All posts tagged: bread

Delightful Danish Brown Bread

Published by Kathy Hunt

At the end of summer I spent two idyllic weeks in the magical, Scandinavian land known as the Kingdom of Denmark. Vikings, Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Hans Christian Anderson as well as Legos, Lars von Trier and Chef Rene Redzepi have all called this series of lovely islands home. Frequently ranked as the world’s happiest country, Denmark has the world’s highest minimum wage, a high per capita income, environmental and historic preservation, free university education and universal healthcare. It’s a country of breathtaking architecture, influential designers, renowned writers, fervent cyclists, golden fields, rugged coastlines and amazingly fresh, tasty, wholesome foods. Weeks after returning from vacation I remain wildly smitten with Denmark. Top among my obsessions are Danish pastries, films, mystery writers, the TV series Forbrydelsen, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots and the country’s dark, nutty brown bread. I first tried this hearty specialty six years ago in Sweden. There it’s known simply as Danish bread. In Denmark it’s called rugbrød, a flavorful, dark rye bread chocked full of whole grains and fiber. Danes eat it at breakfast. …

Perfecting Pita

Published by Kathy Hunt

I’d call this my winter of eating globally but, truthfully, my interest in world cuisines started early and largely as a result of my Western Pennsylvania hometown. A former steel city, New Castle boasted of an array of ethnic backgrounds and extraordinary foods. Forget bland white bread, burgers, tomato soup and apple pie. I grew up eating such exotic, Mediterranean specialties as spinach pie (spanikopita), stuffed grape leaves (dolma), pasta fagioli and tiramisu. A childhood favorite that I still adore is pita. Unfortunately, depending on whose you’ve eaten, this Mediterranean flat bread is either an ethereal vessel for falafel and souvlaki or a dry, tough disc that’s impossible to chew. In recent months, as markets and Mediterranean cafes change their bakeries, I’ve been stuck with the unappetizing kind. Because I love the tag team of hummus and pita — I could eat it every day of the week — I’ve become annoyed, really annoyed, with the lousy pita supply. Enter homemade pita. Soft and airy, it’s a far cry from stale, store-bought bread. Plus, it’s …

Squash!

Published by Kathy Hunt

Stop to admire a friend’s flourishing fall garden and you may walk away with an armload of autumn vegetables. This happened to me two weekends ago when I visited college friends in Lancaster County, Pa. Although I had gone to Amish country empty-handed, I returned home with bags of homegrown pumpkins and butternut squash. Unquestionably, I was grateful for the unexpected gifts but I was also at a loss for what to do with all this food. Considered by many cooks to be the best winter squash, the bowling pin-shaped butternut possesses a tough, smooth, tan skin. Cut into the skin with a heavy, serrated knife and you’ll find creamy, orange, fragrant flesh. Some compare its sweet, rich flavor to sweet potatoes while others liken it to roasted chestnuts. To me it tastes like butternut squash. A versatile vegetable, this squash goes nicely with savory foods such as bacon, anchovies, cheese, garlic and onions. It also compliments such sweets as brown sugar, coconut, maple syrup, vanilla and yams. In spite of its versatility I tend …

Pop on over!

Published by Kathy Hunt

They’re airy! They’re crisp! They’re buttery! They’re one of the best foods adapted from English cooks. They’re popovers! Derived from Yorkshire pudding, that puffy mainstay of the British Sunday roast, popovers date back to 19th century America. Unlike their English forbearer, which was baked in a rectangular pan with a layer of meat drippings, popovers were cooked without beef fat in individual cups. As a result, instead of a fluffy souffle-like dish, you ended up with golden, crusty yet velvety rolls. Similar to Yorkshire pudding, popovers come from a simple combination of eggs, milk, butter and flour. The ratio of liquid to dry ingredients gives the batter its levity or “popover-ness.” In the oven the liquids create steam, which causes the rolls to puff up. Tear into a popover and you’ll find a perfect hollow center, the lovely side effect of all that steam. Steam also provides these baked goods with their name. As the steam increases, it pops the batter over the sides of each individual baking cup. Hence the moniker “popover.” Although some …

Make It Quick . . . Banana Bread!

Published by Kathy Hunt

Thanks to a dozen brown bananas over-ripening on my kitchen counter, I spent a good chunk of last weekend making loaf after loaf of banana bread. I could just as easily have baked dozens of banana muffins or even a few coffeecakes. They all fall into the same category of baked goods known as quick breads. As their name indicates, quick breads are made quickly. Unlike with white, whole wheat, rye and other yeast breads, I don’t while away hours letting the dough rise. Likewise, I don’t spend precious time kneading it. I simply mix the ingredients together, pour the batter into a greased pan and allow the loaf to bake. The absence of yeast is what gives quick breads their short prep time. A living organism, yeast requires a draft-free, warm environment of between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. It also needs moisture and food, such as sugar and starch, to grow. As it grows, it gives off carbon dioxide, which causes the dough to rise. The first rise can take anywhere from one …