Even before the change to daylight savings time had us "spring forward", this year was simply flying by.   Somehow, though, I always find time to relax in the kitchen and find new things to share with foodies.  This month's pick includes some great kitchen staples, addictive snacks, pick-me-up snacks and, of course, libations…. 

Great additions to the Kitchen Arsenal

I've lost count of how many balsamic vinegars and olive oils I've tasted.  Most often the balsamic vinegars are too sweet or artificial tasting, whereas the olive oils are either bitter or bland.  Surprisingly, my latest tastings found well balanced balsamic and olive oil both from the same company: The Artisanal Kitchen.  Plus, they won't bust your wallet. The Aceto Balsamico Di Modena -- Purple Label ($14.99 for 500 ml) is smooth and full-bodied with just the right amount of sweetness.  The Three Olives Extra Virgin olive oil ($19.99 for 500 ml) is unfiltered and low in acid for a mellow fruity flavor. -- picked by Foodie Pam

Snackin' it up

If you are looking for a snack bar that is soft and sweet rather than the typical hard and crunchy granola bars, then give Kraft's Milk Bite a try. The Milk Bites are available in either Chocolate, Strawberry, Mixed Berry, Oatmeal or Peanut Butter and use real milk to create a soft and creamy granola bar (I found Chocolate and Strawberry equally tasty and addictive!).  They need to be kept refrigerated, so be aware that this isn't something that will sit in the bottom of your travel bag for that emergency fix. -- picked by Foodie Pam  

Italian Brew at Home

I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to my morning cup of Joe.  It's not that I'm against trying out new coffee beans, most simply don't get my attention for very long.  Well at least they didn't.  A recent tasting of Caffe Bomard from Italy not only got my attention for its great flavor and aroma, but more importantly this 100% Arabica Italian Roast continues to get my attention every morning.  It is a lighter roast than some Italian roasts though, so if you are looking for an Espresso bean this may not be it.  But for my French press it is perfect.  Available on Amazon.com with a buy one get one free special it is currently $49 for 4.4 lbs. -- picked by Foodie Pam

The Dried Fruit Formerly Known as Prune

When fresh fruit is scarce, it used to be a challenge to add sex appeal to my morning oatmeal. Sure, there are plenty of packaged dried fruit varieties available, but reading their nutritional content on the bag made me think twice before shaking a liberal dose onto my cereal. The folks at Sunsweet have now solved this dilemma with Plum Amazins. Compared to the same size serving as raisins or dried cranberries, the Plum Amazins are less expensive, have 50% more fiber, 45% less sugar, 19% fewer calories, and a lower glycemic index. And then there are the antioxidants, potassium, plus the lack of added sugar and preservatives.

Because they are sold already pitted and diced, they are ready-to-eat for snacking, and a convenient substitute for any other dried fruit in your favorite recipes. Having them in my cupboard, I seem to find new uses every day. Adding them to salads or yogurt is a current passion. And do try them sprinkled over soft cheese, or with vegetables. (Kids adore that unexpected touch of sweetness.) Or in Moroccan-style dishes. Or tossed with salted nuts for a quick appetizer. See what I mean? The possibilities are endless.  Plum Amazins are sold in an easy-to-pour 9-ounce canister in the dried fruit or produce section of most supermarkets, for a suggested retail price of $2.49. Amazin, indeed. -- picked by Peggy Fallon

Libations

While cooking is relaxation, nothing beats enjoying some champagne or wine after a long day at work.  Champagne is a particular favorite of mine for a girl's evening of chit chat and nibbles (something I wish I had more time for).  When I'm up for the splurge Taittinger Brut La Francaise ($45) is currently at the top of my list.  Rated 91 Points by Wine Spectator, I couldn't agree more with their assessment: "A fine, very pure style of Champagne. Has hints of toast and citrus fruits that come together in a style that is almost the essence of Champagne. Crisp, rich and complex.".  And it goes great with cheese!   -- picked by Foodie Pam

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A few years ago I was bit by the bread-baking bug. While I own several stellar bread-focused cookbooks, I can't help myself from pouring over every new release--always searching for ways to improve my technique, or for unique bread varieties I've yet to tackle. This newest batch of books offers a bit of each for experienced bakers like myself, as well as enough basic information to ease the nerves of a novice. Whether you already enjoy baking bread at home or simply aspire to learn how, the following cookbooks provide a wealth of valuable information.
The Italian Baker Revised by Carol Field

amazon.com

Recipes to try: 2 viewable recipes from "The Italian Baker, Revised".

amazon.com

Recipes to try: 2 viewable recipes from "The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking".

amazon.com

Recipes to try: 3 viewable recipes from "How to Make Bread".

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Photograph by David Loftus

After first paging thru Meals in Minutes I was not convinced the meals could be cooked in 20-30 minutes.  Jamie Oliver does say it will take practice, but he's confident that by following his specific preparation details the meals can be ready in that time period. Unlike most cookbooks, Jamie Oliver goes into detail on not only how to prepare the ingredients, but into a very specific ordering in how the ingredients should be prepped and cooked.  By following his detailed instructions, a multi-course meal could be cooked in 1/2 an hour. I shared my skeptism with my husband, who used to be a slower cook than I but has recently surpassed me in both prep speed and multitasking. His response?  Game on Jamie Oliver!

Photograph by David Loftus

Photograph by David Loftus

Looking over various recipes in the book it is clear that Jamie Oliver has put an amazing amount of effort into assuring he presents all of details needed for completing the meal in as little time as possible.  Even more impressive is that he hasn't limited the meals to simple one dish things.  Most have multiple dishes and many include desserts.  While some are a bit more higher in fat than I would prefer (using heavy cream, etc.), though in comparison to restaurant or premade food fat levels, they are not high fat.

Photograph by David Loftus

Steak Sarnie with crispy baby potatoes, cheesy mushrooms and beet salad

amazon.com

• 1 pound baby white potatoes
• 6 cloves garlic
• a few sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ lemon

mushrooms

• 4 large flat Portobello mushrooms  (approx. 8 ounces in total)
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ fresh red chile
• 2 sprigs of fresh Italian parsley
• ½ lemon
• 3 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese

beet salad

• 1 x 8-ounce package cooked vacuum-packed beets
• balsamic vinegar
• ½ lemon
• a bunch of fresh Italian parsley
• 2 ounces feta cheese

steak Sarnie

• 1½ pounds best-quality sirloin steak  (cut ½-inch thick)
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 ciabatta loaf
• a small handful of roasted red  peppers (from a jar)
• a couple of sprigs of fresh Italian  parsley
• horseradish sauce, to serve
• a large handful of prewashed arugula,  to serve

seasonings

• olive oil
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & black pepper

TO START Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Put a grill pan on medium heat and a large frying pan on high heat. Turn the broiler to full blast. Fill and boil the kettle. Put the coarse grater attachment into the food processor.

POTATOES Cut any large potatoes in half, then add all of them to the large empty frying pan with a good pinch of salt. Quickly squash 6 unpeeled cloves of garlic with the heel of your hand, then add to the pan. Pour in enough boiling water to cover, then cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

MUSHROOMS Lay the mushrooms, stalk side up, on a cutting board. Trim the stalks and put the mushrooms stalk side up in a small earthenware dish that they fit into fairly snugly. Crush ½ unpeeled clove of garlic over each mushroom. Finely chop ½ chile and a couple of parsley sprigs, and divide between the mushrooms. Grate over the zest of ½ lemon, drizzle well with olive oil, and season. Cut the Cheddar into 4 chunks and put 1 on each mushroom.

BEET SALAD Grate the beets in the food processor. Remove the bowl from the processor, take out the grater attachment, and pour in a couple of lugs of balsamic vinegar and a few lugs of extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of ½ lemon. Finely chop a bunch of parsley and add most of it. Stir to dress, then tip into a nice serving bowl. Scatter over the rest of the parsley. Crumble over the feta. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take to the table.

MUSHROOMS Broil on the top shelf for 9 to 10 minutes, or until golden.

STEAK SARNIE Put the steaks on a board. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, pick and scatter over the thyme leaves, and drizzle with olive oil. Rub the flavors into the meat, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Pound the steaks once or twice with your fists to flatten them a little, then put into the screaming-hot grill pan to cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, or longer if you prefer. This depends on the thickness of your steaks, of course, so use your instincts and cook them to your liking. Wash your hands.

POTATOES Check they are cooked through, and drain in a colander. Return the pan to a high heat, add a good lug of olive oil, and tip the potatoes and garlic back in. Use a potato masher to lightly burst the skins open (don't mash them though). Add a few sprigs of rosemary and a pinch of salt. Toss every couple of minutes until golden and crisp.

STEAK SARNIE Put the ciabatta loaf into the bottom of the oven. Finely chop the roasted red peppers on a large clean board. Move the steaks to the board and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop a few parsley leaves, mixing them in with the peppers and all the steak juices. Scrape the pepper mix to one side of the board. Slice up the steaks at an angle.

MUSHROOMS Remove the mushrooms from the oven and turn the broiler off. Take the mushrooms straight to the table.

STEAK SARNIE Get the ciabatta out of the oven and slice it open with a serrated knife. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil from a height. Spread over as much horseradish as you like, then arrange the arugula leaves on one half. Lay the steak slices on top. Mix and scrape the peppers and juices from the board and scatter over the meat, then fold together and take to the table.

POTATOES Tip the potatoes onto a serving platter, and put ½ lemon on the side for squeezing over. Take to the table.

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At a recent Foodie event I heard two Chefs talking, or perhaps complaining is a better term, about their recently departed Pastry Chef.  Apparently the unnamed Pastry Chef had the nerve to protest their policy of requiring she make all of her own ingredients whenever possible; including butter.  As a home baker, I can commiserate with the Pastry Chef who surely went through many, many pounds of butter a day.  While in the San Francisco Bay area making your own is a way of life for chefs, though as a home cook I felt making your own butter might be pushing the concept a bit too far.  "Isn't that what Artisans are for?", I thought to myself.

As I reflected upon this question the book "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter", by Jennifer Reese arrived.   The book combines the story of Jennifer's journey towards balancing her desire to make (or even raise) all of her food versus time and economic constraints.  As anyone who has ever made bread can attest, the cost trade off is pretty substantial (< $1/loaf homemade vs. $4 or more/loaf store bought), yet it does take time and skill. Perhaps in the case of bread baking the better term for "time" is organization and scheduling. 

The question Jennifer asks in Make the Bread, Buy the Butter pushes beyond bread into areas such as making butter, peanut butter, yogurt, pickles, and livestock raising including chickens and goats.  Jennifer tells an engrossing story which you will want to read in one sitting and then read again.  She also includes recipes for items she discusses including notes on which are best bought or made, how much less (or more) they cost than store bought, and how much effort they take.

For example, peanut butter is something I've always bought.  I've no clue why I hadn't considered making it, but thankfully Jennifer did and it turns out the homemade stuff (see recipe below) is cheaper, better tasting and easy to make.  Jennifer provides a balanced look at the "homemade life" in that she does not suggest all items be made at home.  Butter, as the title suggests, and several others are better bought she says.

While "Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" definitely made an impression on me it was not until a couple of weeks later that I fully appreciated the magnitude of what it offers me.    I decided to make a Mississipi Mud Pie for Thanksgiving dessert.  I found the perfect recipe (from Baked Explorations) except the recipe called for store bought cookies (Oreos in this case) to be used as the crust.  This certainly did not fit into my desire for a homemade Thanksgiving dinner. Yet, when I began searching my baking books I surprisingly found that all the pies and cheesecakes with crumb crusts call for store-bought cookie crusts.  To me this was madness. When I asked a fellow foodie friend she frankly thought I was crazy wanting to make my own cookies for the crust.  "Why would one you want to make even more work for yourself?" she asked.  Vindication arrived quickly, however, when I checked Make the Bread, Buy the Butter and happily found not only a recipe for Oreos but a "Make it" rating. Perhaps a homemade crust wasn't necessary but it was definitely possible and a wonderful addition to the dessert.

If, like me, you prefer to make as much as you can on your own then Make the Bread, Buy the Butter is an excellent source of recipes combined with a great story, handy reference and reality checks.  For those just starting out at exploring the homemade life, it offers a glimpse into what is possible and a guide for how to achieve that goal.

Peanut Butter

Recipe from Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese (Free Press, 2011)

amazon.com

Make it or buy it? Make it.

Hassle: Scant

Cost comparison: Per cup, homemade peanut butter is 80 percent the price of Jif.

• 1 pound unsalted roasted peanuts, shelled and skinned
• 2 tablespoons oil (preferably peanut)
• Salt

1. Put the peanuts and oil in a food processor or blender and grind until you have a creamy paste. Add more oil if necessary to thin. Make this peanut butter a little thinner than you think it should be, as it will firm up a lot in the refrigerator.

2. Salt to taste. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for several months.

Makes 2 cups

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Do you eat responsibly? 

I know it sounds like a personal question along the lines of "Are you going to eat all of those cookies?", but how much you eat is not what eating responsibly is about.

So what is eating responsibly?  It's knowing where the food you eat comes from, how it is grown, how it is raised, how it is harvested, how it is slaughtered, how it is processed and how it is transported to your kitchen.  It is the knowledge that the choices you make in selecting the food you are putting into your mouth impacts more than you.  It means that when you choose to eat something that is inexpensive you understand the hidden costs of eating it.  Simply put, like drinking responsibly, eating responsibly means you consider the lives of others in your choices.

Last month I was invited to a very special dinner in Des Moines Iowa in appreciation of the Hog Farmers who raise hogs for Niman Ranch.  The weekend long event included a tour of a working hog farm, educational presentations, a stop at the Des Moines farmers market (absolutely huge) and an awards dinner for the hog farmers.

While you might thing the educational presentations would focus on how great Niman Ranch is—surprisingly they were heavily weighted on education rather than marketing.  At the hog farm tour we learned how they ensure not only a consistent and high quality product but that the hogs are raised with care.  For example, the hog farmers must qualify to be  providers and are constantly scored on the quality of their product.  We also learned that breed, as well as how the hogs are treated, including reducing stress, are important for a great tasting piece of pork. 

On the hog farm tour we saw hogs ranging from 4 days old to several months old playing, eating and living on open ground.  And while they clearly were a bit unsettled with all of us imposing on their life, in general they seemed stress free.  We learned that the land on which the hogs are raised this year will rotate to another location next year so that the land can replenish itself while performing other duties.  This is in stark contrast to hogs raised in confinement with streams of manure cycling by and where stress is the way of life rather than the exception.  Ironically, yet not surprising in our profit driven world, we also learned that hogs raised in confinement facilities are cheaper to raise and as a result, the individual farmer may be a dying bread. 

The educational presentations continued the next day focusing on sustainability with a panel of experts from across the country discussing what sustainability is and how we achieve it.   Later that night we enjoyed a pork-centric dinner while the hog farmers received awards for the quality of their product.  Overall the weekend was very educational, and of course tasty, as we were served wonderful dishes made with pork the entire weekend.

So how does this fit in with my question of eating responsibly?  Honestly, it is the basis for the question.  A weekend of observing people passionate about the product they produce made as great an impression as the various educational aspects of the weekend.  And while I can't say I've consciously thought of eating responsibly for very long, indirectly I've been doing it for a while with my choices of eating locally, eating seasonally, shopping at farmers' markets, and making as much of my own food as possible.   Yet, I admit, until the weekend in Des Moines I bought meat at the grocery store without thinking of where it came from or why that was important to understand (beyond that higher quality meat tastes better).  I failed to ask myself was the animal raised responsibly and if not what impact does that have?  Does this mean I will never again buy meat in the grocery store without an assurance of how it is raised?  No, because sometimes we have very limited choices, sometimes money is tight and sometimes we are rushed. But, armed with the knowledge of the impact of my choices, I will try whenever possible to make a responsible choice.

I hope you will do the same and that the next time someone asks "Do you eat responsibly?" you can proudly declare you do.

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