Bakery Crawl in Portland, Maine

A Nibble Here, A Nibble There, A Little Nibble Everywhere

I’ve mentioned before that I’m very fortunate to have children living in “Foodie” destinations and Portland, Maine is no exception. On a recent visit to see our daughter, Rebecca, we did a Bakery Crawl- how perfect is that! We hit 6 bakeries – all wonderful in their own way. Who knew that in a city of 68,000 we would find so many great places and I’m sure there are more to discover in future visits.

Are you ready to go on the Crawl with me? Let me share with you the highlights!

First stop, right around the corner from Rebecca’s home is The Holy Donut https://theholydonut.com/

They have a great selection of interesting flavors- my personal favorite is the chocolate with sea salt and Rebecca is partial to the gluten free lemon poppy seed.

Next on the list was the Standard Baking Company. http://standardbakingco.com/

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The Standard Baking Company specializes in artisan breads and classic pastries. The baguette has a wonderful crust and I also sampled an apricot almond galette- a rich almond pastry filled with apricot jam- delish!!

Third up was Aurora Provisions ( a name close to my heart) auroraprovisions.com/, a place perfect for a great cup of coffee and a small bite. Try the cinnamon bread puffs- you won’t be sorry!

cinnamon-puff

It was a great sunny (but cold) day in Portland so we visited the Lighthouse and then hopped a ferry and took a 4 mile walk around Peak’s Island. That made me feel justified in continuing “The Crawl”- wouldn’t you feel the same?

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So, back in town, it was on  to Tandem Coffee and Bakery, http://www.tandemcoffee.com/bakery. Tandem is in a converted garage- so fun to see re-purposed buildings!

We sampled two very interesting flavored classics- a banana bread with black sesame and a shortbread cookie but made with rye flour and also rolled in black sesame seeds. You know something’s special when the flavors remain with you long after you’ve eaten it. So stay tuned for a future post when I recreate the rye shortbread for you.

Four down and the last two to go.

Two Fat Cats Bakery, twofatcatsbakery.com , offers homestyle american cookies, cakes, and pies. They are famous for their Whoopie Pies and rightly so!

 

And finally- a short drive to South Portland brought us to Scratch Baking Company, www.scratchbakingco.com

What a way to end our day…the aromas of freshly baked breads surround you as you walk through the door. Stuffed to the gills we decided to make our purchases and save them for breakfast the next day. The whole wheat sour dough English muffins are simply the best! I’m going to put in a special request to have some brought to me on Rebecca’s next visit home.

So that ended our Bakery Crawl adventure- but I’m so looking forward to returning and sampling more!

 

Love is in the Air – Heart Scones

I loved the holidays at my bake shop…We always created special holiday themed treats- from sugar cookies to cupcakes to breakfast treats. On Valentine’s Day you could always find a heart shaped scone for your love.

Try these- start to finish in about 1/2 hour. What could be sweeter than for your Valentine to wake up to a special breakfast or to join you for afternoon tea?

Heart Shaped Cream Scones

Heat oven to 400; yield 1 dozen 3 ”  scones

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour (10 oz)

1 TBS baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ cup sugar (1 ¾ oz) (plus 1 TBS for sprinkling if not using glaze)

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

1 TBS melted butter

GLAZE: Optional

½ cup powdered sugar (2 oz)

3 TBS milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 drop of pink food coloring

METHOD:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder and salt.

Slowly add the heavy cream mixing with your scrupulously clean hand until the dough comes together and no dry particles remain. Stop adding cream as soon as the dough comes together. Depending on the weather this could take 1 cup of cream up to 1 ½ cups.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 4 or 5 times.

Roll or pat the dough to about ½ inch thick.

Cut the dough with heart shaped cutters and place on parchment lined baking sheet.

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With your forefinger, lightly make an indentation in the center of each scone. This helps the dough keep its shape while baking.

Brush the dough with the melted butter.

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If not using the glaze, sprinkle the top of each scone with sugar.

Bake 14-17 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

When done and cooled, combine the glaze ingredients until smooth.

Spread glaze over each scone.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower and Kale Soup with Lentils

Brrr….it’s cold outside! So- that means it’s soup time!

This soup is sooooo good for you- cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens and legumes- what more could you want? It’s the ultimate comfort food.

INGREDIENTS:

3 TBS olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 TBS tomato paste

1 cup crushed tomatoes

1 cup lentils

4 quarts of vegetable broth- you know, the ones you’ve made using my technique 🙂 If you don’t have vegetable broth, use water and increase the crushed tomatoes to one 14oz can.

6 cups cauliflower florets

1 bunch kale, woody stems removed, and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

In a large soup pot, saute the onions, carrots and celery in the olive oil until soft.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes and lentils and cook for another 2 minutes.img_3941

Add the broth, salt and pepper to taste . Please note the amount of salt is dependent on the sodium content of what vegetable broth you use. My homemade broth has not salt- so I use about 2-3 tsp of salt for this recipe.

Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the kale and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes or more until the vegetables and the lentils are soft.

Enjoy!!

Mr. Chidlow’s Perfect Apple Pie

Right now with all the political turmoil in the U.S. I find myself turning again and again to comfort food. Baking is my “happy place” and I need to go there often!  Who doesn’t find comfort in a slice of warm apple pie?  My children had a grade school teacher, Mr. Chidlow, who did many cooking projects with his classes. His recipe for Perfect Apple Pie has been a family favorite for almost 30 years and during the time I owned Provisions Bake Shop we made hundreds of them!

Here’s how it goes:

PIE CRUST

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour (10 oz)

½ tsp salt

½ pound (2 sticks)  COLD unsalted butter; cut into small cubes

1 large egg

1 TBS heavy cream

METHOD:

In food processor mix flour and salt.

Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add egg and cream and process until a ball of dough forms on blade.

If mixture seems dry, add a DROP more of cream.

Divide dough in half and form into 2 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Yield 2 crusts (enough for a double crust 9″ pie)

While the dough is chilling prepare the pie filling.

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APPLE PIE FILLING

INGREDIENTS:

7 Golden Delicious Apples

3/4 cup sugar (5.25 oz)

2 TBS All Purpose Flour

1  1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

2 TBS unsalted butter

Egg wash :1 egg whisked with a pinch of salt

extra sugar for sprinkling on top

METHOD:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel, quarter and core the apples.

Thinly slice the apples crosswise.

Whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.

Add to the apples and toss gently.

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Roll out one disc of the dough.

Pie Dough

Line a 9″ pie plate with the pastry.

Mound the apples in the pie shell and dot with the 2 TBS of butter.

Roll out the second crust and place on top. Crimp the two crusts together.

Brush the top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Cut 3 or 4 air vents in top crust to let out steam.

Bake for about 50 minutes until apples are soft. (Test by sticking a knife in an air vent).

If the crust starts getting too brown before the apples are soft, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

I personally like to bake my pies on a parchment lined sheet pan to catch any overflowing juices.

Enjoy!

The Best Kept Secret of Walpole, Massachusetts

Farmer and The Dell

We’re so lucky- all our children live in places that have great foodie options!

Our daughter, Elyse, and her husband, Rob, live in Walpole, Massachusetts . Walpole is a charming and quaint New England village just a hop, skip and a jump from Boston.

However, there’s no need to travel to the city for great food. Walpole has much to offer, but hands down our favorite place to go is Farmer in the Dell.

Farmer in the Dell makes great homemade meals and desserts to either eat in or take out. Offerings include Breakfast sandwiches on biscuits, homemade flatbreads, great salads, soups, the best coffee around and wonderful desserts and baked goods!

One wintry evening we had dinner there- the Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa was excellent and I kept thinking about it after I returned home to New York.

Here’s my version of it- it’s very easy to make and soul warming on a chilly winter’s eve!

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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili with Quinoa

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 tsp chili powder or to taste

1 tsp salt

pepper

2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed (my preference is always the Asian sweet potatoes)

2 cups cooked black beans  (rinsed and drained if using canned)

1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed well

4 cups vegetable broth

cilantro for garnish

METHOD:

In a large pot, saute the onions for about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, jalapeno and chili powder and continue cooking over low heat for another 5 -10 minutes until the onions are soft. Stir often.

Add the sweet potatoes, 3 cups of broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the beans and the quinoa and more broth if needed.

Return the chili to a boil and cover the pan but leave the lid ajar.

Cook for another 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the quinoa is cooked.

Serve with fresh cilantro.

And enjoy!

Makes 4 hearty servings

 

 

Roasted Broccoli Tacos

Do I have to wait until Tuesday to make these Tacos?

This simple vegan recipe using  fresh ingredients is a perfect antidote to the

“What am I making for dinner?” blues.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 red onion diced, to yield 1/2 cup

1 large bunch of broccoli

2 cloves garlic, sliced

red pepper flakes to taste

soft corn tortillas

1/2 cup guacamole

1 avocado, sliced

lime

cilantro

METHOD:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the woody part of the broccoli stems.

Cut the broccoli into 1 ½ inch pieces, using both the florets and the stems

Toss onion and broccoli with 2 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast for 10 minutes.

Add 2 cloves garlic, sliced, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes.

Add a drizzle more of oil, toss and continue roasting for another 10 minutes.

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When the broccoli is done, cook soft corn tortillas over a gas burner. Flip when the edges turn dark.

This will take only a few seconds.

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Spread guacamole over each tortilla.

Top with roasted broccoli, sliced avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Makes enough for 4-6 tacos.

Serve with your favorite rice and beans.

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And enjoy!!

Cranberry – Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

 It’s snowing outside – perfect time to be in the kitchen and create!!

These cookies are a snap to make and a perfect accompaniment to a nice “cuppa” tea.

My New Year’s resolution is to make sure that you hear from me more regularly- fingers crossed!! 🙂 

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½  cups all purpose flour (7 1/2 oz)

¼  tsp salt

12 TBS unsalted butter (6 oz), room temperature

¼  cup sugar (1 ¾  oz)

¼  cup sweetened dried cranberries ( 1 ½   oz), chopped

1/3 cup pistachios, lightly toasted (1 ¾  oz)

Sparkling sugar

METHOD:

Whisk the flour and salt, set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together until combined.

Add the flour and salt slowly.

Fold in the cranberries and pistachios.

Roll the dough into a log about 1 ½ inches wide.

Roll the log in the sparkling sugar.

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Wrap the log in parchment or wax paper. Chill until firm.

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

When dough is firm, slice about 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake 15-18 minutes until the cookies are set and very slightly golden on the edges.

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Yield about 30 cookies

Life Lessons Learned From My Son AKA Homemade Vegetable Broth

My son, Dennis is a great cook! We learn a lot from each other. He shamed me when he discovered that I was throwing away my vegetable peelings and scraps.

Homemade vegetable broth is SO SO much tastier than anything you can purchase. I feel that it has a more neutral flavor and thus doesn’t overpower and conflict with whatever your final  product is.

There’s no formal recipe but here’s the method:

Keep a freezer bag handy when cooking.

vegetables for broth

Add to it all your vegetable peelings, cut off ends of vegetables,mushroom stems, stems from herbs, wilted lettuces, the skin from an orange, a few peppercorns.

Keep the bag in the freezer and when full- voila! You have the base for a great broth.

Put the contents in a stockpot, add maybe an onion or carrot, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil uncovered for about an hour.

Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve and portion into containers. Cool thoroughly and freeze until ready to use.

vegetable broth

Gingerbread Scones

I know it’s been awhile since you’ve heard from me- my “day job” has gotten a lot busier! But- I wanted to make sure to wish all of my readers a very happy and delicious holiday with a special recipe.

If you love gingerbread, then these scones are the perfect addition to your breakfast or brunch table.

In this recipe, I find that the most tender results come from mixing the dough with your hand. My most inspiring teacher was Master Pastry chef Albert Kumin. In our Breads and Doughs class, he held up his scrupulously clean hand with his fingers slightly curled and announced: “This is the best mixing tool that God has given you”.

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment

INGREDIENTS:

1  1/2 cups All Purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup sugar

1 TBS Baking Powder

½ tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/3 cup candied ginger

1 ¼ cup heavy cream

2 TBS molasses

1 TBS melted butter

1 TBS sugar for topping, preferably turbinado sugar

METHOD:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder and salt and spices.

Stir in candied ginger.

Mix the cream with the molasses and slowly add to the flour mixture, mixing with your hand until the dough comes together and no dry particles remain. Stop adding cream as soon as the dough comes together. Depending on the weather this could take 1 cup of liquid  up to 1 ½ cups.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 4 or 5 times.

Roll or pat the dough into an 8” circle about ¾ inch thick.

Brush the dough with the melted butter and evenly sprinkle the sugar on top.

Cut the circle into 8 wedges.

Place evenly on the baking sheet

Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

panned dough

gingerbread scone dough

 

 

Pasta e Fagioli

As the weather gets cooler, I crave this soup. It takes less than an hour start to finish. Add a green salad, and some crusty Italian bread, and there’s dinner!

PASTA E FAGIOLI

INGREDIENTS:

Sauteing the vegetables
Sauteing the vegetables

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 large onion, diced

2 large carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of crushed or diced tomatoes

2  15 oz cans of white beans, such as Great Northern. Do not drain

2 cups vegetable stock

1 ½ tsp salt

Fresh pepper to taste

1 cup of dried small pasta, such as Ditalini or broken spaghetti

METHOD:

In stockpot, sauté the onion, carrots and celery for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the garlic, and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and beans, sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the broth, salt and pepper.

Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions.

Ladle the pasta into soup bowls, top with the soup and enjoy!

Serves 4.