I’ve come a long way with focaccia. When it started popping up in sandwich shops several years ago, I could barely order it. Pronunciation has never been my strong suit and my gallant efforts to order it resulted in awkward moments for months. It’s a testament to how much I like the bread that I continued to humiliate myself in such a public way.
Continue reading
I have a confession to make. Peanut butter and cherry jam on whole wheat bread is my go-to lunch. To its credit, it’s quick, economical, and a complete source of protein. It’s also the sandwich of choice for 5-year olds and yes, rather boring.
Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
When I saw Molly Wizenberg’s article on sweet potato biscuits in December’s Bon Appetit, I immediately ripped out the recipe with the hopes of baking a batch soon. Several weeks later, I finally got around to it and my only regret is that I waited so long. Slightly denser than a regular biscuit, these sweet potato biscuits are mighty fine and perfect for the holidays (at least what’s left of them!).
The recipe in Bon Appetit was for small, bite-size biscuits, but frankly small biscuits depress me so I went big. I like biscuits that require savoring that you can’t gulp down in one quick bite. That being said, a petite version of these biscuits with a little ham would be a smashing hit at a cocktail party. If you go that route, just be sure to make several batches. They’ll go quickly!
I’m trying to savor this holiday season, but the days keep slipping away. My job at the catering company is keeping me busy with holiday parties and I’ve been fortunate enough to have a packed calendar in regards to cooking classes. Despite not enough hours in the day, things are good. Well, good except for in my kitchen.
With all this work, I’ve had precious little time to play around in the kitchen this holiday season. There have been no afternoons spent baking cookies and far too few special holiday meals. Which is why when I found myself with a free hour this past weekend, I promptly baked a loaf of cranberry orange bread.
Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Cranberries, Holiday, Oranges, Quick Bread
There are few things better in this world than freshly baked bread. The smell, the chewy center with a crunchy crust, and the warmth leftover from its time in the oven make it one of my favorite indulgences. In truth, I seem to lose all control around it as was evident when my brother came to visit a couple weeks ago. I had baked a loaf of bread for dinner that evening, but by the time we sat down for dinner it was a sorry sight with a huge gaping hole. I thought I was exhibiting great self-control by just nibbling on the crust, but I had obviously gotten a little carried away. Thankfully my family is forgiving and the bread was still delicious!
My love of fresh-baked bread means I want to make it every day, but I find that I only have time on the weekends. Multiple rises combined with kneading is time-consuming and it just doesn’t fit into my work week schedule. Or so I thought until a friend told me about this recipe for no-knead bread that was published in The New York Times a couple of years ago. The recipe comes from Jim Lahey of Sullivan’s Bakery and while the bread takes longer than your usual loaf to make, up to 20 hours, the good news is that you spend only a fraction of that time on it AND you don’t have to knead it. You see the long rise takes the place of kneading and gives you great tasting bread with just a little work and a little yeast.
Continue reading
When the aroma filled up the house, I realized how much I had missed this bread. A staple growing up, Mom’s banana bread epitomized home. When we left home, we would look forward to the loaves she would bring when she came to visit, or if you were really lucky, the loaf that would arrive by mail just in time for exams. Moist, delicious, and with the magical ability to develop this gooey crust after a day or two, this banana bread was heavenly.
Which is why I’ve spent the last 5 years trying out every banana bread recipe that I’ve come across. You see several years ago I spent some time at home and copied down a bunch of my mother’s classic recipes for my own collection. The banana bread recipe was at the top of that list and I distinctly remember the first time I made it. I was breaking in the kitchen in the first apartment that I would live in by myself. I followed the recipe closely, although I ignored the instruction to put it in an 8″ by 8″ pan (my mother always baked hers in a loaf pan). I put the bread in the oven and started counting down the minutes until it would be done.
