The Kitchen Daughter

I am so sorry about the lateness of this post! Did anyone else feel like this month slipped away from them? I have to make this quick, as I will be spending the next 3 days moving my section (textbooks) around, but before I do, I'll fill you in on what we'll be doing on Wednesday.

This month's book is the Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry. Doug has of course based his demo on the book, and will be making and talking about different types of bread salads, based on Nonna's Ribollata recipe. The copies of next month's book, the Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard Morais should be here by then for you all to peruse and/or purchase (remember that you receive 20% off your purchase of the book club book.) I am hoping to have a list of books for you to vote on by Wednesday, but I want to make sure that I'm finding interesting books. If I can't get a completed list by Wednesday, I'll choose a book for May and then have you vote at our next meeting.

I can't wait to see everyone on Wednesday!

Brianne

Happy Birthday to Us!

Hello Food for Thoughters,

This month's meeting marks our 3rd Birthday. I feel blessed to be part of such an amazing, inquisitive, and adventurous group of people. In the past three years we have read dozens of books, eaten foods that many of us had never eaten before, and had some serious, philosophical questions about what food means to us and to society as a whole.

To celebrate this major milestone (how many book clubs do you know of that have lasted as long as ours?), we will be having what I'm sure will be a delicious cake along with our regularly scheduled demo. The demo itself is pretty special, as Doug was able to secure some lamb shanks. He will be braising them in the French fashion to fit with the Apprentice.

As a reminder, next month's book will be The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry. After the death of both of her parents, Ginny Selvaggio turns to her family's recipes for solace. Cooking these recipes raises the ghosts of her dead relatives, and her family's secrets begin to unravel. I haven't read it yet, but it seems like an interesting premise. We will have copies available for purchase on Wednesday.


I hope many of you will be able to make this Wednesday's meeting. Doug and I really appreciate the time that you have spent with us over the past three years. This club means a lot to both of us, and while it may sound cliche', it's nonetheless true that we could not do this without you.

Here's to another fantastic year!

Brianne

Food for Thought Will Not Be Meeting in December

Due to the date of our meeting (December 26th), and Doug's inability to do a demo this month, we will be postponing the American Way of Eating until January.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and I will see you in 2013!

~ Brianne

Apron Anxiety

I can't believe how quickly November has sped by! I hope you were able to spend your Thanksgiving with your families and friends.

We'll be discussing Apron Anxiety and learning how to make chocolate turtles this Wednesday at 6:30. Doug and I thought this might be an easy holiday treat, and for those of you who make your gifts, and great gift idea.

Our field trip is this Saturday! We'll be visiting Theo chocolates, and then next door to Brouwers to enjoy some good food and beer. We'll discuss the details tomorrow, but the tour is at 4pm, and will last about an hour.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

~Brianne

Basic Pie Crust

This is in our thanksgiving recipe post from last year, but I thought I would repost it since we talked about pie last week.

Without further ado,


Doug's Pie Crust.

10.5 oz all purpose flour

5.5 oz cake flour

2 tsp salt

8 oz unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12-18 pieces.

Water as needed (approx ¼ cup)

1 Mix together both flours and the salt.

2 Rub the butter into the flour until the largest pieces are the size of nickels, but most pieces are the size of dimes.

3 Gradually toss the water (in small increments) into the flour/ butter mix until it becomes a shaggy mess. [warning: you may need more or less than the recommended amount of water]

4 Pour the contents of the bowl onto a work surface, and knead just until a single dough ball forms.

5 Cut the dough into a large segment (approx 2/3 of dough ball), and a small section (approx. 1/3 of dough ball).

6 Shape both dough balls into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-6 hours before working.

Anthony's Deep Dish Cranberry Pie

This is Doug's cousin Anthony's recipe for cranberry pie.

2 bags of fresh cranberries

Prepare a 9-inch deep-dish piecrust and extend the edges 1/2 inch above top of pan.
Spread 1/2 cup of cranberries on bottom of piecrust.

In a medium saucepan combine:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir together, then add juice and pulp of two oranges and 1 cup water, should be a paste consistency. Heat mixture over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves, then add 1 bag of fresh cranberries. Heat and stir constantly until berries pop. Caution: Tony said the berries really pop and might splatter the hot sugar mixture. When berries are popped, remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon almond extract. Pour into prepared pie pan directly over berries.

Crumb crust:

Cream together:

1/2 cup (1 stick margarine)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup light brown sugar

When thoroughly mixed, add:

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup oats

Sprinkle over top of hot cranberry mixture. Add foil over top of pie.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, then decrease temperature to 325 degrees and bake another 30 minutes. Remove foil the last few minutes to allow crumb crust to brown, if necessary.

Habanera Cranberry Chutney

This is Doug's Martha Stewart-worthy Habanera Cranberry Chutney. At last week's meeting, we had it with ginger thins and goat cheese. Absolutely delicious!


Habanera Cranberry Chutney

Fresh Cranberries             18 oz (1 1/2 bags)

Habanera, minced             1 ea.

Sugar                                 1 cup

Water                                1 cup

Orange juice                      All of two whole oranges

Orange zest                      1 tsp

Cinnamon                        1/2 tsp

Salt                                  1 pinch

Ginger thins                    3 pkgs

Goat cheese                     8 oz.


1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized pot and simmer over medium-low heat.

2. When all of the cranberries have popped, remove from the heat and cool completely.

3. Serve over ginger thins with a touch of goat cheese.