tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9186173485866478522024-03-16T11:53:04.491-07:00ring-a-lingsa dessert and baking blogPatricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-37027303410280234132013-05-03T10:18:00.001-07:002013-05-03T10:18:39.074-07:00what are you doing here? check out my new site!move along over to the new website for my artisan pie business -- <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipie</a></span>! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DtQ99AkwRvuy3pmlE_Q6lGoZOhIMgYsFXQ22XwJhtg_9DsSRbW0796P0HvKGEik5EWftyX8hPnMcVFYTT1yMsI7ZgY3YQtlhB3SzU12Z0lNgKpo6ic1KiJRf9of7K9d-JfU0flDb5Bo/s1600/ipie_B8023_Blueberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DtQ99AkwRvuy3pmlE_Q6lGoZOhIMgYsFXQ22XwJhtg_9DsSRbW0796P0HvKGEik5EWftyX8hPnMcVFYTT1yMsI7ZgY3YQtlhB3SzU12Z0lNgKpo6ic1KiJRf9of7K9d-JfU0flDb5Bo/s320/ipie_B8023_Blueberry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-72904128806111793552012-04-24T11:19:00.000-07:002012-04-24T11:19:01.614-07:00ringalings revamp and a bake sale!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGW3gCzG28R8NFm-ZrFUs7l93gYdQ2qJIrkpnoYLWda3ucZziL4Ed4acwZK3yy46cJMc-jQtY7fxxLrrkem4IJOFyAQVMBF0S5YGW8n0Zzw_2s63tnLKct5XFrOUmTgPk-EuSf0jE-Lsc/s1600/2012foodblooger_bwob_sf-badge2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGW3gCzG28R8NFm-ZrFUs7l93gYdQ2qJIrkpnoYLWda3ucZziL4Ed4acwZK3yy46cJMc-jQtY7fxxLrrkem4IJOFyAQVMBF0S5YGW8n0Zzw_2s63tnLKct5XFrOUmTgPk-EuSf0jE-Lsc/s1600/2012foodblooger_bwob_sf-badge2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click <a href="http://bakesalesf.wordpress.com/">here</a> for the official bake sale website!</td></tr>
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Ringalings will return! <br />
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I'm having fun revamping my <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipie website</a> to include this blog. So stay tuned for those changes....<br />
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But in the meantime, as you may have seen on my ipie site -- it's that time of year again! <br />
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Time for the <a href="http://bakesalesf.wordpress.com/">Food Blogger Bake Sale</a> where 100% of the proceeds are donated to help end childhood hunger in America.<br />
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The amazing folks at <a href="http://strength.org/">Share Our Strength</a> use these proceeds for its <b>No Kid Hungry </b>movement by helping fund after school and summer food programs.<br />
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This year we will be at <a href="http://omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books</a> in San Francisco on Saturday, April 28 from 11-4.<br />
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Not only can you scoop up sweet treats, but <a href="http://alicemedrich.blogspot.com/">Alice Medrich</a> will be at Omnivore Books speaking about her new book, <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sinfully-Delicious-Desserts-Alice-Medrich/dp/1579653987/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335288491&sr=8-1">Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts</a></b>.<br />
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And I'll have classic apple ipies ready for your enjoyment! Pie for Strength! <br />
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See you there!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL1_I4Go7m-aWbCQLpQMgbdzk8QzWE6Ut0c-jqaOfEvoGxwXeg0U44Rog17UIfjddy94gn-0Bm5mJ9GrKFKSjRTVyzgT7EZJNBXaJbnupQ29yPxB8McmKQSBuyVsa6jV3kaaCm1_cb6NP/s1600/IMG_3271.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL1_I4Go7m-aWbCQLpQMgbdzk8QzWE6Ut0c-jqaOfEvoGxwXeg0U44Rog17UIfjddy94gn-0Bm5mJ9GrKFKSjRTVyzgT7EZJNBXaJbnupQ29yPxB8McmKQSBuyVsa6jV3kaaCm1_cb6NP/s320/IMG_3271.JPG" width="320" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-31089925506382321452012-03-13T08:04:00.000-07:002012-03-13T08:04:55.577-07:00Milk & Cookies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhbwrMbHiADiJGNOcIWz_FTyC_1a_H3J2fdtXjfqSp3ju9hMSC9cchKRcc0Vq900e-FO4Xygrec1K3Bjs4fSvsCxpxg62Mt75buHdqs69hcm2UXq_VHEdS-N3y8WLC7_Zt83Nz1VbWI4/s1600/Image+3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhbwrMbHiADiJGNOcIWz_FTyC_1a_H3J2fdtXjfqSp3ju9hMSC9cchKRcc0Vq900e-FO4Xygrec1K3Bjs4fSvsCxpxg62Mt75buHdqs69hcm2UXq_VHEdS-N3y8WLC7_Zt83Nz1VbWI4/s400/Image+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719143327101073362" border="0" /></a>Rut.<br /><br />Even the word sounds boring.<br /><br />One dictionary I referred to defines the word rut in several ways but the one that makes me cringe is "a fixed or established mode of procedure or course of life, usually dull or unpromising."<br /><br />Yes, I was in a dull rut but I didn't even yet know it.<br /><br />A few months ago I attended the <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/207062/momofuku-milk-bar-by-christina-tosi">Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook </a>signing by <a href="http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/52411/">Christina Tosi</a> at <a href="http://omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books</a> in San Francisco.<br /><br />Her compost cookies, crack pie and cereal milk ice cream have been widely discussed and admired in the food press. Her riffs on childhood favorites and dessert classics are well known.<br /><br />At last the world would now have the recipes for Tosi's fun loving desserts that are served at the various <a href="http://www.momofuku.com/">Momofuku </a>restaurants in New York City (as well as Toronto and Sydney) and at the Momofuku Milk Bar bakeries.<br /><br />Tosi was a passionate and entertaining speaker. But as I flipped through the book, I also realized what a hard worker she must be. These recipes were not for the baker who wanted quick and easy sweets.<br /><br />The recipes are based on ten mother recipes and there are also variations to each mother recipe.<br /><br />And if you want to feel inspired, but tired, just read her introduction to the cookbook.<br /><br />As Tosi says in the introduction, "We will do anything to make something work. It's one-half rock-hard work ethic, one-quarter pride, and one-quarter spite..."<br /><br />Although she says there are no tricky secrets to the recipes and that she believes in using everyday ingredients, she does admit that there are a few "funny ingredients" that are needed to make the recipes work.<br /><br />Like what? Well, glucose syrup, feuilletine, citric acid and corn powder are a few examples.<br /><br />That night I read the book cover to cover and then shelved it. I had bookmarked a few recipes to try but nothing that made me want to run into the kitchen. It's not that kind of cookbook anyway -- for these recipes I would need to plan, shop and dedicate some serious time. And I must admit, I wondered who beyond the serious (or professional) home bakers would actually attempt these recipes.<br /><br />But the recipes and Tosi's voice kept running through my head. A few months later I found myself at the mother ship of restaurant supply stores also known as <a href="http://www.culinarydistrict.com/">Surfas Los Angeles</a>. I so wish we had a Surfas in San Francisco!<br /><br />Before I knew it I had a 20 oz jar of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose_syrup">glucose syrup</a> (product of France, no less) in my basket.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOkm3-dKVraZRGsPrnEBauYnPV3I5_HC1xOlLvSiY0yn90FVTEAYXqBdY11EMofpT5JkApj09AcYkeTbrx2iRl35USTt4skeg-_d5RpPJSvLetLvsxvEyTWbZf4ThWzzwFHWfFHIJ53I/s1600/Image+1.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eBCnkRXPodyiH9PdsLgb6HtZopxtmZ1imJ-a8UYP3rkVvowYDIOD4sjc5pdH4gIy0_d6OcUWp9ElbrIOKjaI5FmOCQZWjc6_YTm8Yz3PyBO0wEcEL9bpSILLojgTYqEkr0F01Iy43Tk/s1600/Image.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eBCnkRXPodyiH9PdsLgb6HtZopxtmZ1imJ-a8UYP3rkVvowYDIOD4sjc5pdH4gIy0_d6OcUWp9ElbrIOKjaI5FmOCQZWjc6_YTm8Yz3PyBO0wEcEL9bpSILLojgTYqEkr0F01Iy43Tk/s320/Image.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719143523694340082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Back home I flipped through Milk and decided to make the chocolate cookies. The recipe called for glucose syrup which I now had but also required that I make what Tosi calls a chocolate crumb.<br /><br />"The crumb" is Tosi's name for "clumpy, crunchy, yet sandy bits of flavor." The chocolate crumb consists of baking a mixture of flour, cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and butter.<br /><br />The chocolate crumb then simply becomes one more ingredient to add when making the chocolate cookies. The cookie recipe wasn't difficult but included one odd ingredient (the glucose) plus an additional recipe (chocolate crumb).<br /><br />And honestly, the cookies didn't look all that attractive. But what amazed me was the depth of flavor that the baked cookies had. I could taste the complexity of the chocolate and the richness of the butter. This cookie was amazing.<br /><br />I remember when my baby daughter had her first taste of ice cream. I think I had that same look of wonderment on my face after I tasted this cookie. And this was just a simple chocolate cookie. The only hint of hyperbole from Tosi of what was to come was to name the cookie: Chocolate-chocolate cookies. Almost like what she was actually saying was: Really really good chocolate cookie!<br /><br />But most of all it was really really fun to experiment with a new recipe and to make something out of my comfort zone.<br /><br />I felt jazzed about trying new recipes again. It was a similar feeling to when I spent all those months reinventing that most humble of desserts, the pie, into what I called <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipie</a> (individual pie) that I now sell online and at a local farmers' market.<br /><br />I'm excited to tackle more of Tosi's recipes. Because while her recipes might be complex -- dull and unpromising they are certainly not.<br /><br /><div class="dndata"><br /></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQkUlxa3VCjlBYiHUDGUXR6d_1bM-_eiudL0aUE05Rcr6GRQPfrRQYlYGxFDUTTD54i1Pkx-Jwg_kOn0vNSogIU7BX6uj56yWO3Wa6pJJBO9TJ1cYKDYtnwqLzY-y0yfToCpKPaD0uWI/s1600/Image+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQkUlxa3VCjlBYiHUDGUXR6d_1bM-_eiudL0aUE05Rcr6GRQPfrRQYlYGxFDUTTD54i1Pkx-Jwg_kOn0vNSogIU7BX6uj56yWO3Wa6pJJBO9TJ1cYKDYtnwqLzY-y0yfToCpKPaD0uWI/s320/Image+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5719143666869363842" border="0" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-22728744067136960862011-11-09T08:51:00.000-08:002011-11-09T08:52:11.278-08:00Rememberance of things past -- not just for madeleines...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13pVVcy85ylc_72Se_oh7SrMdrrKt0ogJOcyBE1A-E7LgRmBIlATUevtNNFH9gXi-7iL8SVOFBMI2PKQu3ChMSEjS8SYnlNIthEZQy-ZXUJmgCdqWj1mlaFgqPv1J-Zw_RiyKnIqH_pQ/s1600/Recipe_Keeper_49352.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj13pVVcy85ylc_72Se_oh7SrMdrrKt0ogJOcyBE1A-E7LgRmBIlATUevtNNFH9gXi-7iL8SVOFBMI2PKQu3ChMSEjS8SYnlNIthEZQy-ZXUJmgCdqWj1mlaFgqPv1J-Zw_RiyKnIqH_pQ/s400/Recipe_Keeper_49352.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672800759601568034" border="0" /></a><br />I moved recently and while I was unpacking the million plus cookbooks that I seem to own, I came across my battered pink floral metal recipe box that I have had since I was eight years old or so. Every time I move, it moves with me even though I haven't used any of the recipes in years. I just can't seem to part with it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECIP6odwF47kjHYVQwAq57FXtdp-p_mzKfs96bf1I0tqx9X5lgMK9yEVojzPBrs-K2A_W87kKJ0LYNY2pBN4RKaabQFJ-qnXRa5bxU_bOiZqQ8UVeic4ojVPTPp3trkBPmlU0YzQN5MA/s1600/Recipe_Keeper_49351.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECIP6odwF47kjHYVQwAq57FXtdp-p_mzKfs96bf1I0tqx9X5lgMK9yEVojzPBrs-K2A_W87kKJ0LYNY2pBN4RKaabQFJ-qnXRa5bxU_bOiZqQ8UVeic4ojVPTPp3trkBPmlU0YzQN5MA/s320/Recipe_Keeper_49351.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672800956888189282" border="0" /></a><br />Remember recipe boxes? Most were the size of a standard index card. The cards were often printed with "From the Kitchen of" then a blank space for you to fill in your name.<br /><br />Stained recipe cards in no particular order are crammed into this box. I remember laboriously copying down recipes from anywhere I could find them and in some cases, cutting out the recipes from the back of the Hershey Cocoa Tin or whatever cake mixes we had on hand -- Duncan Hines cake mix seemed to be a favorite of my mom's judging from the recipe cards -- and gluing it on an index card.<br /><br />Family recipes for <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2011/05/puff-mommy.html">cream puffs</a>, <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2008/06/ring-lings-pillsbury-bake-off-winner.html">ringalings</a>, and <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2008/07/tampering-with-tempering-somehow-words.html">buckeyes</a> are in there but so are those recipes from my mom's depression era childhood such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wacky_cake">Wacky Cake</a> as well as recipes that were famous during my 1960/1970s childhood such as <a href="http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cakes/dh/sock-it-to-me-cake">Sock-It-To-Me cake</a>. Convenience foods were the mark of a modern homemaker then so cans of soup were used in casseroles and cake mixes as an ingredient were the height of sophistication.<br /><br />My childhood was a bit chaotic and I can just see myself carefully transcribing recipes on each card and then alphabetizing each one. I even filled in how many servings the dish would serve. Order prevailed at least in this small area of my life.<br /><br />The box also contains recipes from my two sisters -- just in case I forget what their writing looks like -- the "from the kitchen of" space is filled in with their names.<br /><br />But no cards in my mom's handwriting. She was a busy mom to five kids who also worked full-time so I wasn't surprised but it did make me sad. It would have been great to have a few of her recipes in her writing and better yet, to have some of her commentary about the recipes.<br /><br />I flipped through her favorite cookbook, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/McCalls-Cook-Book-Random-House/dp/B000M6XRFM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1305583467&sr=8-7">the 1963 edition of McCalls</a>, that became mine when she passed away, and found only one comment in the margin of a recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie that simply noted, "not good" and to use a recipe from advice columnist Ann Landers instead. She helpfully crossed out the recipe in the book and pasted a now very faded Ann Landers recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie from her hometown newspaper.<br /><br />Hilarious.<br /><br />Later in her life my mom wanted to develop a family cookbook. She typed each recipe on her computer -- her word processor as she called it -- and assigned a name by each recipe of her three daughters so we could contribute recipes. The cookbook never came to be but I do have that list of recipes.<br /><br />Looking at that battered recipe box made me think of my own daughter and nieces. And I felt a longing to write down in my still pretty legible handwriting some of our favorite family recipes. The ones I want them to remember and create for their own families -- the chocolate chip coffee cake I make at Christmas, those ugly <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/11/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder-cookie-only.html">peanut butter blossom cookies</a> that they crave and even my mom's recipe for ringalings that I have made my own.<br /><br />These recipes can't be found on any Internet cooking site or in cookbooks because they have been modified through the years just for my family and their changing likes and dislikes.<br /><br />This longing became an actual to do after a recent visit to <a href="http://omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books</a> in San Francisco for the book launch of the <a href="http://www.susanflemingdesign.com/posts/the-omnivores-recipe-keeper/">Omnivore's Recipe Keeper</a> by owner Celia Sack.<br /><br />I've long been a supporter of Sack's bookstore as my growing cookbook collection shows -- and this is yet one more reason to head to her compact shop that is chock full of all the latest cookbook releases as well as vintage goodies.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp3bw_qk1rytjk12HUxHMlYuizLh4fDHkOFet0qyYZ_0gKkZdFu4bSGG_dNwFIrWlsLsVHi81bqcBTMz6wRmVvwlV3y282JHAVjT3URdDm_L3xBvd1CO5EI2IYJr15rQiMWZCwuBHIvw/s1600/Recipe_Keeper_49354.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYp3bw_qk1rytjk12HUxHMlYuizLh4fDHkOFet0qyYZ_0gKkZdFu4bSGG_dNwFIrWlsLsVHi81bqcBTMz6wRmVvwlV3y282JHAVjT3URdDm_L3xBvd1CO5EI2IYJr15rQiMWZCwuBHIvw/s320/Recipe_Keeper_49354.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672800961498983266" border="0" /></a><br />The name says it all -- this recipe organizer provides storage for your own hand written recipes, sturdy folders for tucking away that recipe you might not be ready to commit to but want to try, handy charts and in keeping with Sack's vintage book bent, charming vintage art.<br /><br />And in an inspired twist that years from now might also be considered vintage, she has included handwritten recipes with commentary from some of the luminaries from the food world today including New York Times writer <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/frankbruni/index.html">Frank Bruni</a> and pastry rock star, <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz</a>.<br /><br />Now I have a better place for those stained recipe cards from my childhood as well as a place to write down my own creations (<a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipie</a>!) for my daughter and other family members.<br /><br />A Keeper indeed.Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-12726461237219121052011-08-24T11:22:00.000-07:002011-08-24T16:17:35.871-07:00Pie it Forward: ipie in the Wall Street Journal!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMhS7ldUk91FbNczd2c6BD_STsZvxq5qm1edjHx2yuK17ZgNd5COEkSI8ULxVcV1MvOhmb3Hed4y77FWOXhi5hc-BLbMYwjsBe6j2gaPOgXCoXJOUyFYH0Rjs8wa7xqpTIFEYJz07pog/s1600/Pat_2011_1020338.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOMhS7ldUk91FbNczd2c6BD_STsZvxq5qm1edjHx2yuK17ZgNd5COEkSI8ULxVcV1MvOhmb3Hed4y77FWOXhi5hc-BLbMYwjsBe6j2gaPOgXCoXJOUyFYH0Rjs8wa7xqpTIFEYJz07pog/s400/Pat_2011_1020338.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644490659389268466" border="0" /></a>
<br />"My father has Alzheimer's, these pies will go to his helpers as a thank you for all their help."
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<br />"The pies are for my mother....my husband........"
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<br />I received quite a few notes like these after my <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipies (individual pies)</a> were featured a few weeks ago in the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903999904576467942119478756.html?KEYWORDS=charlotte+druckman">Wall Street Journal</a>. I had recently started shipping my little fruit pies out of my local area -- the SF Bay Area -- and that had caught the attention of a reporter at the WSJ.
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<br />What was also mentioned in the article was how I was inspired to create ipies during my mother's descent into Alzheimer's disease. As a result, part of the proceeds from ipie sales will be donated each year to the <a href="http://alz.org/index.asp">Alzheimer's Association</a>.
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<br />I truly believe that my endless testing and researching of my little pies during that stressful time got me through it. And it helped me to honor the life of one talented baker.
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<br />So I guess I believe that pie is optimistic. I've started saying, "a mother, a daughter and a rolling pin, let's flatten Alzheimer's Disease." Of course I know what serious business this fight against Alzheimer's is -- but if I can fuel that fight with pie well, I'm going to do it.
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<br />Of course I was thrilled to have the attention and the resulting boost in business but what meant even more to me was the emails and notes I received from customers sharing with me a little bit about their journey with a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. I was honored that they would share their stories with me.
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<br />Time to pie it forward.
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<br />Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-12476851619369071122011-07-19T13:36:00.000-07:002011-07-19T23:08:31.720-07:00Are you made for Fire and Ice?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLm9KSMBENIz1wK9o94VLoNLmDYdAPfEehQt2jt2ivcLxHXxFv2atgmvUqHhX94nKKOZc2wXsLGS0tEpVTulSKpZZFdkJNISvV07QojT2aoSWpMzSXe_ZGWRmUVQscMvAgSkARn9JNz88/s1600/Cherry_Frozen_Yogart_35036.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLm9KSMBENIz1wK9o94VLoNLmDYdAPfEehQt2jt2ivcLxHXxFv2atgmvUqHhX94nKKOZc2wXsLGS0tEpVTulSKpZZFdkJNISvV07QojT2aoSWpMzSXe_ZGWRmUVQscMvAgSkARn9JNz88/s400/Cherry_Frozen_Yogart_35036.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619345202200891522" border="0" /></a> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Times; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Times; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></style><br />There are many ways to cope when life gets you down.<br /><br />Some people shop, some eat, exercise or talk on the phone. We all have our little ways we pick ourselves up and keep going.<br /><br />Baking is of course one of my favorite ways to relax -- especially if I’m baking for someone else.<br /><br />But I also have a tendency to buy lipstick. If my finances are in good shape, I might spring for an expensive slick tube of lip lacquer with a sexy French name from a high-end make up company. But a tube of lipstick from a drugstore brand can do the trick of a pick-me-up just as well as the expensive brand.<br /><br />A glance into my makeup drawer reveals the evidence – dozens of tubes wait their turn by the makeup mirror. Nothing like snapping off the cover of a fresh tube of lipstick with its perfect point not yet marred to make me feel like life is still full of perfect possibility.<br /><br />As the founder of Revlon, <a href="http://www.andrewtobias.com/fireandice8.html">Charles Revson</a>, famously said, “In the factory we make cosmetics, in the store we sell hope.”<br /><br />I think part of the reason I buy lipstick is because it is one of the few cosmetics my mom used. She had beautiful skin and for years did without foundation. And I never saw her wear mascara or eye shadow.<br /><br />But she always wore lipstick and she was loyal to one brand and one color for most of her life: <a href="http://www.drugstore.com/revlon-super-lustrous--creme-lipstick-fire-and-ice/qxp36032">Fire and Ice</a> by Revlon.<br /><br />I used to sneak into her bedroom while she was at work and slip on her high heels and smear her lipstick not so perfectly on my lips.<br /><br />Revlon introduced Fire and Ice in 1950 when mom was a young woman of 21 who was about to be married. The color is red but not too bright of a red – what the efficient makeup counter sales women call a “warm” red.<br /><br />But the Revlon ad slogan in 1950 said it best, “Are you made for fire and ice?” I’m sure my mom who was brought up in a very small Indiana town thought it was the height of sophistication.<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago I had a chance to combine both my coping techniques of lipstick indulgence and baking.<br /><br />As I’ve mentioned in this <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/07/sour-cherries-rare-as-rubies.html">blog</a>, my childhood home in Indiana had two beautiful cherry trees in the backyard. My mom and I baked pie after pie, cobbler after cobbler and put up many jars of jam with the seemingly endless fruit from these trees. These were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmorency_cherry">sour cherries</a> and while we thought they were wonderful to eat, we didn’t consider them to be rare.<br /><br />When I moved to Northern California I quickly discovered that the local growing season for sour cherries is about two weeks long -- rare indeed.<br /><br />This season I was lucky enough through my weekly (sometimes daily) patronage of a local farm stand to be notified when the local sour cherries arrived.<br /><br />I quickly bought all they had and baked them into the <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">pies I sell</a> at the local farmers’ market. My customers who grew up in the Midwest and East Coast were as excited as I was to have them available.<br /><br />After I had baked the last pie, I found that I had a few sour cherries left. I had been invited to a BBQ that same evening and wondered what I could make with so few cherries – I just couldn’t bear to waste any of them. They looked so beautiful in their white mixing bowl. In fact, they look like….well… fire and ice!<br /><br />Whoa. The fire and ice image led me to ice cream which naturally, led me to <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz</a>, ice cream master.<br /><br />His cookbook, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Scoop-Sorbets-Granitas-Accompaniments/dp/158008219X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311046328&sr=8-1">The Perfect Scoop</a>, had just the recipe I needed, Sour Cherry Frozen Yogurt. Super easy recipe with really just three essential ingredients – sour cherries, sugar and whole milk yogurt. I needed one pound of sour cherries but even though I had a bit less than that, I forged ahead.<br /><br />The finished yogurt was just bursting with flavor – sweet and sour with a smooth finish. In other words, sugar, sour cherries and yogurt. I had a bit less than three cups and I had about 15 people I needed to share it with so I started looking for a perfect complement to the sour cherry yogurt.<br /><br />Cherry and chocolate came to mind and I knew that I had to make one of my favorite and easiest chocolate cakes – <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/chanterelles-chocolate-souffle-cake-pesachdik-353699">Chanterelle’s Chocolate Souffle Cake</a> from the cookbook by <a href="http://www.lorilongbotham.com/">Lori Longbotham</a>, titled, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Luscious-Chocolate-Desserts-Lori-Longbotham/dp/0811835162/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311046365&sr=1-1">Luscious Chocolate Desserts</a>. This recipe is adapted from <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Staff-Meals-Chanterelle-David-Waltuck/dp/0761116982/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311046540&sr=1-1">Staff Meals from Chanterelle</a> – the now closed and much loved NYC restaurant. The alternating layers of cocoa powder and confectioners sugar on top of the finished cake truly make the cake “stunning” as Lori described it.<br /><br />The guests at the dinner party obviously thought so as I wiped up the remaining drips of yogurt and wiped away the chocolate crumbs. I think I had, as Revson used to hope his lipsticks would, "turn the right head and lend a touch of class."<br /><br />Pucker up.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGja9VvxDuTMZp67QWwq6oiBd8gps2JnM44BO3ZesqWu2JcEkD5CwlCoGSY0MPY2JYLfj-JVNyYpq-sj2BbKkc_Z1qGunQiSksazhRXIr3TdXWhkepUQHw6aWhHlByNe9NYNHdm96ig8/s1600/Cherry_Frozen_Yogart_35044.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGja9VvxDuTMZp67QWwq6oiBd8gps2JnM44BO3ZesqWu2JcEkD5CwlCoGSY0MPY2JYLfj-JVNyYpq-sj2BbKkc_Z1qGunQiSksazhRXIr3TdXWhkepUQHw6aWhHlByNe9NYNHdm96ig8/s320/Cherry_Frozen_Yogart_35044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619345300008973378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />photos by <a href="http://www.scottrklinephoto.com/">Scott R. Kline</a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-83134847770315341772011-05-17T08:55:00.000-07:002011-05-17T08:59:04.606-07:00Puff Mommy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5OauCEtt94nwXxW8lq9zt2EcohdwRYXfha5_gXA29CpfiAInc_I89X6j_YTA8uS2hhwZ5ABKrJxFQfT0-TiiID4RAi0R-QzWfR_SSexqhApsuMNs7iNWhyphenhyphen5rtFgn29-rKlC4XpE54vM/s1600/Cream_Puffs_29797.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 318px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5OauCEtt94nwXxW8lq9zt2EcohdwRYXfha5_gXA29CpfiAInc_I89X6j_YTA8uS2hhwZ5ABKrJxFQfT0-TiiID4RAi0R-QzWfR_SSexqhApsuMNs7iNWhyphenhyphen5rtFgn29-rKlC4XpE54vM/s400/Cream_Puffs_29797.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607421441773446258" border="0" /></a><br />As Mother's Day approached this year, my husband and daughter asked me what I wanted to do that day.<br /><br />I must admit that I had forgotten all about Mother's Day.<br /><br />Normally my siblings and I would spend a few weeks prior to the big day brainstorming for gift ideas for our mom. Then the men in our family would do the cooking and we would all gather for lunch or brunch.<br /><br />Not having to do the meal planning or the dishes made it a very special day indeed.<br /><br />My mom passed away in February 2009 and I know it is just a "Hallmark" holiday but I must say it is still very strange not to have a mom to honor on the second Sunday in May.<br /><br />When I was a kid I used to write her mash notes of the roses are red violets are blue nature. When I was able to save up my pennies I would try to find the mushiest card I could find with as much glitter as possible on it.<br /><br />But we have been without her now for numerous holidays and family gatherings. She missed my daughter's 18th birthday and she will miss her upcoming high school graduation. We couldn't share the good news of college acceptances or the still strange to me news of my daughter's latest tattoo.<br /><br />And no matter what event we are gathering for, I always wonder what dessert she might have brought to share with all of us.<br /><br />This year there are no plans to gather as a big group to celebrate the day. Several of those husbands are ah, shall I say, no longer welcome at gatherings and many of the kids are away at college.<br /><br />But she was on my mind as my husband and daughter picked my brain for gift ideas. I started to wonder what dessert my mom might like for me to make for her on her special day. I have posted several stories about some of her signature desserts such as <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2008/06/ring-lings-pillsbury-bake-off-winner.html">ringalings</a> and <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2008/07/tampering-with-tempering-somehow-words.html">buckeyes</a>.<br /><br />It occurred to me that there was one dessert I hadn't thought about in a long while -- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_puff">cream puffs</a>.<br /><br />I did write about making eclairs for the first time and how I realized that they were really just a fancy cream puff! And I had to laugh when I had my first profiterole -- a cream puff with ice cream. And for $8! My mom would have laughed her head off.<br /><br />You don't find many recipes for cream puffs in recently released cookbooks although they do seem to make a comeback every decade or so in cooking magazines.<br /><br />But my mom made cream puffs often -- for Christmas, Easter Brunch or for a Sunday dinner. Using packaged convenience products like cake mixes were considered very modern in the 1960's and 1970's when I was growing up so my mom used Jello pudding mixes to fill the cream puffs with vanilla or chocolate pudding.<br /><br />I wasn't particularly fond of them; I found the texture and taste to be a bit bland. And I was pretty sure my husband and daughter would turn their noses up at a dessert that looked like it was something served at a ladies tea. Give us a ringaling or buckeye instead.<br /><br />But what if I punched up the taste a bit? I quickly considered and dismissed several filling ideas including green tea, coconut, lemon and coffee as too fussy.<br /><br />When I finally decided on <a href="http://www.nutellausa.com/">Nutella</a> -- the hazelnut and chocolate spread that I consider to be one of the finest examples of European junk food -- I knew I had a winner. And Nutella is also a modern day convenience food -- another nod to my mom.<br /><br />Since this quest was in honor of my mom, I used her <a href="http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1845345-Cream-Puffs">cream puff recipe</a> from her much thumbed through and splattered cookbook -- the 1963 edition of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/McCalls-Cook-Book-Random-House/dp/B000M6XRFM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1305583467&sr=8-7">McCall's Cookbook</a>.<br /><br />This cream puff recipe is very simple -- just four ingredients: butter, flour, salt and eggs. And no elaborate technique or fancy pastry bags required. If you own a tablespoon and a saucepan you are in business.<br /><br />The only change I made was to make mini puffs -- or little puffs as they are called in McCall's Cookbook. I used my smallest cookie scoop to place about a teaspoon of dough on my cookie sheet.<br /><br />For the filling I made a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custard">vanilla pudding</a> (or pastry cream) but added two tablespoons of Nutella to the warm milk mixture.<br /><br />So on Mother's Day 2011 I had a bit of my mom with me as I munched on a cream puff as I headed out the door to a SF Giants baseball game with my husband and daughter -- the perfect Mother's Day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsYeubbNbSMeB0HWvF7Ytxzfs9vdhPfDpOb_KiYywQcZAY47xXilM1epTMRvJ7TS7QtDFwozsMNSDRjTsA6Hs64O9SVMPh2ejpbtCvgLF2cNqSSjPZdJHIm8FbAH6tyRClBT_Dxiok0Y/s1600/Cream_Puffs_29791.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsYeubbNbSMeB0HWvF7Ytxzfs9vdhPfDpOb_KiYywQcZAY47xXilM1epTMRvJ7TS7QtDFwozsMNSDRjTsA6Hs64O9SVMPh2ejpbtCvgLF2cNqSSjPZdJHIm8FbAH6tyRClBT_Dxiok0Y/s320/Cream_Puffs_29791.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607421361894837458" border="0" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-19871173511611292452011-05-10T10:22:00.000-07:002011-05-10T10:28:29.325-07:00Food Bloggers Bake Sale This Saturday in SF!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div>The date is fast approaching for the second annual <a href="http://bakesalesf.wordpress.com/">SF food bloggers bake sale</a>.<br /><br />The bake sale benefits <a href="http://www.strength.org/">Share Our Strength</a> whose goal is to end childhood hunger in America. Last year we raised $1650 for this cause!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPW5SkrATv0DRRVKamW4Nb8I7QvKGwiZ1Yu1UirGB368fgJWkl4FvgSZzRKPl4Fcu-o-21FKqBgnq20eC1gL5R5BqHDZ1wDvwjVPoP24W2Q9NmHfuCUplV2IB3pwVKUJakckP0o9DoK1kq/s1600/foodblog.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPW5SkrATv0DRRVKamW4Nb8I7QvKGwiZ1Yu1UirGB368fgJWkl4FvgSZzRKPl4Fcu-o-21FKqBgnq20eC1gL5R5BqHDZ1wDvwjVPoP24W2Q9NmHfuCUplV2IB3pwVKUJakckP0o9DoK1kq/s320/foodblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602894060069608546" border="0" /></a><br />This year the event will be held on Saturday, May 14, from 10-6 p.m. at <a href="http://18reasons.org/">18 Reasons</a> in SF. The organizers also hope to add a second location. Please see the official site for the SF bake sale for more information.<br /><br />Unfortunately I can't be there this year as the <a href="http://www.pafarmersmarket.org/">Palo Alto Farmers' Market </a>reopens that day for the season and I will be there selling my little pies -- <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipies</a>!<br /><br />Please come out and support this great cause and get a bit of sweetness for your efforts!Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-37264606915794111272011-04-26T08:55:00.000-07:002011-04-26T08:55:21.969-07:00Spring is in the Air: Lavender and Lemons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT2Jd3huP4d84oVfm2aBOMnixTIQPGm34qYLPjPCj5ePiNnZDx2Y4ohpW8lFUgdyUXpJ5ZXlFt0EnATbWOHAntadIYRY0Epuq0wJwidVk-91BgqGhhOzZEaW9zIlaLpJjpz36DHq6AwA/s1600/Lavendar+Cake+19324.jpeg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOT2Jd3huP4d84oVfm2aBOMnixTIQPGm34qYLPjPCj5ePiNnZDx2Y4ohpW8lFUgdyUXpJ5ZXlFt0EnATbWOHAntadIYRY0Epuq0wJwidVk-91BgqGhhOzZEaW9zIlaLpJjpz36DHq6AwA/s400/Lavendar+Cake+19324.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583000911998576434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first market vendor I met on my first day selling <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipies (individual pies)</a> at the <a href="http://www.pafarmersmarket.org/">Palo Alto Farmers' Market</a> was Charlie.<br /><br />In fact, he was my first customer!<br /><br />He is always willing to lend me anything I forget or to find something that will steady a wobbly table.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMM95cg5rAHLc-GQgWR5EmFWGgXao1uKddmBR44M4hn6UMNc3M0p9Kn0V_rCgYo20mzF9Ba0F6h0RUbNk1vPumM5lmvW1zofxP_EvO7QDcyQykMRcqtL3sSSw83LJiWSfv__EJAIf8ZCs/s1600/IMG_0233.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMM95cg5rAHLc-GQgWR5EmFWGgXao1uKddmBR44M4hn6UMNc3M0p9Kn0V_rCgYo20mzF9Ba0F6h0RUbNk1vPumM5lmvW1zofxP_EvO7QDcyQykMRcqtL3sSSw83LJiWSfv__EJAIf8ZCs/s320/IMG_0233.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582659301094075154" border="0" /></a><br />One morning he even gave me those heat packets that you can put in your pockets to keep you warm on those early, cold December mornings at the market.<br /><br />I'm not sure why he had those packets though -- Charlie almost always wore shorts and a polo shirt no matter the weather. If he did pull out a jacket, I knew I was in for a very cold day!<br /><br />Charlie Opper and his wife, Linda Barrett, own <a href="http://cachecreeklavender.com/">Cache Creek Lavender</a>, a small organic family run farm located in Rumsey, California in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capay_Valley">Capay Valley</a>. In 1997 they began growing lavender and now sell fresh lavender flowers and their own hand crafted lavender soaps, creams and bath salts. All organic. They sell their products on their website as well as at several farmers' markets. You can <a href="http://www.pafarmersmarket.org/buylocally/cachecreek.html">read a bit more about them</a> on the Palo Alto Farmers' Market website.<br /><br />One slow morning at the market, I noticed that Charlie also had culinary lavender -- dried flowers that are safe to use in both sweet and savory dishes.<br /><br />I was excited to try my hand at baking with lavender since it wasn't an ingredient I had grown up baking with -- so of course Charlie handed me a bottle, refusing to take payment.<br /><br />Well, that has been quite a few months ago now but with the winter weather slowly giving way to oranges and lemons on my trees and the plum tree in full blossom, I began to consider what springtime treat I might create.<br /><br />As I considered the ingredients in my pantry, I spied the culinary lavender in its cork topped bottle.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiisDFap4Haq0KeDF9ijTM3hFpMigv1VfhnT44D3QWhU1yPGi9G8-OGRPjRmsJ2mrzCT3ar10ETA-nOTO-cRK2OfkzLvFRbAKRFOUnKXH3B-C3GAEECc7PTT-TUzmaNqv2Fj5JR2gPos/s1600/IMG_0185.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaiisDFap4Haq0KeDF9ijTM3hFpMigv1VfhnT44D3QWhU1yPGi9G8-OGRPjRmsJ2mrzCT3ar10ETA-nOTO-cRK2OfkzLvFRbAKRFOUnKXH3B-C3GAEECc7PTT-TUzmaNqv2Fj5JR2gPos/s320/IMG_0185.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583002574032300130" border="0" /></a><br />With all the beautiful lemons now available, I started my search for a recipe that combined lemon-lavender. Springtime allergies must have plugged my brain as well as my nose because I spent quite a few hours searching for a recipe on various cooking websites but nothing struck me as quite right. I was surprised by how many recipes called for lemon extract instead of fresh lemon juice.<br /><br />Finally I came to my senses and started combing through my rather large cookbook collection.<br /><br />And of course, right where I should have looked first is where I found the perfect recipe, Deluxe Lemon-Lavender Mail-a-Cake, from <a href="http://flobraker.com/">Flo Braker's </a>most recent cookbook, <a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,7498/title,Baking-for-All-Occasions/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Baking for All Occasions</span></a>.<br /><br />Braker gave the cake this quirky name because she developed this recipe for her mother -- she wanted a sturdy cake that she could mail to her mother for her mother's birthday.<br /><br />Braker even gives instructions for how to package the cake for mailing!<br /><br />The cake uses both lemon zest and lemon juice so it had that extra zing that I wanted. And the recipe called for a tablespoon of lavender flowers. The finished cake had a lovely texture and a heavenly scent.<br /><br />After the cake cooled, I drizzled a lemon glaze over the top then dusted it with powdered sugar. The wet glaze really helped the sugar to set. I topped it all off with a few sprinkles of lavender flowers.<br /><br />The cake tasted great that night but the flavors improved even more by the next day. And of course, as its name indicates, this is a great cake to pack up for a picnic or even to serve at Easter or a springtime brunch.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><p><br /></p>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-56692282198375370432011-04-12T08:52:00.000-07:002011-04-12T08:52:56.772-07:00Coconut: Beauty or Beast?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvvCKiCW-HavFhODPPVq3JlYKAX5FWimC727NYf1L086pjG_c5ec91UOpcK5l_vZqbHbsUlMOqW3u4sWnA-cBFXzLshp5iAs4NIagxZRbgZeNLQGIa8O2qaFQYWLEWUxUw3cVfr0B5Ww/s1600/Macaroons_22623.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 335px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvvCKiCW-HavFhODPPVq3JlYKAX5FWimC727NYf1L086pjG_c5ec91UOpcK5l_vZqbHbsUlMOqW3u4sWnA-cBFXzLshp5iAs4NIagxZRbgZeNLQGIa8O2qaFQYWLEWUxUw3cVfr0B5Ww/s400/Macaroons_22623.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585979996779569490" border="0" /></a>Coconut -- that much maligned ingredient seems to be having a do over or perhaps a makeover.<br /><br />Oil, shredded, water, extract -- all forms of coconut seem primed for a comeback of sorts.<br /><br />I first noticed coconut popping up in articles that proclaimed coconut to be the new trendy drink -- available now! -- on supermarket shelves.<br /><br />Then articles describing that most Midwestern of desserts -- the coconut macaroon -- started appearing with recipes "from the archives". Recipes for coconut cream pie soon followed.<br /><br />But I knew coconut was really having its moment when writer <a href="http://www.melissaclark.net/">Melissa Clark</a> wrote about coconut a few weeks ago in her <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/features/diningandwine/columns/a_good_appetite/index.html">New York Times Good Appetite</a> column with the headline, "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/dining/02Appe.html">Once a Villain, Coconut Oil Charms the Health Food World</a>."<br /><br />An endorsement indeed!<br /><br />I have found that most people either love or hate coconut. Although I'm a fan, my husband and daughter are not. So coconut desserts seldom make an appearance at our house.<br /><br />But along with the <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-to-make-white-christmas.html">spritz cookies</a> on the cookie platter at our holiday gatherings were always coconut macaroons. When my mom passed away, my sister shouldered the responsibility for both the spritz and the macaroons so I feel obligated to have them at least once a year (what a hardship!).<br /><br />I must admit though, those macaroons are lovely, large sugar bombs!<br /><br />The typical ingredients in a coconut macaroon from the Midwest include sweetened condensed milk, sweetened shredded coconut, egg whites, vanilla extract and salt. Much like this <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/coconut-macaroons-recipe4/index.html">recipe</a> from cookbook author <a href="http://www.barefootcontessa.com/">Ina Garten</a>.<br /><br />Sweet and simple indeed!<br /><br />But really, with all those egg whites, a coconut macaroon is really just a meringue cookie. Is there a need for the sweetened condensed milk AND sweetened shredded coconut? Perhaps a less sweet cookie would continue to encourage a macaroon comeback.<br /><br />In fact, in searching through some of the vintage cookbooks I own, I found that many older recipes for coconut macaroons used either sugar or powdered sugar instead of the condensed milk but all still used the sweet shredded coconut.<br /><br />I had recently made the national dessert of New Zealand, <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2010/03/poofy-woolly-biscuits-lamington-love.html">lamingtons,</a> which use dry (sometimes called desiccated) coconut. Perhaps I could swap out the sweet shredded coconut for the dry.<br /><br />I continued my cookbook trawl and came upon just the recipe I wanted from the latest offering from blogger, cookbook author, ice cream expert, etc. etc, <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz's</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/158008138X/davidleboviswebs"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ready for Dessert</span></a>.<br /><br />His recipe adds a few more ingredients than the typical macaroon recipe -- honey and flour -- and substitutes sugar and unsweetened shredded coconut for the condensed milk and sweetened coconut.<br /><br />He combines all the ingredients together in a large saucepan then dries the mixture out over low heat.<br /><br />I didn't form my dough into small pyramids like he did but instead used my smallest cookie scoop to form small cookies. After they had baked and were cool, I dipped a few in bittersweet chocolate.<br /><br />Even with the addition of the chocolate, these macaroons were far less sweet than the cookie of my childhood. Addictive really. I usually only ate one macaroon from the Christmas cookie platter but I ate two of these in a flash.<br /><br />This <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2005/06/an-american-mac-1/">coconut macaroon recipe</a> from David Lebovitz's blog is similar to the one in his new book.<br /><br />And best of all, several non-coconut lovers gobbled them up as well. Which makes me think that it wasn't the coconut they disliked, just the overwhelming sweetness of the cookies and perhaps even the gooey texture.<br /><br />So I'm happy to say that coconut appears to have made a comeback -- even at my house.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9-hC6lQfgwyUeG9g7QHlhYMr4sOwhryBSZuNb5mxxHaEN9oJujgUgPe69kH82xb4nFeOM6OzD1FbqtYGXrU1dsidzBj4n-Rnbk4uBXtZku4CL1QmZDGOw5DdGDcb41iYrcuzV2J7lqw/s1600/IMG_0188.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9-hC6lQfgwyUeG9g7QHlhYMr4sOwhryBSZuNb5mxxHaEN9oJujgUgPe69kH82xb4nFeOM6OzD1FbqtYGXrU1dsidzBj4n-Rnbk4uBXtZku4CL1QmZDGOw5DdGDcb41iYrcuzV2J7lqw/s320/IMG_0188.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585980751084561090" border="0" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-19897467617809384252011-04-11T22:12:00.000-07:002011-04-11T22:13:07.214-07:00Online Bake Sale for Japan!: UPDATE!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OGb3sdOm8vYZbxJdEz_JrVqEZwFOLWjt9pxcrFo-zTR3KoQ1PDNPHBbdRarxPB4UupXXppXYzTkiqBIBez2T4kyu9RWpRN6PRvav4DQAqPxD-vbbd0FemJ1lRll91Ylhq4RKQdZBun0/s1600/japan.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OGb3sdOm8vYZbxJdEz_JrVqEZwFOLWjt9pxcrFo-zTR3KoQ1PDNPHBbdRarxPB4UupXXppXYzTkiqBIBez2T4kyu9RWpRN6PRvav4DQAqPxD-vbbd0FemJ1lRll91Ylhq4RKQdZBun0/s400/japan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586997194632293666" border="0" /></a>***update! we made more than $8,000! Thank you everyone! And high bid on ipies was $110! Thank you thank you! Pie people are very special people!***<br /><br />(this is a post from my pie site -- <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">the ipie store</a>)<br /><br />In Indiana where I grew up , baking was often the language we used to communicate with each other.<br /><br />Owe someone an apology? Bake them brownies. Someone you know not feeling so well -- a nice pudding would make them feel better. New job? Baby announcement? Almost any occasion called for hauling out the mixing bowls and butter.<br /><br />And now, if only I could bake <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipies</a> for the people of Japan to feed their hunger and their souls I would do it.<br /><br />I can't of course but perhaps indirectly I can make it happen.<br /><br />Well, you can.<br /><br />ipie is teaming up with a growing list of food bloggers to raise money for Japan via an online bake sale.<br /><br />The auction is the brain child of Sabrina Modelle who writes <a href="http://www.thetomatotart.com/recipe/update-on-online-bake-sale-for-japan-meet-the-bakers/">the tomato tart blog</a>.<br /><br />The bake sale will be held, auction style, on her website on March 30<sup>th</sup>. We will be donating to <a href="http://www.2hj.org/index.php/eng_home" target="_blank">Second Harvest Japan</a>, a food bank in Japan.<br /><br />Sabrina has a list of participating food bloggers on her site. Although the auction doesn't start until March 30 -- Sabrina will be previewing what will be available.<br /><br />So, please check out her site and on March 30, please bid on ipies or some other yummy goodie.<br /><br />Here is more information about ipie and what I will be offering for the auction:<br /><br />ipie will offer six ipies with either a classic apple filling or a pear honey filling.<br /><br />An ipie is an individual fruit filled double crust pie about the size of a cupcake. I sell my ipies at the <a href="http://www.pafarmersmarket.org/">Palo Alto Farmers' Market</a> and by special order.<br /><br />I can't ship out of my local area but I would be happy to deliver them to you if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area.<br /><br />Please email me if you have any questions -- an email link follows the ipie photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S26r_9BQgHpKZW4JTRMdxKeR5SfU1bPCXewabMYibR0VdtX6qjnL1iWV7R52pFvOyhl7tZVf0ljPmRB_0MuLxzroa4kgImNevuZfTk-YTuPmvu-QmjzEN2yaJETnpt269tlPCC4HjTc/s1600/iPie_Cranberry_Apple_9085.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0S26r_9BQgHpKZW4JTRMdxKeR5SfU1bPCXewabMYibR0VdtX6qjnL1iWV7R52pFvOyhl7tZVf0ljPmRB_0MuLxzroa4kgImNevuZfTk-YTuPmvu-QmjzEN2yaJETnpt269tlPCC4HjTc/s320/iPie_Cranberry_Apple_9085.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586998304625878930" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="mailto:phkline@mac.com">Feel free to leave a comment or click here to email me</a>!Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-74870339068932961832011-03-22T08:41:00.000-07:002011-03-22T08:41:33.992-07:00Brown Sugar Pound Cake: Why do you taste so good?!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSgQGCk9MKjzrKzrDIgbIE2wldtOAsZ4tHjqa39wdKBOtG874Qr4e7s5XAHRNSZRPk7sWV2PGqKX1EltL-3u_2qviu8pWzO6zEK9lFrgfRkTQ5I9kJ8P0TWtggJ25ehxh_lB0tZm8IGw/s1600/Caramel_Cake_19193.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSgQGCk9MKjzrKzrDIgbIE2wldtOAsZ4tHjqa39wdKBOtG874Qr4e7s5XAHRNSZRPk7sWV2PGqKX1EltL-3u_2qviu8pWzO6zEK9lFrgfRkTQ5I9kJ8P0TWtggJ25ehxh_lB0tZm8IGw/s400/Caramel_Cake_19193.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581897924011587826" border="0" /></a>I follow a short list of food sites and blogs. It's great fun to see what the trends are in SF, L.A. and New York. One of my favorites to follow is the food section of the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/food/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">L.A. Times</span></a> newspaper. I really enjoy following the adventures of their test kitchen.<br /><br />Each Friday they pick a cooking project for the weekend. In mid-February I was pleased to see the weekend project was a <a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/la-fo-cakerec1aug22,0,7392927.story">Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze</a>. This recipe was named one of their <a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/la-fo-watch22aug22,0,6870864.story">best recipes from 2007</a>.<br /><br />Like many people, I love caramel. So I'm always scanning cookbooks and blogs for recipes with caramel as a main ingredient.<br /><br />One of my favorite recipes is the <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2006/12/24/caramel-cake-the-recipe/">Caramel Cake with Caramelized Frosting</a> adapted by the very talented chef Shuna Fish Lydon from (of course!) a recipe from <a href="http://flobraker.com/">Flo Braker</a>.<br /><br />This cake has incredible depth of flavor. But it isn't the quickest or easiest cake to bake. In fact, Shuna even includes a <a href="http://eggbeater.typepad.com/shuna/2007/11/caramel-cake-a.html">tutorial </a>on her blog for those that want to attempt baking this cake. I took advantage of that tutorial when I made the cake for the first time for a <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2008/11/daring-bakers-challenge-liquid-gold.html">baking challenge in 2008</a>.<br /><br />I never fail to get a request for this recipe when I make it for friends. And it never fails that most are a bit intimidated by the complexity of the recipe.<br /><br />So after scanning the L.A. Times recipe I was pleased to see that it was a pretty easy recipe that didn't require an instant read thermometer and boiling sugar!<br /><br />This recipe is based on one from <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Cakes-Irresistible-Everyday-Celebrations/dp/0811853705/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_c">Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations</a> </span>by <a href="http://www.nanciemcdermott.com/">Nancie McDermott</a>.<br /><br />And that reminded me that I also owned a "southern" baking book. But although I love the personal stories weaved with the recipes -- I hadn't baked anything from it because the author didn't specify how she measured her flour. <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/05/matter-of-some-measure-flour-power.html">A vital piece of information! </a><br /><br />The book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sweets-Soul-Food-Desserts-Memories/dp/1580087981/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sweets: Soul Food Desserts and Memories</span> </a>by <a href="http://domesticgeisha.wordpress.com/">Patty Pinner</a>. And I was very excited when Pinner responded to a message about how she measures flour that I sent to her via Facebook with the answer I was looking for -- dip and sweep. I'm excited to try Pinner's version of Brown Sugar Pound Cake although it is slightly different from the L.A. Times version. She also has a recipe for Caramel Cake that I want to try.<br /><br />And I was excited that Pinner has started a blog called <a href="http://domesticgeisha.wordpress.com/">domestic geisha</a> where she continues to give her readers stories and recipes.<br /><br />But back to the L.A.Times recipe -- it came together quickly and easily and was delicious. The only thing I would change next time I make it is to smooth the icing over the cake after I let it drip down the sides. The drips looked cool until they hardened then it just looked messy and uneven. The icing dries almost immediately so I used an icing spatula that I ran under hot water to even it out.<br /><br />So not only was the cake delicious, but thanks to the L.A. Times test kitchen, I won't have to worry about giving a tutorial with the recipe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-Ra80pajfh_SyZodwNhsGUJkrGzPxD9MXKnQKVb6IA0-M_nN0xpBAmw9gvF3MyuXFE8W_6NVSqfKyt0Xti0Lmi7FH9Q0JnYgTmeEbTMkbKS5dn6wmY-tV0h64EmitqvHoR_0D1sFXnQ/s1600/Caramel_Cake_19200.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-Ra80pajfh_SyZodwNhsGUJkrGzPxD9MXKnQKVb6IA0-M_nN0xpBAmw9gvF3MyuXFE8W_6NVSqfKyt0Xti0Lmi7FH9Q0JnYgTmeEbTMkbKS5dn6wmY-tV0h64EmitqvHoR_0D1sFXnQ/s320/Caramel_Cake_19200.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581837428568165090" border="0" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-10236682963547992932011-03-08T08:16:00.000-08:002011-03-08T08:16:53.991-08:00From Dud to Stud: Ginger-Chocolate Cookies from Sunset Cookbook<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXVXqAkgaI3VUeWJZVzUb4dBaz18AEKIFbZ6Z1xGeO3ly71XMAlG5ZCHPNOMm5k4X-vRYTjdRe-3mOUzOjhGRM8UK2wx-7TjQ890GNZbRkAVSkXb6WVgJu3b-qPZVuckqBlA4m-nqILY/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXVXqAkgaI3VUeWJZVzUb4dBaz18AEKIFbZ6Z1xGeO3ly71XMAlG5ZCHPNOMm5k4X-vRYTjdRe-3mOUzOjhGRM8UK2wx-7TjQ890GNZbRkAVSkXb6WVgJu3b-qPZVuckqBlA4m-nqILY/s400/IMG_0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577391186982130306" border="0" /></a>Like many families during the holidays, we have a cookie exchange. I always make the family favorite -- <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/11/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder-cookie-only.html">Peanut Butter Blossoms </a>-- as well as one new one. This year I made the Ginger Chocolate Cookies from the new Sunset Cookbook.<br /><br />I have long been a fan of anything by <a href="http://www.sunset.com/">Sunset Magazine</a>. Growing up in Indiana -- Sunset Magazine represented all that was good and golden about California. I collect Sunset Cookbooks from the 1960s and am always thrilled when I find one for sale in my local used bookstore or library.<br /><br />So I was excited when Sunset announced that they were coming out with their first cookbook in quite a while. And in what seemed like just a matter of months, it was in bookstores.<br /><br />And what a beauty it is. I can't imagine how it was put together so quickly -- it has over 1,000 recipes and covers everything from artichokes to wine and everything in between.<br /><br />I heard food editor Margo True speak about the new book at Omnivore Books on Food and was excited to try one of the cookie recipes for the Christmas cookie platter.<br /><br />So imagine my disappointment when the <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001661171">Ginger-Chocolate Cookies</a> turned out to be inedible. The recipe calls for 2.5 tablespoons of ground ginger. That's a lot but I forged ahead. I tested one before leaving for the festivities and found the ginger to be overpowering. I chalked it up to my wimpy Indiana taste buds and brought them anyway.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the guests must have also found the ginger to be too much because most of the cookies were left on the platter and the rest were partially eaten and tossed.<br /><br />And the taste wasn't the only thing that wasn't right with this recipe -- the entire recipe was difficult to make -- the dough wouldn't roll into balls and the dough was too sticky to flatten with a glass as instructed.<br /><br />Normally I would make them again until I got the recipe to my liking but given that it was the holidays, I just didn't have the time. I must admit it put a damper on my enthusiasm for the cookbook.<br /><br />But thanks to the first <a href="http://www.bakersdozen.org/">Bakers Dozen</a> event of 2011, I was able to give them another chance.<br /><br />The topic of the February meeting was Holidays Chapter Two and we were invited to relive the holidays by baking something we really loved, or didn't get to make or maybe make something we wanted to improve upon. We would all taste the goodies then in our meeting tell the story behind what we brought.<br /><br />Well, you can guess what I decided to bring.<br /><br />First I checked out the Sunset Magazine website to see if perhaps there was a typo in the recipe -- perhaps the amount of ginger was given incorrectly. I then sent an email to Margo True asking her the same question.<br /><br />No response from True and the recipe I found online was identical to the one in the book.<br /><br />Time to tinker! This time I made the cookies using only half the ginger -- 1.5 tablespoons. Still a lot but perhaps would give the cookies the zing editors intended but not be so overpowering.<br /><br />I also used a tablespoon cookie scoop and flattened each cookie with the palm of my hand. Instead of rolling each cookie in sugar, I sprinkled course sanding sugar on the top of each cookie.<br /><br />They were delicious. I could now taste the bittersweet chocolate that had been totally overshadowed by the ginger. And they were good looking as well!<br /><br />I brought my beauties to the meeting and they were almost completely gone by the end of the meeting.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwy7A32k5_GWCR7Tgp9g9dVnp154HeeJV4QCZcgPY0GXhRtp8LdkNaME59PjavgiFzlOiifXeV1hxGGFvIETfteg4HU58SzAEn6_vcHsvJFi_5TcZPmz_8xqP4CelUKI_v07rJlmJ5SRU/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwy7A32k5_GWCR7Tgp9g9dVnp154HeeJV4QCZcgPY0GXhRtp8LdkNaME59PjavgiFzlOiifXeV1hxGGFvIETfteg4HU58SzAEn6_vcHsvJFi_5TcZPmz_8xqP4CelUKI_v07rJlmJ5SRU/s320/IMG_0064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577391322800806594" border="0" /></a><br />I must admit though that I was a bit embarrassed as I related my story about the cookies in front of the membership when I found that another baker was present that day and she was employed by Sunset Magazine in their test kitchen!<br /><br />She was very gracious and mentioned that she did remember that particular cookie not being her favorite when it was being tested.<br /><br />Whew! But I made a new acquaintance and now have a new favorite cookie that might get another chance at the cookie platter next year.Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-9643140123680307752011-02-24T14:41:00.000-08:002011-02-24T14:41:29.167-08:00A Brownie Walks Into A Bar: Alice Medrich's Latest Book!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uh4OzwtvfntS_d6kf-QXjDWlCrBn-DNyABTNBRVcJELhn8RM9TzWn4bZCUWIxO3ruG1JKJG4ds-Ljr8algPlSyrINAJyp501Y-Y-b1na9gJ6tXfyMq-3kRKpTLvuDMg0_OxvRK669DI/s1600/P1020147.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uh4OzwtvfntS_d6kf-QXjDWlCrBn-DNyABTNBRVcJELhn8RM9TzWn4bZCUWIxO3ruG1JKJG4ds-Ljr8algPlSyrINAJyp501Y-Y-b1na9gJ6tXfyMq-3kRKpTLvuDMg0_OxvRK669DI/s400/P1020147.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577076159077892226" border="0" /></a><br />Reliability in baking is everything. I own a LOT of baking books. And believe it or not, I actually use most of them. I tend to have favorite recipes that I rely on in each cookbook -- cookies from one, cakes from another.<br /><br />But there are a few cookbooks that are my "go to" books for any baking occasion or baking question.<br /><br />Any cookbook by <a href="http://flobraker.com/">Flo Braker</a> or <a href="http://www.cindymushet.com/">Cindy Mushet's</a> <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Soul-Baking-Sur-Table/dp/0740773348">Art & Soul of Baking </a>fall into that revered category.<br /><br />And now I think I might add one more cookbook to that short list -- the latest cookbook from <a href="http://alicemedrich.blogspot.com/">Alice Medrich</a> called, "<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Crispy-Crunchy--Your-Mouth-Cookies-Medrich/dp/1579653979/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298586423&sr=8-1">Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy - Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies</a>. I love that title -- it's so very comforting.<br /><br />Although I have certainly known about Medrich and her famed chocolate truffles that were the cornerstone of her long closed chocolate dessert shop, Cocolat, I've yet to own one of her seven (!) cookbooks.<br /><br />Medrich has been baking and teaching for many years and like Flo Braker, worked with Julia Child.<br /><br />I recently met Medrich when she spoke about her new book at <a href="http://www.omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books on Food</a> in San Francisco.<br /><br />And as I listened to her speak, I felt I had met another kindred baking spirit. I also felt fortunate that her new cookbook contained updated versions of some of her classic recipes such as her famous bittersweet brownies.<br /><br />Medrich is exacting as all bakers must be but also loves to experiment and think out of the box to come up with great tips and tricks. For example, I get annoyed trying to melt chocolate or butter over a saucepan of barely simmering water. I always seem to burn myself or feel like a klutz -- especially when I'm using an instant read thermometer.<br /><br />Medrich has a great solution -- she uses a wide skillet with a bowl set into the simmering water -- so easy and it works.<br /><br />And I love the tone of her writing voice -- for example, when she is talking about baking many trays of cookies at one time she says, "repeat the performance until you drop or all the dough is used up -- whichever comes first."<br /><br />I also like how this book holds the novice baker by the hand but gives the more experienced baker new baking tricks.<br /><br />Medrich's cookie book features about 15 brownie recipes. And each recipe seems to use a different mixing method. Sometimes she calls for using an electric mixer versus the usual mixing by hand or cold eggs or even to beat the eggs and sugar with the salt. All result in brownies with a slightly different texture. Leave it to Medrich to give even the humble brownie a bit of a twist.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to trying them all.<br /><br />But first up -- I had heard about her classic bittersweet brownies and this book features an updated version of that recipe. I was anxious to try it and I had my opportunity when the Super Bowl conveniently presented the opportunity to have a party.<br /><br />And to add to the fun, we had guests visiting from the Midwest. When I grew up in the Midwest, we made our brownies from cocoa powder -- Hershey's cocoa powder. Those brownies were cake-like and definitely not fussy or fancy.<br /><br />To make it a bit more even, I used <a href="http://shop.ghirardelli.com/?cid=googletargetfs&gclid=COTkyIXsoacCFQQ-bAodQyFkdA">Ghirardelli Chocolate</a> -- bittersweet chocolate bars and their unsweetened cocoa powder. It was especially relevant given that we had taken our visitors to <a href="http://www.ghirardellisq.com/">Ghirardelli Square</a> the night before the party.<br /><br />Medrich's New Bittersweet Brownies were a vision of crackly goodness and the Cocoa Brownies were smooth and fudgy.<br /><br />I cut both pans of brownies into small squares and piled them high on two separate cake stands. I encouraged the guests to try both and let me know which one they preferred.<br /><br />The result -- the cocoa powder brownies were preferred by all the Midwesterners and by most of the teenagers who had grown up in California. My daughter liked the Cocoa Brownies so much I made them for her birthday the following week.<br /><br />I preferred the Bittersweet Brownies as did most of the adults from California. Although I will always have a soft spot in my heart and stomach for my own cake-like, cocoa powder <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/12/comfort-joy-happy-new-year.html">brownie recipe from Indiana</a>.<br /><br />I guess I'll always have a bit of Indiana in me.Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-81989407740907696362011-01-25T13:06:00.000-08:002011-01-25T13:11:28.097-08:00ringalings will return!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zxugdiTDgGQYcud14zRGBGFyviPr59x5ZH3P2sO8DmjBZ4rHfcIg9pW55pBMzgIdgaYpTrxsXFbDaYuGg_3joVIb35Nict2fpsABzLWCLx-BZ-rzVorXtIzxRSgoTG7A2-fYz30znlI/s1600/SF_11020128.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zxugdiTDgGQYcud14zRGBGFyviPr59x5ZH3P2sO8DmjBZ4rHfcIg9pW55pBMzgIdgaYpTrxsXFbDaYuGg_3joVIb35Nict2fpsABzLWCLx-BZ-rzVorXtIzxRSgoTG7A2-fYz30znlI/s400/SF_11020128.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566234106404285874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I know that photo is of a donut -- specifically an amazing chocolate donut with a rose water glaze from <a href="http://www.dynamodonut.com/">dynamo donuts</a> in San Francisco -- but my next post will be all about cookies!<br /><br />So check back in early February! I'll meet you back here!Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-33116082063198991882010-11-19T08:20:00.000-08:002010-11-19T08:24:58.698-08:00Pies and Pumpkins!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF_AeZxIocJ3fpfCyMEz4nFCeS9CbPGGpWCkOFcX8zX6mZ_swWzq5ZVP5W8HJ4Z2IDgw6rDx4pvnNeE_6vIjWE5XRk1PSzRZFBW74jej0Sx9rtDmbs8IKxRRGCOJRxgF4_0jtGaosvMs/s1600/IMG_3829.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF_AeZxIocJ3fpfCyMEz4nFCeS9CbPGGpWCkOFcX8zX6mZ_swWzq5ZVP5W8HJ4Z2IDgw6rDx4pvnNeE_6vIjWE5XRk1PSzRZFBW74jej0Sx9rtDmbs8IKxRRGCOJRxgF4_0jtGaosvMs/s400/IMG_3829.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540954027126711538" border="0" /></a>It was one of those beautiful, warm, November days in Northern California that make me totally forget those harsh Indiana winters of my childhood.<br /><br />Even though I had baked Friday night for the farmers' market and had sold ipies all morning at the market, instead of feeling like I wanted to flop on the couch and stay there -- I just had to take advantage of the beautiful weather.<br /><br />And since my motto is to always: eat more pie, what better place to visit than <a href="http://www.pieranch.org/">Pie Ranch</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pescadero,_California">Pescadero</a> -- a quick jaunt over the mountains to the coast.<br /><br />With the top down on the Mini Cooper and a large Starbucks coffee in the cup holder, I headed to the ocean.<br /><br />The fields were still full of pumpkins but I could see the Christmas tree farms starting to take over and claim their season.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxV3B2cZ-WPLLU7j3l_JyLHxPsMqElS2x-X0gn7VhAQ1f7dktuTgOv2pSTAn60_55SUaTTwSBzXrO_z6PLGHsIQIsQryhLgdigFBYNzbbxiaqZXZgv-4Py5qCT1d7Y3FUUvurqB1ehuns/s1600/IMG_3837.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxV3B2cZ-WPLLU7j3l_JyLHxPsMqElS2x-X0gn7VhAQ1f7dktuTgOv2pSTAn60_55SUaTTwSBzXrO_z6PLGHsIQIsQryhLgdigFBYNzbbxiaqZXZgv-4Py5qCT1d7Y3FUUvurqB1ehuns/s320/IMG_3837.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540954576326603842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It was a bit hazy at the coast but still warm. The air smelled like brussel sprouts, artichokes and salty sea air -- almost like being at the farmers' market but without the ocean.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pieranch.org/">Pie Ranch</a> is so named not only because the land is triangular shaped, but also because it is a place for "pie in the sky" thinking regarding social change. Pie Ranch is a working farm and is dedicated to hosting youth from regional high schools to participate in farm-based programs and activities.<br /><br />But best of all they raise the animals necessary and grow all the crops necessary to make a pie!<br /><br />They sell their goods to farm stands as well as to two bakeries in my area -- <a href="http://missionpie.com/">Mission Pie</a> in San Francisco and now <a href="http://www.companionbakery.com/Home.html">Companion Bakers</a> in Santa Cruz.<br /><br />Old school sandwich board signs announcing "pie and coffee" clued me in that I must be getting close. Their farm stand is actually a beautiful old barn a few miles from the historic town of Pescadero.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-ox3p56-R_b7Uk7XEMudKz6q7b5KyiOyKhJeRPs-JXdHcXzOLPH3JROaNeO-no2N1YP3vkDlxAC1SGncxwQm-NumRzOEnQzwVm1qTNGcc_M6wvyqY9MMS5ZEU0QUMrtuhQp-fSCyEFc/s1600/IMG_3830.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-ox3p56-R_b7Uk7XEMudKz6q7b5KyiOyKhJeRPs-JXdHcXzOLPH3JROaNeO-no2N1YP3vkDlxAC1SGncxwQm-NumRzOEnQzwVm1qTNGcc_M6wvyqY9MMS5ZEU0QUMrtuhQp-fSCyEFc/s320/IMG_3830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540954569000363762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Inside, Megan and Lizzie were further proof of my claim that "pie is optimistic" -- they cheerfully greeted each customer and were quick with offers of help in selecting the right pie -- which after all is a critical decision at any time.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLScfSPTxHQQSdalrd3B1qf5A-EH7XnJgghcj7jVLnJ7PKd01-gXhWYzPVWxfIueG_kjSb_Xqm_z1WwYvrftIpB-UWtNjx1_WZzzWDfcCmu0uHr9BkDBJxYkstFycF_ac9nA4MDnkvwPY/s1600/IMG_3826.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLScfSPTxHQQSdalrd3B1qf5A-EH7XnJgghcj7jVLnJ7PKd01-gXhWYzPVWxfIueG_kjSb_Xqm_z1WwYvrftIpB-UWtNjx1_WZzzWDfcCmu0uHr9BkDBJxYkstFycF_ac9nA4MDnkvwPY/s320/IMG_3826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540954264713917538" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I had on my ipie cap and Lizzie recognized me from the <a href="http://www.pafarmersmarket.org/">Palo Alto Farmers' Market</a> -- she works for a local farmer -- <a href="http://www.greenoakscreek.com/">Green Oaks Creek Farms</a> -- who also sells at the market.<br /><br />The pies that day were baked by Companion Bakers. I actually thought the pies on display were fake they were so beautiful. Offerings included cranberry pear with a beautiful lattice crust, pumpkin pie with a crumble topping and a prebaked pie shell filled with the last fruits of the season -- strawberries and blueberries.<br /><br />I picked out a small strawberry mini Galette and a very cute <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/eat_pie_t_shirt-235474983546790703">Pie Ranch t-shirt</a> which was emblazoned with Eat Pie across the back -- kindred spirits!<br /><br />On the way to Pie Ranch I spied a small table set up on the side of the road with a sign proclaiming Local Honey. I hoped they would still be there on my return trip.<br /><br />And I was in luck -- Wayne and his son Dillan were doing a brisk honey business. Turns out they are part of a co-op that help local beekeepers gather and sell their honey. He offered tastes of eucalyptus, lavender and orange honey. I bought a large jar of the orange blossom.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMhCw57Azh4jp_9A5IGukFrWOMbcfjRu01_BeqfH_M5o0AC6orhSZwbEGb_xHnh91NPnrYnJIAvgVWoCuHZyMiiR2nH5nhzIMOl9RlzjGKE5Tx2jwWHk5F5cLWYGHOWW94vtctHC_9s8/s1600/IMG_3839.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMhCw57Azh4jp_9A5IGukFrWOMbcfjRu01_BeqfH_M5o0AC6orhSZwbEGb_xHnh91NPnrYnJIAvgVWoCuHZyMiiR2nH5nhzIMOl9RlzjGKE5Tx2jwWHk5F5cLWYGHOWW94vtctHC_9s8/s320/IMG_3839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540954581176347282" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As I tasted and chatted, I found out that Dillan helps his dad sell honey each weekend because he is saving for a new car. He currently owns a Hornet (not kidding). His dad was enthusiastically also trying to sell bags of bee pollen extolling its healing properties for everything from weight loss to sexual dysfunction (!).<br /><br />On my way home I detoured from the ocean highway through the small town of <a href="http://www.halfmoonbaychamber.org/">Half Moon Bay</a>. In one of the local bakeries I came across a cookie that I haven't seen in awhile -- a pumpkin cookie.<br /><br />And how appropriate in the land of pumpkins! After all Half Moon Bay is known for its Pumpkin Festival held each October and now in its 40th year.<br /><br />Pumpkin cookies are similar to big soft sugar cookies but are jazzed up with spices generally found in pumpkin pie with a texture somewhere between a cake and a cookie.<br /><br />Once home I scoured my extensive cookbook collection for a pumpkin cookie recipe to try. I was surprised to find that most modern cookbooks lack a recipe for this homely cookie. I then turned to my older cookbooks and found that recipes for the lowly pumpkin cookie was a regular in <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Cooking-75th-Anniversary-2006/dp/0743246268/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290123843&sr=1-1">The Joy of Cooking</a>, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Fannie-Farmer-Baking-Book/dp/0517148293/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290123766&sr=1-1">The Fannie Farmer Baking Book</a> and Maida Heatter's <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Maida-Heatters-Book-Great-Cookies/dp/0394410211/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290123804&sr=1-1">Book of Great Cookies</a>. Later, I also found a recipe in the 2001 cookbook by Nancy Baggett, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-American-Cookie-Book-Nancy-Baggett/dp/0395915376/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290183821&sr=1-1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">All-American Cookie Book</span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-American-Cookie-Book-Nancy-Baggett/dp/0395915376/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290183821&sr=1-1">.</a><br /><br />It was interesting to note that the recipe for pumpkin cookies was often next to recipes for pineapple cookies and banana cookies -- also cookies you don't see much anymore.<br /><br />These cookbooks all described the cookie in similar ways but I think I liked Marion Cunningham's description from her <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fannie Farmer Baking Book</span>, "Thick, soft, substantial and inexpensive." Not that's my kind of cookie!<br /><br />It was also interesting to note that these cookies were known as "rocks" -- not because they were hard as a rock but because of their shape. And this batter takes well to add-ins -- pecans, cranberries, etc. Most of the cookies were iced with either a cream cheese or simple confectioners sugar glaze.<br /><br />Although I am a fan of plain, old-fashioned cookies, I wondered how I could modernize this cookie from our past. Then I thought of the honey I had just purchased as well as all of those pumpkins I had seen.<br /><br />I decided on pumpkin seeds (pepitas) candied with some of the honey I had bought with a bit of cinnamon added. I put together a batter using the pumpkin rock recipe from <span style="font-weight: bold;">The</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Fannie Farmer Baking</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Book</span> as my guide and added the cooled candied pepitas to the batter.<br /><br />Delicious! But of course, I fiddled a bit more with it -- I tried different shapes by using a cookie scoop and then a pastry bag to pipe the batter. I even added a cup of chocolate chips to the batter.<br /><br />But in the end my simple Pumpkin Rocks with Candied Pepitas was the winner.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Candied Pepitas</span><br /><br />2 TB butter<br /><br />1 cup of raw, shelled pepitas<br /><br />1/2 tsp cinnamon<br /><br />1 TB honey<br /><br />1. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat<br /><br />2. Mix pepitas and cinnamon in a small bowl then put in saucepan<br /><br />3. Saute for 3-4 minutes until pepitas are brown<br /><br />4. Add honey and saute one more minute<br /><br />5. Turn out in one layer onto cookie sheet and let coolPatricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-36428620141238358272010-10-18T15:02:00.000-07:002010-10-19T08:32:34.282-07:00Baking and Baseball: Can of Corn or Torture?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7-PGzzLFwushKB7Nm0nhXl823GILTfRV64fWLQlJLWldQ4zV_EdZxCZKEAi-P92QXldCv8dNsh8Lyi-Q9gZAeWrfLDx4DXcTZve5hC0nUGAN8g4a1h3MZl_K68zDZDdWvj4c5CK_PuA/s1600/Baseballs-7023.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7-PGzzLFwushKB7Nm0nhXl823GILTfRV64fWLQlJLWldQ4zV_EdZxCZKEAi-P92QXldCv8dNsh8Lyi-Q9gZAeWrfLDx4DXcTZve5hC0nUGAN8g4a1h3MZl_K68zDZDdWvj4c5CK_PuA/s400/Baseballs-7023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526204245212083970" border="0" /></a>"Statistics are to baseball what a flaky crust is to Mom's apple pie."<br />(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reasoner">harry reasoner</a>)<br /><br />It's baseball playoff season and as a <a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=sf">S.F. Giants</a> fan, I've been struck lately by how much baking is like baseball.<br /><br />Sometimes you hit a home run and sometimes it is just pure torture. And there is the every day grind of trying to perform at your highest level and more often than not, falling short.<br /><br />I've been testing a lot of recipes lately and there is nothing like paying for big talent (ingredients), putting in lots of batting practice (test after test) only to lose the game (an inedible mess).<br /><br />But what is there to do but start over again, maybe change your batting line up and get to work. And even after the worst kitchen disasters, there is generally either something learned (measuring accurately matters!) or an actual win (let's eat!).<br /><br />I certainly am a believer that just as in what is called small ball in baseball -- working the count, stealing base, bunting when your manager asks you to, is more effective although not as exciting as long ball -- the big home run. So, researching recipes, talking to baking experts, making sure your equipment works, putting in the time to test, test and test, is going to be the norm -- not the first time success we all wish would happen.<br /><br />In fact, one of my favorite stats in baseball is how many times you can actually lose a game and still have a winning season. As legendary baseball hitter <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willite01.shtml">Ted Williams </a>once said, "<span>Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer."<br /><br /></span><span>And even though he is an L.A. Dodger lover, I agree with long-time Dodger manager, <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/lasorto01.shtml">Tommy Lasorda</a>, when he said, "No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference."<br /><br />I recently had the amazing opportunity to be interviewed for an article in Oprah Winfrey's<a href="http://www.oprah.com/money/How-A-New-Job-Could-Change-Your-Life/2"> O Magazine</a><a href="http://www.oprah.com/money/How-A-New-Job-Could-Change-Your-Life/2"> </a>about my individual pies (<a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipies</a>). The reporter asked me how many ipies I had tested before I had a success. As I did the math I was astounded that the number was about 1200 ipies over a five month period! That's a lot of pie!<br /><br />But I didn't think it was out of the ordinary for what I was trying to accomplish -- the reinvention of the pie.<br /><br />The article was also about the reinvention of my career -- finding your "true calling" as O Magazine called it. I feel like the time I spent in my "former" life was my time in the minor leagues -- all if it helped prepare me to pursue my passion of writing, baking and teaching -- the major league of my life.<br /><br />I knew I had to keep practicing, show up every day and wait for talent, luck and hard work to all come together for a win.<br /><br /></span>I find career inspiration and root for those players that have struggled for years -- maybe even out of baseball (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burrepa01.shtml">Pat Burrell</a>) or claimed off waivers (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rossco01.shtml">Cody Ross</a>) or never made it to a playoff season after more than ten years in the major leagues (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/huffau01.shtml">Aubrey Huff</a>) than those that didn't have to struggle for their position on the team (<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bondsba01.shtml">Barry Bonds</a>).<br /><span><br /></span>As <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/torrean02.shtml">Andres Torres</a>, the feisty outfielder for S.F. said of his friend and teammate <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sandopa01.shtml">Pablo Sandoval</a> the struggling third baseman for the Giants, "He's doing a great job," Torres said. "I told him to be positive. Every day we're going to battle to win. Forget about concentrating on what happened before. We've got to go out and play every game hard. That's the key for us."<br /><br />I love that every day in baseball is a new day -- a chance to forget about the errors of yesterday and start fresh -- just like in baking.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Karen's Apple Pie</span><br /></div><br />Karen works at my favorite cafe -- <a href="http://www.cafeborrone.com/">Cafe Borrone</a>. I've been known to have breakfast, lunch, wine time and dinner at Cafe Borrone all in one day. Karen is a manager there and is always cheerful and willing to help -- even early in the morning.<br /><br />I was talking to her one day about baking and the next time I saw her, she gave me her recipe for her favorite apple pie. I thought it would be a good addition to this article -- you know, baseball and apple pie are made for each other right?<br /><br />Well, little did I know that this recipe of hers would prove my point about trying over and over again to get a recipe right.<br /><br />The crust in this recipe is oil based. An oil crust is easy to put together and if you don't bake pies a lot -- you don't need to worry about all the so-called rules of pastry: don't overwork the dough, keep it chilled, worry about the weather and so on.<br /><br />I don't find an oil crust to be a flavorful as a butter or cream cheese crust but I wanted to give her recipe a try.<br /><br />What a mess. For the life of me I couldn't get the crust to roll out and not fall into pieces. I made it twice and I tried all my tricks. So much for the ease of an oil crust!<br /><br />I had already made the filling so I was determined to find an oil crust that would work. I turned to one of my classic cookbooks -- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Pie-Susan-Gold-Purdy/dp/0020360800/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287427839&sr=1-1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">As Easy As Pie</span></a> by Susan Purdy. Her oil crust was similar to Karen's recipe but Purdy's recipe called for more flour and less oil. The resulting crust was easier to roll out between sheets of waxed paper and had a velvety texture compared to the sandy texture of Karen's recipe.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdhLYD9Ti03OZVKDR9zeGIXjXIjpByQZTL67fWnqWBdDnIL62pDRWr2BJ9A5aBJ14-aU0lWvVA4Qg-pSxMZKW-kSUmwjNnl8C9zj_K8Hx8uZy2_2qN4L8SjtEN-5f_Kh2Sv5tLjIPJEk/s1600/Baseballs-7031.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdhLYD9Ti03OZVKDR9zeGIXjXIjpByQZTL67fWnqWBdDnIL62pDRWr2BJ9A5aBJ14-aU0lWvVA4Qg-pSxMZKW-kSUmwjNnl8C9zj_K8Hx8uZy2_2qN4L8SjtEN-5f_Kh2Sv5tLjIPJEk/s320/Baseballs-7031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526204321730338242" border="0" /></a><br />I rolled it out and fitted the bottom crust into my mom's faded pink pie plate. So far so good. I piled the filling high and tried to fit the top crust over the filling but it tore and looked terrible.<br /><br />So I patched and pulled the crust the best I could and put it in the oven.<br /><br />It wasn't the prettiest pie I had ever made but the teenagers that devoured it were not judgmental in the least.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(can of corn: an easily caught fly ball) <br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdM9Zo1sRoB2HVLJ-XIlkb46VWd8BEB5bMvesps3b1hrgDmdB1yBe9t_jsShCoZvAsuQbOX4heM0wFmxGG5p0tgZQ2sPz09-nKkvG4vKBNKDneoX3gAQyJwRwy0YGKIkozCt3D31QVPE/s1600/Baseballs-7040.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdM9Zo1sRoB2HVLJ-XIlkb46VWd8BEB5bMvesps3b1hrgDmdB1yBe9t_jsShCoZvAsuQbOX4heM0wFmxGG5p0tgZQ2sPz09-nKkvG4vKBNKDneoX3gAQyJwRwy0YGKIkozCt3D31QVPE/s320/Baseballs-7040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526204421816156674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://scottrklinephoto.com/">photos by Scott R. Kline photography</a></span>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-50490699467799665582010-08-03T09:17:00.000-07:002010-08-03T09:18:35.710-07:00A Burning Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx3zHzL0R-J8xX4peKeqjtVhI9s8zS7R7cMXRoU9fUbyLJMNNsza4RUzy9SCzw_j6NH1XSXNwcRX5mHNujNh1rqT2uEdFPqo0if1YQcLKeGFBGCgZTyAGLP9Y_IP0PtJRqD2I_ufotF8/s1600/SaraHeart.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx3zHzL0R-J8xX4peKeqjtVhI9s8zS7R7cMXRoU9fUbyLJMNNsza4RUzy9SCzw_j6NH1XSXNwcRX5mHNujNh1rqT2uEdFPqo0if1YQcLKeGFBGCgZTyAGLP9Y_IP0PtJRqD2I_ufotF8/s400/SaraHeart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500570071958742994" border="0" /></a><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>461</o:Words> <o:characters>2628</o:Characters> <o:company>Smart Interiors, Inc.</o:Company> <o:lines>21</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>3227</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; 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mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">I've hesitated to write about this because break ups are always hard.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes it is best to let some time go by to let the wound heal.<span style=""> </span>“Time heals all” as the old saying goes.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But the saying is true and the hurt feelings aren't as painful two months later.<span style=""> </span>I guess that is one benefit of growing older -- you've had a few close calls in the past.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In May when I moved it meant the end to a pretty steady relationship.<span style=""> </span>My friend was young, sleek, warmed up quickly and was pretty even tempered.<span style=""> </span>All qualities you look for in a relationship.<span style=""> </span>It didn't mind when I spilled things on it.<span style=""> </span>But neglecting it could cause quite a blow up.<span style=""> </span>We had three years to get to know each other.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Sometimes it would be fickle and what worked before now didn't work.<span style=""> </span>But we were made for each other.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Prior to this three-year relationship, I had a relationship with twins.<span style=""> </span>Don’t judge.<span style=""> </span>Both had electric personalities.<span style=""> </span>And when one was occupied, it was great to have a second just waiting for me.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We had quite a run of it the three of us – five years.<span style=""> </span>But then it was time to move on.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Those relationships were nurtured when I was in my 30s and 40s.<span style=""> </span>In my younger days I often didn't even know the name of my friend.<span style=""> </span>I just needed it to be functional and be there when I needed it.<span style=""> </span>By then we had a baby and I didn't have time to spend on nurturing relationships.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was even worse when I was right out of college – I neglected my relationships and often didn't even come by to say hello more than a few times a month.<span style=""> </span>I was busy building my career and didn't have much time for hearth and home.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps as psychiatrists often claim, the way we treat our relationships are formed early in life.<span style=""> </span>And maybe that is true.<span style=""> </span>I do seem to have a vague memory of begging my friend to make soup with me.<span style=""> </span>I think I made up the soup just to feel more confident and to spend time with it – I think it was raisin soup.<span style=""> </span>Not a big seller.<span style=""> </span>I was whiny and demanding. <span style=""> </span>But then years would go by and I wouldn't give it another thought.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Since that early time I've had relationships where there were ah, “functional” issues and sometimes age was just too big a factor to overcome.<span style=""> </span>I even tried to really bond with one by making a Thanksgiving turkey with it but it wouldn't shut up and the turkey was almost ruined.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My latest relationship is quite a bit older than my others.<span style=""> </span>Maybe 30 years older.<span style=""> </span>I groaned when we met but somehow I saw potential.<span style=""> </span>I now know that first impressions can be false.<span style=""> </span>I called up others who knew it better and found out how to make the relationship work.<span style=""> </span>I spent more time on this relationship than on any of the others.<span style=""> </span>Trying to figure out how to make things click between us. It was moody and inconsistent.<span style=""> </span>It takes its time in warming up to me.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes I think it is ready but it isn't.<span style=""> </span>It still is all of those things but we seem to have established a truce. I’m more patient than I was in my younger days and relationships are more critical to me.<span style=""> </span>You might say I depend upon them now.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’m talking of course about that most serious of relationships – the one between a baker and her stove.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What did you think I was talking about?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-8497360087590410842010-07-20T08:25:00.000-07:002010-07-20T08:25:58.916-07:00Back Home Again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxDqlrRtKVegpQjE8XxxkuzDYxoPS9NDUen3O1El2a1O-UTZlnzksJ__deQU5aANjPgeqlGpG2-Lr0gIosoDz3H6Nib5grO8tC_eFCNhD8fcHSAIu8fmtbMMbTiNwDVHf0LhWXZ9FbMo/s1600/Chicago_7187.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxDqlrRtKVegpQjE8XxxkuzDYxoPS9NDUen3O1El2a1O-UTZlnzksJ__deQU5aANjPgeqlGpG2-Lr0gIosoDz3H6Nib5grO8tC_eFCNhD8fcHSAIu8fmtbMMbTiNwDVHf0LhWXZ9FbMo/s400/Chicago_7187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495843812281520178" border="0" /></a><br />A visit to my home state of Indiana is always like a trip back in time. Time seems to move more slowly there. The summer days are hot and humid and this time, stormy. The mosquitoes have landing gear and my hair well, let's just say the flat iron was useless.<br /><br />But the days also seem longer than normal and I seemed to have plenty of time to search out the best sweets in the area.<br /><br />While we were visiting, we took a side trip from the family farmhouse in <a href="http://www.culverchamber.com/">Culver, Indiana</a> to the big city of Chicago which is about two hours north. The chaotic freeway system hasn't improved much since my childhood and by the time we got to our hotel, I was in urgent need of a cupcake to calm my nerves.<br /><br />Luckily, our hotel, the <a href="http://www.burnhamhotel.com/index.html?WT.mc_n=Burnham_Google_NAME1a&WT.mc_t=Hotel_PPC_2&WT.srch=1">Hotel Burnham</a> -- another lovely vintage building revitalized by the <a href="http://www.kimptonhotels.com/">Kimpton Hotel Group</a> -- was not only a few blocks from <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/">Millennium Park</a>, but also a short distance from <a href="http://www.sugarblisscakes.com/">Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique </a>-- a jewel box of a cupcake shop offering traditional cupcakes but with a twist -- how does lemon drop, orange creamsicle, or banana banana cupcakes sound to you?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBdJZhrbDs8N3TRTxbryEiijS_2hHnh1Dwf_goOX-Uw2LHrYdsh73jRCg4Jc8dVqZuNF31rl-3_um7Rg0IKMt7euFiAeWfz6yeOSQD-3atPRujuZBo5b5QyjzBSVUm3BqW0pv6Q-gqW8/s1600/SugarCookie2-2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBdJZhrbDs8N3TRTxbryEiijS_2hHnh1Dwf_goOX-Uw2LHrYdsh73jRCg4Jc8dVqZuNF31rl-3_um7Rg0IKMt7euFiAeWfz6yeOSQD-3atPRujuZBo5b5QyjzBSVUm3BqW0pv6Q-gqW8/s200/SugarCookie2-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844774361540050" border="0" /></a><br />The compact shop also offers breakfast cupcakes for those bleary-eyed morning commuters. I know an apple cinnamon, cranberry orange, blueberry vanilla or berry berry breakfast cake would brighten my morning! But breakfast cupcakes aren't the only different twist this group puts on its cakes, the shop also offers 6" cakes and shots of frosting for those of you who need an extra rush of sugar. I'm glad owner Teresa Ging left the world of finance and joined the sweet world of sugar!<br /><br />Sufficiently revived, we strolled the few blocks to <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/">Millennium Park</a> where we were impressed by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry">Frank Gehry's</a> designed <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/jay_pritzker_pavilion.html">concert pavilion</a> and the nearby aptly nicknamed "bean" -- the <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/cloud_gate.html">Cloud Gate</a> elliptical sculpture by artist <a href="http://www.anishkapoor.com/">Anish Kapoor</a>. It was another hot day and we enjoyed watching the kids splash in the <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/crown_fountain.html">Crown Fountain</a> by spanish artist <a href="http://www.jaumeplensa.com/">Jaume Plensa</a>. Although I thought it was a bit creepy to have the kids watched over by two 50 foot glass block towers that projected video images of a variety of Chicago residents -- the kids didn't seem to mind.<br /><br />The next morning we headed to the <a href="http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/events/mose/daley_plaza.html">Farmers' Market in Daley Center Plaza</a>. It was an amazing site to see the beautiful produce displayed amidst all those concrete buildings. I especially liked how <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Picasso">Picasso's</a> 50 foot tall untitled sculpture seemed to keep a safe watch over the market.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYmj3U1SA30tN4Okj6WrpvUsLhmt8uWI9EqdUXcXql2Zjz5W3mvZGwm9A8aVybLJmBj6klP2hxQnkEy-J_cwwhfKMfLyT9KpER3HVBrx8jFgeM0Pedd6kle_u5CHLurXJX6-cbMcHEHY/s1600/Chicago_7150.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeYmj3U1SA30tN4Okj6WrpvUsLhmt8uWI9EqdUXcXql2Zjz5W3mvZGwm9A8aVybLJmBj6klP2hxQnkEy-J_cwwhfKMfLyT9KpER3HVBrx8jFgeM0Pedd6kle_u5CHLurXJX6-cbMcHEHY/s200/Chicago_7150.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844361089530962" border="0" /></a><br />At the market I was happy to meet Ivy Tack owner of <a href="http://www.ivyuppercrust.com/">uppercrust pastry </a>and her beautiful mother selling Ivy's pies and other goodies. Ivy, who had started college intending to be a surgeon, became a different kind of cutter -- a pastry cutter and we are happy she did. Her butter crust pie pastry wrapped around a sour cherry filling was amazing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigw6dW0PO47lbNdDVRLl9FwMoGoGSZHOmPx9ThZxEd-dpBnZYvNfEMJaUaCtrVE2RTYp2c7V86Yl0WmijG37yXkzm3o0rBmk_DMGdCwBF-l0xT056xED_uWnmdNuHSxP6-FhvVNrtyFB8/s1600/Chicago_7149.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigw6dW0PO47lbNdDVRLl9FwMoGoGSZHOmPx9ThZxEd-dpBnZYvNfEMJaUaCtrVE2RTYp2c7V86Yl0WmijG37yXkzm3o0rBmk_DMGdCwBF-l0xT056xED_uWnmdNuHSxP6-FhvVNrtyFB8/s200/Chicago_7149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844357892697650" border="0" /></a><br />Of course a trip to Chicago wouldn't be complete without the traditional munching of popcorn from <a href="http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/">Garrett Popcorn</a>. I prefer the sticky caramel corn. There seems to be a Garrett's shop on almost every corner -- I couldn't walk more than a few blocks before I was tempted by the smell of corn being popped and coated with some delicious concoction. We stopped in for a "small" bag of caramel corn to munch on as we headed to the <a href="http://www.mcachicago.org/">Museum of Contemporary Art.</a> This museum is a bit overshadowed by the <a href="http://www.artic.edu/aic/">Art Institute of Chicago</a> but it is definitely worth a visit. And it is also worth the trip just for the <a href="http://www.mcachicago.org/information/pucks_main.php?page=pucks">Wolfgang Puck restaurant </a>that is part of the museum.<br /><br />Our traditional sightseeing completed, it was now time to hunt down a few bakeries that spiked my interest when researching my trip to the windy city.<br /><br />Being from Indiana and as a <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">pie baker</a>, I was excited to check out <a href="http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/">Hoosier Mama Pie Company</a>. I've been following owner Paula Haney on Twitter for awhile and I was excited to hopefully meet her and to taste her pies.<br /><br />Her shop is located in a very old neighborhood known as Ukrainian Village west of Chicago's downtown. I think this area is now trying to reinvent itself as West Town.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFUdWHf4FwrT4GAUuur5zNyvC9_4CsjnhGtx7WL01UTd78hyphenhyphenJ0ltdt2wEV07604S9dVyQ_JsDjZs_TUx9Bgz-6yGN7GBh2XvkPom4g_R911x0BPXbG2kUSr8n1xKQwOQrYQrv5v7TieY/s1600/Chicago_7194.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFUdWHf4FwrT4GAUuur5zNyvC9_4CsjnhGtx7WL01UTd78hyphenhyphenJ0ltdt2wEV07604S9dVyQ_JsDjZs_TUx9Bgz-6yGN7GBh2XvkPom4g_R911x0BPXbG2kUSr8n1xKQwOQrYQrv5v7TieY/s200/Chicago_7194.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844373644834418" border="0" /></a><br />Her shop is a small slice of real estate along Chicago Avenue. We could see Haney in her pink chef's jacket in the back assembling her pies and laughing with her staff. As the counter staff got busy, she came up to help out so I got to meet her. It was fun to chat with her -- she obviously loves what she does for a living. And her strawberry pie with a butter crust was delicious!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKHtHX2ySN8f-U3FzgqAwIfMIijvuqaPc6U9tt1S0KC4TVjXoPw5bHvLyhUwOFMxCII81sRqS88iXYsHMnXfftG5q4FuOP1fjtf2nHuPxs6n_8i4YUsanBVHR9eQWbAV1-yzwhZzn2gg/s1600/Strawberry_Pie_Hoosier_1010643.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKHtHX2ySN8f-U3FzgqAwIfMIijvuqaPc6U9tt1S0KC4TVjXoPw5bHvLyhUwOFMxCII81sRqS88iXYsHMnXfftG5q4FuOP1fjtf2nHuPxs6n_8i4YUsanBVHR9eQWbAV1-yzwhZzn2gg/s200/Strawberry_Pie_Hoosier_1010643.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844770448625538" border="0" /></a><br />Our next stop was to <a href="http://cookiebaronline.com/">Cookie Bar</a> located in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. A few blocks from Hoosier Mama Pie Company but economically a world apart! I felt like I was in chic Santa Monica -- high-end designer shops lined the streets and lots of beautiful people strolled down the street. So Jeff and Joe, two escapees from the Los Angeles entertainment industry, knew what they were doing when they located and recently opened their cookie shop here.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jik60iexeopRCnH4lEf1xUy3QEXSGbx4z3FSBu9_rJbq22yfQ5KfcboBavNQe2iPfcLY4jy1SrNg6mUIx2QuUN-XrfrwV8iJ6KzwqA9Zury5iMBB0KVWAIG6UAZ73EOr_9zJahQ3DGU/s1600/Chicago_7199.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jik60iexeopRCnH4lEf1xUy3QEXSGbx4z3FSBu9_rJbq22yfQ5KfcboBavNQe2iPfcLY4jy1SrNg6mUIx2QuUN-XrfrwV8iJ6KzwqA9Zury5iMBB0KVWAIG6UAZ73EOr_9zJahQ3DGU/s200/Chicago_7199.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844763040413490" border="0" /></a><br />Their shop has a cool retro 70s look -- I particularly liked the disco ball hanging from the ceiling. Although they have humorously dubbed their shop a bacon free zone -- alluding to the lengths some bakeries will go to distinguish their cookies -- they still manage to offer traditional cookie offerings as well as cookies with a bit more zip such as lemon ginger and raspberry chocolate. Check out their website if you want a good laugh.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FBYicpBcH8pgms1ZMXkI9ueHZ2PswynvUfhbxcWSI3ScD_90huex6Wt4GMCH99DFyIHQfXDeCvlajIKTMTHNOS_qDZfUusR933ssq3NPdSGdNzqtjkOEhks8BXMjw1fIVCyw1vD8tto/s1600/Chicago_7196.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FBYicpBcH8pgms1ZMXkI9ueHZ2PswynvUfhbxcWSI3ScD_90huex6Wt4GMCH99DFyIHQfXDeCvlajIKTMTHNOS_qDZfUusR933ssq3NPdSGdNzqtjkOEhks8BXMjw1fIVCyw1vD8tto/s200/Chicago_7196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844759498473186" border="0" /></a><br />Fearful that I might be the cause of Chicago losing its nickname as the <a href="http://www.love-poems.me.uk/sandburg_carl_chicago.htm">city of big shoulders</a> to being called the city of big stomachs, I left a few bakeries on my list to check out on my next visit.<br /><br />As we headed back to the quiet of the family farm, I almost ran off the small two lane road when I saw a sign for Kountry Barn Bakery. I did a quick U-turn and headed down an even smaller lane to check out yet another bakery.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpf95NqQJVMbO_SS-L_CKF3Wr3IkiIsnqhl8psvoHjnJusHGhpPaimh5b092949p45t_s8gXzJfvwOUAfP6sb1boPZDeD3qElKoNS3cmV0-mVLWB0SI9hC-Ivg0R7sgtj_OP_AMxd1AGs/s1600/SugarCookie6.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpf95NqQJVMbO_SS-L_CKF3Wr3IkiIsnqhl8psvoHjnJusHGhpPaimh5b092949p45t_s8gXzJfvwOUAfP6sb1boPZDeD3qElKoNS3cmV0-mVLWB0SI9hC-Ivg0R7sgtj_OP_AMxd1AGs/s200/SugarCookie6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844990588713778" border="0" /></a><br />And I'm glad I did! What a great find. The owner Eileen Mullet was taking a nap after pulling an all-nighter baking pies for the various farmers' markets that she sells at. Her very capable young daughters Vonda and Alisha manned the store while she slept.<br /><br />They generously agreed to give me a tour of their kitchen and chatted happily about how they help their mother bake. I was impressed by their maturity and was amazed at how they didn't seem to mind being left in charge on a beautiful summer's day.<br /><br />But I was even more impressed by the goodies in the bakery case. We picked another sour cherry pie to try along with a dozen butter horn rolls. I couldn't resist the rolls -- my mom had made many a butter horn for Sunday dinners when I was growing up. And the prices were very small town -- $3 for a dozen butter horns and the 9" pie was only $7!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtXcJutPUtJ68pHhWeqNgPKl16oi0OKmwrVO5QhitB7cxNcuiD53Z9nwNdePyMYXuLNxZ65UQrgkzm4PiVFZZwmz5QZZyc8YXmj5Yh-mt7q7Xt56Ogp1-GQQfXcpYNMgXnwBiNOpJ7J8/s1600/SugarCookie8.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtXcJutPUtJ68pHhWeqNgPKl16oi0OKmwrVO5QhitB7cxNcuiD53Z9nwNdePyMYXuLNxZ65UQrgkzm4PiVFZZwmz5QZZyc8YXmj5Yh-mt7q7Xt56Ogp1-GQQfXcpYNMgXnwBiNOpJ7J8/s200/SugarCookie8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495844994421479314" border="0" /></a><br />They don't have a website but here is a <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/172/1517893/restaurant/Indiana/Kountry-Barn-Bakery-Rochester">link</a> to their address.<br /><br />One bite of the sour cherry pie and I was transported back to my own childhood. I've <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/07/sour-cherries-rare-as-rubies.html">written</a> before about how I miss being able to bake with sour cherries -- we just don't get many of them in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although I wasn't able to verify with the baker, the crust tasted like the crust my mom would bake using Crisco as her shortening.<br /><br />It was a lovely way to end our sweet journey back to our childhood.Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-878006993699589312010-06-16T17:21:00.001-07:002010-06-16T17:25:20.860-07:00ringalings will be back!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4GXGCj2CuZ_fm1IObyw8Trnp-P59sFzQAmHT4_xptBUBTvx1mLv-Svv5_ahj-goTvwgwRc8uRZHXrNfpN3bN6V7AtzO9XJzoOuqfyEwbITBdrKrXIUq9E3YTjJh9ALFio5PSI8z9vzc/s1600/Farmers_Market_5622.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja4GXGCj2CuZ_fm1IObyw8Trnp-P59sFzQAmHT4_xptBUBTvx1mLv-Svv5_ahj-goTvwgwRc8uRZHXrNfpN3bN6V7AtzO9XJzoOuqfyEwbITBdrKrXIUq9E3YTjJh9ALFio5PSI8z9vzc/s400/Farmers_Market_5622.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483531282130951122" border="0" /></a>I'll be back in July with more stories and photos!<br /><br />In the meantime, if you live near Palo Alto, California, come see me at the <a href="http://www.pafarmersmarket.org/">Palo Alto Farmers' Market</a> on Saturday mornings.<br /><br />You can check my <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipie site</a> to see what dates I will be there. <br /><br />The photo is of a blueberry ipie -- yum!Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-21205062455933739182010-04-23T07:54:00.000-07:002010-10-11T13:25:23.717-07:00Beranbaum and a Bake Sale: Alchemy in Action<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQezUtCTHRm6SwaAhBECjcWsFR88f03qoKk8EdlShJXQHncyu4pleVmnuPF0E4qF6OXqRa4XrEvqeGy0o_koMpRgnVzKtzKigWmSe9HFKMKQ0q0OxePRgD8jhEesNsGkL3WEdSLKp_gPE/s1600/IMG_3254.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQezUtCTHRm6SwaAhBECjcWsFR88f03qoKk8EdlShJXQHncyu4pleVmnuPF0E4qF6OXqRa4XrEvqeGy0o_koMpRgnVzKtzKigWmSe9HFKMKQ0q0OxePRgD8jhEesNsGkL3WEdSLKp_gPE/s400/IMG_3254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463070337002403954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Bakers are born, not made. We are exacting people who delight in submitting ourselves to rules and formulas if it means achieving repeatable perfection"</span><br />Rose Levy Beranbaum<br /><br />Last week I was fortunate to be not only in the company of master baker and cookbook author <a href="http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/">Rose Levy Beranbaum</a>, but also dozens of talented bakers from San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area.<br /><br />The week started with a gathering of the <a href="http://bakersdozensf.org/">Bakers Dozen</a> in San Francisco at <a href="http://www.foreigncinema.com/home.html">Foreign Cinema Restaurant</a>. Thanks to Baker Dozen member and baking goddess Flo Braker, we were gathering to hear Beranbaum, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cake-Bible-Rose-Levy-Beranbaum/dp/0688044026/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271970388&sr=8-5"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Cake Bible</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pastry-Bible-Rose-Levy-Beranbaum/dp/0684813483/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271970388&sr=8-3"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Pie and Pastry Bible</span></a> and other masterpieces speak about her latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roses-Heavenly-Cakes-Rose-Beranbaum/dp/0471781738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271970388&sr=8-1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rose's Heavenly Cakes</span></a>.<br /><br />And not only did we get Rose, but we also got someone who mostly remains behind the scenes but is well known to bakers who follow Beranbaum's every step, her assistant, <a href="http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2009/05/introducing_my_assistant_woody.html">Woody Wolston</a>.<br /><br />But before we heard Beranbaum speak, we first got to sample a variety of cakes from her new book.<br /><br />This seemed like a good idea to me when the organizers of the event requested that members pick a recipe to bake from a list they had compiled from her new book and to bring it to share before the lunch and meeting.<br /><br />I picked the Hungarian Jancsi Torta -- a flourless cake made primarily with nuts and meringue.<br /><br />It was only when I was parking for the event that I realized just who would be tasting my cake: ROSE LEVY BERANBAUM! And not just Rose, but many of the leading bakers in the U.S.! I must be crazy!<br /><br />I looked at the cake sitting next to me on the car seat and thought briefly about not bringing it in. Then I decided to at least taste it. Although it may not look as good as a cake made by Beranbaum or the other master bakers in that room, at least it did taste good.<br /><br />So my cake (with a bit of a gap in it) and I headed into the restaurant where I hoped I could slip it onto the cake table unnoticed. Of course being all about baking meant that there was practically a receiving line for the cakes. But no one mentioned the gap in my cake and minutes later it was devoured. No traditional appetizers for this bunch!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-j0B4vBufFUw5AiMYN3NP4x5_LFf7_GV1KNOLvJMVDRCb18OMHd7IVpIZPDFtAwew8aBPX9qCPBM_Dni-Y613WI47PSoSJzk2S0r8jn2ZNSWg2ZDNGIl6NEvcG0RFQNA8dnSmnKUVSw/s1600/IMG_3248.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-j0B4vBufFUw5AiMYN3NP4x5_LFf7_GV1KNOLvJMVDRCb18OMHd7IVpIZPDFtAwew8aBPX9qCPBM_Dni-Y613WI47PSoSJzk2S0r8jn2ZNSWg2ZDNGIl6NEvcG0RFQNA8dnSmnKUVSw/s320/IMG_3248.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463070226445136914" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I even received a compliment on my cake from Rose and Woody who had piled their plates with a slice of each cake and were taking small bites of each one. Of course, I just might have put them on the spot...<br /><br />After our cake tasting we all crowded into an adjoining room that had been set up for the high priestess of cake to preach to her choir.<br /><br />The front of the room had already been set up with a plain chocolate cake with all the supplies to glaze it at the ready.<br /><br />Rose wanted to share with us the story behind the glaze that adorns the Bernachon Palet D'Or Gateau on the cover of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Rose's Heavenly Cakes</span> and to demonstrate how easily and beautifully the glaze covered the cake.<br /><br />The story was almost like listening to a good detective yarn as it involved a trip to Japan, the secrets of a special sugar, a recipe for lacquer glaze, a longing to make it but a fear of failing, a chocolatier in Dallas and finally, a trip to France.<br /><br />Rose is an engaging speaker and it was enthralling to hear her stories about the many interesting people she has met during her baking career and to hear her humanize these luminaries for us.<br /><br />Makes me almost hope that her next book is a memoir and not a baking book -- almost.<br /><br />I don't think I was alone in wondering if we could skip lunch or at least eat it at our seats so she could talk for a couple more hours.<br /><br />If you follow Beranbaum's <a href="http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/">blog</a>, you know she and Woody are always discovering new techniques and tips that they then generously share with the baking community.<br /><br />In addition to encouraging us to make the lacquer glaze, she also wanted to share with us their discoveries about how different types of flour give different results in cake baking. It is an involved discussion so click this link to read more about what they call <a href="http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2010/03/the_power_of_flour_part_one_of.html">Flour of Power</a>.<br /><br />That's just one more reason why Rose is so adored by bakers -- she doesn't hesitate to update even her own methods if she or one of her readers finds a better or just another way to make one of her recipes even better.<br /><br />As riveting as all this discussion of technique was, I think the most important thing I heard Rose say that day involved how she defines what it means to be a baker.<br /><br />Rose related a story about how she always felt that her husband was putting her down on some level when he would tell her that he thought of baking as alchemy and her as an alchemist.<br /><br />She told us that one day during a presentation she was making in New York, she talked about her thoughts on baking and science vs alchemy. Her husband happened to be present at the meeting and later told her that she had misunderstood him. He in fact meant it as a compliment when he called her an alchemist because in his mind, she wasn't just spouting unproven scientific theories but was actually using science to perform the "experiments" and to then 'enchant and transform' the world of baking.<br /><br />I sat up and took notice of this because I also often feel that baking isn't looked upon as a creative endeavor. But it is this combination of science and magic that helps us create our own masterpieces -- or edible art, as I like to call my creations.<br /><br />Rose's words inspired me the rest of that week as I prepared for the <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2010/03/first-ever-national-food-bloggers-bake.html">First Annual Food Blogger Bake Sale </a>that was to be held on 4/17 in front of <a href="http://omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books on Food</a>. On that day, bakers across the U.S. would be holding bake sales to raise money for <a href="http://www.strength.org/">Share Our Strength</a> -- a national organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger.<br /><br />Beranbaum would also be speaking at Omnivore Books later that day so we bakers anticipated a large crowd of Rose's faithful to be tempted by our goodies.<br /><br />After the torrential rains of the prior weekend we were happy to see the sun shining brightly in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco where Omnivore Books is located.<br /><br />The beautifully packaged baked good were indeed a sight to behold. There is definitely not a lack of baking talent in the SF Bay Area.<br /><br />I brought my individual pies -- <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/">ipie</a> -- with blueberry filling.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F0-J7so060-WKIzNcrxXivs9sjnfVPgMXixhowUEzSFnq0eSqEkXAeYBGmD-7bR6usvK0sUblEDr42X6sEo51pxoOP-uJ25q0oZoZ1Sv17BDCUjVzmvP9ULaCWuWaIWKguiS2UviWj4/s1600/IMG_3271.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F0-J7so060-WKIzNcrxXivs9sjnfVPgMXixhowUEzSFnq0eSqEkXAeYBGmD-7bR6usvK0sUblEDr42X6sEo51pxoOP-uJ25q0oZoZ1Sv17BDCUjVzmvP9ULaCWuWaIWKguiS2UviWj4/s320/IMG_3271.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463069865113011858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I was happy to see lead organizer Anita Chu of <a href="http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/">dessert first</a> again and to meet her significant other, Mike. We called him Mike the money man as he manned the cash box that day.<br /><br />I met many bakers and bloggers that day including Lisa of <a href="http://lisa-is-bossy.blogspot.com/2010/04/food-bloggers-rock.html">lisa is bossy</a>, Shauna Webb of <a href="http://pieceofcakeblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/scenes-from-bake-sale.html">piece of cake</a> and Katie Rutledge of <a href="http://idhavebakedacake.blogspot.com/2010/04/no-such-thing-as-too-many-cooks-bake.html">i'd of baked a cake</a>. All not only talented bakers, but also caring and goodhearted women.<br /><br />Please see Anita's <a href="http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/dessert_first/2010/04/how-to-have-a-fabulous-bake-sale.html">post</a> about our great day for a complete list of the bakers who participated.<br /><br />And this cake! Rachel Boller of <a href="http://milkglassbaking.com/">milk glass baking</a> baked and donated this amazing cake. It was snapped up within seconds. The cake was such a towering masterpiece that a box to fit it couldn't be found so I actually carried it to the buyer's house who lived nearby!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3Gszyg3yXTgUGl4C7yJDky0qcomw8KrU5dwmMkjsqK5dMD408yfLt-wKNcdKVQ5ijaPmMyCiZJJrZ2hT5p8JmHQbpNE4kRIo-D83B6B0jG0TVKZWkJQGlt9gTP0Wz6pFcymT-JtoONk/s1600/IMG_3280.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3Gszyg3yXTgUGl4C7yJDky0qcomw8KrU5dwmMkjsqK5dMD408yfLt-wKNcdKVQ5ijaPmMyCiZJJrZ2hT5p8JmHQbpNE4kRIo-D83B6B0jG0TVKZWkJQGlt9gTP0Wz6pFcymT-JtoONk/s320/IMG_3280.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463069375551099826" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Later we found out from Anita that we had raised $1,650 for Share Our Strength that day. A sweet day indeed.<br /><br />When I got home after that exhausting but fun day, I thought about another thing that Rose had said earlier in the week about bakers:<br /><br />"We don't need to be competitive with each other -- there is room for all of our voices."<br /><br />And on 4/17 we were heard loud and clear.<br /><br />So, as Rose also said, "Let us all continue to be alchemists and 'enchant and transform' our world."Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-43283498482685293262010-03-30T07:44:00.000-07:002010-03-30T07:46:53.282-07:00First Ever National Food Bloggers Bake Sale: April 17!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFp0iA9kdMcNtHlVbHoIWxipRX_f_5GRd6H8NjVa6zX7BnbtNUu9ZJjU4w5IjBSYkaCOr_rQZN3BUCdHn0wWrglql71JTTb8BHwSPE4zHVq_6eopnDH-l5RwCHjSTluGXXQ0lydjdX90/s1600/bakesale.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFp0iA9kdMcNtHlVbHoIWxipRX_f_5GRd6H8NjVa6zX7BnbtNUu9ZJjU4w5IjBSYkaCOr_rQZN3BUCdHn0wWrglql71JTTb8BHwSPE4zHVq_6eopnDH-l5RwCHjSTluGXXQ0lydjdX90/s400/bakesale.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454206217445456946" border="0" /></a>I'm very excited to participate in the very first <a href="http://whatsgabycooking.com/bake-sale/">National Food Bloggers' Bake Sale</a>!<br /><br />This Bake Sale is part of the <a href="http://gabs.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GABS_homepage">Great American Bake Sale</a> which was created by <a href="http://www.strength.org/">Share Our Strength</a>, a national organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger.<br /><br /><a href="http://whatsgabycooking.com/">Gaby of What's Gaby Cooking</a> came up with the idea to mobilize food bloggers and very wisely asked cookbook author and food blogger <a href="http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/dessert_first/2010/03/national-food-bloggers-bake-sale-in-san-francisco-.html">Anita Chu</a> to lead the charge in organizing food bloggers in San Francisco and the Bay Area for this worthwhile cause.<br /><br />On April 17, bake sales will be held across the U.S. as we try to reduce this unbelievable fact: almost one in four children in America face hunger -- that's nearly 17 million children!<br /><br />The Bake Sale will be held at the amazing <a href="http://omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books On Food</a> (thank you Celia!) in San Francisco on Saturday, April 17 from 12 pm -3 pm.<br /><br />I will be offering <a href="http://www.theipiestore.com/2010/03/everyone-loves-bake-sale.html">ipies</a> in the very seasonal filling of blueberry! So come out and support this worthwhile cause, meet some of your favorite food bloggers and see what kind of goodies they have whipped up for you!<br /><br />As a special bonus, cookbook author and master baker <a href="http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/">Rose Levy Beranbaum</a> will be speaking about her latest baking bible, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471781738?ie=UTF8&tag=thecakebiblec-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0471781738">Rose's Heavenly Cakes</a> at Omnivore Books on Food from<br />3 pm -4 pm that same day.<br /><br />So consider it a triple treat: goodies, cookbooks, and Rose Levy Beranbaum!Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-56341869761869164432010-03-13T10:22:00.000-08:002010-03-13T10:22:49.853-08:00Poofy Woolly Biscuits: Lamington Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIGJozOLH_FwSi_FGnDkqS73hpakBpHGI4Dy2o_7PjkP4JPkAHJ3OoAvSO6om0DZ0vh7dEGnwsHy8HuALPV0nnn76SeLCqO84Im9HExsrnC8LNXbFOKVMdOfwhIhyphenhyphen2I4oBrMCSunuzCE/s1600-h/IMG_3141.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIGJozOLH_FwSi_FGnDkqS73hpakBpHGI4Dy2o_7PjkP4JPkAHJ3OoAvSO6om0DZ0vh7dEGnwsHy8HuALPV0nnn76SeLCqO84Im9HExsrnC8LNXbFOKVMdOfwhIhyphenhyphen2I4oBrMCSunuzCE/s400/IMG_3141.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446675326452273954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A friend of mine is from New Zealand and as I tend to do, I asked her what her favorite sweet treat from childhood had been.<br /><br />Without hesitation and in that very cool accent of hers she answered, "Lamingtons."<br /><br />Of course I love it when I have never heard of a dessert -- it sets my inner Sherlock Holmes at the ready.<br /><br />I've written before in this blog about taste memories and just how hard they are to replicate. This particular treat also fell into that additional category of sweets much like <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/06/tour-de-la-bakeshops-and-sunshine.html">medialunas</a> or <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/11/robot-pistol-and-kolache-what-will.html">kolaches </a>that are typically bought at a bakery instead of made at home making it harder to find a recipe.<br /><br />A Lamington is a square piece of cake dipped in chocolate icing and rolled in dessicated coconut (very finely ground coconut). Lamingtons are typically eaten at breakfast and teatime.<br /><br />And just why is it called a Lamington? What is known for certain is that Lamingtons are named after Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington. Lord Lamington, A British Subject, was Governor of Queensland (a state in Australia) from 1896-1901.<br /><br />But just as in the creation of the <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/12/even-dalai-lama-cant-resist-this-cake.html">Dundee Cake</a>, <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/11/lafayette-we-are-here.html">Lafayette Gingerbread</a> or <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2009/06/daring-bakers-challenge-tarts-puddings.html">Banbury Tarts</a>, the way the dessert came into being is the subject of several different legends.<br /><br />One story is that Lamington's chef was called upon to provide a dessert to Lord Lamington's guests on short notice. Having only sponge cake left over from the day before -- he improvised with ingredients he had on hand and created the Lamington. Other stories state the dessert resembles the hat favored by Lord Lamington and yet another says the cake was accidentally created when one of Lord Lamington's cooks dropped sponge cake into a bowl of chocolate. The cook then rolled the cake in coconut to make it presentable to Lord Lamington and his guests.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Lord Lamington wasn't as fond of them as the rest of the nation and referred to the dessert Lamington as those "bloody poofy woolly biscuits." But then again, that could also be legend and not fact.<br /><br />But of course, it doesn't matter what the creation story is but rather how this humble dessert became the flagship dessert of a nation: in 2006 the Lamington was inducted into the National Trust of Queensland's list of Heritage Icons (it is in good company -- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANZAC_biscuit">anzac cookies</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegemite">vegemite</a> are also on that list) and each year on July 21, Australians celebrate National Lamington Day.<br /><br />And yes, even though this is considered an official Australian sweet, New Zealanders also claim Lamingtons as their own dessert even it is isn't a Heritage Icon of New Zealand.<br /><br />But probably even more indicative of how Lamingtons are part of the fabric of Australia and New Zealand, is that it is the primary treat sold at most bake sales. In fact, bake sales are typically called Lamington Drives.<br /><br />Depending on what cookbook or Internet site you look at, the cake part of a Lamington is butter, sponge or pound cake.<br /><br />And as often happens with a dessert, variations are bound to happen. Some bakeries split the Lamington in half and add jam or custard between the layers. Others have the audacity to cover the cake in pink icing before rolling them in coconut.<br /><br />But my friend only had disdain for those impostors.<br /><br />In her opinion, the Lamingtons she found only on trips back to New Zealand were large -- about three inches square -- a yellow cake that she called squishy and were dipped in chocolate.<br /><br />She encouraged me to give them a try saying that her young son would be so excited to have them again having been introduced to them on a recent trip to New Zealand with her.<br /><br />In my quest to find a recipe for Lamingtons, I was a bit frustrated to find that most recipes started with the instructions to "first, buy a sponge cake at the bakery."<br /><br />Not very helpful. The first few recipes I came upon that didn't instruct me to buy the cake were for a simple butter cake. Turns out there is also a special Lamington pan that is used to bake Lamingtons. This pan is 7x11-inches. Of course, I didn't have a Lamington pan so for my tests I used a 9x9 square pan.<br /><br />I thought it would be easy to give my friend a taste of home. I put together a simple butter cake, mixed together an icing of cocoa powder, milk, butter and confectioners sugar, got out the coconut and assembled.<br /><br />The process was quite messy but easy. I boxed up my beauties and took them to my friend for a taste test.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhUKvEkg7FofZZ-SqHUzQwNLhpnIn8Vfud-ul-j3WnfPGf4FJgjo0iRdQU_9PDLlPHaUhkVkK05ThlAmVygCSollfnRQ4OYO3g-t-xLatCdt0G9yCSFDwzxq1oPi4svEZqagoPYp878I/s1600-h/IMG_3136.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhUKvEkg7FofZZ-SqHUzQwNLhpnIn8Vfud-ul-j3WnfPGf4FJgjo0iRdQU_9PDLlPHaUhkVkK05ThlAmVygCSollfnRQ4OYO3g-t-xLatCdt0G9yCSFDwzxq1oPi4svEZqagoPYp878I/s320/IMG_3136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446675205646831554" border="0" /></a><br /><br />She eyed them critically. "The coconut is too big and the chocolate icing isn't dark enough," she said. She took a bite.<br /><br />"Nope, cake isn't squishy enough," she said.<br /><br />She told me next time I saw her that her son wouldn't even try them because they didn't "look right."<br /><br />This Lamington Love was serious business.<br /><br />Her comment that the cake wasn't squishy enough made me wonder if I should have used a sponge cake. But her description of the cake didn't match my idea of a sponge cake -- American or French.<br /><br />So I did what most people do these days when they need an answer -- I twittered about my quest.<br /><br />I knew I had several followers from New Zealand and thought they might be able to help. And I wasn't disappointed. I even had one follower promise to send me her mum's recipe.<br /><br />During my search I also noticed that the photo on the cover of Karen DeMasco's new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Baking-Cookies-Sweets-Inventing/dp/0307408108/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268504107&sr=1-1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Craft of Baking</span></a>, looked familiar. I quickly turned to that recipe and yes, it was for Lamington Cupcakes. Could a Lamington trend be brewing?! Unfortunately her recipe was a butter cake.<br /><br />In the end, after I waded through all the ideas and suggestions, I discovered that there is such a thing as an Australian sponge cake. And here are the main ingredients:<br />self-raising flour, all-purpose flour, corn flour, sugar and eggs. No butter.<br /><br />The first time I made the cake using a butter cake recipe, it was really difficult to cut the cake in to even and nice looking squares. This time I froze the cake after it was cooled. The next day I trimmed the edges and cut the cake in to nicely shaped squares.<br /><br />I mention this because believe it or not, my friend said that these Lamingtons were pretty darn close to the Lamingtons she had back home. And her son loved them. Her only comment was that they tasted like day old Lamingtons. Not a bad thing but the cake was not as squishy as it should be. So perhaps if I had only refrigerated the cake for a few hours instead of freezing it, my squish factor would have been higher.<br /><br />The exacting baker in me wanted to make these several more times until my friend said those magic words, "these are just as I remember them." But I think I had come as close as I could get without the pan and the ingredients that could only be found or perhaps better said, understood, in New Zealand and in the exact bakery where the Lamingtons of my friend's childhood were purchased all those years ago.Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-34871887396411785872010-02-24T07:43:00.000-08:002010-04-08T08:52:14.535-07:00Sugar Cakes and a Valentine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JdxVz3Sw4MfsGvaq7rV4BD0NJ9QwcEDe99_AKUlq5HKkA1fqw2Iofk3EjvnRZUh8MPtfBATL4qvM5qqwVsnUQD-myVaXasWEL3GZoAJYcUzDxCuJlna9qGb64D4xBxvNHrCGK9GbA_0/s1600-h/SugarCookie1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JdxVz3Sw4MfsGvaq7rV4BD0NJ9QwcEDe99_AKUlq5HKkA1fqw2Iofk3EjvnRZUh8MPtfBATL4qvM5qqwVsnUQD-myVaXasWEL3GZoAJYcUzDxCuJlna9qGb64D4xBxvNHrCGK9GbA_0/s400/SugarCookie1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439738271448988050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I'm always happy when a sugar cookie holiday rolls around.<br /><br />You know, those occasions when it is time to break out the sprinkles and cookie cutters.<br /><br />From the time my daughter was very small, we enjoyed baking and decorating sugar cookies for not only the typical sugar cookie holidays like Valentine's Day or Christmas, but we also took every opportunity to make up our own special occasions to break out the cookie sheets.<br /><br />We weren't fans of icing but we did eventually branch out beyond colored sugar to the fancy shaped sprinkles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCSnEyo3VZwe57Gs1f1M8xWv4k1fh5eIESHNgACg8104dVpcZ1cNQUJdgbM4I7Pfyf6d0bGwOUdg8usNWWGKTAgDYKMfeRoUfPJ5YObtZ4v8-xpg1ipJBxvOQjAocGehTQnlA1KQffQQ/s1600-h/ChristmasCookies.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCSnEyo3VZwe57Gs1f1M8xWv4k1fh5eIESHNgACg8104dVpcZ1cNQUJdgbM4I7Pfyf6d0bGwOUdg8usNWWGKTAgDYKMfeRoUfPJ5YObtZ4v8-xpg1ipJBxvOQjAocGehTQnlA1KQffQQ/s320/ChristmasCookies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439738421450750978" border="0" /></a><br />My daughter would take about five minutes per cookie putting each individual grain of sugar on the cookie but maybe it just seemed that way to her overly efficient mother.<br /><br />The days of her helping decorate sugar cookies are long gone but I still can't let a holiday go by without breaking out the cookie cutters. And I'm always on the lookout for unusual cookie cutters -- I just snagged a cookie cutter in the shape of a martini glass from <a href="http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/">Surfas Restaurant Supply</a> in Los Angeles that I will use at our next cocktail party.<br /><br />And yard sales are a surprising source of fun cookie cutters. I'm always amazed at the unopened boxes of cookie cutters I find at yard sales. I always imagine that the owner in a fit of baking optimism bought them but lost their enthusiasm when faced with the actual task of pulling out ingredients and mixing bowls. Of course, I have to give them a good home. The most unusual box of cutters I have come across is of vegetable shapes -- I especially like the celery shaped one...<br /><br />Our sugar cookies were always thicker than the typical sugar cookie -- we don't like them crispy but instead as soft as possible. I keep an eye on the timer and take them out when the bottoms are just barely starting to turn brown.<br /><br />I do this because despite the thousands of sugar cookies that I must have baked over the years, I've yet to find a sugar cookie that resembles the one I had growing up in Indiana.<br /><br />My mom worked full time and had five children so she often found herself doing her grocery shopping on a Friday night.<br /><br />I would often accompany her on these shopping trips before I turned into a teenager and stopped leaving my room. My reward for tagging along to keep her company was one gigantic sugar cookie from the grocery store bakery. And this was in the days before serving sizes got out of control.<br /><br />This cookie was a beauty. As I said it was large -- about five inches wide. It was snow white, about an inch thick in the middle tapering down to 1/2 inch at the edge. I would usually break it in half so I could get to the center part right away. The center was puffy soft, and seemed to evaporate on my tongue with only the crumbs as evidence that there had been a cookie consumed.<br /><br />As a grownup I would often spy a cookie that resembled it in a bakery case but I was always disappointed by the taste and texture of that impostor. Nothing could approach the softness and slightly tangy flavor of this sugar cookie.<br /><br />But then (thanks to Celia Sacks of <a href="http://omnivorebooks.com/">Omnivore Books on Food </a>in SF) I came across Marcia Adams' classic cookbook, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Quilt-Country-Mennonite-Kitchens/dp/0517568136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266633616&sr=1-1"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cooking from Quilt Country: Hearty Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens</span></a>. In this classic cookbook Adams shares family recipes from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_Mennonite">Indiana Amish and Mennonites.</a><br /><br />And there it was, just like that -- <span style="font-weight: bold;">Big White Soft Sugar Cookies</span> -- yes, that is the actual name of the recipe!<br /><br />Adams described these cookies, "It comes very close to those cookies of our memories -- white, soft and cakelike, with just a touch of nutmeg."<br /><br />The final evidence was when she said, "The cookies should be just barely done -- still almost white. If they are golden, you have left them in too long."<br /><br />Now that I knew what I was looking for I started finding similar recipes: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-American-Cookie-Book-Nancy-Baggett/dp/0395915376/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266633718&sr=1-3"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The All-American Cookie Book</span></a> by Nancy Baggett has a recipe for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Sugar Cookies</span> and Anita Chu in her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Cookies-Virtually-Imaginable/dp/1594742839/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266633745&sr=1-3">Field Guide to Cookies</a>, gives us <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nazareth Sugar Cookies</span> (as in Nazareth, Pennsylvania), a "soft and fluffy sugar cookie."<br /><br />The recipes were similar in that they all made a cakelike and saucer-sized sugar cookie and most required that the dough rest overnight. The recipes differed in a few ingredients with the biggest difference being in the choice of either sour cream or buttermilk.<br /><br />And although I don't remember it, it appears to be traditional to decorate the sugar cakes with a raisin in the center.<br /><br />I used a combination of several recipes to come up with my own. I no longer needed them to be saucer-size but it was fun to make a few large and some more the size of an espresso saucer instead.<br /><br />I was a bit nervous as I waited for them to bake. But they tasted just as I remembered. Although I don't think my daughter or husband thought they were that special -- I actually think they thought they tasted rather bland. But that is the beauty of a memory -- it belongs to the one looking back after all.<br /><br />And now I want to remember Dorothy Hanna, my mom and the inspiration for this <a href="http://ringalings.blogspot.com/2008/06/ring-lings-pillsbury-bake-off-winner.html">blog</a>. She passed away a year ago this month. She is missed.<br /><br />Mom, thanks for the sugar cookies but most of all, thanks for the sweet memories.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZppH2_yI7D0iMe0OrC6gBxE9RHEqu5gDjtdBkNkfVrYjZdbcmmhqlSCYivq8KpVoHMHVmcJexArN9gn5EkIpIZeg1btjVTX1q34kVhH8bjy8dysvwvY5J1N0DLS-GAmXUGIGod_v9Bw/s1600-h/IMG_2168.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZppH2_yI7D0iMe0OrC6gBxE9RHEqu5gDjtdBkNkfVrYjZdbcmmhqlSCYivq8KpVoHMHVmcJexArN9gn5EkIpIZeg1btjVTX1q34kVhH8bjy8dysvwvY5J1N0DLS-GAmXUGIGod_v9Bw/s320/IMG_2168.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439738406958911170" border="0" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-918617348586647852.post-20035642326628559522010-02-16T09:15:00.000-08:002010-02-16T09:15:39.546-08:00Bakers Dozen Meeting: Gluten Free Doesn't Mean Taste Free<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJPoQipRYrs49QDULrRIxWLkZ0rcs5NgvNNEy3RiscQPAUm_892V-D1lmoE9ClQ_FuK8BvhiezB_6xe8FINw2XamKYh0HblCFqjaoiPN5lNv_jYz56wDEdJ3tTC_iXexWijUgAcyfZiA/s1600-h/IMG_3093.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJPoQipRYrs49QDULrRIxWLkZ0rcs5NgvNNEy3RiscQPAUm_892V-D1lmoE9ClQ_FuK8BvhiezB_6xe8FINw2XamKYh0HblCFqjaoiPN5lNv_jYz56wDEdJ3tTC_iXexWijUgAcyfZiA/s400/IMG_3093.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438601331949165394" border="0" /></a><br />A large gathering of the <a href="http://www.bakersdozen.org/">Bakers Dozen</a> members and guests gathered last week at the <a href="http://www.foreigncinema.com/home.html">Foreign Cinema Restaurant</a> in San Francisco to hear two experts speak on a very timely topic -- gluten-free and allergy-friendly baking.<br /><br />Professional food writer Jackie Mallorca and nutritionist and writer Bonnie Presti spoke to the group about celiac disease, gluten intolerance and dairy, soy and egg intolerance and how as bakers, we are well positioned to use our exacting skills to service this growing market.<br /><br />Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune digestive disease that basically means the body attacks itself every time a person with celiac diseases consumes gluten -- the protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to malnourishment as well as other diseases such as cancer.<br /><br />According to the <a href="http://www.celiaccentral.org/">National Foundation for Celiac Awareness</a>, one in 133 Americans has celiac disease. The disease doesn't discriminate; it affects all races, genders and ages.<br /><br />Unlike celiac disease, food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system. So while not dangerous, food intolerances can make you just as miserable.<br /><br />While celiac disease and food intolerances are not new, awareness has been growing over the last decade with 500,000 new celiac diagnoses expected to occur in the next five years (also according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness).<br /><br />The Fancy Food Show held in San Francisco in January called gluten-free foods one of the top food trends of 2010.<br /><br />So gluten-free has gone mainstream. There is no cure for gluten intolerance but completely eliminating gluten from the diet can reverse the damage done to the digestive system.<br /><br />And according to Jackie Mallorca, the solution lies in the kitchen.<br /><br />As a professional food writer, Mallorca had authored or co-authored many cookbooks including one on French patisserie and another on bread baking.<br /><br />So she said it came as quite a shock when she discovered she was a food writer with celiac disease. She said, "As I had absolutely no intention of giving up good food, I acquired a lot of funny flours and set to work."<br /><br />Now she feels having celiac has given her a built-in alarm system for avoiding junk food because gluten-free foods are typically fresh and minimally processed.<br /><br />Mallorca noted that gluten-free foods, especially baked goods, may have once been for the "counter-culture" or "the hippies" but the good news is that many gluten--free products are now available in grocery stores.<br /><br />But, she insists, the best place to prepare gluten-free foods is still in your own kitchen.<br /><br />She began with the food she feels we all identify with and craves the most, our daily bread.<br /><br />She related her humorous efforts in trying to create bread without gluten that met her exacting taste standards only to end up with bread that was dry, crumbling and inedible.<br /><br />She said, "My first effort at bread baking resulted in a loaf that was smaller when it came out of the oven than when it went in!"<br /><br />She persevered and Mallorca has now written two cookbooks on this topic: <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Wheat Free Cook</span> and her latest, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gluten-Free Italian</span>. More information about Mallorca can be found on her website, <a href="http://glutenfreeexpert.com/">glutenfreeexpert</a><br /><br />If Mallorca presented the reserved, sophisticated face of the gluten-free movement, then writer and nutritionist Bonnie Presti is the movement's cheerleader.<br /><br />Dynamic and energetic, Presti has made it her life's mission to help others with food allergies and gluten intolerance by developing nutritional programs to meet their goals.<br /><br />"Having celiac disease or other food intolerances is like a repetitive stress injury to your body," said Presti.<br /><br />Presti was diagnosed with celiac disease and intolerance to soy, eggs, dairy as well as other foods.<br /><br />As did Mallorca, instead of feeling sorry for herself, she got to work developing recipes. She returned to school to earn her certification as a nutritional educator.<br /><br />These days Bonnie can be found working with patients in her office in Sunnyvale to develop individualized nutrition programs as well as lending her nutritional expertise to schools and corporations.<br /><br />One of Presti's greatest joys is to take favorite recipes and make them gluten-free like her family's favorite snickerdoodle recipe or her mother's recipe for honey cake.<br /><br />But in a comment that had many of us in the room laughing out loud, she said she has given up trying to make an angel food cake egg free!<br /><br />She has just released the second edition of her cookbook, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Allergy-Friendly Cooking</span>. More information about Presti can be found at her website, <a href="http://sensitivediner.com/">thesensitivediner</a><br /><br />Both Presti and Mallorca fielded numerous questions from the audience. A reoccurring question was the cost of the various speciality flours used in gluten-free baking.<br /><br />While acknowledging that gluten-free baking was expensive, both Mallorca and Presti encouraged the bakers to considered gluten-free baking as a growing market for our products and services.<br /><br />Kara Lind, owner of <a href="http://www.karascupcakes.com/">Kara's Cupcakes</a>, agreed that gluten-free is a growing market for her cupcake business. She noted that as a result, she has decided not to charge a higher price for her gluten-free cupcakes.<br /><br />Another frequently asked question concerned how to keep gluten-free products fresh. Both speakers agreed that gluten-free products were best consumed the day they were baked and went stale faster if stored in the refrigerator. Presti did note though that gluten-free foods not containing eggs would keep fresh a few days longer in the refrigerator.<br /><br />As bakers, we all have a bit of the chemist in us. Gluten-free baking gives us another opportunity to tinker with our recipes and perhaps to bring some sweetness back to someones life that thought they had to give up baked goodies.<br /><br />In the next few weeks I will be writing about my own adventures in gluten-free baking.<br /><br />Until then, here is a recipe Rum-Raisin Genoa Cake from Jackie Mallorca's <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gluten-Free Italian </span>Cookbook. She gave me permission to share it here. They taste amazing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rum-Raisin Genoa Cake</span><br />Serves 8<br /><br />1/3 cup (2 ounces) raisins<br /><br />2 tablespoons dark rum<br /><br />9 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for pan, softened<br /><br />3/4 cup sugar<br /><br />3 large eggs (room temp)<br /><br />1 cup (4 ounces) almond meal (room temp)<br /><br />2 tablespoons (1 ounce) potato starch<br /><br />Confectioners' sugar<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of an 8-inch square cake pan with butter, line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter that as well.<br /><br />Combine the raisins and rum in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the liquid almost evaporates. Remove from the heat and let the raisins cool to lukewarm.<br /><br />Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt. Blend the almond meal with the potato starch and beat in. Fold in rum-soaked raisins.<br /><br />Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until risen and golden-brown and an inserted toothpick emerges clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for ten minutes. Unmold, peel off the parchment paper, and let the cake cool completely, right side up.<br /><br />When ready to serve, cut into 16 bars, but do not separate.<br /><br />Dust with confectioners' sugar and then transfer the bars to a plate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLX6gHqiF8NXKhdnNxvgtFAwPa57AgbHlVp4ocq1SAmiw7QBpyOBpiVQNewtOsEXPp1xzU4p7AEStI1Dgv6EFbURwrgk7Zku0FbjBa7ELMH6Xes_nTVQ5kaHX2r1SvZiWjqmCKoi5FSk/s1600-h/IMG_3099.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLX6gHqiF8NXKhdnNxvgtFAwPa57AgbHlVp4ocq1SAmiw7QBpyOBpiVQNewtOsEXPp1xzU4p7AEStI1Dgv6EFbURwrgk7Zku0FbjBa7ELMH6Xes_nTVQ5kaHX2r1SvZiWjqmCKoi5FSk/s320/IMG_3099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438601018322201186" border="0" /></a>Patricia Klinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357789973936857513noreply@blogger.com0