Early Riser

I have always loved the fact that I am a morning person. There is something so peaceful about the early morning hours, and while some prefer to dedicate those hours to sleep, I can’t help but savor them.


Last Saturday I woke up at 6 AM, not to an alarm clock, but the incredible booming of thunder. I opened my window, to see the rain showering my window. Rain instantly brings out a inner feeling of comfort, the type of weather that makes us want to cozy up with a blanket. I am not saying I could handle rain every day, but on certain mornings when you are not forced to rush out the door, I wrap myself in fleece, and listen to the rain fall.

When I think of comfort food, my mind instantly goes to breakfast. On days I am up extra early, I spend the extra time to go all out with homemade pancakes. As they require more time than an omelet or simple oatmeal, they truly feel like a special treat.

I have no shame in admitting I grew up on Bisquick. It was a common ritual for my father and I to make pancakes on the weekend, and every batter always started the same way.. I have since moved on from Bisquick to experiment with different homemade recipes and new flavors, but it’s those early memories of making weekend pancakes that cemented my love for breakfast. 

I have experimented with different pancake recipes over the years; some coming out better than others, but one flavor I have never tried was blueberry. Since I had a fridge full of fresh Michigan blueberries I knew it was meant to be. I went to the ultimate source” The Food Network website” to find a recipe and the first recipe to catch my eye was made by Ina Garten. If there is one thing I have learned in the kitchen, following an Ina Garten recipe has always led to success, from entrées to dessert.

The recipe featured bananas, rather than blueberries, but after reading the glorious reviews I knew this was the recipe I wanted to use and assumed that blueberries would be an acceptable substitution for the bananas. The recipe called for the basic pancake components, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla and salt. However, a surprise ingredient that caught my eye was sour cream. I figured it was involved for the banana, as I often find it as part of most banana recipes, but I thought it would add a nice texture for the pancake with or without banana. I also separated the eggs in the recipe and folded in the egg whites last. I read it helps create a lighter pancake, a goal I am always after.

There is a general notion that the first pancake of a batter is a tester pancake, and that is often the case when I make pancakes. However, with this recipe every pancake from start to finish came out light and fluffy.

It is mornings such as that I am truly glad to be an early riser.


Blueberry Pancakes

Recipe Adapted from Ina Garten

1 ½ cups flour

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt

½ cup sour cream

¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. milk

2 eggs, separated

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon zest

Unsalted Butter

1 ½ cups blueberries

Directions:

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing just until combined.

By hand or with a mix master, whip the egg whites until they reach a stiff peak stage and can hold their shape out of the bowl. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, just until combined.

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium low- heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan, about ¼ cup for each pancake. Distribute blueberries on the top of the pancake. Cook until bubbles appear on top of the pancake and flip. Cook for another minute or so, or until lightly browned.

Continue with the rest of the batter.

Serve with more blueberries, warm maple syrup and butter.

Meant to be- The story of PB&J

There is not always a rhyme or reason why two ingredients are paired together, but the result can often lead to something truly memorable. There are some combinations created out of necessity whether it’s for texture, flavor or cost, but endured by choice. From our perspective today it would be hard to imagine peanut butter and jelly apart, they have become one for better or worst. The exact origin of peanut butter and jelly is hazy, however as history proves what resulted was meant to be.

I like millions of others had peanut butter and jelly just about every day for lunch in high school. I always used the same bread from a local bread store, Jiff peanut butter and Smucker’s Grape Jelly. Part of the reason I clung to it was simplicity, but I can’t say I ever got sick of it. I don’t eat it as often anymore, but I occasionally still get a craving for a PB&J and with every bite I am sent right back to childhood.

With only three ingredients, every flavor plays a starring role. How these three ingredients were brought together is part ingenuity, but I would like to believe the rest is fate.

Bread- As the foundation of any PB&J, over the years there has become personal standards as to what bread is acceptable. I personally favor whole wheat or white bread that has some substance, but is soft enough to mold together with the peanut butter and jelly. Whatever bread you favor and whether served with crust or without, the sandwich never would have gained so much popularity if it had not been for the creation of sliced bread by Otto Rohwedder in the early 1900s. Gustav Papendick improved the slicer in 1920 setting the stage for an American classic to be born.

Peanut Butter – Peanut butter was created by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg in 1895 and sold as a health food, that was packed with protein. Peanut butter began as an expensive treat, but it quickly became commercialized. By the 1920’s Skippy and Peter Pan created the peanut butter brands we are still familiar with today. Peanut butter sandwiches quickly became a quick and easy meal during the Great Depression, as it was simple to make and inexpensive. Yet, throughout good times and bad peanut butter has remained one of our favorite treats.

Jelly- If you have ever had a straight peanut butter sandwich, you can understand why the addition of jelly would be a welcome partnership. It proved to be the perfect balance of sweetness, without overpowering and manages to keep the peanut butter in check ( a.k.a no peanut butter on the roof of your mouth). Food historians note that jelly was added to the sandwich during WWII . Peanut butter and jelly were both on the military rations list and GI soldiers added the jelly to the sandwich to make it go down smoother and improve taste. The combination was loved so much they continued to make it at home.

Various creations of the classic have been adapted over the years. From the infamous Fluffernutter to Elvis’s addition of the banana, jelly has faced some stiff competition. While I have yet to find a combination that tops jelly, this is the kind of ingenuity that inspires me as a foodie. However, as PB&J proves sometimes simplicity is the best method.

Summer Fruit

Berries, plums, peaches and watermelon, it must be summer. What I love about summer fruit is the way it dominates our summer palate without any force, it just simply blends itself into our meals. In fact, without taking a moment to sit down and savor the joy of seasonal fruit it’s easy to forget the connection it has to so many of our summer memories.



Imagine a summer without giant slices of watermelon or a warm scoop of peach and blueberry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream that melts instantly as the two meet. Fruit even makes a name for itself in summer entrees. It easily blends itself into salsas that make a perfect topping for fish and poultry, and adds the perfect touch to salads. It’s a natural sweetener in any summer drink, from lemonade to mojitos.

This list could go on for a whole page, but listing off uses for summer fruit is not the message I want to be taken away from this blog post. I want to use this post to remind us all that it’s our history and our memories that made seasonal fruit an invaluable aspect of summer. Before the days of fast food and convenience food, seasonal food was what our grandparents and great- grandparents relied on to make a meal. It’s our ancestors we have to thank for turning fresh berries and melons into icons of summer. The memories we remember from our own childhood, is what turns fruit into an individual comfort during the summer months. Every year the uses of fruit become more inventive and creative, setting the stage for new generations of memories.

Before we know it summer will be over, and we will be preparing for the harvest of fall. However, right now at this very moment I have a house full of fresh picked Michigan cherries, blueberries , peaches and more, and I plan to savor every bite summer has to offer.              

The Bread of The Matter

No matter what the current food trend is, certain foods from our childhood can never be lost. Whether they are as far from gourmet as possible or lack any health benefits, certain foods stir up memories of comfort that nothing else can replace. Yet, the one food I was happy to replace as I grew older was bread made with nothing but air and artificial ingredients.

It can never stand up to a good French toast; it’s to flimsy for a great sandwich and is unsuccessful as an addition to a comforting bowl of soup. A good piece of bread requires substance; a thick, chewy texture, with just enough softness in the center. It may come in a variety of shapes and forms, but that first bite is always a recognizable comfort.

In just about every culture you can find a different version of bread, whether it’s a baguette in Paris, a pita in Greece, or a tortilla in Mexico, it serves as the foundation for the entire meal. It’s the canvas that works of art are made out of.

With anything you build the foundation is critical. I would never build a house with artificial materials that were as thin as air. While I know the importance level of building a house and sandwich are on two different levels, foundation is foundation no matter how you look at it.

For some processed bread may be comfort, but for me it feels like a fraud. In a country that we are fortunate enough to have breads from all over the world at our fingertips, I want to enjoy every bite.

The gift of cooking

We have all heard the saying “If you give a man a fish you feed him for a night, but if you teach him how to fish you feed him for life”. Learning a skill is always beneficial for our well being, especially when it comes to cooking. We all choose to cook for different reasons. Some find it relaxing, others like to be in control of what is put in their food, while many see it as pure enjoyment. However, for a large portion of the country it is a chore that people are not willing to find the time for.

As a society we have always been divided into two groups, those who love to be creative and artistic and those who like to go straight by the book with rules and formulas. Yet, as life always proves we need to adapt to being both at one time or another. What I love about cooking is that it teaches us how to be both. With certain recipes we feel comfortable enough to add a dash of this and handful of that, letting the creative juices flow. With others there is a  need to stay straightforward following measurements and directions precisely. Learning how to cook teaches us that we can be both, it forces us to leave our comfort zone and step into a new world. It's both a science and an art, filled with history and memories.

Lately, with new shows like Food Revolution and the First Lady’s campaign against obesity, getting kids in the kitchen has become an issue of vital concern. Kids are growing up without learning anything about the kitchen, other than packaged and processed foods. There is no doubt that health is the number one concern when it comes to getting kids in the kitchen. Nevertheless, there is the larger story of cooking that children all over the country are missing out on. Learning to cook teaches us more than what’s seen on the surface. It's a skill that teaches us about life. It educates us mentally, physically and socially and to put it simply, it is a gift that is simply irreplaceable.

The Meal

What is a meal? It is easily describable with the standard table settings and components, but the meal is far from having a strict definition. The truth is that a definition of a meal goes beyond what can be seen in front of your eyes because it is the essence of a meal that we all leave the table remembering.

* A memorable meal at the Walnut Room in Chicago. That’s me at age 5 smiling at the camera.
As our world becomes filled with drive- thrus, vending machines and 24/7 activities our society is beginning to lose the meal. At one time or another we have all experienced the feeling of eating just to eat. The day is rushed and all of a sudden you realize you need food and find the simplest and quickest option without much thought elsewhere. It is my belief that a meal simply requires a connection to what you’re eating, whether it’s as simple as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or as extravagant as three- courses.

The traditional sit down meal was not an experience I grew up with every night. My mom is not a cook and never will enjoy the process of making a meal from scratch. In fact I grew up telling my mom she is the exact opposite of a "Fifties- style" mom. She didn’t serve homemade cookies after school and doesn’t have any secret “mom” recipes for chicken noodle soup. This is not the typical background of a foodie since it is no surprise to anyone when a famous chef, food writer or home cook attributes their love of food to a lifetime of shared recipes from family and friends. My love of food was something I was born with and even though my mom did not teach me how to cook or serve complete meals every night( forgetting side dishes was a common occurrence) she provided me with a life of joy with food in the center, homemade or not.

I know what it means to enjoy food, and what it feels like to share a meal with loved ones at the table. To many the meal may feel like an obligation, another daily ritual just like brushing your teeth. The meal in itself may just be food and table settings, but what occurs teaches us about each other, about our past and connects us as a society.

I encourage you all bring back the meal, foodie or not, because when food and love are combined only good things can happen.

Brunch has always been one of my favorite meals. Served at the perfect time of day, it’s the kind of meal that seems to force us all to slow down and relax. The best part is that a great deal of brunch items can be prepped and prepared ahead of time, keeping the atmosphere stress free and enjoyable. Try this recipe for Baked Orange French Toast that can easily be prepped the night before and placed in the oven the morning of the brunch.

Baked Orange French Toast
Recipe from the Betchel Victorian Mansion Bread and Breakfast Inn
6 Slices day old bread( French bread works nicely)
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. orange zest
4 eggs beaten
2/3 cup Orange Juice
Place the melted butter in a 8X10 oven safe baking dish. Combine the brown sugar, orange zest and cinnamon and pour over the butter.
Combine the eggs and orange juice in a separate bowl. Dip the slices of bread in the mixture and place on top of the butter brown sugar mixture in the baking pan.
At this point the french toast can be placed in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Once you take the pan out of the oven allow it to cool slightly. Flip the pan over onto the serving plate so that the caramelized brown sugar and juice is on the top of the dish.

A change of season, a change of flavors

There are a lot of signals that show a change of seasons. New fashion displays, kids riding their bikes and winter coats being pushed aside for sunglasses all give us hope spring is on the way. These visible signs are a main reason I always want to live in a state with four distinct seasons. Sure there are high points to living in California or Florida which is why I love to vacation there, but giving up that true moment of joy as signs of spring peek out after a long winter is something I could never give up.

As a foodie, a change in flavor is one of the most highly anticipated moments in the start of a new season. While I love hot chocolate I could never find the same joy from in it April as I do in the middle of January. Every season carries a special importance for food which is why I never get upset when a new one approaches.

Seasons help us all remember the beauty and authenticity that is meant to be part of food. Every season provides a new flavor profile that connects us to the food on a deeper level. Staple dishes can be given a new spin by simply adding different flavors. One of my favorite recipes to do this with is a risotto. The base is always the same: rice, chicken stock and a little dry wine but, by adding different vegetables and flavors you can transform the dish into something entirely new.

Every season brings a change of pace to our daily routine and if there is anything more connected to our daily life it is eating. We have to eat every day, so why not embrace the wonderful variety every season affords us.

Basic Risotto Recipe

Adapted from The Fresh Every Day Cook Book by Sara Foster

4-5 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

¾ cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1) Heat the chicken broth to a simmer in a small saucepan.

2) Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet. When the butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, do not brown.

3) Add the rice, stirring constantly, until the rice slides easily in the pan and is fully coated in the olive oil and butter. If too dry, add a little more olive oil.

4) Stir in the wine and cook until it evaporates. Stir in the chicken broth ½ cup at a time, allowing it to evaporate after each addition. Will take 20- 25 minutes for the entire process. You want the rice to be tender and creamy, not mushy. Season with salt and pepper.

From that base you can add any seasonal flavors. Roasted butternut squash is perfect in the fall. Asparagus, sautéed spinach or spring peas make a perfect spring flavor. Even a little lemon juice and lemon zest can bring a light refreshing flavor.

Have fun and experiment with every new season!