The Color of the Rainbow

Not too much to offer today in terms of recipes, but since it is around my birthday I offer you this bouquet of flowers from my garden.

Living Green

My family lived through WWI and WWII, so they became programmed with saving everything, nothing went to waste. Albeit that was born out of necessity, I now try to live the same way, out of desire to re-use materials, not to waste resources and to live as green as I can.

Recycling is second nature, using shampoos until the last drop is normal, and finally I programmed myself to always bring canvas bags when I go shopping.

Cindy at cindystar inspired me to write this post with her post on a natural detergent made with lemon juice, vinegar and salt. I want to try it so I printed it on recycled paper, which made me write this. Some people may think I am insane, but it makes me feel better knowing that I don't take trash too lightly, the earth is not infinite.

Citrus dishwashing detergent

3 lemons
400g. water
100g. vinegar, better white
200g. kitchen salt


Cut lemons in four, take off all seeds and then mix well with half water in the mixer until is soft and creamy.
Add remaining water, vinegar and salt, put on the stove and cook for 15/20 minutes.
Use 2 tablespoons for every washing in your dishwasher.

It's also good to clean copper pans, they will turn out as bright as new!

If you like, add a tangerine or half orange for a special citrus fruits flavoring.

This is how I try to be as green as I can:

* Recycle anything that can be recycled

* Buy organic

* Compost all my kitchen scraps

* Bring my bags to the stores, and refuse a plastic bag when offered

* Use paper bags at my local grocery store and re-use them as much as I can

* Keep lightly used zip-lock bags in the freezer to re-use for the next cookie batch to be frozen

* Try to buy in bulk

* Grow my own vegetables

* Print on re-cycled paper

* Turn lights off when not needed

* Wear an extra sweater instead of keeping the heat on

* Take short showers and save the water of the first minute to water plants

* Save the water that was used to wash the veggies for my house plants

* Wash floors with diluted vinegar

* Stack soaped dishes so they get rinsed faster

* Run only full loads of laundry, never at the hot setting

* Scout the local salvation store for interesting finds (they always have something worth having, like a cute vase or a nice basket)

* Drive a Prius

This list will probably grow as I think of more things.

And you? What is that you do on your daily life that makes you life greener?

Being a Locavore-Rose Geranium Lemonade

I am a firm supporter of locally grown food. I grew up eating produce grown in Sant' Erasmo, the biggest island in the Venetian lagoon, and bought almost daily by my mom. In a personal effort to reduce my carbon footprint, I try to avoid out of season produce grown in Mexico, and try to buy things grown within few miles from where I live. Even better, I grow few things in my garden and in the garden of a generous neighbor who has land to spare (can't get better than that). I am patiently waiting for zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans planted with my own hands (the bay area has been really cold lately so things are maturing very slowly, but there are lots of flowers!). Last June I made a simple pasta with peas, spring onions, and parsley, picked just few hours earlier from by garden, and that was utterly delicious. Local is the way to go, I am telling you. Soon I will have chickens, give me time to build a coop and I will order few chicks, I can't wait!

Growing my own food is one the most rewarding things I have done, and it makes me envision life on a farm, which is something I would do if I could. The sustainable grassroots movement that is growing in many communities across the country is so inspirational I want to talk about two upcoming documentaries you should all try to see. Food Inc., another movie that just opened, is also a must see.


Recently I went to hear and support East Bay Pictures, a group of filmmakers based in Berkeley who are in the mist of filming a documentary called Edible City, which depicts the booming of the urban farming movement. This grassroots movement of creating local gardens in backyards, or in communal areas is spreading like crazy in the Bay Area, and it is very inspirational to witness people going back to how things were done in the old days. Jessica Prentice, one of the creators of the term Locavores was there as well. I loved seeing many 20-something people who will be the next leaders mingling with some "old" folks like me, it is only going to be good!


The event was co-hosted at a house of a local resident and by a chef who cooked the dinner that was served before the show. She prepared the dinner with locally grown ingredients, and made an amazingly refreshing lemonade with eureka lemons and rose geraniums flowers. It was unique and so tasty.

On Friday I went to a screening of the movie Fresh, another documentary depicting few farmers who believe that sustainable agriculture is the only way to go if we want the planet and its inhabitant to survive, and who are becoming advocates for sustainable practices across the United States. It was an eye opener about the practice of growing animals in controlled overcrowded environments. Apparently, the animal farmers who grow poultry or hogs don't even own the animals, they just provide the space, and have to strictly agree with the rules set by the companies who provide and process the animals. The growers don't even know what is in the animal feed they dump into the tunnels where the animals are kept. Days old chicks get virtually thrown in a dark tunnel where they get fed constantly so they can grow very fast and be ready for slaughter in very little time. Because of the insane concentration of animals, these farms have ponds full of liquid waste that is so concentrated that it cannot even be processed into fertilizer (cow manure is the best fertilizer there is but in these places it cannot be used). Moreover, the waste is full of chemicals/pharmaceutical cocktails used to prevent diseases prevalent among the animals due to the overcrowding. This documentary can be seen in your own house, to request a house screening kit, click here. Warning: you might stop buying regular chicken, or start only eating grass fed beef after watching it.


The event was hosted by the visionary, and very passionate Ari Derfel, chef/owner of the soon to be opened restaurant Terrain, which will be the first fully organic restaurant in Berkeley. Michael Pollan was also there to inspire the audience talking about the right way to raise herbivores. If you are not familiar with Pollan's revolutionary books, run to your closest bookstore.


To all the people out there who are thirsty for change in the way food is grown I offer this lemonade, which wins the price for being super local as it was made with lemons from my little tree and rose geranium flowers growing in the garden.

There is an interesting story behind this rose geranium plant. Looking into a container of compostable scraps at a restaurant I worked at, I saw some steams of a geranium plant that had been stripped of the flowers and the leaves. I could not resist the idea of propagating them so I took some home where they successfully sprouted roots in a glass. I then placed the stems in dirt and few weeks later two had survived and fully rooted, very green indeed.


Rose Geranium Lemonade

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup rose geranium flowers
Juice of 4 lemons

Make a simple syrup with the water and the sugar, infusing it with half of the flowers. Mix the juice with syrup to taste (you will not need all the syrup), add ice and serve very cold. Garnish with extra flowers in each glass.

Take action, buy local, ask questions, support local farmers.

Daring Cooks-Potstickers

This month's challenge was something I was looking forward to trying. I tend to cook Italian food all the time, updating the recipes using some unusual ingredients, especially in desserts, but mostly it is Italian I go for, it is what I grew up with and it comes natural. Until today I hadn't tried anything Asian since I thought I wouldn't know what to do. I took on this challenge with trepidation, but fear not, my readers, this was a great dish of easy execution. And the taste was perfect, it felt like I was eating at a Chinese restaurant.

Jen of use real butter chose the recipe this month, to see the complete recipe click here. To see a complete instructional post with pictures click here. We were asked to make the dough in the traditional way, as opposed to using pre-made wrappers, choose a filling (pork, shrimp, or vegetarian), and a cooking method (steamed, pan fried, or fried).

I decided to stick to the recipe instead of being daring since I was already a day late making them, so there was no time to lose in experiments. I have so many things on my plate right now it is insane! To my surprise it took no more than 15 minutes to put the filling together as it only requires chopping.

The dough is also easy to make and roll. Surprisingly it is made only of warm water and flour, a stiff dough that gets softer after some resting, and roll easily with the use of some flour. I only made one batch and cut 18-0.7 oz. portions. Initially I rolled them too thin, and as you can judge from the jelly fish below, it was hard to shape them. After reviewing Jen's tutorial for a second time, I quickly got a hang on the pleating, and it was smooth sailing after that. The more time consuming part is the rolling, but that again it was not too difficult and the dough cooperated well.

I pan fried the little purses, and used straight soy sauce since there was not time for anything else, but I will try the make one of the sauces Jen suggested in her challenge I am looking forward to making these dumplings again, with pork or fish, or something Italian, and steaming them. I would like to also try the gluten free version Jen suggested in her post, they look so beautiful. A very long time ago, I went to a Chinese New Year party and we assembled potstickers made with a sweet pea shoot filling that was so light and tasty, I would try it but I think it is too late in the season now. There is always a next year.

Thanks to the Daring Bakers' founders, Lis and Ivonne, and to Jen for choosing this delicious recipe.

Check other Daring Cooks' creations below:

Natalia
Simona
Kitchenlander
Susan

Jen
Ivonne
Lis
Audax

Bread Baker's Apprentice #4-Brioche

The first time I made brioche I had very little experience with yeast doughs and the brioche was to be used as a tart crust. The brioche crust just didn't do it for me, I prefer pate sucree in my tarts, so I ended up forgetting about brioche for a while. This changed when I had to come up with some breakfast pastries in the second restaurant I worked at. Sticky buns and brioche a tete were given a second change and my customers loved them!

Since then I have made brioche numerous times at work and at home, and it never fails to put a smile on my face. Not only the dough is super shiny and a pleasure to touch (may I dare to call it sexy?), but the taste of a freshly baked brioche never fails to put me in a good mood. Food has that power on me, I don't need any other stimulants, give me something delicious to eat and my neurons are bathed in serotonin.

If you have been following some of my posts, you must know about this challenge started by Nicole at pinch my salt. We are baking from Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice, cover to cover.

The fourth recipe in Peter Reinhart's book is brioche. As usual, Peter gives a nice introductory overview on brioche (who knew that Queen Marie Antoinette probably uttered "let's them eat brioche" and not "bread" before being be-headed.), then he writes three versions of this wonderful recipe: a Rich man, a Middle-class, and a Poor man version, so called depending on the amount of butter and eggs in the recipe. Since I had tried another of his recipes for a yeast dough with the rich man equivalent of butter and found it too buttery, I decided to go with the middle class version, which is very buttery as it is.

I was a little puzzled when I read that in the instructions the butter is added almost immediately. Normally the dough is mixed for few minutes to allow some gluten development before adding the butter, which coats the flour in fat and may hinder the gluten development if added too soon. Because I am stubborn, I decided to do it the traditional way and mixed the dough until it looked even, and it had some structure. I actually had to add some milk as the dough was too stiff (you want the dough to stick to the mixer bowl somewhat and it has to feel soft, somewhat sticky). Butter was then added slowly and the resulting dough was text-perfect for brioche. I left it in the fridge overnight and then made 8 mini brioche a tete, and a cinnamon bread monkey-bread style, just because I love playing with food and my family is addicted to cinnamon bread.

Before proofing

After proofing

I keep forgetting how much brioche rises and even more about the amazing oven spring. When the baked brioche comes out of the oven I get this it is alive! type of thought.

Fully proofed

Wonderful crumb

I was really happy with the wonderful results, a nice recipe indeed. I got a "this is the best brioche you ever made" comment, so here, go buy the book if you haven't already.

Happy Baking!

Bread Baking Buddy-Italian Knot Bread

The talented Ilva of Lucullian Delights chose the recipe this month and I loved it!

The recipe comes from the book Pane: Il Piacere di Preparare il Pane in Casa by Anna Gennari. Ilva chose to make pane di pasta tenera condita which she re-named Italian Knot Bread, which in Italian means flavored soft dough bread.


I adapted Ilva's notes and used Lien's ingredient list, since they were already written with instant yeast, which I used, and she halved the recipe.

Pane di Pasta Tenera Condita

Biga
200 g normal bread flour
5 g fresh yeast or 1/4 tsp dry instant yeast
170 ml water

- Dissolve the yeast in a little water and quickly work the dough together.
- Put it in a container, cover it with a half closed lid or kitchen towel and leave it for 15-24 hrs.

Dough
250 g biga
500 g flour (type 00)
200-260 ml water, lukewarm
15 g fresh yeast or 1 1/2 tsp dry instant yeast
25 g extra-virgin olive oil
30 g lard (or butter)
12 g honey
12 g salt
- Put the flour either in a big bowl or on a baking board, add the lard and mix it with your fingers until it has 'crumbled' and is completely mixed with the flour.
- Dissolve the yeast in little tepid water and add it to the flour. Mix as well as you can.
- Mix salt, olive oil and honey with the like-warm water and add it to the flour. Mix the dough until it holds together and then add the biga.
- Work the dough until it is smooth and doesn't stick either by hand or with a mixer.
- Put it into a bowl, cover it and leave to rise until it has doubled.
- After the dough has doubled, divide it into smaller parts, about 100 g/3,5 oz each.

To see how to shape each piece of dough please check Ilva's or Lien's websites.

1. Roll out each portion into 20" long stands and lay them out on a flat surface.
2. Make a semi-circle with the dough stand.
3. Twist the two end together.
4. Bring the two ends towards the upper part of the circle.
5. Lift/fold the top part over the twisted part.
6. Take the two end and join them together under the actual knot, this will make the knot part come out more and it hides the ends.

- Put the knots on baking sheets and let to rise until they have doubled in size.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven (200°C/390°F) for 30-35 minutes.

My notes:
I absolutely loved this bread! It reminds me of the little panini I used to eat in Italy, which are always present at each child's birthday party, stuffed with butter and prosciutto. I will make it again in smaller size and keep it in the freezer for quick snacks.

The biga fermented for 15 hours only.

I decided to be lazy, and used all purpose flour for the bread. I also used butter instead of lard (both for a yuck factor, and because I have no idea where to find it). The a/p flour gave it a tender crust, and I believe that the OO flour will make this bread even more tender.

The strands were difficult to roll more than 16 inches, but I was able to form the knots as well. The shaped bread didn't look smooth at first, but once properly proofed it looked beautiful.

Baking was straightforward, the bread colored nicely.

The taste was wonderful, the crust soft, and tasty from the honey, the butter and the oil.


The bread passed the butter and jam test so it is a keeper indeed.

Thanks to Ilva and the other BBBabes! To see some of their creations check out their sites: Bake My Day (Karen), I Like to Cook (Sara), Living on Bread and Water (Monique), My Kitchen in Half Cups (Tanna), Grain Doe (Gorel), Notitie van Lien (Lien), The Sour Dough (Mary aka Breadchick), Cookie Baker Lynn (Lynn), Living In The Kitchen With Puppies (Natashya)

Daring Bakers-Strudel Challenge

This month's challenge was one I was especially looking forward to making. Apple Strudel is an ultimate comfort dessert for me. It has the goodness of apples, the comfort of heat, and brings back loads of memories. It is common to find offerings of apple strudel in many pastry shops in northern Italy. The Austrian Hungarian Empire before WWI included the area now known as Sud Tirolo, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy. Like many other bordering areas, this part has influenced the surrounding territories in many ways, especially with food. Many people still speak Austrian German in the area, they have German last names, and some treat you differently if you are Italian. I used to spend wonderful skiing vacations in Val Badia, one of the most incredible skiing resorts in the Alps. I have fond memories of the food I ate while vacationing there, especially of the deer sausages eaten with caraway flatbreads, and the ever present Apfelstrudel. I remember like it was yesterday the anticipation for that warm slice of strudel after a full day of skiing, tired and hungry we would devour it in just few seconds. The best apple strudel I ever tasted was in Austria, while vacationing with my group of "old" friends, but sadly I don't remember were we were. My friend Paola makes a wonderful strudel but she gets teased mercifully because it looked like a crescent, therefore re-named el curasan, or croissant, in the Venetian dialect.


I had never tried making it until I bought an issue of Savor magazine where they showed in details how to stretch the dough and gave a recipe that proved really good and true to the original. I became a fanatic of strudel and made it over and over for months, always with apples. The strudel was always great but I didn't quite learn how to stretch the dough perfectly until I worked with DMG, who taught me how to pull the dough to its thinnest. I took to the task of making the strudel at the restaurant with lots of passion and loved doing it. His recipe had some bread flour and it worked like a charm every time.

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.


For this challenge, I decided to make a traditional strudel with apples, but I used some port sour cherries I had in the fridge instead of the raisins. I made a lemon-thyme creme fraiche ice cream to go with it, and the combination worked well.


Because cherries are so plentiful now I also made a version with cherries to which I added pistachio streusel instead of the bread crumbs. I made a lemon verbena sabayon and the two worked well together.


Inspired by other bloggers, I finally decided to try something new as well, or should I say play with my food. I rolled to dough to setting #7 of my kitchen aid pasta attachment, then cut it with a round cookie cutter. I then sprinkled some powder sugar on each round before baking them at 400F for few minutes, until nice and browned. I then made a napoleon with the lemon verbena mascarpone sabayon, sprinkling some of the pistachio streusel I made last month on top.

You can find the complete recipe in Linda's blog.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Thanks to Linda and Courtney for choosing this month's challenge and to see more creations check out the official site for the Daring Bakers.