The Queen of Tarts

Done in by Dates

I have put up a recipe of this kind before - I promise you. But I keep going back to it, because the ingredients are entirely too easy to get in this part of the world - that would be the Middle East. In the summer people are often seen underneath date trees with large tarps - someone climbs up the tree and throws down the sun-soaked sweet dates. As a child I never liked dates. They were hard and too sugary, and I picked them out of granola and cereal on a regular basis. Then I started liking them, but really only knew about mejdool dates. When we moved to Abu Dhabi, I was shown the wonderful world of dates, and now khodri and segai are my favorite kinds. But back to the date bread (which can or cannot have nuts depending on what you like etc. etc...)

Often I will hesitate before making it - it involves opening the dates, pulling out the pits, and then cutting or chopping them into small pieces. My fingers are left with a sugary-sweet substance all over them. I am filled with a sense of relief once the dates (roughly 1 1/2 cups when it is all said and done) are chopped. They are placed in a bowl and one cup of boiling water and 1 tsp of baking soda are added to the dates. I typically watch the baking soda rise up and bubble for a few seconds and then place the bowl to the side for about 15-20 minutes.

While the dates are soaking, preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

The oven's temperature rises, and I know that it will eventually reach 325 - 330 F, which will be ideal for cooking this sweet bit of perfection.

In a separate bowl, I mix together:

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 C oat bran

2/3 C whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 C flax seeds

1/2 C All Bran Cereal

1/2 tsp salt

and then in yet another bowl I whisk together

2 eggs

1/4 C vegetable oil

1/3 - 1/2 C agave nectar

1/4 tsp Fiori di Sicilia - this is simply heaven, it adds and amazing sweet citrus flavor and makes everything taste like wedding cake as far as I am concerned, and THAT is definitely a good thing.

Mix the flour mixture with the oil and eggs, and once it is all incorporated add the dates. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for roughly 45-50 minutes or until the top is brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn the bread out of the pan on the cooling rack. Allow to cool for about 40 minutes (if this is at all possible) before cutting into the date bread.

Simple Banana Bread

Banana bread has a way of reappearing time and again in our kitchen. We always get bananas, the weeks comes and goes, and before we know it, there are several brown squishy sweet smelling pieces of fruit sitting on the marble slab on the kitchen counter. Prior to mixing the ingredients together, I often hesitate. I always think about the process, and I tell myself that it takes a long time, that it is time consuming, that it is an task I do not have the time to take on. And then I really think about it and realize how pathetic and lazy I am being...I forget how easy this quick bread is, and also how versatile the recipes are. I cannot even being to count the number of variations I have come up with when I comes to banana bread. However, one thing has always remained consistent - I rarely use white sugar, white flour, or the full amount of oil that is called for in a recipe. The sweetness of the overripe bananas combined with applesauce and a touch of agave nectar make for a pleasantly, but not overly, sweet treat. Somehow the bananas sitting on the counter always last longer than the banana bread. I dare you to keep this around for longer than a week!

Simple Banana Bread

2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 egg

1 tbsp plain, nonfat yogurt or buttermilk (you can also use vanilla yogurt if you prefer it or that is all you have) This can also be omitted, however increase the oil by 1 tbsp is you choose do omit it.

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 ripe bananas

3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Mix the bananas in a bowl with a hand-held or stand mixer. Add in the egg, applesauce, and oil. Once combined, add in the vanilla, yogurt, and agave. In a separate bowl, mix together the salt, baking soda, and flour. Once combined, slowly add in the flour mixture and then the raisins. Mix thoroughly and then pour into the loaf pan. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Take the loaf from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the bread out onto the wire rack, and allow to cool thoroughly before cutting into it. After considerable trial and error, I have found that the bread often still bakes while it is in the pan and while it is cooling on the rack.

Enjoy for breakfast, tea, with coffee, etc.

 

Apple Spiced Muffins

A weekend trip to New Jersey to visit one of my closest friends left me with several pounds of apples... Jonathan Apples, Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, and whatever else I could reach and twist off the trees with my hands.  The four pounds of apples I brought home added to the bunch I already had from my parents' house.  As much as I love applesauce, I needed to come up with some other recipes that both Dr. H and I could enjoy, and this is no small order especially because he is not the world's biggest apple fan.

So with the help of New Jersey's finest...

I decided to make BabyCakes apple cinnamon muffins.  I thought, based on their other recipes, that I would have a pretty good tasting little treat on my hands.  However I had no idea how yummy and flavorful these muffins would be.  The hint of cinnamon mixed with the fresh grated nutmeg enhances the apples. The muffins are not "cakey" in texture, but more moist, and almost reminiscent of a popover (in my mind anyway!) Even Dr. H remarked on the muffins... now considering that they are vegan and gluten free, and his favorite food is bacon, this is a major accomplishment. I made some changes to the original BabyCakes recipes, because I just can't help myself.  

This is great for breakfast and snacking - have fun, and enjoy!

Apple Spiced Muffins

(Recipe adapted from BabyCakes)

Serves 12-14

Preheat the oven to 325F

2 lbs apples, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c lemon juice
2 C Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1tsp xanthan gum (this can be an expensive ingredient, but so worth it for gluten free baking!)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (if possible, use fresh ground, the taste is great!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C coconut oil (this should be in liquid state, not solid)
1/2 C + 2 tbsp agave nectar
2/3 C almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Mix the apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice and spread on a baking sheet.  Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, and stir the apples after about 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.  The apples will be slightly soft.  Once finished allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan, nutmeg, salt, and salt together in a large bowl.  Add in the oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.  Gradually add in the apple mixture.  Spoon about 1/3 - 1/2 C of the mixture into a regular sized greased muffin tin.  If you have any left over, use ramekins or self standing cupcake liners (I found that I had enough batter for 2 more little muffins...).

Bake for about 22-24 minutes, and then remove the muffins from the oven.  Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.  I have to admit, I did not wait and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the warm apple spiced muffin!

 

Fogbottom Applesauce

I would love to say that I am a city girl through and through.  That I grew up on the busy streets of a big sprawling city with the bright lights and constant buzz.  That is where we live now, and I love that we can walk to cafes, bistros, our favorite asian restaurant, and the gym.  I love not having to drive. And  being in the city has a level of excitement that is just not found in the country or suburbs.  All of  this being said, for most of my childhood, I grew up in the country surrounded by acres of farmland and the water.   

The country can be desolate, cold, and unwelcoming and truth be told, when we first moved to the country, I was not a huge fan.  However, as the years went on, I slowly started to appreciate the sheer beauty and the stillness.  I started to love the sounds of the wind whistling through the old colonial house, which holds more history than I could possibly read in any book.  And to this day, there is nothing as comforting as the smell of of a wood burning fire on a cool fall night.  Yes, I now actually love coming to this place - it is a place to come and relax and for just a few moments, get away from the city... a place to find solace and peace, and a place that I will always call home.

And truth be told, with this new found appreciation, over the years, a remarkable thing has happened...

I have started to notice that the light just looks different at night as the sun sets down low in the West behind the trees...

And with the shorter cooler nights, come some unexpected surprises.  After almost 30 years, the trees at the end of the yard are finally, finally growing edible apples.

Apples?  So what you might say.  Well, it is not just so what.  My father planted these trees what seems like forever ago, and now they are actually producing edible fruit.  It is a BIG DEAL.  Or at least we think that it is a big deal, and I suppose that is all that really matters in the end.

I first found out about last week.

"They are organic!" My father proudly stated, "We've not sprayed them with anything!"  And with that he handed me a plastic bag filled with about 20 apples.  I was instructed to use the big yellow ones for baking, while the smaller ones could be eaten straight away.  We had a small family discussion about applesauce, and whether one should leave the skin on (we all told my sister, that yes, in fact, applesauce is much better with the skin ON!), no sugar should be added to applesauce, and a hint of orange is always nice.  Well, I decided that I would get started right away.  

I mean I have made numerous apple desserts before - from store bought apples, and I think that I remember picking apples a few times.  But I have never made apple desserts like this.  With "real" apples.  Literally, from our home to our table.  This was different.  This gave me a whole new appreciation for our home and the land.

And so I began the task of making applesauce, applesauce from my father's apples, and it could not have tasted better - and that is coming from a self-proclaimed "city girl".

 

Fogbottom Applesauce  (serve 6-8)

8 medium - large apples (golden delicious, macintosh, macoun, and cortland) are all great!), washed and cut
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cut the apples into 1 inch pieces and place them into a heavy bottomed pot.  Place the apples, water, cinnamon, and lemon juice into the pot over medium heat and allow to simmer.  You will want to stir the mixture occasionally.  Over a period of about 15 minutes, the apples will start to soften...

As you continue to stir, the apples will start to break down.  I like chunks of apple pieces in my applesauce as it add texture and makes the whole thing more tustic, so after about 30 minutes, you  should have a thick applesauce with pieces of apple.  If you let the mixture cook down longer, the apples will continue to soften, or if you prefer a smoother sauce, you can puree the mixture in a blender.

The sauce can be served by itself, over yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, and the list keeps going on!

Date Nut Bread

I went out for a run this morning.  Boston is a very walkable/run-friendly city, and you can easily get through the entire city in a few hours.  I ran through the Harvard Medical School Campus, and down through the Fens, and that is when I noticed the first signs of fall in New England.  It is almost October and the average temperature this month has probably been in the low 80s during the day. Today, almost 90 with high humidity.  However, the leaves are starting to turn, and they were covering the dirt trails that ran parallel to the Museum of Fine Arts.  Yes, it is fall in Boston.

This summer has been a whirl wind of events, and for the most part, my time has not been spent in the kitchen thinking about recipes, measurements, or metric conversions.  Instead, my time was spent on our wedding guest list, the DJ's play list, and playing "name that animal" in the middle of the night while on safari in Tanzania.  No, the kitchen has not been a huge focus for me.  And perhaps that is why I have felt a bit lost and out of sorts.  All my life the kitchen has been a place of comfort, a place where I can find solace, and a place where I can reconnect.  So during my morning run I realized that it was indeed time to get my ass back into the kitchen, and start cooking and baking again.

Very few sweet recipes say fall to me as much as quick bread.  So, given the fact that I recently received 2 KG of dates from Saudi Arabia, I thought that a date nut bread would be the perfect way to 1. ease into fall and 2. get myself back into the spirit of baking.  When I did an online search for date nut bread, loads of recipes came up, but I found myself drawn to the story attached to John T. Edge's recipe, so my recipe is based off of his.

I pulled apart the sticky dates from the giant mass we have sitting on our kitchen counter, and one by one I removed the pits.  I would love to tell you that it was a painstaking process, but there was something rather methodical and relaxing about it.  The dates that I have are so sweet - not like the Mejdool dates that you might find in a market, but sweeter than anything I have ever tasted.  So I only added a small amount of additional sweetener to the recipe.  However, depending on what kind of dates you are working with, you might want to adjust your own measurements.

Fall is here in Boston... and so the baking begins.

 

(Recipe adapted from John T. Edge, Gourmet Magazine)

3/4 cup boiling water + juice from 1 orange
1 3/4 cups (or about 10 oz weighed) chopped dates
1/4 cup dark agave nectar (you can also use light, but I find that in this instance, the richer flavor of the dark works well, as it bring out the flavors of the dates)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I use Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour and it is great - fantastic substitute for white flour in almost all recipes!)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds or pecans (whatever you like)

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, pour the hot water and orange juice over dates. Stir and let the mix sit until lukewarm. In a food processor, puree 1/3 of the mix to make a paste - you might find that there are bits of dates hanging out in the paste - so be it.  Do not get all worked over this, as this mixture should be stirred back into the bowl full of date mix. Add the agave, vanilla, and eggs. Stir until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the date mixture, and mix the ingredients together. I like using a stand mixing machine (think Kitchen Aid) and when everything is almost coming together, add the nuts center.  Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.

Bake for 60 minutes or so; loaf is done when the top has risen. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

The Sweetest of Gifts

It came from a land of kings and queens and princes and princesses.  A land far far away, and a place that she has only dreamed of traveling too.  It was given to her by the light, a beautiful shining light from the Kingdom.

A gift, a sweet and simple gift that traveled thousands of miles.  The sweetness was packed tight, held together by its own sticky goodness.  It was unlike anything she had ever seen before.  True, she had visited a place that had a similar kind of treat, but she was the one who traveled the thousands of miles to get to it... 

This time was different.  The gift came to her.

She took her time to open the package, the package from a place that she would only be able to go if she received an invitation. It was perhaps the closest she would ever get to the Kingdom.  

 

Getting Cultured

I have eaten yogurt for as long as I can remember - all kinds of yogurt.  When I was little, I would scrap the bottom of the plastic containers to ensure that every bit of the Dutch Apple did not go to waste.  My mother's favorite yogurt was Coffee.  It was a simple, rich flavor that had the deep undertones of coffee and the tartness of the yogurt that one comes to expect.  For an extra special treat, we would all walk down to Thayer Street in Providence and go to a little restaurant called Penguins, which served up the most amazing frozen yogurt I have ever had.  If you have tried Pinkberry, that would be the closest think to what Penguins served - but Penguins really served the real thing.  This was real, unadulterated frozen yogurt.  Topping included honey, shredded coconut, and granola.  None of this Captain Crunch stuff.

There are many different kinds of yogurt out there, and I find that it always tastes better someplace else.  Let me explain.  When I travel, which I do quite often, yogurt is a very recognizable food that is found in almost every culture.  It is different from what we have in the United States, and I often find it better.  In the markets in London, entire rows in the Dairy Section have yogurt varieties.  The same is true in France.  The options are truly endless.  I also found this to be the case in Canada.  (Visiting grocery stores in foreign countries is one of my favorite things to do - I think that you can learn more about a place by its food and what is found in the local markets than the local museums...) 

Several years ago, my aunt invited me to southern Italy, where we drank prosecco, sipped limoncello, and licked gelato.  She planned an amazing trip, and part of her planning included a visit to an organic buffalo farm.  The farm was in Paestum, which is known for its Greek Temples.  However, since 1988 Tenuta Vannulo has been producing mozzarella and it is Italy's only organic buffalo farm.  This is not your typical farm... it happened to be the cleanest farm I ever stepped foot on.  There was no "farm" smell.  The grounds, in typical Italian style, were stunning, pristine, and inviting.  Even more inviting were the flavors of the mozzarella, which we were able to taste the second it was made, the gelato, and the yogurt - all from buffalo milk.  Buffalo milk has a higher fat content that cow's milk (almost double), so it yields a creamier richer product.  And did I mention the yogurt???

 

More recently, Hector and I traveled to Morocco, and one morning while in Tangiers we received little glass jars with white plastic lids on top.  Each jar held about 6 ounces of creamy yogurt.  There were six of us traveling together, and one person in our group opened up the jar, peered in, and put the lid right back on. "I am not eating this."  I was stunned.  "Why not?" I asked. "I am sure that I will get sick."  I had already spooned some honey into mine and was more than half-way through.  It was the second time I had tasted fresh yogurt.  Her rudeness made me forget my manners and I reached across our little table which overlooked some open markets that had fresh loaves of bread drying on top... I took her yogurt and it straight away.

Since then I have not tasted anything as good, but I have tried to recreate the flavor since we recently received a yogurt maker as a wedding present.  It is worth it - it really and truly is.  While sitting in Italy or Morocco might be a little more romantic than Boston, I am still able to get cultured in this city after all.

Falling in Love with Figs

There is something incredibly sexy about the fig.  Fresh, dried, cooked, or raw they hold an element of lure, lust, and desire.  While I have eaten dried and cooked figs for years, I fell in love with fresh figs last year during my 3-week trip to Spain and Morocco.  When my friend Asha began to pick up the figs from the fruit buffet in Madrid and then again in Marrakesh, I was intrigued and followed suit.  Sweet, soft, and decadent were the first adjectives to come into my mind.  After those bites, I was hooked, and upon my return sought out the fruit whenever I could.  Late summer / early fall is one of my favorite times of year and I now pick up figs whenever I can.

I remember a pint that was sitting in the back of my refrigerator, and I needed to do something with the precious fruit before they collapsed into each other due to their delicate nature.  I decided that with winter coming, I could turn fresh fruit into preserves and use them to top yogurt throughout the coming months.  I opened up my Joy of Cooking and searched for a jam recipe.  To my surprise, there was nothing there.  I then picked up my 2004 version of Cook's Illustrated The Best New Recipe.  Nothing.  How could neither of these book have recipes for jam?  I remembered that I had recently acquired a 1943 issue of  Joy of Cooking from my grandmother's house (which, as an aside, she recently sold after the house remained in the family for more than 170 yrs).  Sure enough the 1943 edition met my needs.  I adapted some of the multiple recipes that I found and came up with this recipe.  It is perfection on top of plain yogurt.  Absolutely a perfect dessert.  The jam itself is healthy - fruit, lemon juice, water, some agave nectar, and fruit pectin.  The recipe could be adapted for other fruits.

2 C quartered fresh figs 

3 tbsp agave nectar

1/4 lemon juice

1 C water

3 tbsp fruit pectin

Mix the figs, agave, lemon juice, and water together.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow to reduce slightly - about 15 minutes.  

Add the pectin - sprinkle over the top while stirring - and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Turn heat off and allow to cool.  Place into a sterilized jar if you plan to wait before eating, or into a covered container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

 

Amaretto Coffee Cake

Did you ever ask yourself why coffee cake does not have any coffee in it?  I was asked that question yesterday as I mixed the the batter together.  I had never really thought about it before.  Hhhmmm... no coffee in coffee cake?  I could not think of a recipe of coffee cake that I tasted that actually had coffee in it.  No, not a single recipe came to my mind.  Yesterday, O suggested we make a coffee cake and asked about the coffee.  I tried to explain that the name comes from the beverage that the cake should be eaten with...was I right?  I suppose I could have looked up the correct answer.  But seriously, I did not care if I was truly right or wrong.  I liked my response, and stuck to it.  As for the recipe?  Well in my opinion a little liquor makes everything better.  It is subtle enough that it does not overpower the recipe, but just enough that as the cake bakes the aroma fills the kitchen and lets you know that you have something really good going on!

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, and set aside.

In a bowl, measure out:

3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt.  Stir together with a whisk and set aside.

In a mixer, cream together 1 1/2 sticks (6oz) softened butter and 1 1/4 C granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.  Gradually add 3 eggs, one at a time.  Scrap down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that everthing is well blended.  You will want to have 2 Cups of low fat plain yogurt and the flour mixture with you.  Alternate add the flour and the yogurt into butter mixture until everything is incorporated beating at low speed.  Once you have everything mixted together, at 3 tbsp of amaretto.  (I love Luxardo.  It has a smooth flavor and wonderful smell.) 

Filling... take 10 dried apricots, 1/2 C amaretto, 2 tsbp cocoa powder, 1tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 C sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark, either is fine).  Dice the apricots into small pieces, and then soak in the amaretto for 5 min.  Add in the sugars, cocoa powder and cinnamon.  Stir together until blended.

Pour 1/3 of the cake batter into the pan and spread evenly with a spatula (remember, this will become the top).  Add a half of the filling.  Add another third of the batter and again, spread evenly.  Add the rest of the batter. 

Bake for 35 minutes, and then turn the pan 180 degrees so the front of the pan is facing the back of the oven.  Bake for another 25 minutes - make sure that a cake tester comes out clean.  Remove the pan and allow to cool on a cake rack for 25 minutes, and then invert.  The cake will still be warm.  Warm and delicious, and perfect with a cup of hot coffee...  Oh, if you want to give it an extra kick, grab a measuring cup and pour 1/4 C of the amaretto over the top of the still-warm cake...

Picky Picky

I like cereal.  I like it for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and sometimes dinner.  One of my fondest memories of cereal was when my mother introduced me to a bowl of Rice Krispies with heavy cream and brown sugar - a decadent dish that her grandmother introduced to her.  That is - to this day - the most luxurious bowl of cereal I have ever eaten.  Really, you should try it.  And not with that fat-free heavy cream.  Get over it, and go for the real thing already!  Since those days I have been on the look out for new and creative cereals - no additives, no preservatives, and just pure goodness (sorry Snap, Krackle, and Pop, but our relationship is no more..).

So on my perfect cereal quest, I was thrilled when Steevy told me about a place where people can pick there own cereal.  Add the pick flakes, thrown in some berries, maybe some nuts, and hey - how about some grains!  Done - there you go.  A perfect meal anytime of the day.  Curious, I had to check it out.  So I logged on to Me & Goji to see what I could find:  goji berries, maine blueberries, muesli mixes, granola, and gluten free options.  This is a great option for cereal lovers everywhere.  Click on the leaves, pick your fancy, custom design your cereal, view the nutritional value, and there you have it!  I'ld bet it tastes even better with cream and brown sugar...