Kitchen Musings

On this particularly wet and blustery day, while I am so grateful to be inside, snug and warm, I am  contemplating all sorts of things culinary.  Fresh buns and cheesy garlic bacon bread are baking in the oven, a thick and rich marinara sauce is bubbling on the stove, and I am secretly paying homage to all of my lovely and precious kitchen items.  

I have a LOT of kitchen things. Pots, pans, bake ware, utensils, gadgets, dishes, small appliances - you name, I got it.  And, I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love to cook (and eat!) and over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of what I consider to be useful and essential kitchen items. Grab the mandolin for slicing scalloped potatoes.  The two sided carrot peeler does the trick in literally half the time. Bamboo steamers lovingly embrace the pork and ginger dumplings. The off set spatula is a God send for frosting the cake.  Not to mention the powerhouses of my kitchen, my Kitchen Aid mixer and my Braun double food processor, which are used on a daily (and sometimes hourly) basis.

My constant dilemma is where to store them all.  We have never had a kitchen large enough for all of our kitchen gear, let alone the pantry staples that are required to whip up a culinary delight from any continent on the planet.  Undoubtedly, on the scale of global problems, this is actually a non-problem.  No need to write the government or contact the UN, not just yet, at least.  For now, I am content to keep a rubbermaid of bake ware in my bedroom closet and some pantry dry goods in the laundry cupboards, while the canning supplies wait patiently in the garage for their turn in the sun.

Being a cosmic gypsy, I have had more kitchens than most people. In my adult life, I have had 22 kitchens, not including commercial kitchens. One had enough floor space to dance in, and one was barely big enough for two people fit in.  And somehow, my beloved kitchen items always found some place to be, somewhere in the house.

Over the years, I have come to appreciate a well designed kitchen, one with enough counter space, cupboard space, loads of drawers of all sizes, and an efficient flow.  However, no kitchen, no matter how spacious or well appointed, is complete without a willing and well intentioned cook.  I have put together amazing meals in all sorts of kitchens, from the campfire cook out, to the high end commercial kitchen.  No amount of granite counter tops or stainless steel appliances can make up for someone who is not inspired to be in the kitchen in the first place.

For me, the kitchen is my sanctuary, the place where I can go and forget about things for a while, the place where I definitely live in the moment.  Perhaps, most importantly, the kitchen is the place that I can nurture the people in my life, those who make me whole, and make my life come alive.  It is my place to give back, and pay forward, and without a doubt my absolutely favourite room in the house.  My kitchen is where the magic is.

Hummus Makes the World Go Round

Ah, the humble chickpea.  It sits there all unassuming and quiet, yellow-gold and round, just waiting for it's goodness to be unleashed.  

Apparently, we have been unleashing the goodness of chickpeas for about 7,500 years, making it one of the earliest cultivated legumes.  Starting out in the Middle East, chickpeas eventually made their way to Greece and Italy.  Given the conquering, invading, and generally socially unacceptable habits of the Romans, chickpeas quickly found their way to bowls around the world.  When I look at one of those lovely little yellow-gold gems, I like to imagine a large iron pot hanging over a fire, surrounded by weary Roman soldiers, anxious to dig into a scrumptious bowl of chickpea stew.

However, since we are currently in the middle of a heat wave, I am on the hunt for a nice cool meal, and so, am paying homage to the Middle Eastern wonder of hummus. That delightful blend of chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt that never fails to satisfy, even in the depths of winter (when normal people seek out hearty stews and soups I still love hummus).


I like my hummus with some raw veg (carrot, celery, and red pepper are my go to choices).  However, hummus also makes a very fine filling for a wrap - a thick layer of hummus, topped with a carrot, raisin, & cilantro slaw, and some nice fresh lettuce of your choice, and you have a simple, delicious and hugely nutritious, portable meal.  Of course, another of my hands down favourites is garlic toast smeared with a healthy portion of hummus (best, and less offensive, if everyone present has some too!) 


As usual, I like to twist things up.  I add cumin and curry powder to my hummus, taking things to a different, but equally chickpea friendly, continent entirely.  These Indian spices add another layer of goodness to an already wonderful dish and open up more mouth watering possibilities.  Instead of pita bread, try Naan. Or, try it with some oven roasted spicy potatoes instead of raw veggies. Or, add some to your next batch of Curried Cauliflower Soup.  Totally versatile and just begging for some attention, it's no wonder the humble little chickpea has been around for so long!

It's a Good Day to Make Bread

Actually, if the truth be told, in my world, every day is a good day to make bread.  I must have spent many a past lives as a peasant, 'cause I simply LOVE bread.  All things about bread are good - kneading the dough is as hypnotic, mesmerizing, and meditative as staring into a camp fire; watching the tiny and seemingly innocent yeast granules transform the flour into a living and breathing entity; shaping the dough into countless beautiful and amazing designs; patiently (okay, impatiently) peering into the oven, a helpless victim of my saliva glands; and, finally, succumbing to the smell and taste of freshly baked bread.  It never fails to satisfy.

While I absolutely love to bake bread, I must admit that I am hindered by an intolerance for heat.  And so, on hot summer days, I have to plan my bread baking around the thermometer.  This sometimes leads to carefully selecting recipes (such as a no kneading bread recipe that is actually started the day before you want to bake it) or early morning start times and interrupted sleep schedules (that's when the monkey on my back needs to start kicking in rent money!).

So, today, I am very grateful for a reprieve in the recent unseasonably hot temperatures.  Last night's thundershower has washed away yesterday's heat and humidity and I am reborn with baking inspiration.  Today I will make hamburger buns.  Actually, I first made this recipe as hamburger buns, but they quickly became my family's all around favourite bun for just about everything.  They make great sandwiches, generous sized dinner rolls, and kick-ass garlic cheese toast.  

Super easy to make, this unassuming recipe is good for even novice bakers. This recipe makes 12 decent sized buns, but feel free to adjust the size of each little delightful dough ball to suit your needs (smaller for dinner rolls, and larger for something kaiser sized).  I like to use my KitchenAid mixer to do the initial mixing and kneading, and finish off the kneading by hand.

 Ingredients

 

 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar or honey
1 cup (250 mL) warm water
2-1/4 tsp (11 mL) active dry yeast (1 package would do)

1 cup (250 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1-1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) salt
5 cups (1.25 L) flour, approx - you can substitute up to 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat or other flours
1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water
sesame seeds, poppy seeds, if you want to fancy them up 

 

Method

In the mixing bowl, dissolve 1 tsp (5 mL) of the sugar or honey in warm water. Sprinkle in the yeast and let the mixture stand until nice and frothy (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat half of the milk, the remaining sugar or honey, butter and salt  just until butter is melted; add the remaining cold milk to the saucepan to cool the mixture.  Now add this to the yeast mixture.

Using the paddle attachment, beat in 4 cups (1 L) of the flour, 1 cup (250 mL) at a time, until smooth. Switch to the kneading hook and start slowly adding flour by the spoonful until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Let each addition of flour work in before adding more flour.  When the sides of the bowl are clean you can start hand kneading until the mixture is soft and elastic.  If you prefer, you can let the dough knead until soft and elastic in the mixer.  Total kneading time will be about ten minutes. The dough should still be slightly sticky to the touch.

Add a little oil to the mixing bowl, add the dough, turning to cover with oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Punch down dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 pieces.  Now shape each piece into a ball, stretching and pinching the dough underneath to smooth tops. Place the dough balls 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on greased baking sheet (parchment or silpat are also good options); flatten slightly. Cover and let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 60 minutes.

Brush egg yolk mixture gently over tops; sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds (if using). Bake in centre of 400°F (200°C) oven until golden and buns sound hollow when tapped on bottoms, 20 to 25 minutes.  Adjust the baking time for different sized buns.  Transfer to rack and let cool.

Variations:  These little buns are also good with an addition of herbs/spices - lots of options here - oregano, rosemary, herbs de provence, caraway, fennel,  dried onion or garlic, etc.  If you like, double the sugar or honey, add cinnamon and raisins for wonderful breakfast buns.  Let you imagination take a ride on the wild side!

Date Night...at the grocery store!

Anyone who has been married for any length of time can relate to Date Night, that precious allotment of time put aside for nurturing and connecting with your spouse.  And, they can also relate to how easily Date Night gets postponed or cancelled when children are thrown into the mix and life hands out coughs, colds, and fevers with ironically bad timing and a seemingly evil sense of humour.

Over the years, my husband and I have missed more than our share of Date Nights.  As our 17th anniversary approaches we find ourselves a whole lot less choosy about exactly how we spend our time together, content with simply being able to share each others company, being able to complete a sentence without an interruption from our walking and talking gene pool.

Spice things up at the grocery store!

We occasionally go out for a drink together at one of our local watering holes.  Sometimes we even revel in the luxury of someone else doing the cooking as we dine out.  However, when we really want to spice things up, we do Date Nights at the grocery store as we combine practicality with indulgence while we shop for necessities and browse the food aisles in search of new and tantalizing delicacies. 

Fellow foodies can relate to a luxurious stroll through the grocery store, taking the time to check out new items, the International and Organic sections, and lovingly caress the produce, ever mindful of the great promise locked inside all those latent masterpieces.  As I linger over preserved lemons or local lamb, I am mentally going over the possibilities, already smelling and tasting the potential creations that await me.  

I love that a simple ingredient reminds me of some long forgotten recipe, some delicious dish that obviously needs to be recreated in the very near future, enticing me back into the kitchen where my shiny pots and pans await.  What will it be tonight...Italy's seductive Suppli - those amazing little balls of deep fried risotto stuffed with basil and mozzarella....Greek lamb sausages with a side of Spanikopitta and Greek salad with lots of feta cheese.....a Moroccan feast of a Chicken, Preserved Lemon, and Olive Tagine accompanied by a lovely Couscous Salad with lots or parsley and mint and a medley of dates, oranges, and carrots all laced with some exotic orange flower water.  The possibilities are staggeringly endless and wonderfully intoxicating.

As Will and I wander the aisles, enjoying the rapture of our culinary fore play, we savour our relationship and are grateful for this journey together.  No doubt, we have shared many past lives, for our connection was instant (we often joke that we only had half a date before we knew we were destined to be together).  I do not know if my obsession and love affair with food was part of one of those past lives, but I am certainly grateful that it permeates this life. 

Finding the Magic

Most days I dwell happily and contentedly in the glow of optimism and gratitude. On these days I can easily find the silver lining and my glass is always at least half full.  The sun's rays miraculously find their way into my heart while I follow the yellow brick road.

There are, however, days when it seems that the yellow brick road leads to the cliff's edge, and the winds blow hard and cold as I cling to the narrow precipice as I struggle with the next step.  The storm comes up fast and furious and I wish that someone could tell me how long I will have to hang on, because the thought of bracing myself indefinitely is completely overwhelming. 

Rustic Italian Bread

I have seen more than one of these stormy days in the last week, and while there is always a part of me that knows that this too shall pass and the sun will once again grace my path, the daily struggles seem enormous.  My hermit-like tendencies become intensified as each day I do my best to put one foot in front of the other until it is once again time to be wrapped in the arms of Morpheus and look for some solace.

While I usually stay out of the kitchen and do as little cooking as possible on these days, there are times when some good old fashioned back to basics cooking is just what the doctor ordered.  Today, I ventured into the kitchen to get up close and personal with some hand made therapy and bake some bread.

Bread making is a wonderfully meditative and peaceful seclusion that taps into some ancient wisdom of the soul.  Bread making helps me find the magic again.  

The magic starts with the yeast.  Mix a little warm, sweet, water with some tiny balls of yeast and I am mesmerized by each lovely little bead of yeast as it comes to life, exploding into a bubbly and frothy concoction filled with promise.  I can't seem to pull myself away from the bowl, watching with the enthusiasm of a young child.  It always seems a shame to add the flour and end the show.

Fortunately, kneading the dough gives immense pleasure as well.  But now, instead of visual joy, I switch to tactile joy, as the dough is magically transformed into a silky, elastic ball of goodness.  By the time the dough is ready for its first rise, my mood is somehow lighter, and I can see the sun shining through the front window, eagerly searching me out.

Of course, the magic reaches its ultimate climax as the smell of freshly baked bread fills the house and we all eagerly wait for the golden loaf to cool just enough to tear open and become intimately acquainted with some farm fresh butter.  The crunch of the crust and the satisfying chewiness of the interior of the Italian Rustic loaf somehow make the storm of the week seem a distant memory.  As I eat the gloriously simple and divinely delicious concoction, I can somehow connect to a past life in some far off French village where the daily baking was done in the communal hearth in the center of the village as the villagers shared the weight and the joys of daily life.

With the sun fully in my face, I am once again content with the world.  Cooking is truly good for the soul!

Ahh....Comfort Food

Fall is such a delightful time of year.  The intense heat of the summer has subsided, the air is crisp and filled with wondrous smells, and we are witness to some pretty spectacular fall colours as Mother Nature paints the landscape for our viewing pleasure.  Another favourite fall happening is the recurrence of comfort foods...those rich and flavourful dishes that just seem too heavy for the heat of summer.

Deep Dish Meat Pie

Both my husband and son are carnivores at heart, and so to please the ones I love, I now serve up far more meaty meals than I did in my single life.  As far as they are concerned, vegetables are something they do to make me happy, and the more cheese sauce, the better!  I have had to find new and creative ways to sneak veggies into dishes, in an effort to feed more balanced meals and to appease their intestinal gods.

With this in mind, I agreed to my son's request for a meat pie, a true comfort food in just about any culture.  Meat pies actually have a long and cherished history. The ancient Egyptians made a sort of free form meat pie called a "gallette" and cook books from the sixteenth century tell how to make pastry for the original one-pot meal, using seasonal meats and veggies.  Meat tarts (the meat pie's smaller but equally delicious cousin) made for a handy traveling meal for the likes of Robin Hood and his merry men, while the Romans used them as gifts to the gods.

 

To make my own gift to the gods, this Deep Dish Meat Pie starts off with one pound of lean local ground beef, but you could use any combination on ground meats, including pork, veal, turkey, or chicken, adjusting the seasonings to match your meat - pork and veal love sage, while turkey and chicken love thyme.  Of course, no self respecting meat pie is without onions (or shallots), garlic, and a little Marsala wine (or port, or brandy, or sherry, or any good, bold red wine).  

My secret for incorporating veggies into this heavenly meat pie is to bring out my trusty kitchen grater.  Grated carrots and potatoes not only magically "hide" in and amongst the meat mixture nicely, but also cook up faster than the cubed variety.  Season up everything nicely with oregano, tomato paste or sauce, some salt, a little brown sugar, and a touch of HP sauce (affectionately known as "brown sauce" in my house!).  Add just enough water (or stock) and flour mixture to make a little gravy, and you are all set.  Finish off with a scrumptiously sinful all butter pastry and you will have them begging for seconds.

 

The Secret Ingredient

My shelves are overflowing with cookbooks.  Over the years, and with each move into a new home, I have tried to pare back on my beloved little library, thinking that I should not have so many cookbooks.  Of course, I now regret shedding even one of those lovely little creatures, and have even managed to replace a few.  At present, I am comfortable with having a rather large cookbook selection (somewhere around 150) and it is with great pleasure and anticipation that I encourage them to find romantic partners, and in the still of the night, make baby cookbooks.

When I first started seriously delving into the art of cooking, I would follow the recipe religiously, hoping that my creation would look something like the photo (for then I was only interested in cookbooks with pictures!).  Over the years, I have adopted a much bolder and innovative approach to cooking.  Now, almost 30 years later (where has the time gone!), I rarely follow a recipe, preferring to use it as inspiration instead.  When I am interested in trying out a new dish, I gather all of my pertinent cookbooks, possibly consult the internet, and form my own recipe, picking and choosing the parts of each recipe that appeal to me, and, of course, imparting my own intuitive wisdom into the mix.  In fact, I find it impossible now to follow a recipe to the letter, always preferring to make some adjustment towards perfection.

For me, the most interesting thing about all of the recipes in all of my cookbooks, is that they leave out the most important ingredient.  There is one ingredient that must be in every great recipe.  This ingredient is found in your Grandma's kitchens, in birthday cakes around the world, and is the one ingredient that will make any recipe taste better.  The ingredient is Love.  Love and the energy of Love somehow magically alter and improve any recipe, taking even an ordinary sandwich to new gastronomic heights.  

The wonderful thing is that it is so easy to add Love into your food, so easy to take your cooking to the next level without any additional fuss, muss, or cost.  There are a few simple guidelines to cooking with Love.  First, it will only work when you are relaxed and at ease - negative emotions have no place in the kitchen.  Second, while you are slicing, stirring, or simmering, imagine how good the food you're preparing will taste and how it will feed and fuel the body.  Third - and this is the really magic part! - gather your feelings of Love in your heart and then send it into the food, imagine the waves of Love energy flowing from you to the food.  Poof!  Instant transformation!

Be bold and innovative in the kitchen.  Experiment with new ingredients and new cuisines.  Be playful and have fun - yes, as adults we can play with our food!  But, most importantly, be filled with Love while you are cooking and you will be amazed at the magic that you can create!