Food Expressions: The Beauty of Simplicity

Food does not need plastic surgery, make-up or added chemicals to look beautiful. A butternut squash stands apart with its unique shape and the pomegranate looks like a gift directly from nature when you look past the exterior to find the beauty within. Even with all of this natural beauty and flavor surrounding us, there is a consistent effort to improve it. By stepping back for just a moment it does not take long to realize it is perfect just the way it is.

In today’s kitchen frozen food has replaced rustic, old- fashioned cooking and there is a general notion that anything with handmade attached will take up more time than we have to offer. If that is your belief, you have not been introduced to the galette. A galette is a rustic version of pie with the crust folded over on the edges showcasing the filling in the center. It requires no special tools or fancy ingredients, yet it reflects an elegance that makes it so appealing. From savory to sweet the versatility makes it perfect for a simple dinner or special dessert. The pie crust is essentially a canvas for any filling and spread you can imagine and with a little preparation ahead of time a galette can easily be prepared in 15 minutes. Then you just have to handle waiting for it to bake.

Here is a wonderful savory galette recipe to use as a launching point, but feel free to get creative and try some new ideas:

Butternut Squash, Apple and Onion Galette with Stilton: Adapted from Food Network (Stilton is a blue cheese, but goat cheese is also a wonderful option or gorgonzola)


Pie Crust:
This is the pie crust that corresponds to this recipe, but if you have another recipe you enjoy feel free to use it. However, keep in mind that a heartier crust often works better for a galette, such as this one with an egg added.
1 ¼ cups all- purpose flour
Pinch salt
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Water if needed, up to 1 tbsp.
Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor, just until combined. Add butter and pulse until it resembles the size of a pea in your hand, there should be no large clumps of butter. Add egg and pulse a few more times. If the mixture is dry, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until a good texture is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.


Filling:
• 1 large baking apple
• 1 small or 1/2 medium butternut squash
• 1 small yellow onion
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons mustard (any flavor you like)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup crumbled Stilton or other blue cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Cut the apple and squash and onion to equal thickness (good step to do ahead of time for a time- saver).
3) Combine melted butter, rosemary, salt and pepper and thyme together. Add in apple, onion and squash.
4) Roll out pie- dough to a 9 inch circle.
5) With a pastry brush spread with mustard, leaving a 2 inch dry border.
6) Spread apple, onion and squash in center.
7) Fold up the edges, showcasing the filling in the center.
8) Brush crust with egg wash.
9) Place on a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and crisp and vegetables are tender.


For a sweet galette, you can use any combination of fruit or filling. Blueberries would be wonderful in the summer, and apples and pears are perfect for the winter and fall. Here is a basic fruit recipe to follow:
Pear Galette
Pie Crust rolled into 9” circle
Pears 1.5 lbs (about 2-3 pears) cut into ¼” wedges
Sugar 1 tbsp
Lemon 1/2
Egg 1, beaten
Slivered almonds 1 Tbsp.
Place pear wedges in a bowl and toss with the sugar and juice of half a lemon.
Working from the center, arrange pear thickly over the dough, leaving a 2” border dry edge.
Fold dough over edge about 1”
Brush the dough with the egg.
Sprinkle with additional sugar and sprinkle with slivered almonds
Bake until pears are tender
Dust with powdered sugar

Don’t be afraid to add different spreads and flavors that go beyond traditional. Chocolate, cookie crumbs, frangipane all would be delicious. Plus, these extras help soak up the juices from the fruit keeping the crust nice and crisp.

Cookie Baking 101

This time of year is synonymous with Christmas music, shopping and decorating, but nothing beats holiday cookie baking. From gingerbread to sugar cookies, every cookie seems to taste extra special this time of year. Yet, nothing can ruin the fun more than a cookie that comes out wrong.
Luckily we are smarter than any batch of cookies and controlling how it comes out is completely within our grasp with a few cookie baking guidelines.

When it comes to cookies there are four general characteristics:
1) Chewy
2) Soft
3) Spread
4) Crispy

To achieve the type of cookie you desire, be aware of these three steps:
Ingredient selection and amount
Mixing time
Cooking time

For a Chewy cookie: You want to have a high proportion of sugar, liquid and eggs, but a lower amount of fat.
For a Soft cookie: You want to have a high proportion of liquid, but a low amount of sugar and fat.
Also, using hygroscopic sugars is a great way to achieve softness because they absorb moisture from the air, leaving moisture in the cookies. Hygroscopic sugars include, honey, molasses, corn syrup or maple syrup.
When it comes to size for a softer cookie you want to shape them in a larger, thicker shape. The thicker the cookie the harder it is for the moisture to evaporate.
Even though almost every recipe says to bake a cookie until golden brown, taking a cookie out slightly under baked will give you a wonderful texture. Cookies continue to bake even out of the oven, so if you over bake them while in the oven you will not achieve the softness you desire.
Controlling Spread: The majority of cookies require some spread, but who wants a cookie as flat as a pancake? I recently learned a few tips to control spread that may help save your next cookie batch.
Type of sugar- Most cookies call for granulated sugar, but granulated sugar will increase spread in a cookie. Granulated sugar will not dissolve in dough, resulting in more spread. Powdered sugar will dissolve and therefore will prevent spread from occurring.
Baking soda v. Baking powder- There is in fact a difference between the two. Baking soda creates a crisper cookie and encourages spread. Baking powder on the other hand encourages more lift over spread.
Mixing Time- This is probably the most important way to control spread and can make or break a cookie. Mixing cookie dough is putting air into the cookie. When you put too much air into the dough it can cause a cookie to spread more than you would like. Mix a cookie until is just begins to form a paste to avoid this problem.
Flour choice- stronger flour will cause less spread compared to a weaker cake or pastry flour.
Pan Make- up- A heavily greased pan will cause more spread than a lightly greased pan.
For a crispy cookie: To achieve a crisp cookie you want to have low moisture, but high sugar and fat.
You will also want to bake longer and shape cookies smaller.

Even with these tips, baking is all about experimentation so there will be those times a cookie comes out wrong. However, any cookie can be turned into a wonderful success with some imagination.
If a chocolate chip cookie or sugar cookie comes out to crisp or flat, you can still find a use for it. Put the cookies into a food processor and turn into a crumb. Combine with a little melted butter and use in replace of a graham cracker crust.

Happy Baking!

What is Turkey Day without a Turkey?

The one and only Thanksgiving decoration my mom has ever put up at our house was a turkey holding up a sign saying “Next Year Try Ham.” I was never a fan of the sign since Thanksgiving for me is synonymous with turkey. My mom on the other hand would prefer a prime rib or even seafood.

Since the rest of my family tends to agree with me, turkey has always been the star of our meal. For me it’s not just the finished product that makes the turkey essential, but the entire process. Every holiday is associated with a certain food, but nothing claims more attention than the stories of success and failure over the Thanksgiving turkey. Television shows, cookbooks and even a presidential pardon have helped make the turkey an event in itself.

Thanksgiving above all is a day to spend time with those we love and be thankful for all of the blessings we have. No matter what you have on your table Thanksgiving will go on. The turkey is not important because of its flavor or the stress it causes millions of cooks, but the ability it has to connect us all on one single day. I think any food that can accomplish that is pretty special in my book.

A Kid in the Kitchen

Do you remember being a kid in the kitchen, when everything was an adventure, recipes did not matter and cracking the egg was the most important job of all? As we grow into adults some of us are able to hold onto that joy that can be found in the kitchen, while others begin to see it as a daunting task. The blame is often put on a lack of time and interest which in many regards is relevant. However, with the advent of 30 minutes meals and an entire industry dedicated to making cooking easier every excuse seems to have a solution.
It comes down to the fact that as we get older everything becomes associated with rules, deadlines and structure that we lose sight of the child within us that remembers how fun the kitchen can be.
So here are some steps you can try to bring the inner child back into the kitchen:

1) Make a mess sometimes- A mess can always be cleaned up, but the fun you have making it is priceless. Flour is everywhere and things splatter, but while we are spending time stressing out over the mess the kids are having a ton of fun.
2) Eat the cookie dough- There is one thing that adults and kids always think alike on, eating the dough. The dough tastes delicious, but kids love that they can break a rule without getting in trouble. Sometimes as adults we just have to break the rules.
3) The “Snow Day” magic- I know cooking has nothing to do with a snow day, but stay with me on this one. There is nothing in the world more thrilling to a kid then a snow day. It is an unexpected day off filled with so many possibilities. Yet, as an adult snow days become nonexistent and turn into a messy struggle to get to work. While we can’t expect our boss to give us an unexpected day off, we can turn the kitchen into our very own snow day. The kitchen holds unlimited possibilities where anything can be created and homemade food can bring a comfort that can't be found elsewhere. We may not get snow days anymore, but that doesn’t mean we have to forget that kind of joy.
4) Be in the moment- If you have ever cooked with a kid you are aware of the fact that they ask what everything is and want to touch and smell it all. Kids know how to live in the moment even if it only lasts for a minute. As adults we are so rushed to finish cooking that we forget to take some time to savor the smells and tastes. If we slow down and actually take the time to be in the moment as we cook you will find it is one of the most relaxing ways to spend a night.
5) RELAX- The most important thing to remember when you cook or bake is simply to relax. Cooking does not have to be a chore if we can simply change our attitude. Don’t worry if you mess something up, almost 90 percent of mistakes in the kitchen can be turned into a success with some creativity and imagination.
For once you can sit back from educating your kids and let them teach you something, it may lead to some of the best memories.

What is Homemade?

Homemade food has an ambience surrounding it that we can smell, taste and observe. As a foodie I have always believed in the notion that homemade food means putting together ingredients to create something entirely new showcasing your passion, creativity and love. Whether it’s the frosting on a cake or pancakes in the morning, I will put in the extra effort. I don’t do this necessarily for taste; I do it for the fulfillment of becoming connected to the food and sharing a part of my love with others. Then there are the days I can’t help but wonder if food needs to be truly homemade to feel that love? Just like in gift giving, isn’t it the thought that matters most of all?

My grandma raised all of her children with the same belief, “every dinner will be served hot.” She was a working woman with four children, but that never stopped her from putting a warm meal on the table. I have had numerous homemade meals made by my grandma that are all fantastic, but nothing can compare to her “homemade” bread and Eggo waffles.

This bread appears homemade in every aspect, but no kneading is required for this dough. It is prepared dough from the store that may not take 2 hours to make, but enjoying that first piece of bread when I walk in her door let's me know exactly where I am. Even her Eggo waffles in the morning have that special grandma touch that I can’t recreate at home (as crazy as that sounds). These things may not fit the standard definition of homemade, but I would not trade them in for anything.

There are certain benefits to homemade, including control over ingredients and clear health benefits. As a result, I have found a way to have a balance of both in my life. When it comes to Macaroni and Cheese I no longer even think of picking up a boxed version after realizing how truly simple homemade is. In terms of dessert there is no doubt homemade is the preferred choice, but sometimes a homemade touch to store bought carries just as much love. I used to rely on the Reddi- Whip and Cool Whip, until I realized homemade whipped cream and frosting can be done in minutes with a few simple ingredients. In the end it all comes down to eating what will make you feel good physically and mentally.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
There are SO many recipes to try but here is the formula I often rely on:
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Melt 6 Tbsp. of butter in a saucepan over medium heat, once butter is melted add in ½ cup of flour, this creates a roux. You will whisk that until the flour is absorbed.
- While whisking, add a mixture of 2 cups milk and 2 cups half and half to the roux.
- Whisk the mixture until it is thickened and smooth. Remove from heat.
For a very basic macaroni and cheese you can add Sharp Cheddar and parmesan, about 4 cups of Sharp Cheddar and 1 cup of parmesan. For more creativity you can experiment with gruyere cheese or even add some goat cheese or blue cheese for extra creaminess.
Once the pasta is combined with the cheese, place in a baking dish. Top with bread crumbs and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bread crumbs get golden brown and crisp.


Store- bought Angel Food Cake with homemade whipped cream flavored with Coffee
Homemade Whipped Cream
8oz heavy cream
1.25 oz powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Pour heavy cream into a chilled Kitchen aid mixing bowl, with the WIRE WHISK attachment. Blend on high speed until you reach the soft peak stage, will resemble cool whip.
Then add powdered sugar and vanilla plus any other flavorings you want to try (coffee extract, maple, cocoa powder, cinnamon, etc.)
Then beat to a stiff peak, it is done when it can hold its own shape when lifted out of the bowl.
Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Decorate Angel food cake with whipped cream and a variety of toppings, such as sprinkles, nuts or fruit.

Food Vision: A spin on chocolate pudding

It is a child whose face lights up when they see the ice cream man or a great grandmother’s recipe that endures with every generation. There is a simple joy we find in food as children, that never really disappears, but adapts and changes as we grow. We expect chicken noodle soup when we are sick at 42, the same way we did when we were 5 years old. While there are millions of soups to choose from, we only want the one that can recreate the comfort we remember.

We all have childhood memories of food that remain with us our entire life. Some are more traditional like making Christmas cookies or gardening vegetables with your grandma. While others our more unique to our own family creating the best memories of all.

For me it is a combination that is so simple, yet one most people would never think to do. Ever since I was a little kid my dad would make the cook and serve chocolate pudding, pour it into the bowl and then add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The combo of hot and cold was just crazy enough to work. Even today I can remember enjoying it 10 years ago. It’s not the most amazing food combination ever thought up or the best thing I have ever tasted, it simply comes down to thinking beyond the food in front of you.

A few years ago my cousin told me that her mom would make the same thing, and I found out this was a creation my dad grew up on. Millions of families all over the country have cherished recipes that continue from one generation to the next, but how often do we think of the more simple things a family shares. Even the way you eat an Oreo could be connected to a family memory. When we look at food as a story it brings it the value it deserves and we can begin to understand why we eat what we eat.

Pudding and Ice Cream

1)While the classic flavor in our family is chocolate, any flavor will work. You cook it over the stove according to box instructions. However, make sure it reaches the full thickness by coming to a boil. If it does not the pudding will not hold up against the cold ice cream.

2)Pour the finished pudding into a bowl and top with ice cream (in the picture I used pumpkin ice cream).

3)Immediately serve.

While this classic version never fails, I have learned that creativity is best expressed in the kitchen. This is why I have experimented with a few special touches over the years. Occasionally, I may sprinkle in some cinnamon with the pudding or add in some chocolate chips for extra texture. The original version will never be far from my mind, but with every special touch I am starting a new creation I hope to share with my kids one day.

The loss of a legend

Since 1940 Gourmet Magazine has brought the world of food a source of inspiration and knowledge that always represented food as more than a necessity, but as a passion. As I heard the news today that Gourmet magazine along with 3 other titles by Condé Nast will be shut down; two immediate thoughts came to my head. First, I though about what this meant for the publishing world if such a legendary magazine can be brought down. Second, It made me realize what this means to the world of food. As we say goodbye to a legend we have to remember that change is a part of life and it is how we deal with this change that determines the future view of food.

Blogs are abundant like never before and everyone now has the power to share their thoughts on food directly without the help of a middle-man. We have become an on-line world as our grocery lists can be made from applications on the I-phone and as we read magazines by scrolling rather than flipping pages. Therefore for many of us it is probably no surprise that printed magazines are suffering in this economy. Yet, there is a part of the population (that I include myself in) that enjoys clinging to tradition and history. The ability to flip through the pages as you wait in line at the store or even just the feeling of holding it in front of you is something I have trouble letting go of all together. On the other hand, as a blogger I love the ability to share my thoughts with the on-line world and gather the insights of other foodies on a more personal level. With the onset of Twitter, I can now read the direct thoughts of chefs on a level that has never been seen before. One of the best lessons of history is the realization that things have to change if we want to move forward, but the key ideas that shape our thoughts along the way become the foundation for the future. So even if the tangible aspect of Gourmet leaves, the groundwork it has laid will not be forgotten and I believe it is one of the best foundations we could have.

Whether you are a blogger, chef or a food lover it is our duty to not let this legend be forgotten. We have to continue pursuing what it started, by not letting a world of processed, fast- food that comes from factories rather than farms take over the culture of food. The power is in all of our hands in a way it has never been before, but I truly feel we are all up for the challenge.

Puff Pastry: A labor of love

Puff pastry means 1000 layers in French, and after making it homemade it doesn’t take long to realize how it got that name. It is an extremely labor intensive product due to the fact that those layers appear from folding and rolling the dough out a total of five times. It can easily take up hours and hours of the day and even go on to a second day before a product is ready to eat. After making it once I clearly see the joy and simplicity that comes from buying it, but to truly understand puff pastry it is not a bad idea to attempt making it homemade. The bonus is that as with everything homemade, your product will truly represent a labor of love, and your friends and family will love you for it.

The recipe I was given for puff pastry requires very few ingredients, but they are all essential.

Guidelines for Puff Pastry:
*You need strong gluten to support the height, since it raises 8 times its original height during baking. Therefore, bread flour is a good choice.
* In order to develop the gluten, it requires a high amount of mixing.
* In puff pastry there are two rounds of butter. The first amount of butter is rather small and the proportion is 1oz to every pound of flour. This first amount is used to condition the gluten. The second round of butter is much heavier and should be equal to the amount of flour. One pound of butter is used for every pound of flour. This round is essential for the flavor and flakiness of the product.
*There is no leavener used in puff pastry because steam acts as the leavening agent. Salt is still necessary for flavor and to condition the gluten.
*Egg is used for protein coagulation and water is essential for gluten development.
*Puff Pastry is a laminate dough which means it must go through a series of tourns (the folding and rolling of the dough).
A puff pastry will go through a total of five tourns until it is ready to bake. However, between every tourn the dough must be allowed to rest and this stage is called the retarding stage. This is essential so that the gluten can rest and the butter can be chilled before the next tourn. If the butter is too soft, it will not hold the steam and if the steam escapes the product the dough will not rise.
* There are two types of folds that are used during the folding process.
Single Fold- Fold the top third of dough to the center. Then fold the bottom third over the top.
Double Fold- This can also be called a book fold. You fold the top and bottom half to the center. Then you fold the entire dough in half again to achieve the book fold.
* Almost all forms of puff pastry are baked on parchment paper. While baking you do not want to remove the product from the oven until the dough is puffed, the product is golden brown and there are no moisture droplets on the outside.

RECIPE:
1 lb bread flour
1oz butter
½ oz salt
1 egg
8 oz water
1 lb butter for lamination
Combine all dry ingredients
Cut the fat into the dry
Make a well and add the egg
Add the water and knead until it springs back at you
Bench it for ten minutes
Roll into rectangle ¼ thick
Enclose fat (this is done by layering the fat in the center of the rectangle, leaving a 1 inch border and then folding the dough over)
Then put one thumbprint in the side of the dough. This is a mark used to indicate what stage of the folding you are on. Retard to 50 degrees
Do single fold, put in two thumbprints and retard to 50 degrees
Do double fold, put in three thumbprints and retard to 50 degrees
Do single fold, put in four thumbprints and retard to 50 degrees
Do double fold, put in five thumbprints and retard 30 minutes to an hour
Dough is ready for make –up or to store.

Once the dough is ready it can be used in a variety of ways from sweet to savory. Some options include napoleons, turnovers, bear claws and baked apples.
Happy Baking!!

A simple love for pumpkin

It's that time of year again when the weather begins to get a little crisper and our taste buds begin to crave something a little heartier with all of the essential fall flavors in tote. Butternut squash, honey crisp apples, sweet potatoes and the essential spices of nutmeg and cinnamon all top my list of fall favorites. Yet, every year I immediately search for the arrival of one specific flavor, the simple yet extremely flavorful pumpkin. 

I cannot even remember when my love of pumpkin began, but I know exactly why it became my favorite. From the warmth it brings to food, the recognizable hint of orange that stands out and the versatility from sweet to savory, it packs the essence of fall in every bite.

Multiple foods carry recognition of season with them; from gingerbread and peppermint in the winter to tomatoes in the summer, but few foods characterize the change of season better than seeing pumpkin in your lattes and cookies.
From savory to sweet, I love finding new ways to bring pumpkin to the table. In celebration of the arrival of fall I wanted to create a pumpkin cookie that would please everybody, including those who are not huge fans of pumpkin (yes they do exist). Every time I try out a new recipe idea there is always a moment of anticipation and fear as I put them into the oven. Yet, from the rave reviews these cookies have gotten from family and friends I have a strong feeling they are going to be around quite a bit this fall.


Pumpkin cookies with white chocolate 

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup pumpkin
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚
Cream the butter and sugars just until blended. Be careful not to over mix, because it will put to much air into the batter. You may have to scrape the bowl down once or twice, to make sure all the butter is blended.
Add eggs one at a time, blending in after each addition.
Add vanilla and pumpkin; mix in.
In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Whisk together.
Slowly add to wet ingredients and mix just until flour is absorbed to avoid overstretching the gluten.
Fold in white chocolate chips.
For larger cookies use a large cookie dough scoop to place on cookie sheet about 6 cookies per sheet.
Small cookies can be made using a smaller cookie dough scoop, and can fit about 9 cookies per sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes. At this point the cookies will most likely need more time, about 3- 4 minutes. However, depending on the oven I would say 10 minutes is a good point to check on them.
Let cool for about 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
If desired, you may sprinkle powdered sugar on top for an extra garnish.

Option:
Skip the white chocolate chips and top cookies with a cream cheese frosting once cooled. The cake like texture of the cookie will be the perfect foundation for a creamy frosting.

A Breakfast ritual

Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.
- Julia Child

Julia Child had a passion for food that she was able to share with the world. She created a trend in making food more than simply a meal. Her work led to shows, networks, blogs and magazines solely dedicated to the joy of food. Through this blog I want to continue sharing the joy of food with others on a more personal and engaging level. Whether it is through the posting of unique or delicious recipes, discussing food topics, or sharing food experiences I hope to help people reconnect with the simple love of food. Whether or not you are a foodie, I want you to stop for a moment and think about all of the momentous occasions in your life. Whether it’s a family holiday, graduation, birthday or anniversary one common thing can unite them all: and that is good food. What I have realized over the years is that the joy does not simply come from sitting down to the meal, but the whole food experience. Through the food preparation, coming up with the recipes or remembering the feeling you have when you see a young child try cake for the first time, I can definitively say food is so much more than a meal.

I want to share a food experience I have treasured for over ten years. It is an experience that can be filled with so much love, yet one often taken for granted as the days become quickly filled. Breakfast is a meal my father and I have continually shared every weekend since I was eight years old. While it often requires me getting up slightly earlier on a Saturday morning it is a ritual I will always treasure. During this short period of time my father and I are able to discuss topics in our life and simply enjoy the company of one another. The tradition started with my father making the classic Bisquick pancakes every Saturday morning. As I grew older and tried to recreate those ever so simple pancakes at college, they always brought back those fond memories for me but never tasted quite as good. I realized it was because of the whole experience of those morning breakfasts. Waking up to the aroma of fresh pancakes and helping set the table as my dad continued to flip every pancake individually ( making sure each one came out as good as the last). As the years went by, my father and I became connoisseurs of going out for breakfast as well. We have tried multiple breakfast hot spots around the Chicago land and have become regular weekenders at many of them. Going out for breakfast became a ritual I looked forward to every time I came home from college. When I think back to all the memories I have shared with my father, breakfast will always top the list. Breakfast can be a granola bar on the go or a quick coffee, but none of those meals will create the same memories of sitting down to breakfast with the ones you love.

Two Breakfast spots I love:
Egg Harbor: A charming café that offers it all. From breakfast to lunch Egg Harbor consistently brings delightful flavors together.
Bonus: At egg harbor the experience is made even more delightful by the fact that they don’t make you wait for your waiter or waitress to bring you refills on coffee. They immediately provide you with a personal carafe of regular or flavored coffee, allowing you to refill as you please. At the end of the meal they will provide, upon request, a to-go cup to enjoy the rest of your coffee.
A Must Try: The Blackberry- Banana pancakes are simply delicious. Thin and delicate, they offer a nice change of pace from the thick traditional pancake. A delightful bonus is the combination of fruit rarely found elsewhere.
Walker Bros. Pancake House- Nothing beats an original. At Walker Brothers you will simply taste the best. Their signature items include the Apple pancake and Dutch baby. These are items that can be found at many other restaurants and diners, but if you consider yourself a breakfast aficionado, you MUST try the original.
Bonus: One serving is enough to feed at least two people. Meaning you can taste the best and share the cost.

Unique tip’s to spice up Breakfast at home:
· Instead of making your traditional French toast with milk, try substituting orange juice for a nice citrus flavor.
· Try adding different extracts, spices and fruits to your favorite pancake recipe to give it a nice change of pace. Nothing is off limits.
· Try putting flavored chicken sausage into your favorite omelet recipes. Check out al fresco for some of their great flavors.

Beyond the recipe: Focus on Gluten

Being a home baker I have spent years following and creating recipes without truly understanding how my product went from being a bunch of ingredients to a finished product. I would pick up tips here and there, such as the importance of unsalted butter, but when a recipe would come out unexpected I was always left back at square one wondering where I went wrong. I continued to gain knowledge (thanks to the Food Network), but I desperately wanted a source that laid it all out for me. These past weeks I finally found my source at Elgin Community College. I am spending a semester learning and taking in as much as I can about the culinary world. Since this is not an opportunity we can all take advantage of, I don’t want to keep the knowledge to myself. After just one session in Baking I my eyes were opened to the baking process and all of those little bits of knowledge from multiple years all came together.

As a little kid I always asked why and wanted to know everything and anything. At some point, I lost that wonder and excitement and began to accept things the way they were without knowing why or how. Yet, as I learned WHY baked products came out the way they did and WHY every step in a recipe is so important, I somehow felt like a little kid again who wanted to learn as much as I could. I realized that learning the process of baking is not that complicated, but requires looking past a recipe.

When I learned the science behind baking, a term I heard over and over again was GLUTEN. This is the protein strand, present in wheat flour and provides the STRUCTURE and STRENGTH of baked goods. However, the way most people tend to hear about gluten these days is through the explanation of celiac disease. Celiac disease as defined by the Mayo Clinic is “ a digestive condition triggered by the consumption of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust, and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye”. The amount of people affected by celiac disease is on the rise causing those in the food industry to completely transform how they make everything from pasta to cookies.

Whether you need to eat gluten- free or not, understanding the function of gluten in baked goods is essential. My explanation below outlines its reaction with other ingredients as well as ways to control for gluten development.
· Gluten and leaveners- The leaveners in a baked product give off gases when they react with heat. The gluten traps these gases so they can’t escape the baked good. Without the gluten the gases would escape and the product would deflate.
· Gluten and eggs- The protein from the gluten and the protein from the eggs form the structure through the process of coagulation or thickening of the proteins. The process of coagulation only begins when the proteins are heated to a high enough temperature. During the process the gases continue to expand, but once the process is complete the product can no longer rise and the structure is set. This stage is also known as the par- baked stage because the product has reached its final shape and if you removed it from the oven it would not collapse. The par- baked bread you can find at the grocery store would be an example of this.
· Gluten and fat- Whether you use butter or actual shortening any fat in a baked good is called shortening because it shortens the gluten strands to keep them from getting tough. Fat is the tenderizer of a baked good. This is why French bread which is meant to stay chewy has a very low amount of fat.
· Gluten and sugar- Similar to fat, sugar can also stop gluten development. Sugar attracts the water that is primarily used to hydrate gluten, so when the sugar is present the gluten is no longer the only source soaking up the water.
· Gluten and water- Water is essential for gluten to develop. During the coagulation stage stated above, the extra moisture absorbed is released because it no longer has a purpose to serve in the baked good and is evaporated as steam. Water is also a main component for the starches in a baked product through a process called gelatinization. During gelatinization the starches absorb water and add a great a deal of bulk to a baked product.

If you want to be in control of gluten development there are three ways to alter the outcome.
1) Control the amount of liquid
Less liquid equals a tender product – pie crust
More liquid equals chewy product- bread
2) Control the amount of fat
A good balance between fat and gluten development is essential. When you have a high fat content, but little gluten development your product will come out short.
3) Choosing the right flour
Flour ranges from strong to weak and the type you use for every product can produce a different result. Strong flours have higher protein content and will lead to stronger gluten development compared to weak flour.
4) Amount of Mixing
This is an extremely important step since it affects the development of gluten.
If you mix a product to long the gluten will be overstretched and your product will come out sticky and stringy. For products meant to be tender, such as cookies, the mixing should be kept very minimal. For chewier products you will need to mix a little longer for the gluten to develop.