Category Archives: Bread

Sometimes, keeping it simple is best

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I thought I would have some fun experiment lined up for Christmas.  I really did.  I had visions of complex meat dishes, creative sides, and combinations that few folks have tried.

But when I asked my wife what she wanted, she merely asked for my roast chicken, some homemade buttermilk biscuits, and some spinach lightly sauteed in olive oil and garlic.

Sometimes, even with a pantry stuffed to the brim with all sorts of strange spices, and in a head with all sorts of ideas on how to combine foods, what you need are the classics, which should never be totally abandoned even as you try new things.

On that note, happy holidays everyone.

Recharging my batteries

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The one major downside to cooking at this point of the year is that I’m mostly just eating leftovers.  I make a damn good Thanksgiving turkey, if I may forgo humility, but this results in a few weeks of leftovers.  This keeps experimentation down to a minimum.

I am getting back into the swing of things, though.  I decided to draw inspiration from a previously discussed experiment – the Don Quixote burger.  I didn’t want to go quite as all-out as a full burger (holiday shopping is wearing me out), but I felt that it would quickly come together to get me thinking about new foods.

To begin, as I mentioned, I picked up some pane rustico.  Between two slices, I had one covered in a rich black olive tapenade, and the other had a bit of quince paste.  I used jamon iberico, and in honor of the Don, I used Manchego as I had previously described, which had herbes de provence encrusted on the rind.  I toasted it for about five minutes, and I enjoyed it immensely.

I guess in some ways, this sandwich was like Quixote himself – full of grand aspirations, but really nothing more than a ham and cheese sandwich, with an olive and an over-glorified apple.  Is it a bit much to claim that this sandwich is anything more than that?  But at the same time, I’m not deluding myself into thinking that I’m any great chef because I make classics out of fancier ingredients.

Instead, maybe the key to this is to act opposite to how Don Quixote himself acted – take something basic, and build on that to make a classic that can re-energize the mind and soul.  For all that it was a basic sandwich, I do feel a bit more energized and ready to make an excellent meal – at the very least, I’m going to make those Hobbit cupcakes for a holiday party very soon.

After midnight, what else could you do with the coach?

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One of the nice things about the fall season is that pumpkins are finally in season.  All sorts of fun things you can do with pumpkins – they’re like the perfect squash.  Savory dishes, sweet dishes… they’re so versatile.

I picked up a sugar pumpkin the other day, and I’ve been prepping it for making a nice pumpkin apple cider bread.  I considered muffins, but it’s a bit easier to store the bread or take it to others to enjoy.

Now, the important thing this time, I think, is picking the right seasonings.  I’m going to shoot for fresh ground ginger, because that’s always a wonderful flavor to blend with sweet.  Also, thinking of cloves, because those just scream “fall.”  Maybe some nutmeg, for a bit of an earthy flavor (appropriate for anything made with gournds, I think).  And finally, a splash of allspice.  I think I’ll avoid cinnamon; almost too overdone at this point.

Finally, that cake I described yesterday?  Came out great – I used a bit of Scharffen-Berger 99% pure chocolate for a very sharp chocolate flavor (incredible balance of bitter and sweet in the frosting), and the blue curacao offered a mildly tangy flavor to what is otherwise just a straightforward sweet item.