Good Things by David

There's nothing like freshly-baked bread.  During these past few weeks I've been wanting to bake, but because of flour and yeast shortages at the supermarket, I have not been able to do so.  Finally, as if looking over the horizon onto an oasis, I found yeast at a local supermarket!  Wasting no time in bringing several packets home, I quickly assembled my ingredients for a nice loaf of bread.   Freshly Baked Whole Wheat Bread Bernard Clayton's book, 'New Complete Book of Breads', is my bread baking bible.  In it, there are dozens upon dozens of recipes covering different types of flours, grains and types of breads.  From quick breads to yeast risen breads, there is a little bit of everything for everyone.   Bread Baking Mise en Place I was looking at Clayton's whole wheat bread recipes, and decided to settle on the honey lemon whole wheat, which is found at the beginning of the chapter.   I love deep jars for storing my fl...

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating eggs poached in tomato sauce?  It's such a delicious way to cook and serve eggs for a light breakfast, lunch or even a dinner.  Nothing could be easier than cracking a few eggs into a pot of simmering tomato sauce, and then having them poach to perfection. Since there are only a few ingredients to this dish, it's of the utmost importance to use good, cage-free, free-range eggs, and fresh garden tomatoes, if possible, or canned San Marzano tomatoes. Many gardens are still bursting with tomatoes, so if you're lucky enough to have a bumper crop I strongly encourage you to make a large pot of marinara sauce.  It's an easy thing to do, and it's such a great way to capture the essence of summer.  After harvesting several plump Brandywine tomatoes a couple of weeks ago (above), I wasted no time in making a most delicious marinara sauce.  The first order of business is to skin the tomatoes.  Fil...

Considered a power food because of its fiber-rich, high-protein content, Amaranth is a grain that we should consider adding to our diets.  The leafy variety, that I wrote about last year , is highly delicious and very good for you, but it is the grain which makes a tasty, hot cereal for breakfast or for brunch.  We just started making it here at home and I am glad it has now become a part of our menu rotation. These small seeds, or 'grains', originated in Mesoamerica and were used for festivities and ceremonies throughout the area before the Spanish conquest. Nowadays only a small amount of the global amaranth supply is grown in this region, with India and Nepal cultivating the bulk of what we purchase in the health food aisle. As I said, cooked amaranth seeds are a good source of fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium and iron.  In addition to this, it is naturally gluten-free, but aside from these healthy benefits, one of the things that appeals to me about coo...

Lemon cakes are by far my favorite cakes to bake and eat.  If you love lemons just as much as I do, then you don't need me to tell you about that sweet/tart element that is so enticing in lemon desserts.  It is what it is! The combination of lemons and poppy seeds is classic.  Layer cakes covered in rich buttercream are great and festive, but when you want something simple that is sure to be a crowd pleaser, then only a bundt cake will do.  Bundt cakes are great to have on hand when company comes around, because they don't feel overly indulgent to enjoy with a cup of coffee for brunch or with some tea in the afternoon after a light luncheon.  The cake portions can be as generous or as slender as one desires. Whether or not you choose to ice a bundt cake, sprinkle it with confectioners sugar or leave it plain, it's bound to be a welcomed ending to any meal. This special Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is baked with the basics of butter, flour, sugar, fresh e...

There is no time like the present to make a Holiday Eggnog Cake for your festive gathering.  Eggnog is one of those seasonal drinks that many of us enjoy in small quantities during Christmas parties, but if you have never had the pleasure of eating eggnog in the form of a cake, I highly recommend that you try some this year.  You don't need to have homemade eggnog on hand to make this if you aren't so inclined to use something that is spiked with alcohol. A good store bought eggnog will suffice for a cake meant to serve the entire family, but if you do have homemade eggnog, by all means use it! This is the type of cake that you will want to bake in your favorite bundt pan so that it sits pretty on top of a cake stand when it's ready for serving.  It's up to you whether or not you want to add a glaze to it or some type of icing.  I think it looks superb with a simple sprinkling of confectioners sugar.  And if you need even more proof of how good it is, I'v...

MARIAGE FRÈRES Having tea in the afternoon is something I do every single day.  I don't make a production of setting a table just for this purpose, but I do admire the 'art of tea'.  Cultures throughout the world have their rules and etiquette practices when it comes to having tea, and if you partake of this daily ritual, then I'm sure you have your own set ways of enjoying a cup or two.   Mariage Frères, the renowned French purveyor of fine teas and its accoutrements, is a company that elevates the art of tea to a very high level. I've known about this French institution for some time, but it's only recently that I've taken a moment to delve into their ways of proper tea. While perusing The Food Lover's Guide to Paris by Patricia Wells, I came across the tea salons & restaurants of Mariage Frères in Paris (they also have a location in Japan).  It was here that the golden rules established by this venerable tea importer cau...

Granola is always in my pantry because it's a quick go-to breakfast or snack for us here at home.  I've shown you one of my favorite recipes before and have since altered it here and there over the months, from batch to batch.  For the Fall season I decided to add a bit of spice and expand on the dried fruits & nuts in order to make it even more tasty.  Autumn seems to herald in all of those sweet combinations that suggest warmth & spicy aromas, so what better way to capture it than with some delicious granola? You have to understand that I make a large batch of this so that it can be packaged up and parceled out to people in the neighborhood, but one can always cut the recipe in half if need be.  I like to keep some in one of my vintage Ball jars so that during the week I can have a light breakfast with my yogurt & banana, but I also love to have it in the afternoons when I want a boost of energy.   Packed with oats, wheat germ, a...

Buttermilk pancakes hot off the griddle with a pat of sweet butter and a generous drizzle of pure maple syrup are one of life's delicious pleasures.  My fluffy pancakes are enhanced with malted milk powder and a bit of  vanilla sugar  which sets them apart from most standard recipes.  The batter is so easy to make because there is no need to bring any of the ingredients to room temperature or have the batter sit around for a few hours.  The eggs and buttermilk can be added cold and the pancakes can be dropped onto a hot griddle in a matter of minutes. Such a treat to have on the weekends when everyone is puttering around the house or waking up late, buttermilk pancakes will certainly help everyone start their day off on a good note.  Bring a platter of my pancakes along with some eggs and bacon if you're in the mood for savory extras and have plenty of maple syrup on hand.  All you need now to complete this enticing...