With all the flowers in bloom during the month of May, it's an inspiring time for some foraged flower recipes. Last year I brewed a French Lilac Wine, and this year I decided there was probably only so much lilac wine I'd be able to drink, so I focused my efforts on baking. Gather Victoria had posted this tantalizing Lilac Cream Tart recipe that I just had to try, and when I was left with some ...
Baking
Strawberry Pie
As anyone who has ever frozen strawberries for the winter may know, things usually start out conservatively. You try to dole the fruit out evenly so you won't run out, but when you do such a good job that you find several bags left and strawberry season is approaching once again, it becomes a free for all. Right around the Spring Equinox, I start making strawberry pies for dessert to help clear ...
Nettle Cake from the Good Green Earth
In case I haven't made it clear how much I love nettles, I wanted to share this amazing recipe. While visiting my home town and home ground on the Olympic Peninsula, my amazing herbalist friend Ellen made this fantastic nettle cake. Since cake, nettles and good friends are some of my favorite things, this was a very exciting occasion. I had heard about Ellen making this cake last year, and felt ...
Hot Cross Buns
Some friends came over to visit us on Easter, and I was feeling festive, so I decided to make some hot cross buns to go with our soup and veggie dyed eggs. I've tried my hand at these a few times before, and the dough is so sticky, they always end up kind of lumpy by the end. This time I was doing something right, because they came out very bun-like and delicious. To make them, I simply ...
Snowy Day Gluten-Free Gingerbread
I decided some warm treats were in order with the kids coming in and out from sledding on our snow days at home this week. My son has been on a gluten-free diet since he was 7, and this recipe from The Joy of Cooking has been a long-time favorite because it requires no adaptation. It was meant to be a gluten-free recipe and comes out perfect every time.You can also make it with rye flour rather ...
Sourdough Biscuits
I had the good fortune recently to take home a jar of sourdough starter from some friends of mine who have been doing a summer CSK (community supported kitchen) and offering shares of breads and baked goods to a handful of folks each week. They had so much sourdough starter that they did not mind sharing. I used to make my own sourdough from a pioneer recipe I found using boiled potato water to ...
Summer Bread
As with so many other things, I always plan on baking bread much more often than I actually do, but at least always end up making a loaf around the beginning of August in honor of the ancient Gaelic first harvest festival of Lughnasadh. The Carrot Herb Bread recipe was looking mighty delicious in my favorite bread book; Uprisings: The Whole Grain Baker's Book, so we gave it a go. My partner and I ...
Harvest Cake
One drizzly morning last week, I got a wild hare to do some baking. I ended up making a pumpkin pie, pumpkin butter, and a buttermilk spice cake with apples and hazlenuts. I must say, that cake was something else. I started with the Buttermilk Spice Cake recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook (vintage 1969 edition) and went from there. Here is the recipe below. I suggest you play around with ...
Old World Rye
I've been on a bread baking kick lately, and the routine of starting the sponge first thing after I get up has been working out nicely. I can go about my morning and take care of the bread steps in between everything else, and by the time I'm ready to get rolling with my day, there is a fresh loaf coming out of the oven. I decided to try this Old World Rye recipe from my favorite bread ...
Took my Tart to the Potluck
With so much delicious fruit growing all around me this Summer, I have had tarts on my mind. Maybe it's my French roots showing, but there is something about a nice, rustic crust topped with baked fruit that makes my mouth water. I have been playing around with gluten-free options so my son can partake in this culinary adventure I've launched off on, and there have been some good learning ...