When I first read Margit Beerli’s story, I was instantly taken back. While she has some 60 years more life-experience than me, I couldn’t help but reminisce about when my grandmother would tell me stories about her mother as a child, or even her grandmother’s childhood! The phrase “patterns and rules” really struck a chord for some reason. Maybe it’s how sewing was an art on both sides of my family–my mother made her own lined suit as a teenager, along with most of her clothes; my great grandmother on my dad’s side was a beautiful quilter. Maybe it’s my own lack of sewing knowledge or remembering the stories of the women in my family making beautiful garments and bed spreads. Maybe it’s my understanding that times past are times past–something I’m just now getting used to. It’s funny how as we age time seems to literally speed up. As a kid, I remember hearing “one hour and forty five minutes” and thinking that was FOR-EV-ER! But I’ve realized that I enjoy getting older; I honestly wouldn’t go back in time for anything. I enjoy the process age brings us of learning, exploring, pushing, discovering, and understanding. Andrew and a lot of my friends joke with me that I’m an old soul. And you know what? I take that as a compliment and I hope that it’s true.
Margit Beerli, Rinky Dink Pie
My life is simple right now because I choose to live uncomplicated and because I am in the third third of my life. I have raised my family, tripped, stumbled and danced through my middle years and now I’m savoring my surroundings: blooming peonies, the quality of light in the morning on the mimosa tree, the surprise of gold finches suddenly taking flight in a cloud of yellow. In the kitchen, I’m searching, always searching, for deep deliciousness in what I prepare, for seduction and surprise. My pie draws from the past. It comes from my mother’s childhood where there were patterns and rules. Every Sunday, in the summer, the family would meet at the park for a picnic. Mrs. Nelson always brought Rinky Dinks, individual tarts with an ambrosial coconut custard filling. You were allowed to eat one. I will make my pie of the coconut filling and lace the top with a thin criss-cross of dark chocolate. Imagine it: the custard so delicious it makes you stop, close your eyes, and succumb to sensuousness rarely experienced. And then the little bit of crunch and the shot of chocolate toying with the pie. There you have it, simple and deep, calm and seductive, pure and delicious.
Rinky Dink Pie
2 cups granulated sugar
1⅓ cups water
4 ounces angel flake sweetened coconut
7 Tablespoons salted butter
7 egg yolks
Pie dough for one crust
Good dark chocolate, chopped and melted
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook at a simmering boil for 15 minutes. Add the coconut and continue the simmering boil for another 15 minutes. Cool and add the butter. Beat the egg yolks until they are light yellow and stir into the batter.
Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out pie dough and cut into a circle larger than top diameter of your pie pan Carefully place the circle into the pan, pressing down along the sides and fluting the edge. Pour batter into pastry shell. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the pie is a lovely golden tan. Insert a knife into the center and it should come out relatively clean. Set on a rack to cool completely. Drizzle the chocolate sparingly across the pie. Serve at room temperature. If you are not serving immediately, keep in the refrigerator.
Phew! It’s not only a mouthful to say, it’s a mouthful to try. Another semi-finalist of Pietopia, this entrant’s story won the hearts of the food-writer judges for her honesty, clarity of feelings, and ability to relay her deep relationship to these specific tastes. The story is touching, the pie is a chocolate-caramel-banana flavor bomb, what better combination is there for a contest like Pietopia?
If you make this pie, you’ll instantly understand her story on a deeper and more meaningful level. This is what happened to me! Sure, I “understood” with my mind that banana’s, fudge, caramel, and kids were all a little messy and sticky–but I didn’t realize to what extent this could be taken to and how wonderful it all was together! You might even be surprised yourself.
Caroline Ford, Pietopia Semi-Finalist 2010
My younger brother has a spirited, cheerful three-year-old daughter and a giggly, flirtatious one-year-old son. Except, my brother is a drug addict and dealer and is in prison with a 20-year sentence. He has completely missed the exciting “firsts” of his babies and will continue to be absent for their early years. It breaks my heart, but I love the kids so much I can hardly stand it.
The little lives of my beautiful niece and nephew are like my Gooey, Sticky, Banana Caramel Fudge Brownie Pie. The soft, mushy bananas are the muddled circumstances and easily bruised emotions. Layered with salted caramel for all the tears along the way, a little chewy for my brother’s stubborn resistance. And the pie is oozing with dark, bittersweet chocolate for unexpected pregnancies that have brought two delightful babies.
The filling isn’t very stable. It is sticky and messy, but the combination is a sweet harmony. Each bite of the pie is happy and rich. The lush texture and comforting flavors make me swoon and grin and dive in for more. These two young souls have brought my family and the mothers’ families more joy than we could have ever imagined. They are perfect, adorable, laughing and smiling children surrounded by love, and they are exactly the delightful surprise we have all been craving. Sometimes messy is deliciously right.
Banana Caramel Fudge Brownie Pie
Crust: (makes enough for 2 single crust pies, save the other for later!)
2 ¼ c all-purpose flour
¼ c cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 T butter, chilled, cut into ¼” pieces
½ cup shortening, chilled, cut into 1/4” pieces
1/2 cup water, very cold
Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in food processor; pulse to mix.
Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (pea sized pieces).
Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until mixture comes together.
Remove dough and shape into 2 equal discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To roll out, remove one disc from refrigerator and place on floured surface. Flour disc and rolling pin; roll out dough to a 12-inch circle, about 1/8” thick.
Transfer dough to pie tin, press gently into pan. Fold excess overhang under and crimp edges.
Prick bottom and side of shell with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes. While chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees with a baking sheet on the middle rack.
Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights; bake on sheet for about 25 minutes, or until pastry is set and golden. Set aside.
Fudge Brownie Filling:
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
2 1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
1/2 cup flour, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
2 tablespoons ground espresso
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Beat eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow; add both sugars and combine.
Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Set aside.
Other Layers:
3 ripe bananas, cut into ¼” pieces
1 cup caramel chews, cut into small pieces
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
To assemble:
Layer cut bananas, caramel and chocolate chips in bottom of par baked pie shell.
Pour brownie batter over top in spoonfuls, gently smooth over filling.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until brownie is set. Insert toothpick into center to check for doneness.
Serve warm and gooey.
Leading up to the Pietopia event, I am going to share with you the six semi-finalists pies and their stories. The semi-finalists were the entries that made it from round one (the food-writer judges round) and have passed along to round two (the baker-judges). All the stories this year were absolutely fantastic! And it was a really tough decision for all the judges. As I post these pies and you read through the stories, I’m interested to know what you think about the food-memory-communication connection. How would you describe your life through taste? The pies take on a whole new flavor if you decide to make them–because you know you are tasting not just food, but someone’s story. Let me know if you do!
These pies represent a different type of nourishment we all need, something I call Primary Food. Primary food feeds us on a deeper level and includes our relationships, careers, and even spirituality. We can eat as healthy as we want, never skipping greens, and always getting the correct amount of vitamins and minerals each day. But if we are unhappy in our jobs or our relationships, the rest of our lives can be colored by those situations making us feel both physically and mentally drained. Having fun, enjoying your life, and those you spend it with are essential to feeling and being our best! What’s your primary food like?
Galaxy Pie, by Hannah Kane, Pietopia 2010 Semi-Finalist
There are at least 70 sextillion stars in the observable universe. Most stars are between 1 billion and 10 billion years old. This boggles my mind.
Though I often daydream about being an astronaut, my job has nothing to do with space, or stars, or even science. I’m a project manager at a nonprofit. In my job I deal with details. Thinking about the vastness of the universe provides a little perspective when I get bogged down in the minutiae of my work. In recent years, I’ve developed insomnia – specifically, the kind where you can’t stay asleep. On nights when I find myself wide awake at 4:00am, I sometimes try to imagine the entire universe in my mind’s eye. I start with a mental image of me lying in my bed. Then, like a camera lens, I zoom out to my apartment, my street, city, country, planet, and on and on, until I’ve zoomed out as far as my brain can possibly comprehend. It has the opposite of the intended effect. Instead of feeling sleepy, my heart starts to beat faster. It’s the most thrilling feeling I can create for myself – imagining the scope of everything.
This pie represents the delicious feeling of being so very small, and the wonder I feel when I consider everything we don’t yet know about the universe. The ginger snap crust is unexpected and hot, like a star. The creamy filling is like the band of light in the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The sweetness of the caramel entwined with the richness of the bittersweet chocolate remind me of the choices I’ve made – I love what I do, but part of me will always wonder what other, more extra-terrestrial, paths I might have taken.
Stellar Gluten-free Ginger Snap Crust
2 cups ground gluten-free ginger snap cookies (around 40 cookies) (Trader Joe’s brand are the best!)
2 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Pulse the cookies and sugar in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Slowly add the melted butter until moist clumps form.
Press the mixture into a lightly greased pie plate.
Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool, like the crust of a newly-formed planet.
–
Cosmic Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sweetened condensed milk
Whip cream until it forms stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Mix whipped cream with cream cheese mixture.
Pour the cream cheese filling into pie crust, almost to the top.
Freeze for at least 4 hours.–
Remove the pie at least 20 minutes before you serve it.
Make the sauces on the stove:
Caramel Swirl
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix the water and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a medium brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Slowly (and carefully) add the cream and the vanilla. Simmer until the sauce is smooth and thick.
Bittersweet Chocolate Swirl
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
Slowly melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water.
Stir in sour cream, sugars and heavy cream.
When fully blended, stir in vanilla. –
When the caramel and chocolate sauces are still warm, but not hot, drizzle in a swirled pattern over the cream cheese mixture.
Throw a few pieces of a broken toffee bar on top if you like, to represent the randomness of the universe.
Ah, sugar–we go way back–as far back as I can remember, actually. I would go into the kitchen and bake something when I felt bored, alone, or entertaining myself. I have a very clear memory about how I started baking: I was maybe 8 or 9 and I had been bugging my mom quite a bit about “being bored”. I’m so bored! I would whine to her. She would rattle off her regular list of things I could go and occupy myself with: go play outside, read a book, play with your dollhouse (yes, I interior decorated that thing like you would not believe!), and she’d always throw in “you could always do some chores” in which case I usually found myself something to do pretty quickly. But one day, she added to the list, bake some cookies, and I thought “hey, I can bake some cookies!”. It was one of those self-realization childhood moments–yes, I CAN do that! For an eight or nine year old, that was pretty big.
So I got in there and never looked back. The kitchen became a place of empowerment and positivity–I could make things and make them well. I could create new flavors, smells, and textures all by myself that were delicious. I found refuge in the kitchen. And the irony is the kitchen is a place my mother and her generation worked so hard at getting themselves out of. But positive reinforcement after positive reinforcement (oh, this tastes wonderful! or, Trish, can you make us some of your wonderful _______?) I felt drawn into that room like a bee to honey.
These past three years however, my approach to cooking and to self-healing has grown yet again. Instead of using sugar to give myself a hug, I now use it more sparingly and only for special occasions. And I find that I enjoy it that way even more (and after years of using sugar in one way, this actually surprises me a bit). I also have found that the less I eat granulated sugar in my foods, the less I crave it. I used to get really emotional just reading about the attributes of sugar (seeing words like bad and addictive, etc etc…), thinking to myself the whole time “no one’s taking away any sweets from me!”. Hilarious, I know. But quite revealing when it came to understanding my body’s needs vs. my heart’s needs.
I found these Chia Seeds at my local New Seasons market in their bulk section. Try Whole Foods or your local food co-op too 
So how the heck does Chia Pudding fit into all this? Well let me tell you. It’s one of the best desserts I’ve had in ages and there is no sugar in it. It is sweetened with a little real maple syrup, but the whole fat coconut milk is what really satisfies the sweet tooth. Chia seeds (yes, I’m talkin’ about those seeds that are used to make the infamous Chia Pet–cha cha cha chia!) are great for lowering cholesterol and helping with thyroid issues, along with many other things. And it has to be whole coconut milk–in case you missed the Better Bites post about Healthy Fats, check it out. Light coconut milk is missing most of it’s amazing mineral and healthful properties. Whole coconut milk is not only delicious–and seriously one of my favorite foods on the planet–but it is full of good things like potassium and phosphorous and it is a natural immune system builder. I find that a little goes a long way too because it is so rich, just how I like it!
I use Native Forest canned coconut milk because it is BPA free
The pudding comes out in the consistency of tapioca. These little amazing seeds get a bit gummy and chewy like a tapioca would, expanding as they sit in the coconut milk. You can really use any type of liquid milk or juice for this–mango juice, apple juice, green juice for a more pudding-type consistency–coconut milk or regular whole milk, for a more cream-like consistency. It was even better the second day–a much thicker consistency more like ice cream, after leaving it in the fridge in a tupperware over night. Cheers!
Ch-ch-ch-Chia Pudding via Find Your Balance
4 Tbl. chia seeds
3/4 cup organic whole-fat coconut milk
1 Tbl. maple syrup
Topping options are endless: fruit, nuts, shredded coconut, cocoa, cinammon…
In a bowl, combine seeds with coconut milk. Stir well. Let mixture sit for 20-30 minutes. Stir every 5-10 minutes. The consistency will become thick and tapioca like. Add maple syrup and stir. You may refrigerate at this point for a cool treat, but it’s also good at room temperature. Add toppings and enjoy!
I’m a sucker when it comes to tropical fruits–mangoes, avocados, coconuts–I love them all. They make me feel like I’m getting sun when it’s actually raining (hailing, sleeting, or misting) outside, of which all four have been happening throughout the course of a day–every day–for the past week or so. However, the pay-offs of this manic weather are the ever spectacular spring blossoms, the constant greenness of the surrounding landscapes, and lots of quiet, contemplative time indoors.
It’s those quiet moments that ideas always seem to make themselves known by either slithering into the conscious mind from a deep, unknown place or, exploding right in front of me like fireworks. Either way, they are always happening–it’s just when I get quiet that I tend to hear them. When pursued, I inevitably think “yes, of course! this is what I’ve wanted all along!” but I tend to be a tactile learner, having to experience things for myself to fully understand why, how, or what.
(Pie crust cooling on the window sill).
These past few weeks have been an emergence of sorts for myself in many ways. But most importantly, this time has forced me to come to terms with a lot of things that I tended to have been unsure about in the past, (ahem…a more focused career path). But no more! If you look around Eating Is Art, you will see some of this progression. Narrowing in on writing, food styling & photography, and health coaching never felt so good. It was like the muscles in the middle of my chest, you know the ones that are right over your heart, relaxed when I decided that this was it–and then putting it out there. I’ve heard so many times “I can’t believe all the things you do”. I decided that while I am able to do many things, I do not enjoy them all, therefore, I am not going to focus my energies on them any longer (yes!). After talking with a friend of mine about career direction and life the other day, she said “well, what do you want to do? If you do so many things, how can you do any of them that well?” This was something I had thought of thousands of times before but for some reason had not been able to do something about it before now. I’m sure it had something to do with being afraid of giving up, or what I perceived as giving up, these other skills and persona’s that I have been known for.
It’s an enormous relief to finally let go of what has not been working and find strength in what is–to the point of the physical reaction of my chest feeling lighter! I think spring time can have this effect on people, spring cleaning in both the home and in the ‘ol brain.
Check out my new Writing and Photography Services page if you get the chance! And if you are needing a little spring cleaning in a nutritive sense, make sure to see Food Loyal–I’d be happy to answer any questions! But now, I am leaving you with a real spring treat–Leela’s Mango Pie. It is tangy, creamy, cool, and delicious–perfect for a mother’s day treat or just a warm summer day. It may fall under the category of vegan, but don’t let that scare you away–this pie is going to become a regular occurrence in my house especially the warmer it gets. Cheers!
For the Love of a Mango Pie, via Leela Cyd
2 ripe mangos, sliced in pretty half-moons
sprinkle of chili powder
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c water
For the lime cream:
2 c non-dairy milk (I like vanilla almond for this, but anything will work)
1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp corn starch
zest of two limes
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c lime juice
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c Agave nectar
For the crust:
1 c flour
1/2 c veg butter (Earth Balance is my preference)
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp cold water
To assemble:
First, make the crust (I like to do this a day before the pie is served, much easier to get it out of the way) – cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer, add flour, cinnamon and salt and gradually incorporate cold flour until rough pie dough forms. Stop mixing and gather barely holding together dough into large ball on top of plastic wrap. Shape into a large disc, wrap up in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours. After two hours, roll out on floured surface. Poke about 5 fork marks in the crust. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie or tart pan, place rolled dough into shell – folding over edges for double-thick sides. Wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until day of serving pie.
Meanwhile, make the lime cream – place non-dairy milk, sugar, and vanilla into a medium-sized pot and stir on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Place cornstarch into small bowl, mixed with a splash of milk or water, whisk until starch is dissolved. Mix this starch slurry into the milk/flour mixture and cook for 5 minutes more, whisking the entire time (or else clumps will form). Mixture will thicken into a pudding-like texture. Take off heat and mix in remaining ingredients – lime zest, juice, Agave nectar. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic, and chill until ready to assemble pie (about an hour, at least.)
Now, back to the crust. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove frozen crust from freezer and grease the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and tightly cover crust, pressing into the sides so that it is directly on the crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 3-4 minutes more. Set aside to cool.
Remove lime cream from fridge, whisk it up if it has set into something a little too firm. Pour almost all the lime cream into the crust. Spreading it into the edges with the back of a spoon.
Arrange mango slices into whatever pattern you like, trying to fit as many as possible into the pie. Heat 1/4 c sugar with 1/4 c water over low heat to make a simple syrup. When mango slices are all in place, drizzle syrup over entire tart. Finally, sprinkle a tiny dusting of chili powder over entire pie. Garnish with lime wedges or lime leaves, as I had on hand. Chill for at least an hour or so, and then serve. Perfect for celebrating anything.
Cheese by Rogue Creamery
This year’s IACP was my first conference and it was fantastic. What a treat it was to have over 900 food lovers, chef’s, food writers, food photographers, food stylists, and recipe developers descend on our already food-obsessed town! I volunteered for several events which in turn I was allowed to go to them. Other than designing the signage for the opening reception, I was able to help out with the lovely Ellen Jackson’s dinner A Culinary Duet, a fundraiser for The Culinary Trust.
by Chef David Machado of Nel Centro
The opening reception was, in retrospect, a dream. Imagine yourself walking into a rococo ornate hall with ceilings that seem to reach the sky, all decorated with real pears hanging from branches, deep low lighting, and then being handed a sparkling glass of champagne as you enter. As you walk a little further over the soft, plush carpeting padding your footsteps, you are handed plate after beautiful plate of fresh, aromatic, and at times sensual foods from over 18 different local chefs. The roaring noise from hundreds of people’s chatter and exclamations slowly fades as you sip and nibble your way through the room. Every now and then you close your eyes to take in the layers of flavors and textures from what you are nibbling only to open your eyes to see the chef who made it smiling back at you. “That’s what I thought too” he might say, “the first time I tried this.” Fantastic. There was an entire room dedicated to local wines and beers where it was all flowing quite freely. And yet another room, rouge red and dark, solely dedicated to absinthe tasting. It was like a secret club that actually took me quite a while to find. The only reason I knew it existed was because I made a sign for it. I had never tasted absinthe before and it is interesting. It has a heavy anise flavor, like black licorice, but just slides right down. I wouldn’t be able to drink much of it (I’m not an anise fan), but it was wonderful to try.
Pix Patisserie macaroons
Bunk Sandwiches (seriously the best sandwich I’ve ever had: spicy chorizo, avocado, messy, amazing street food…)
Paley’s Place seafood gnocci
Raw beef nigiri
Absinthe pouring, by owner and distiller Gwydion Stone
Then there was Ellen’s dinner. Also not a dream, I have to remind myself, but a true taste of the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. There were seven local chefs and artisans, as well as the farmers and ranchers with whom they collaborated. They created an exceptional family-style meal dinner that “blended old and new” cooking traditions with Oregon’s culinary heritage. Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, authors of The Flavor Bible introduced each chef through out the meal. The menu was exceptional:
Appetizers included carrot soup with roasted Braeburn apples and chervil, a goat’s milk ricotta on walnut bread, pea shoots, and olive oil, as well as a flank steak, grilled beef heart and beef liver pate (which was actually my favorite!). All of the appetizers were done by Executive Chef Aaron Dionne of Bon Appetit Management Company.
Fresh rosemary tied around the bases of the branches, such a wonderful touch!
For the first course we ate wild morel puff pastry with gathered spring greens and aged sauvignon blanc vinaigrette (wine pairings: Trisaetum 2008 Estate Riesling and Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Dry Reisling) by Chef Naomi Pomeroy of Beast restaurant.
The second course was a lamb, purgatorio bean, and spring vegetable roast (incredible!) (wine pairing: Erath 2006 Prince Hill Pinot Noir) by Chef Jason French of Ned Ludd as well as a grilled country ham, south carolina grits and wild mushroom red eye gravy (wine pairing: Grochau Cellars 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir) done by Chef Adam Sappington of The Country Cat Dinner House.
The cheese course was done by Steve Jones, of The Cheese Bar. There was a Borenkaas (raw cow’s milk aged Gouda), a Tin Willow Tomme (raw sheep’s milk), and a Cynthian (raw goat’s milk with herbs). The latter was my favorite–it was soft, but not creamy like a brie, and infused with the essence or perfumes of the herbs instead of them being right in there. Amazing.
Then, for dessert we had a hazelnut cake, rhubarb compote and creme fraiche ice cream by Pastry Chef Lauren Fortgang of Paley’s Place (wine pairing: Francis Tannahill 2008 Gewurztraminer) and a Piment d’Esplette & chocolate by David Briggs of Xocolatl de David. The chocolate was actually two small round chocolate cookies with a foie gras chocolate (called Foitella) sandwiched between. About half the table loved it, the other half did not. I fell into the latter category–but then again, I’m not a mole fan (and I wish I was!) so meat and chocolate together just are not my taste all too often.
I’d say Portland exceeded in showing the culinary crowd how well they do food here, beyond even their wildest imagination. The dinner was set in an old converted building that literally transformed itself as the sun set, with candles hanging from the branches at each table, easily yet daintily illuminating every place setting just enough so the diner could see what they were eating. The entire experience was a little bit like magic. I even pinched myself the next day when I woke up. As I was making my morning tea, I looked over on the counter and saw the menu sitting there–it wasn’t just a dream.
There is something about warm weather that makes me crave berries! Berries are one of the only foods that almost all people can enjoy–they have the least amount of allergies associated with them out of all of the food groups and are packed with some pretty amazing nutrients. Think about it, do you know anyone who is allergic to berries? Or who doesn’t like to eat them? I’m sure it’s possible…but it’s pretty rare.
This weekend, I cracked open another favorite cookbook of mine, Janie Hibler’s Dungeness Crabs and Blackberry Cobblers. The book’s name grabbed me at first site, so I decided to try the title’s namesake–blackberry cobbler. I love Hibler’s book because she weaves her recipes with the histories of and stories from the pacific northwest. The book is filled with old photographs from as far back as 150 years ago. You by now probably know that I believe in the power of eating food from recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation and the stories and memories that go with it, as an important part of who we are. It helps us define our selves today as well as understanding our heritage. I love it! Hibler does all this and more with this book, it’s a treasure. This recipe came with a narrative about “blackberryin’ ” as part of most pacific northwesterners summer routine–which, I can attest to, is still true today. During the summer, you will see people pulled off the sides of highways picking blackberries, off of hiking trails with buckets, in local parks eating fistfuls, even foraging down ally’s and side streets. They are rampant here, thank goodness, because we love to eat them!
This was the first cobbler I’ve ever made that did not have a dumpling-like topping. Instead, it uses a traditional but multi-purpose pie crust. I was intrigued–is this going to be like a pie, just without a bottom crust? Yes. In fact, it is–but it is delicious. The crust calls for baking soda and vinegar–this gives it a lightness and flakiness that was wonderful. It was fuller than pie crust, somewhere between that and a very dense biscuit. The berries didn’t need too much–they were freshly frozen so they still held all of their flavor. I used brown sugar instead of white, and only a 1/2 cup, it still turned out nicely sweetened. Next time I might even cut down the sugar to 1/4 and add a little cardamon!
In the next month, I’m going to be opening up a few spots on my blog for sponsorship. I’m looking at companies and people who are just downright good!–they promote green whenever they can, they support local, and they are certified organic. If you are interested in sponsorship, or have an idea for me, please email me! I’m really excited about curating a group of great sponsors, things that I myself trust and use and would be telling my friends and you all about anyway!
Cheers!
Blackberry Cobbler, recipe adapted via Janie Hibbler’s The Blackberry Cobbler Duo recipe
6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the berries in a shallow 8-inch baking dish. Toss with the brown sugar and flour. Dot with the butter.
I use Spectrum shortening because it is non-hydrogenated (meaning it hasn’t been super altered and your body can actually digest it without serious long term repercussions) and they have a great farm system where they employ small farmers in South America who grow the palms for oil. Plus, it always works well in my baking! Key!
Pastry dough for the top
This makes enough for 2 double crusted pies plus 1 single crust–I halved it and then added just a little less from that even…
5 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups non-hydrogenated shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
In the bowl of an electric mixer place the flour, shortening, baking powder, and salt. Break the egg in a 1-cup measuring cup and add the vinegar. Beat with a fork to break up the egg. Fill with cold water not quite to the top and stir again. With the mixer at low speed, slowly pour in the liquid and blend the ingredients until they form a ball. Roll out enough dough for the cobbler if you’ve made the whole amount, or just roll out all of the dough if you’ve halved the recipe, to about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. If you have remaining dough left over, you can save it by wrapping it in plastic wrap or putting it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator–keeps up to about a week.
Lay the rolled out dough over the pan and using the rolling pin roll over the top hitting the edges so you can easily peel off the excess hanging over the sides. Brush the top of the pastry with milk or cream. Sprinkle the top with some sugar, then bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown. Serve it warm, topped with vanilla ice cream.
For the past few weeks, I’ve had a few encounters with the french pastry known as the Kouign Amann (pronounced: queen ah-mahn). I first heard about the pastry while visiting Salt Lake City, where there is a bakery called Les Madelines that specializes in making them. Of course when we got to the bakery, they had just sold the last one 20 minutes prior. My first taste of this flaky, buttery goodness was not to be! But I was intrigued. What was this pastry people were so excited about? I made a mental note to research it when I got home.
The day after we got home, I opened up the FoodDay section of the Oregonian and the Kouign Amann in all it’s glory was the main story. It was complete serendipity when a friend called a few hours later and invited me over for brunch on Sunday, asking if I could please bring something sweet. I had to make these and am so glad I did.
Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have found my sweet weakness. It’s true! Even though I bake quite a bit–I enjoy bringing sweets to life and playing alchemist in my kitchen. However, I am usually pretty good with eating a little and giving a lot away. Or, in some sad cases, throwing a lot away (when I simply can not eat any more, Andrew forgets about it and hasn’t eaten much, and I didn’t get a chance to give it to anyone). But these, these pastries are different! And once I start eating one, I have to finish it and possibly a second. Thank god I took these to a brunch, otherwise I’d have languidly laid about today nibbling away on the whole batch while I finished a book. Heavenly and decadent….
Imagine taking the best of all worlds when it comes to baked goods–the lightness of a yeasted bread, the buttery flakiness of a croissant, and the chewy caramelization of butter and sugar baked together, making the bottoms a satisfying stickiness. These little pastries in all their glory tasted of light and celebration–a special delight enjoyed a few times a year.
The brunch today was a lot of fun–there were butter-lambs (yes, butter that was molded into the shape of a lamb! amazing), fruits of all kinds, orzo pasta salad, goat cheese with olive oil, crushed garlic and rosemary poured over it, fresh squeezed juices, and the Kouign Amanns. We even died Easter eggs! It was a wonderful spring feast.
And now it’s April…can you believe it? Here’s to spring, cheers!
Kouign Amann, recipe adapted from FoodDay and David Lebovitz–for step by step photos, see D.L.’s site…)
1 packet active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water (110 degrees)
5 cups all purpose flour (1 2/3 pounds), plus more for dusting
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups cold, salted butter, (preferably European-style; 4 sticks), plus 2 tablespoons melted (divided)
About 2 cups granulated sugar, for dusting and sprinkling
In a medium bowl, stir the yeast into the warm water until disolved. let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt and melted butter on low speed. Add the water-yeast mixture and continue to mix until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Slice the remaining 4 sticks butter into squares about 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate until ready to use.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to an 18-inch square. On top of the square, arrange the chilled butter pieces so that they form an 8-by-8 inch diamond. Fold the sides of the dough over the butter to enclose, and pinch the edges to seal. Roll out the dough into a 24-by-8 inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds as you would a business letter, aligning the edges carefully and brushing off any excess flour. Wrap the dough in plastic; chill for 20 minutes. This completes the first of three turns.
Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, starting the rolling with the dough positioned with the flap opening on the right, as if it were a book. Refrigerate at least 1 hour between the second and third rollings. After the third rolling, wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. on a well-sugared work surface, roll out dough to a 24-by-12 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Using a pizza wheel or knife, cut dough into eight-teen 4 inch squares. Working with one square at a time, fold each corner toward the center, pressing down firmly to seal, thus creating a smaller square–flower like. Repeat on all the squares. Sprinkle generously with sugar, place on a baking sheet as you work. Let rise in a warm place until slightly puffed about 30-40 mins.
Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until the pastries are golden brown and edges are caramelized, 30-35 minutes. immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These are best eaten the same day they are made (and you may not be able to help yourself otherwise!)
My pastries came undone in the oven so instead of looking like the nice little flowers in the dough image, they were more flat–but still delicious. You can also make this as a whole cake, explained by D. Lebovitz.
Happy Kouign Amann making! And eating!
Last weekend, Andrew and I went to visit his brother and sister-in-law for a little mini-vacation. It had been a while since we had gone anywhere, and when the opportunity arose to get out of town for a bit, we jumped at it. We did some skiing and snowboarding–well, I attempted with the snowboard. I was down in the snow more than I was up on the board! Andrew, on the other hand, is an incredible skier–but he was really patient with my foibles and wipe-outs, never leaving me in the dust (or powder!–what they call that soft, powdery snow in the Rocky Mountains), and always encouraging.
I also had the chance to see a little bit of Salt Lake City itself. The scenery around this city is absolutely stunning. Stunning! Surrounded by mountains on all sides looking like they’ve been lightly dusted with powdered sugar this time of year and the city spreads out across the valley.
While there, Alana (Andrew’s sister-in-law) and I teamed up to make dinner one night. She made her famous prosciutto wrapped scallops with apples and sage–it was fantastic! The combination of flavors and textures was flawless–the apples paired with the sage and browned together with the scallops were like magic. And, surprisingly easy to do! On the side, she made some crispy yet tender roasted asparagus and then threw in some tomatoes to roast too. Together we made a basic french bread loaf and a lovely panna cotta with blackberry compote for dessert. I had so much fun! I really love cooking with others, especially people who are just as excited about good food.
Prosciutto wrapped sea scallops
4 servings
12-16 large scallops, washed and dried
8 slices Prosciutto, halved lengthwise
1 bunch fresh sage
1/4 cup butter (60 ml)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish (30 ml)
2 apples (pink lady, gala, golden delicious), peeled and cored
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (15 ml)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (5 ml)
1 tablespoon butter (15 ml)
Pat the scallops dry and wrap one half-slice of the prosciutto around the equator of the scallop. You can use toothpicks or kitchen twine.
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter and olive oil together in a sauté pan. Bring to a slight smoke.
Toss in the sage leaves and sliced apples wedges into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and add the sherry vinegar. Cook until soft and caramelized. Finish the sauce by swirling in butter until just melted. Add lemon juice.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden.
Image by Andrew Owen
Panna Cotta via David Lebovits
4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water
Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)
Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours. (Judy told me American refrigerators are colder than European ones. )
If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired.
For the blackberry compote:
2/3 bag frozen blackberries thawed or 1 carton fresh blackberries
a dash of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
a splash of vanilla
In a saute pan over medium high heat, combine all the ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up some of the berries for more juice. Heat until about half of the berries are juicy and serve warm over the cooled panna cottas.
After my trip to the farmer’s market, I was inspired in so many ways. And one of the ways this inspiration manifested was through a pie. And not just any pie, but the first pie I made without using any measurements–I went with just the feel of the dough in my hands, taste, texture, and sight. Risky business, I know, but I was ready for the challenge. After all, I’ve been making pies for a long time now, wasn’t it about time I just trusted my instincts? I thought so, so I went ahead and gave it a shot.
I sliced up the fresh rhubarb–the seasons first–cut up two fresh pears, Bosc I believe, sliced a fresh vanilla bean down the middle and scooped out the insides with the blunt end of a butter knife, tossed it all together in a bowl with a few tablespoons (about 4-6) of sugar and let it sit while I made the dough. I like to let my fruit mixtures sit for a bit while I do something else, this gives them a chance to mingle, let their juices run into each other. They become better acquainted making your fruit dish (pies, cobblers, etc…) an even better experience.
I then set in for the dough. I scooped out what I thought looked like a quarter cup of earth balance buttery-spread, cut off what I believed was about 8 tablespoons of butter from the fresh brick of Kerrygold we had in our fridge, dumped in about 3 cups of flour, added a bit of apple cider vinegar, and ice cold water, then kneaded it with my hands. It was a pretty neat experience just trusting my hands to tell me if it was ready or not. It felt a little dry initially, so I simply added a little bit more water, worked it a little longer with my hands, and wa-la! Pie dough was ready to go. I gave it a rough roll out with my rolling pin–meaning I kept the dough pretty thick and was just trying to get it flat so I could lay it in the pie plate–filled the pie with the fruit, then realized I needed a topping. I used about a cup of oatmeal, some brown sugar, a bit of cinnamon, and a few tablespoons of olive oil, mixed it all together, and sprinkled it on the top. In it went at 400 degrees F and baked for 40 minutes.
People, this pie was fantastic! I would recommend trying to make a pie, or any dish for that matter, based on touch and flavor, then relying on the visual. It keeps you present, honest, and fully in the moment–especially if you want your food to taste good! I also used really good ingredients which definitely helped with the flavor. If you do try something like this, I’d love to know how it turned out–even if it comes out looking like and/or tasting like hell! The first try is always a little wonky, so don’t give up and give it a go again. Your thoughts are always much appreciated.
In other news, I’ve made some significant updates to my Food Loyal website. I’m excited the direction it is taking. It just makes so much sense to pair health coaching with eating design, bringing people a creative and holistic approach to their health and nutritional needs. I can not WAIT until I am certified in May and can start seeing clients then officially! I especially love working with small groups and families to find creative solutions to reach their goals and meet their needs–so much fun and talk about an interesting design challenge. Hope you are having a wonderful week!
