Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes
January 1, 2012
2011 was not my favorite year, which seems silly when I think of all the giggles and thrills that graced the last 12 months. My son learned to swim, my daughter to climb trees with ease, our family to adventure by canoe. We ate a lot of very good food. The many good moments cannot, unfortunately, overlook the abundance of unexpected misfortune and challenges that betook my family and friends. We are all looking forward to a better 2012.
I am hard up to think of a better way to start a day (or a year) than with a tall steaming stack of pancakes. Way back when, I asserted my love for pancakes in my first post on this blog. Those Buttermilk Pancakes continue to be our weekly standard, but sometimes we are craving something a little different (or do not have any buttermilk in the house). On those days we have Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes. Buckwheat blends with whole wheat and all purpose flours to produce a pancake that has the characteristic blue hue of buckwheat, but the lightness of a regular pancake. A touch of yogurt in the mix gives them a pleasant moist quality. I like to dot the top of each cooking pancake with blueberries, but they are also very good with a mashed banana mixed into the batter. Stack the pancakes with just a touch of butter between the layers and stream Mixed Berry Syrup over the top. I am off to whip up another batch to welcome my family into the New Year!
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Cranberry Daiquiri
December 30, 2011
It is time to toast the end of another year. If your year was like mine it was full of a myriad of experiences and emotions. Looking back on 2011, I would like to accept the challenges I faced and hope to gain strength from them, celebrate the happiest of moments that my family and I shared, and give thanks to all my friends and family that share my life. I raise my glass to all of you and wish you a 2012 full of health, happiness, and prosperity!
Cranberry Daiquiris are a festive way to toast the new year. Cranberry and lime juices are balanced with a cranberry infused simple syrup and a shot of rum. Not to sweet, not too strong, you will want to make these by the pitcher full. For an unexpected touch, float a couple of slices of jalapeno in each glass. Happy New Year!
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Dark Chocolate Bark with Chile-Spiced Mango and Pepitas
December 23, 2011
The darkest night of the year has come and passed and the holidays are well underway, but I would be remiss to not share with you this one last edible gift.Chocolate Bark with Chile-Spiced Mango and Pepitas is everything I want in a chocolate bar. Dark chocolate (first and most important ingredient), sweet dried mango, spicy chile pepper, crunchy pepitas, and of course the sparkling salt dancing across the top. This combination is unexpected and delightful.
Chocolate Bark makes an excellent gift, wrapped up with a tag and a bow. It would also be a delicious way to encourage your guest to linger at the table after their dinner. Put out a plate of chocolate bark and let everyone break off their own piece. It is delicious with wine or coffee.
You can find chile-spiced mango at Mexican markets and Trader Joe’s. If you have a different taste sensation in mind, go for it! This recipe is incredibly adaptable, just keep the proportions of chocolate to chunks the same. Other ideas I would like to try are Dried apricot and pistachio and dried cherry and almond. If you want chunks of another type of chocolate (white chocolate or milk chocolate in the bark, simply chop them up and add with the nuts and fruit (do not melt). The possibilities are endless!
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Chocolate Candy Cane Crackle Cookies
December 18, 2011
My holiday baking got off to a late start this year. There are still many edible holiday treats still on my to-do list, but this was one recipe I was not going to let pass. In fact, this the only batch of holiday cookies that I was able to fit into my schedule this year. They are so tasty!
Chocolate Candy Cane Crackle Cookies combine rich fudgy chocolate with a hint of peppermint flavor and crunch from candy canes and peppermint schnapps. If you like dark chocolate and peppermint, these should definitely be on your “To Bake” list. The recipe is based on one from Dorie Greenspan that ran in the November 2006 Bon Appetit. I made the original recipe years ago and enjoyed it very much. The seasoning (cloves and cinnamon), make it more of an adult flavored cookie. My adaptation below follows Dorie’s basic recipe, but leaves out the spices. In their place are chunks of candy canes and a touch of peppermint schnapps. (Finally a use for that bottle I picked up at a white elephant gift exchange last year!)
There are a few things to keep in mind when you make these cookies. First, the candy cane chunks are bound to melt in the oven. There is nothing really wrong with this since they will still impart their flavor, but if you, like me, want to be able to see the candy canes in the final product, be sure to leave the chunks rather big (1/4 to 1/3 inch long). Second, the dough is tough to work with. It is super dry and firm and tough to roll in your hands. Both my kids were helping to roll and we ended up with chocolate crumbs everywhere and a bunch of squarish cookies. The good news is, it does not really matter. The cookies will still taste great. Lastly, do not overcook these cookies. Since the dough is so dry, it is much better to undercook them. Think of brownies. You want to pull them when the dough just begins to set, but is not completely cooked through.
My happy helpers bagged these up and delivered them to our friends and neighbors. What are your favorite cookies to bake during this time of year?
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Fuyu Persimmon Chutney
December 12, 2011
To my knowledge there are no holiday songs written about persimmons, but there should be. Persimmons hang on months after most fruit. They wait for the frost to come before dumping their leaves and gloriously displaying their sweet orange lanterns hanging from naked limbs. The fruit, sweet and flavorful when ripe, has an unpleasant astringent quality when eaten before they fully develop. So I wait for it, because I love this fruit. It may be the last truly seasonal fruit, in that there is not enough demand to cause our friends in the Southern Hemisphere to begin shipping it here in the off season. (I imagine it would be tough to sell a persimmon during the height of peach season!)
This year a friend invited me over to pick Fuyu persimmons from her tree. (Thanks A!) Fuyus are the short, squat variety that are eaten while firm. They are not often cooked, but rather eaten raw in salads or on their own. My mother-in-law, a fellow persimmon fan, introduced me to a recipe for using Fuyu persimmons to make a chutney. The dense flesh retains its shape and color when cooked. The chutney is seasoned with garlic, ginger, and mustard seeds that pop in your mouth with each bite. The raisins and sugar balance the acidity of the apple cider vinegar and the red pepper flakes add a subtle bite. I often serve the chutney with a soft cheese on an appetizer tray. It also shines as a side to roast pork. Jars filled with persimmon chutney make a welcome holiday gift.
My Pantry Shelf 