or not being excellent, I forget why I wanted to be excellent in the first place. It boils down to one question: What is this excellence anyway?

Excellence is making eggplant parmesan, listening to Revolver (the mono recording), and singing along at the top of my lungs. Excellence is a cappuccino with Jean-Baptiste at Olympico, our favourite café, with my legs on his lap, and his huge grin and bad jokes. Excellence is a slice of lemon cake topped with a spoonful of thick crème fraiche and a cup of tea. Excellence is riding my bicycle in the early fall wind to the market to buy a squash to make soup. Excellence is this. that. and the old man over there sitting on a bench chewing a cigar. Excellence is wandering around used CD stores, not buying anything, just looking, clad in a long wool coat, leather boots and a beret. It's simple people: whatever we have right now is excellent. And if you find yourself saying, no! This is not excellent! This is hell! Well, it's pretty excellent that you're alive and breathing and kicking. Life just goes in a circles anyways, from day to night, from night to day. So go stand on top of a mountain or by the sea and give this old life of ours a good, loud yell.

Or simply make a little dish for supper, light some candles, invite someone you love for dinner, and dig in.

Either way, it will all be excellent.

Eggplant Parmesan
Adapted from Jamie's Italy

There are many ways to make eggplant parmesan and recipes may vary. The dish I make involves sliced, roasted eggplant layered with parmesan cheese and fresh tomato sauce. The following proportions can be adjusted to taste.

Serves 2

Preheat the oven to 350 F

1 big eggplant
Olive oil

Slice the eggplant about half an inch thick and lay slightly overlapping in a roasting pan.
Brush the eggplant on one side with oil.
Put pan into oven and roast until soft and slightly brown. About 35-40 minutes.

olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
6-7 big tomatoes or a whole can of tomatoes
fresh/dried basil and oregano
salt/pepper
a splash of balsamic vinegar

Make the sauce while the eggplant cooks.

Heat some olive oil in a pan. Chop the onion and saute it until soft. Chop the garlic or use a garlic press and add it to the onion, stirring so it doesn't burn.

Chop the tomatoes (I don't take the skin off or remove the seeds) and add them to the onion and garlic. Season with basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer until the sauce is bubbling and juicy. About 30 minutes. Taste and add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

4 handfuls of bread crumbs
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

Grate the parmesan cheese.
Pour 1 TBS of olive oil or melted butter into a bowl with the crumbs and mix around. This will keep them from burning in the oven.

Pour a bit of sauce into a small gratin or casserole dish (remember this is a dish for two). This will give the bottom layer of eggplant some moisture. Place the eggplant on the bottom of the dish side by side so there is little space between slices. Pour half the sauce on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Add the final layer of eggplant. Add the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Sprinkle on the crumbs.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 F until bubbling. About 30 minutes. Remove the foil and let the top brown under the boiler.

Serve with braised greens, some crusty bread, and cheese. This would also be a great accompaniment for fish or steak. Red wine, yes please.

Enjoy this life, this excellence.

Until next time,

- j

Billy Goats

When I was a wee little thing, Katherine and I shared a room (to my dismay). When we were younger, between the ages of 2 and 8, we played a lot together in our bedroom. One of the games we played was called Billy Goats. We named it after these lumpy looking, dried fruit and nut cookies that Dad used to make. He'd make them in enormous batches and put them in a huge Tupperware container. And then, if we were lucky, and if we hadn't eaten too many cookies already, he would play the game with us.

Like many siblings who shared a room, we had bunk beds. Dad would hang a pink and green flowered sheet from the top bunk so it completely covered the bed. He would crawl onto the top bunk and hide. Then he would tie cookies onto the end of a string hanging off of a makeshift bamboo fishing rod and dangle them off the end of the bed. Katherine and I would pull on the cookie, just like little fishies do, and dad would pretend there was a monster on the line. Sometimes he would pull the cookie back before we could get at it, and sometimes he would let us gloriously snatch the cookie while we collapsed in a fit of giggles and ate our prize.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of us playing this delightful game. That would of been a real hoot. I'm sure it involved dressing up in costumes. We had a dress-up box, you know. Any chance we had, we were digging through the dress-up box, putting on over-sized high heels, dragging dresses, stained satin gloves, and poofy hats. There was usually some fighting over who would get to wear what, and I usually won. Poor little bit... Then I would put my hands on my hips and order her to do something or steal her cookie. She's not such an all-adoring push over now though. Oh no.

Tonight I made some of these cookies. Turns out they're called Hermits in the Joy of Cooking, not Billy Goats. In fact, I'm not sure Dad even made them from the Joy. I'm not even sure we called the game Billy Goats. Memory is so fluid! But that is how I remember things. The cookies were paler, smaller, and more rock-like looking than what you see in the picture. I didn't have brown sugar so I added some molasses. I had no dates so I used raisins. I had no ground cloves so I added cardamom in its place. And I added chocolate chips. Dad never put in chocolate chips. These were supposed to be healthy cookies. But what the heck, they're a put-in-whatever-you-want kind of cookie.

I just ate one. Mine are delicious. I'm going immediately consume another one. I bet they get better with age too. I'm also going to call Dad to see if he actually followed this recipe. I'm sure he did not.

Billy Goats

As adapted from memory

Makes 24 2-inch cookies
Oven: 350 F.

1/2 C butter
1 C packed brown sugar

Cream together until well blended. Hopefully you have beaters. I did not. Damn it.

1 egg
1 C milk/buttermilk/sour cream

Add to butter mixture and blend well.

1 1/3 flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove/cardamom
1/4 tsp bk. soda (used powder by accident)

Wisk together and add to wet ingredients. Before everything is combined, add below ingredients and stir until well-blended.

1/2 C chopped raisins, dates, figs, apricots, or citron
1/4 C nutmeats (used 1/2 C)
1/4 C coconut
1/4 C chocolate chips (if you're so inclined. but the chocolate will take over the other flavours.)

Use a spoon to measure out the amounts. Space well on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turning the trays 3/4 of the way through if your oven is hotter at the back, or until just brown around the edges.

PS: if you want to play the game, you'll need to make your cookies much smaller. About half the size. Add more nuts and things to make the batter thicker. That should give them more of a pebble like quality which is more favourable to tying onto the ends of string.

Gone Fishing.... In my dreams!

Heath Pottery

I remember the first piece of Heath pottery mom brought home. It was a moonstone bread and butter plate, she had bought at Laguna Pottery in Seattle, a vintage pottery store that sells American pottery. She said in that delightful sing-song voice of hers: "Oh! I just wanted to see what you all thought of the colour!" But she had, in fact, been researching this pottery for years and was on the brink of a purchasing streak that has continued even today.

This looks something like our cupboards in the Victoria kitchen.

I think she's always been fascinated with beautiful things, especially pottery and china. I remember going on errands with her when I was younger, and we'd always end up walking around in the Bay department store so she could look at specials on linens and china. While I was growing up, my musician parents didn't have tons of money for fancy tableware, but we had good quality dishes that were beautiful in their own way. Once they changed jobs and had little extra money, the Heath pottery started coming in.

Heath pottery isn't fancy. It's beautiful. Heath Ceramics was founded by Edith Heath (1911-2005) in the mid-forties. She designed her pottery and tiles to be timeless and outlast trends. Some of her work is still on display in museums such as the MOMA in New York, and special lines of pottery have been made for such celebrated restaurants as Chez Panisse. She also won the AIA gold medal award for her work on the exterior of the Pasedena Norton Simon Museum: 115,000 glazed tiles.


Heath Ceramics was recently purchased by a couple in 2003 who were committed to maintaining Heath's founding environmental principles. The factory is located in Sausalito, California, just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Fransisco. The ceramics are made by salaried employees with benefits, some of who have been at the company for 25 years. They use California clay and environmental firing practices such as one-time firings at lower temperatures instead of the common two-time firings. They mix their own clay and glazes on site. The people at Heath Ceramics are committed to making a local product with materials from the area and for people of the area. Products that last a life time.

This pottery, as you may have guessed, is not cheap for all the reasons listed above. But as my ever-frugal father likes to say: "They are works of art, and I would rather have a few beautiful things instead of many mediocre ones." It also comes down to how much we love eating: eating off of beautiful dishes just enhances the experience. You could call us materialistic, but my family used to sit around for hours after dinner talking about which colours went the best together. Katherine and I would make the odd exclamation about what colours we wanted for our future homes, and there would be other odd interjections and disagreements, and the conversation would continue on. It has changed and shaped out little funny lives.



This summer, we went to Yosemite National Park in July for my Uncle Jeff's wedding. On the way home, we stopped in Sausalito and visited the factory. They weren't giving tours that day, but when we walked in, we must have all been grinning from ear to ear because the people behind the counter exclaimed: "Wow! You guys must be really happy to be here!" Of all the things to do in our four hours in San Fran, we picnicked up on California's brown dry hills and looked at that famous bridge, and then we went to the pottery store.



At the store, they sell a lot of seconds, which are pieces that are moderately flawed and 30% off! I bought myself some linen tea cups that I've been eying for ages. They go very well with my moonstone pottery that my parents gave to me.


And after all this talk about the beauty of pottery and eating accessories, I would like to add that I experienced the same pleasure from going to my friend Libby's grandmother's house where they've eaten off of simple, white Corningware dishes for as long as anyone can remember. The simplicity of it all seemed such a lovely contrast to the long, and sometimes complex, conversations about Heath. And there's something really refreshing about all white.

Jamie Oliver's Lemon Sherbet

Jean-Baptiste and I have been frequenting local ice cream shops on a regular basis this summer. What better thing is there to do? In Montreal, ice cream shops are abundant, and good, home-made ice cream is not hard to come by. A couple months ago, early in our budding relationship, we went to a place close to my house call Chez Roberto. It's an Italian restaurant that sells gelato and sorbets. Jean-Baptiste ordered pear and lemon sorbet, one scoop of each in a little dish. I don't remember what I got as my choices paled in comparison, but I vaguely remember tasting cherry and chocolate and peach - and although it may sound good, it was not a winning combination. We ate our gelato (and sorbet) in a near-by park with children climbing on brightly coloured play equipment and splashing through fountains. It was a perfectly gorgeous, early summmer day. I finished my ice cream, which was good, but nothing compared to what was happening next to me. Jean-Baptiste was staring fixedly at his cup while vigorously spooning sorbet into his mouth, grunting and slurping with pleasure. He was generous enough to share, and, oh wow! The lemon flavour was so precise, so fresh, so lemon. The pear so sweet, so soft, so pear. When he finished, he immediately announced he wanted more, and we returned for another cup of lemon and pear to share.

This got me thinking of lemon sorbet. Then I remembered a recipe for lemon sherbet in Jamie Oliver's Italian cookbook that didn't require an ice cream maker. But what's the difference between sorbet and sherbet, you may be asking yourself? Sorbets are "smooth, creamless ice creams made from a sugar syrup base." Sherbets are "made by adding a little bit of cream to a sorbet base." This small amount of cream creates that slightly fizzy taste in your mouth when you eat it. The following recipe does require three to four hours - something I hardly seem to have these days - but it is easy easy easy. It just requires you to spend 6 bucks on mascarpone and about 2 bucks on lemons. (Don't worry, the mascarpone keeps for a LONG time, giving you plenty of time to make tiramisu, another item on my list.) The sugar and water you have on hand, I assume. Although it took me three weeks to organize myself and make the sherbet, I finally did it, and ooh boy, it was worth it!


Sorbetto di limone
special lemon sherbet

Adapted from Jamie's Italy

This recipe makes a tart, but sweet, very lemon-tasting sherbet. It's perfectly perfect for the summer. And doesn't require a fancy ice cream maker!

Serves 6

1 C sugar
1 C water
1 C lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 heaping tablespoon of mascarpone

- Pre-freeze a shallow dish, a sauce pan, or a pyrex baking dish.

- Put the sugar and water into a pan and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 5 minutes. The liquid will be clear and slightly syrupy.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and zest.
- Add the mascarpone and whisk until it's all incorporated. The mixture will be milky.
- Taste your syrup to see whether you need to adjust the lemon or sweetness. How much lemon juice and sugar you use will depend on your lemons.

- Pour the syrup into your pre-frozen dish and put it in the freezer. Let it sit for an hour.
- After an hour, stir the sherbet, forking up any frozen bits. The outside will freeze first so make sure you run your fork or spoon around the outside.
- Wait another hour and stir again.
- Wait another hour and stir again.
- Then let it be for another hour and it's ready to serve!

- The sherbet will keep in the freezer covered in plastic wrap or with a lid for 3 days before it starts to crystallize.

- Stirring is very important as that is what gives the sherbet a smooth texture.

Northwest Notes

1. I LOVE LOCAL STONE FRUIT. Lord, I'd forgotten. And berries. Sheesh. I bought local "apriums" (apricot plums) at a farmers' market and grinned like an idiot all the way home.

2. Wonderful, kind friends from high school have simply folded me in. I could not be more grateful. They are good eaters also (excellent). I see many fine eats and evenings in my future.

3. I found an apartment. I love it AND they have giant herbs going crazy in the yard AND a wild raspberry bush. I told mom I am going to love that rapsberry bush, take care of it, talk sweet nothings into its little ear, and soon, we will all have jam.

4. I am making pesto for my fam tonight. Here is our favorite recipe a la Marcella Hazaan (arguable the queen of all things Italian). Also, Judes, it is time for us to organize our recipe archive - because I am pretty sure I've posted this before but can't find it.

Blender Pesto

What you need:
2 cups fresh basil leaves (or two whopping handfuls)
2 tablespoons pine nuts (or if you are feeling poor - but remove the bitter skins by toasting breifly and then rubbbing around in a terry cloth towel)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Coarse Salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp Romano pecorino (again, if you are feeling poor just use whatever hard italian cheese you can get your hands on for both the parm & ramano)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp butter, room temperature

What you do:
In a blender, food processor or on a cutting board with incredible zeal, combine garlic, nuts, salt and basil until very fine and paste like. If using blender or food processor add oil and whiz up until consistent. If using a cutting board put paste into bowl and blend in olive oil until uniform. Then, regardless of previous methods, beat in cheese and butter until uniform. Serve over hot pasta, bake on top of some chicken breast, dip bread in it, bath in it - whatever you need.

5. I've frozen a jabilion local strawberries. Come visit. I'll make you a wicked cocktail in November and you will ask - what is that delightful sweet tang - I will answer - WA strawberries preserved in July for your enjoyment in the ongoing gray of Seattle Winter/Fall/Spring.

Coffee Cake Supreme

I remember an argument I had with a best friend when I was seven. We often fought about everything from religious differences to what we were going to wear, and in this case, to what one should eat for breakfast. At recess, I told my friend my mom had made coffee cake for breakfast, as she sometimes did for a special treat, even though it was a weekday. A simple cake, low in butter and sugar, but with the characteristic flour, butter, and sugar crumble for topping. My friend couldn't believe I had eaten cake for breakfast. I tried to explain that coffee cake was something made specifically for breakfast, and was very irritated that even after detailed explanation, she would accept that my mother had allowed me to eat cake for breakfast.


I still have to explain to people what coffee cake is. Most french-speaking people I know think it's a cake made out of coffee. Others think, much like Bethany did, that it's absurd to eat cake for breakfast. Perhaps it is? But coffee cakes range in richness and texture. Some are made with yeast, others, like the one below, are made with baking powder and soda. They can be light and airy like brioche or dense like cake. My parents always made coffee cake when I was growing up. For birthdays, we make a yeast coffee cake from the Joy of Cooking that has been a family tradition for years. On Christmas morning, we make another lemon-flavoured yeast coffee cake, also a long-standing family tradition. Cakes are for celebration, and what better thing is there to celebrate than the morning? So go! Eat cake for breakfast!

I've been wanting to make Tom Douglas' Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake for ages. The breakfast section in his Seattle Kitchen cookbook is unreal. There is not one recipe I have made that has been unsatisfactory in terms of breakfast foods. It starts off with a long discourse on the importance of coffee and the hottest places to get breakfast in Seattle. This coffee cake has to be one of the best I've tasted. But save yourself: Tom D goes heavy on the butter and sugar. I reduced the amounts called for, and we still dug in with exclamations of: mmmm, so buttery! oh wow! unreal!



Tom Douglas' Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake

Adapted from Tommy Douglas' Seattle Kitchen

I used whole spelt flour which lends a very tender crumb and a wholesome nutty flavour. And, as mentioned above, I reduced the amounts of butter and sugar, but mostly just in the cake. I didn't hold back on the streusel. Streusel's need the full amount of butter and sugar, in my opinion. The next time I make it, I might reduce the amounts even more. It's quite buttery as it is. You can easily double the amounts to make enough to fill a 9 X 11 baking pan.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease a 9-inch cake pan.

For the Streusel:

1/3 C whole spelt flour
1/3 C firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
4 TBS (3/4) stick cold butter

- Mix the dry ingredients together
- Cut in the butter using your fingers or a pastry blender. Using your fingers works best so you can achieve a fine cornmeal-like texture.
- Put into the fridge until the cake is ready to bake.

For the Coffee Cake:

1 1/4 C whole spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
3/4 C butter
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C blueberries

- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (if using).
- In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar. Follow with the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until well blended.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture in three parts.
- Fold in the berries.
- The batter will be very thick.
- Pour into greased pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

If it's scorching hot and humid outside, like it is right now in Montreal, perhaps you'd like to make some iced coffee the night before? Coffee is the proper accompaniment for such a cake, you know.


Cold Brewed Iced Coffee

Brewing coffee cold over night produces a mellower drink with hints of caramel and chocolate. Here's how:

Use a French press if you have one, but if you don't, a jar will work fine.

- Mix 1/3 C coarsely-ground coffee and 1 1/2 C cold water in a French press or jar.
- Let stand on the counter over night or for 12 hours. This makes a sort of coffee extract.
- In the morning, press down the coffee in your French press or filter the brew through a coffee filter or cheese cloth TWICE.
- Pour equal amounts coffee extract and water into a glass with ice. Add milk if you wish.

Oh my lord! Everyone is rejoicing because now I'll stop talking about making iced coffee or finding iced coffee or drinking iced coffee; I simply just did it. But it's been a long time coming.

Happy breakfasting folks!

The Return

Look at my herb garden! And my Japanese barbecue! I found the hibachi by chance when I was planting my herbs. When I opened the closet door on my balcony, which I rarely do, to put away my bag of dirt, a dirty, dusty plastic bag caught my eye. I pulled at it, and feeling that it was heavy, gave a little squeal. Could it be a barbecue? And not only was it a barbecue, it was a hibachi, the same kind my dad cooked on when he was just a little older than I and living with my mom in Chicago. Apparently, he ran up and down the stairs of their fourth floor apartment to cook in the alley. He's always talked about it as being a great compact way to barbecue in all sorts of weather. I can't believe my luck! There's even some charcoal, matches, and fire starter. I guess things just come our way.


Recently, I had to retire my old skateboarding helmet (I'm a terrible skateboarder, but I wore it biking, and it made me feel like a total bad ass.) I was sad to part with it, but after being dropped multiple times on the ground and being worn for five years, the outside had completely come unglued. I bought a new, very fast-looking blue helmet to replace it, but I kept the outside of my old helmet and, under someone's suggestion, planted some basil in it. Can't wait to eat pesto!


I can't insist enough on the importance of breakfast. I'd swim the Pacific ocean, braving shark bites, dehydration, and tankers for a breakfast of any kind. It's also my favourite meal to cook. And it's even better when there's someone else around to share it with. My favourite solitary breakfast is popped amaranth and strong black tea. I first learned about popping amaranth seeds when reading this article on the Gluten-Free Girl's blog last year. Ever since, I've been popping these little grains for breakfast. But popping it has been quite tricky. It often ended in my gripping the pot handle, pleading with the grains, begging them not burn. Finally, I figured out a way that works: Put a little bit of oil in a saucepan pan with a few seeds, turn the heat to max, and wait until the seeds start to pop. When they start popping, pour 1/3 C amaranth seeds into the pan and stir until most of the grains are popped and the cereal has increased in volume. Amaranth seeds are really tiny and they burn easily, so stirring is really important. Before, I used to put the lid on the pot and shake like I would for popcorn. Except this doesn't really work. Constant stirring does, and with minimal burning and minimal damage to the bottoms of my saucepans, I've figured out a stress-free way to eat this all the time. It's really high in protein and TOO delicious with blueberries and toasted almonds. Don't forget to go heavy on the maple syrup or honey.


I've been eating breakfast by myself for a long time. Almost two years. Even if I have to go running off to work or to school, it's always been my favourite time of day. And I always give myself some time to have tea, munch on something kinda sweet, and read an article or two. But something's changed... and I'm not so solitary. See? Those are someone else's lovely hands in the photo!

Two and a half months ago, I was invited to dinner by a friend. When I walked into the kitchen, there he was, standing there all tall and thin, with those big blue eyes and rectangular glasses. And then I learned he played tennis. And then I learned he was a sound engineer. And then I learned how much he loved bike-riding. And then I learned he loved to eat, that his family loved to eat. And now I'm learning how funny he is. How goofy he is. How patient he is. How good he makes me feel. And how unbelievably wonderful it is to share this life with someone you wake up to and just wanna squeeze 'cause they're so great. Mr. Jean-Baptiste! Your whole being is a delight. I'm glad I know you. Eating breakfast with someone has never been more wonderful. Even if it's while watching the World Cup. You know, I'm even enjoying the world cup. Sure, I read most of the time, but it's nice you love it so much.

When I was little, my mom made us fruit and yogurt popsicles for snacks. She used all kinds of berries and usually honey as a sweetener. I remember wearing my favourite Hanna Anderson dress and eating popsicles with my sister out in the back yard. Mom would my working in the garden, trying to get us to help, but we'd be (me especially) flitting about, trying to avoid helping at all costs. I'm sure Katherine was very willing to help initially, but I probably encouraged some sort of rebellion on her part. Oh to be young and wild! Mom also made limonade or apple juice popsicles, but my favourites were the yogurt ones. This week, yogurt and blueberries were on sale, so I made some. Blend 1 pint of blueberries, 1 C yogurt, and 1/4 C sugar in a blender or with a hand-held blender and pour it into popsicle molds. Delicious. This made a bit more than I needed, so I put it into bowls. I have to let the bowl sit on the counter for a while before the yogurt's soft enough to eat, but whatever. To unmold the popsicle, just run it under hot water until it pops out. I recommend playing with these quantities to find the right sweetness and consistency that you like.

Excuses

Well - I've been three weeks absent from our blog. You noticed, I'm sure.

But my excuse is excellent: I haven't cooked. Living at home means my Dad pretty much does everything, and with great panache. He still makes Risotto on a week night, he still does daily European style runs to the grocery store, and he still cooks for a brood of 20 rather than 3, resulting in excellent leftover lunches. He's decided it is OK for me to make the salad dressing, or bake - so there have been a few contributions in those areas, but nothing of real note.

I've also spent a great deal of time apartment hunting. Matt & I have an admittedly low budget, but I refuse to live somewhere with a disgusting, dark, galley style kitchen. This is proving a real challenge. I hold out hope however.

Judes, I hope your excuse is a whirlwind summer romance or vacation or new work, or just a well deserved break. Miss you, and much love.

K

P.S. I was permitted a hand in Father's Day menu planning - here's what we ate:
Dr. Pepper Ribs (We substituted Sky natural soda, Dr. Becker, because you can't get Dublin Dr. Peppers out here).
Cornbread
Grilled Potato Salad
Mixed green salad with toasted pecans, blueberries and a maple mustard vinagrette
Grandma's all real strawberry pie (recipe forthcoming - should she reveal her secrets!)

Mankato, Minnesota, adieu.

With less than 24 hours left in Minnesota there are a few folks/meals/locations I'd like to highlight for my own memorializing, and future visitors.

St. John's Episcopal Church
The first sermon Matt & I heard here was on how Jesus wants us to fight oppressive systems (ummm, YES). Philanthropic efforts include fair trade organizations & goods, Heifer International and Pride Fest. The rector selects hip swaying gospel themed hymns which the staunchly stiff congregation does their best to get into. In other words, it is perfect. We were more than embraced, and forever grateful for this faithful, kind, progressive place.


Christy's Cafe
This family run spot is perhaps the finest dining establishment in Mankato. They are dedicated to supporting the local Farmers' Market and providing excellent homemade fare. Christy's is Diner done better. One or both of the owners are always there (I am fairly certain they NEVER get a day off). When my parents came to visit, we ate here two days in a row. Their huevos rancheros are the best I've had outside of Texas, and I would give anything for a daily delivery of their pastry. A favorite breakfast that will be dearly, dearly missed.

Matt's Family
We've been supported, loved, and fed by Matt's Midwestern relatives. I will miss post thanksgiving shopping with his Grandmother and Aunt and fresh Walleye at the lake, and his cousin Jack's lacrosse games. They are quick to provide libations and hors d'ouvers, slow to irritate and smart, witty folk. I love them and will miss them dearly.

The Filling Station
I always see someone I know at the Filling Station. The carry and sell free trade loose leaf tea and have excellent pistachio biscotti. With eclectic and squishy furniture and a frequent flow of eccentric locals - what more could you want? Seriously.


The Snow
I both love and hate the snow. It is so beautiful, quiet - but equally a huge pain in the ass when you need to actually GO anywhere. All that to be said, I think I will miss it. The serenity of snow is unrivaled, and waking up to that level of peace is a rare and valuable moment.

Painted Hill Farm
Not only do these folks have the most gorgeous farm, but they also produce the finest pork I've ever tasted. I doubt I will find meat so fine in the Northwest and on cold winter nights when all I want is pulled pork, mashed potatoes and a side of broccoli, I will weap a little bit remembering the Thompson's and their damn fine meat.

I will leave you dear readers, and Minnesota, with a poem by Wendall Berry. I've learned a lot in Minnesota about making a home, building relationships, selecting food, growing plants, and appreciating weather. Generally I've learned that little of this can be controlled and that is, in essence, what makes all of it so equally terrifying and stunningly beautiful.

The Peace of Wild Things - Wendall Berry

When despair grows in me
and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.