Tea and biscuits

July 22, 2019July 20, 2019

The Queen’s Drop Scones

This gluten free flour is perfect for the drop scones

When I first started this blog, I wanted to begin with the Queen’s daily cuppa – Twining’s Earl Grey. As I was researching the Queen’s tea drinking (thankfully I am not the only person interested in such things as there is a great deal written about it) I came across Royal Teas: Seasonal Recipes from Buckingham Palace. Of course I ordered it immediately. And upon it’s arrival devoured, with my eyes, every page of history, ingredients, and gorgeous photographs.

The first recipe in the book is Her Majesty’s Recipe for Drop Scones, c. 1960. I’ve made scones before. I presumed that these were akin to a drop biscuit (think Bisquick). I was so wrong. These are pancakes. Flapjacks. Griddle cakes. “This type of small pancake, dropped on to a hot griddle to cook, has a place in almost every cuisine in the world. The drop scone, or ‘Scotch pancake’ is very similar to the American breakfast pancakes.“

I’d like to point out that in the introduction on page 12, it is mentioned that this recipe allegedly was sent by Queen Elizabeth II to President Dwight Eisenhower. Think Liz emails her favourite recipes to Obama? We can only hope so.

Is it me, or does Liz look SUPER uncomfortable? Perhaps that’s a distant gaze that goes beyond her circumstances the moment this was taken, and she was day dreaming of drop scones at Balmoral. Thanks to The Telegraph for this historical photo.

Before we dive into this interesting tidbit of history any further, let’s look at the history of pancakes.

According to National Geographic, we have evidence of people eating flat cakes made of batter and fried (likely on hot rocks) as far back as 5,300 years ago. Ancient Greeks and Romans ate pancakes with honey. Elizabethans ate them flavoured with spices, rosewater, sherry and apples. Spices, and sugar, were luxury items during the Elizabethan era and were only available to the elite. I grew up Catholic, but never took part in Shrove Tuesday a.k.a. Pancake Day which is the day before the beginning of Lent. This was when people ate all the butter and eggs and flour before 40 days of fasting and purification prior to Easter. I’m sure it was also to eat all the stuff in the pantry before it went off. People all around me as an adult seem to enjoy this and have embraced eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday – regardless of their religious affiliations. I mean, who doesn’t like pancakes?

The Queen and Eisenhower had a long acquaintance. They had met when she was a princess, and he the Supreme Allied Command in London. He had been friends with her parents. Eisenhower hosted her in 1951 at her first visit to the US, and again in 1957 during her first state visit to the US as Queen. And she hosted him in 1959 at Balmoral.

Eisenhower cooking quail in the White House Solarium. You had NO IDEA when you clicked on this blog that you’d be getting such a gastronomical and historical lesson.

Back to this royal recipe sharing. In a letter from Buckingham Palace dated 24 January 1960, the Queen wrote:

Dear Mr. President, Seeing a picture of you in today’s newspaper standing in front of a barbecue grilling quail, reminded me that I had never sent you the recipe of the drop scones which I promised you at Balmoral. I now hasten to do so, and I do hope you will find them successful.

She goes on to tell him how the recipe is for 16 people, and how she changes the amounts depending on how many she’s feeding. She says “I have also tried using golden syrup or treacle instead of only sugar, and that can be very good, too.“

Okay fellow Americans, here is your introduction to golden syrup. I have been able to find it easily in the international food section of nearly every grocery store in Massachusetts. But you can also order it on Amazon. I am so glad they offer it in the plastic squeeze bottle, as the tinned version is messy. I discovered golden syrup because of Sherlock. My daughter and I needed to know what Ginger Nuts are (yes, she calls me a Ginger Nut as well). I bought some at the grocery store, and then I made some. We will discuss those later!

As for black treacle, we are all familiar with it to some degree thanks to Hagrid in the Harry Potter books and films. I’ve not used treacle, as I’ve not had cause to purchase it for any baking, but it is described as much the same as molasses.

This post is quite the journey!

On to the drop scones…

The recipes in the book have adaptations for Americans. While super thoughtful of the author, the recipes still require a bit of divination. Let me break down what I used. I have made these twice now, once with regular white flour, and once with King Arthur Gluten Free flour. Both were excellent.

1 free range egg (while my hens eggs are fairly free range, don’t think you have to be a snob about this. Thumb your nose at the bourgeois and use a store bought egg! Use an egg replacer! Rebel!

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar, 1 teaspoon melted butter, 1 cup milk (I don’t keep milk so I use 1/2 cup half & half with 1/2 cup water), 2 cups of flour (because who the heck has a 7/8 measuring cup??) 2 1/2 tsps baking powder (because ‘Murica or something). I use olive oil cooking spray on my griddle. Do as you like.

These are fluffy. These are so much nicer than a standard pancake. These will now be my go-to pancake.

I whipped up some berry jams to enjoy with my drop scones. In honour of my half English maternal grandmother, we are using her linen napkins and her silver butter dish.

I have to say, if you enjoy cooking, high tea, English traditions and history, you should buy yourself a copy of this book. I hope you enjoyed this unexpected trek through history, and that you will make and enjoy some of Her Majesty’s Drop Scones.

July 15, 2019July 14, 2019

Coconut Flour Shortbread – gluten free, dairy free

I love how my black apron disguises my reflection in the mixing bowl.

Before we begin, let us remember what my standard shortbread recipe is:

1 cup butter

⅔ cups powdered sugar

1 ¾ cups flour

Bake at 325 F for 10-12 minutes, 13-14 for a crispier cookie.

This cookie is 1 cup refined coconut oil (use the unrefined if you want and like the flavour of coconut. Some brands have coconut flakes in the oil), 2/3 cups powdered sugar, and 1 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Flour.

I’m a huge fan of Bob’s Red Mill. They make my life so much easier when I need to cook or bake for friends and family with dietary restrictions or choices. Thank you, Bob, and your Red Mill.

I’m not a hipster, but I do like glass jars. My first bag of the coconut flour was not in the new resealable packaging. To keep my cabinet organized I put all my grains, flours and such in large canning jars (or empty honey or pasta sauce jars). I cut the label off the bag when it was empty (important step, fyi) and taped it to the jar with clear packing tape. Why am I telling you this? Because someone somewhere is going to wonder or ask.

This is me, rebelling against the normal, the expected, and trying to deliver tasty treats for people I love.

Our friend Bob says of his coconut flour ” Organic coconut flour is a delicious, nutritious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. Created from the highest quality desiccated coconut, coconut flour is one of our most popular gluten free flours. Use it to make pancakes, cookies, muffins and more. “

If you have not used coconut flour before, it is dense. These cookies are no joke. You need to dunk them in a beverage and sip said beverage between bites. Don’t think you can pop one in your mouth and move on with your day. Don’t think you can sneak one before lunch when your wife isn’t looking. You will choke. Ask my dad.

These do have a *slight* coconut flavour to them. If you really want to go all out coconutty, get an unrefined coconut oil, add flaked coconut, or McCormick’s Coconut extract. I like their extracts. While their website is *slightly* (in my opinion) oblique with the “made with real coconut and other premium ingredients”, “alcohol, water, natural flavor & extractives of coconut” I like their extracts and use them often.

My newest addition to shortbread is icing. Make an icing out of powdered sugar, coconut extract and water (for dairy free). I make it thick, spread on with the back of a spoon, freeze for about 30 minutes to set the icing, then put into containers.

July 14, 2019

Numi Organic Aged Earl Grey

As much as I prefer loose leaf teas, I had to try this bagged one. It’s Earl Grey. One day I will have sampled every Earl Grey on the planet.

You can get Numi’s Aged Earl Grey loose. At $29.95 for a 16 ounce bag, that’s a darned good price. If this is your go-to Earl Grey, you can’t go wrong with ordering this.

Why is it aged? Are we talking handsome elderly gentleman aged? Wizened old grandpa aged? Sexy white haired professor type with a trimmed beard?

“We age organic Assam black tea with real Italian Bergamot so the tea absorbs the orange scent.”

I don’t quite know what this means. I’d love to see how this aging process happens.

I got mine at the local grocery in their “natural foods” section. Clearly the grocery people believe organic tea is too fancy to be on the shelf with the plebeian tea of Bigelow, Stash, Lipton and the like.

They may be correct. This tea is delightful. And I like the company. Not familiar with them? Let’s check them out, shall we…

According to their Our Difference page, they use 100% Real Ingredients (you know it’s important when it’s capitalized. Reading A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories taught me that). They do not use ‘natural’ or artificial flavourings, perfumes or fragrances. I have to say – it shows. On the tongue and in the nose. They also use ‘full leaf quality’. “Our full leaf teas steep slowly and evenly, and deliver a smooth, rich flavor”. This is a statement I can sit here and sip by. Check out their full story here.

If you’ve read my other posts, you know I appreciate when tea companies are forthcoming with what tea they use. Numi uses Assam black. They source their organic tea leaves from an estate in Assam, India that allocates their Fair Trade funds towards schools, cooking stoves, mosquito nets and women’s self-empowerment programs.

Assam is a state in northeastern India known for its wildlife, archeological sites and tea plantations. In the west, Guwahati, Assam’s largest city, features silk bazaars and the hilltop Kamakhya Temple. Umananda Temple sits on Peacock Island in the Brahmaputra river. The state capital, Dispur, is a suburb of Guwahati. The ancient pilgrimage site of Hajo and Madan Kamdev, the ruins of a temple complex, lie nearby.

Legit – for this reason alone we should be drinking this tea.

A photo of Assam, India from the incredible northeastindia site. Your tea comes from here.

Numi’s ingredients for this tea – Fair Trade Certified organic Assam black tea, organic bergamot.

What can I say about this tea? It’s a proper Earl Grey. It is a bold, dark black tea. It is full of that bergamot flavour that we Earl Grey addicts crave. While it won’t become my go-to daily cup, I have been enjoying this at least once a week, and will likely keep purchasing it.

This mug requires two tea bags. For those of you not familiar with Egyptian hieroglyphs, this is one way to write the name of the God Osiris. The hare was associated with water because they swim. Ancient Egyptians may have believed hares came from the ocean. Interesting fact – hares in Northern Africa are the same as those in Europe – which is where the myth of Ostara’s Hare, and the Easter Bunny, come from.

July 9, 2019July 7, 2019

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Picnic Treats Made with Raspberries – Shortbread (surprise!) and Tartlets

I have a friend who is both gluten and dairy free. We were planning a day trip to Yarmouth, MA to visit the Edward Gorey House on a free museum Friday. And we clearly needed to have a picnic lunch. She requested “something with raspberries”.

Mr. Gorey peers out the window at the popcorn man. I think he wants my cookies.

The first thing I wanted to make was lemon bars, but with fresh raspberries in the center. I forgot lemon juice at the market, but got a fresh lime. *shrug* This odd lapse, this inspired subconscious action, led to such deliciousness that the lack of lemon is not to be mourned.

My personal copy. Got it used in perfect condition on Amazon. It’s the 7th printing released in 1982.

Alright, Betty, let’s see how I can play with these guidelines…

Above is the recipe as printed in the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. Below is what I did with these ‘guidelines’.

I cup King Arthur All Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup refined coconut oil (so it doesn’t taste like coconut), 1/4 cup powdered sugar

I mixed these, pressed the dough into cupcake liners in my muffin tin and baked for 20 minutes.

2 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/2 a zested lime. I poured this into the hot crusts, and placed two raspberries in the center. I baked for about 25 minutes.

Raspberry Lime Tartlet fresh from the oven, waiting for my daughter to sample it.

And I, of course, had to make shortbread. I believe it’s expected of me at this point.

Into the mixer, in my standard measurements went the 1 3/4 cups King Arthur Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, 1 cup coconut oil, 2/3 cup powdered sugar… and the remaining fresh raspberries that did not go into the tarts. The dough was a pretty bright pink.

The dough stayed together perfectly. It was exactly like working with regular shortbread dough.

Pretty in Pink. She wore a raspberry shortbread. #notsorry

While these are delicious exactly as they are, my gluten and dairy free friend has often sighed over the lack of truly tasty desserts available to her. I can’t allow this. The Little Old Italian Lady Who Lives in My Soul can’t allow this.

While I don’t have exact measurements for you (sorry for those who need directions) I mixed powdered sugar, a tiny bit of water, and a few capfuls of McCormick flavor extracts. I even dyed them so we could tell them apart. I made icing in orange and raspberry with the flavor extracts, and lime with fresh lime juice and zest.

The cookies baked up a pale purple. The purple icing is raspberry, the green icing is lime.

While on our picnic, we discussed how much joy I take in preparing delicious food for people. And we talked about how some people take no joy in preparing food, or eating it. The Little Old Italian Lady Who Lives in My Soul is out to tell people there is joy to be found in preparing and eating good food.

Now we come to The Most Interesting Food Reviews I’ve had to date. It went from “tell me what you think” to “are we playing Shag, Marry, Kill with my baking???”

On the Raspberry Lime Tartlets …

She proclaimed she would “have a torrid affair with, then marry” the tarts.

Well, damn.

The plain raspberry shortbreads didn’t get any love. She ate the shortbreads in this order: orange, raspberry, lime.

“I would have a torrid affair with the orange ones, but not marry them. I would just sleep with the raspberry ones. And the lime iced ones I would have absolutely adored if I hadn’t eaten the others first.”

“Shaggable” Orange Iced Raspberry Shortbread. Who knew?

July 8, 2019June 30, 2019

Simpson & Vail Creamy Earl Grey

Also known as The Day I Learned Vanilla Gives Me Headache.

Allow me to clarify. Too much vanilla gives me a headache. I can’t determine if imitation vanilla flavoring does it. I suspected too much vanilla makes my head ache when I was experimenting with London Fogs. I was using organic vanilla extract. As a result, I will not be doing further experimenting with London Fog tea.

Before we move on to the tea, I would like to note I only found a few references for vanilla causing headaches. There are many alternative medicine articles saying that vanilla can treat headache and migraine. WebMd says “It might also cause headache and sleep problems (insomnia), especially for people who manufacture vanilla extract.” I shan’t look for a career change in the vanilla extract manufacturing sector.

Now on to the tea…

I really dislike ingredients lists that don’t tell you anything.

First sniff- delightful. Strong bergamot scent. Some other scent is wedged between the bergamot and black tea. Likely whatever makes it “creamy”.

Package lists ingredients as black tea and flavorings. No indication of Assam or Ceylon. No note about the nature of the flavorings.
Scent while steeping- no bergamot. Just black tea. Same post steep.

It looks good. Leaves not too short. Smells like bergamot.

First sip- ahhh… yes… Earl Grey. And vanilla.

Website does not have further information on ingredients. It is certified kosher. One blog link on the page takes us to tea review blog. Here the blogger firmly indicates it is blended with “a creamy smooth vanilla”. The link to RateTea.com no longer has the review up.

Simpson & Vail’s description states the following: This variation of an Earl Grey blend has rapidly become a best seller! The tantalizing, heady aroma of this blend and with the smooth, creamy flavor that lingers on the taste buds combines to create a delicious sensory delight. Earl Grey tea is a favorite with bakers in many culinary recipes. It goes especially well with cakes, cookies, confections and any recipe with chocolate!

Okay. Nothing about them adding vanilla, vanilla flavouring, cream flavour… nothing. Their main Earl Grey page says the teas are “scented” with bergamot oil.

If we go to their Earl Grey Aromatic Tea page, they list here the types of black tea they use – Darjeeling, Assam, Chinese, and Sri Lankan teas. S&V goes on to say that they spray the tea leaves with the oil of Bergamot.

Here we go, down to the bottom of the cup. The vanilla flavor is strong. It overpowers the bergamot as the tea cools.

The headache I get from vanilla makes my forehead and temples feel as if the veins and capillaries have all expanded and are vying for the most real estate surrounding my brain.

I really did not like this tea. I should have started with any of the other black Earl Grey varieties I ordered from them. I wouldn’t want my reaction to what we can only presume is vanilla to keep people away from enjoying this one.

https://www.cefaly.us/blog/952/less-headaches-using-cefaly-device-fda-approved-migraine-treatment-beverly

https://www.svtea.com/

July 1, 2019June 30, 2019

Golden Moon Tippy Earl Grey

Some weeks I feel adventurous and try out a different tea every morning. The day before I tried this literal gem, I had a tea I will review later that gave me headache. When I reached for this, I prayed it would be good.

Thankfully, Golden Moon Tea’s Tippy Earl Grey is a genuine delight. Let us begin with their own words…

We decided to do the impossible and try and make an Earl Grey that would make even the pickiest Brit proud. Why is it impossible? Because Earl Grey drinkers tend to be a bit crazy about who makes the best version of this beloved tea. So, we decided to go back to the motherland and see how the best Earl Grey is made in London. 33 tea establishments later and we feel we have finally found a true Earl Grey. Our Tippy Earl Grey has a fresh bergamot flavor (because we use 100% bergamot extract) and a rich tea base made up of three distinct teas from across the world. We’re confident that once you have the real stuff it will be hard to go back.

Ingredients

Organic Black Tea, Organic Bergamot Peel, Organic Bergamot Oil

“You will not only taste the difference, but your body will feel the difference.” – This is not a lie. Lady Grey Moonlight is going to start taking on the nickname “Tippy”. Very public school, as they say.

The first thing that sets our Earl Grey apart is the fact that we use 100% bergamot oil that is only found in Southern Italy. Most use a weird flavoring that can’t compare to the real thing. Next, we actually use the peel of the bergamot fruit (which is like a tiny grapefruit) to add an extra layer of bergamotty goodness. Lastly, we mix and age them for 30 days with three estate tea gardens (Keemun, Yunnan, and Assam). By using only real ingredients in our Tippy Earl Grey, it gives us a tea that will make the most discerning fan proud.

Let’s break this down, shall we…

So much beauty and flavour in the palm of my hand.

Yes. As an Earl Grey drinker I am a bit crazy about the best version of this tea. If you (looks at several tea companies out there) are adding bergamot oil or peels or ‘flavoring’ to anything that isn’t a black tea, preferably an Assam or Ceylon, I firmly believe you’re doing it wrong. Green Earl Grey? Rooibos Earl Grey? (Shakes head sadly) If you (looking at some of the same tea companies) aren’t using real bergamot, what are you even doing?

33 tea establishments in London? Sounds like a dream vacation. Golden Moon, are you hiring???

Yes, Golden Moon’s Tippy Earl Grey has a fresh bergamot flavor. The 100% bergamot extract along with the actual peel of the bergamot fruit make this this most bergamotty (gods, I love that they wrote that on their site) Earl Grey I’ve had to date.

Bergamots on a tree. Green oranges. Yep. Language is weird. Nature is amazing. https://www.farmersalmanac.com/what-is-bergamot-30519

I love when tea companies tell us what tea estates they get their teas from. Keemun, Yunnan and Assam. No guessing. No vague AF “black tea”. For those of us who care about learning to refine our palettes so we may identify the base black tea when someone offers us an unknown cup, this is relevant information.

Thank you, Facebook ads for putting the Golden Moon Tea Company’s adverts in my feed. This Earl Grey one of the best I’ve ever had. Thank you Golden Moon Tea for making Tippy Earl Grey.

Now to find someone to take the bag of Moroccan Mint off my hands. It has spearmint in it (tries not to gag just thinking about it).

This is so good, it came to work with me.

June 30, 2019

Father’s Day Shortbreads – A few more flavours to entice you! Coffee, Anise, and Honey.

I was catering lunch for my dad for Father’s Day. Family attending (aside from my parents) were myself, my daughter, my youngest sister, her wife, and their two small babies. Food restrictions: gluten intolerance (1), lactose intolerance (2), vegetarian (1), kosher (3). No worries. *cracks knuckles* I got this.

Me and my dad. The first thing I ever cooked was for him. I was 7. I made scrambled eggs with chocolate chips. And a cup of instant coffee with 4 teaspoons of coffee crystals. He was so proud, and we were so poor, that he smiled and ate and drank without complaint. I believe my cooking skills have improved a bit.

Menu:

Cucumber Salad (you know, cukes, a bit of red onion, vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, some fresh mint. Very standard stuff)
Green Salad (lettuce and tomatoes in a bowl with coloured peppers and avocado on the side because some folks are fussy)
Dilled Deviled Eggs. I learned ONE thing from Captain Kirk. And that was dill tastes good on eggs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J7dez_NWSg 3:14. “Dill”. My hens and duck are laying between 2 and 8 egg a day. Remember – don’t wash your eggs, leave them on the counter, and age them at least 2 weeks after being laid before you hard boil them.
Turkey burgers (ground turkey mixed with mashed avocado, garlic, a bit of mayo, Siracha, salt)
Veggie burgers https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/veggie-burger-recipe/ I replaced the sour cream/yogurt with coconut milk yogurt (the vegetarian is one of the lactose intolerant). My daughter couldn’t eat these because of the oats, but she was happy with the turkey burgers.
Peanut butter cup bars – these actually didn’t cut like they did in the video I saw (and didn’t take note of – sorry). But they taste pretty darned good.

1 cup of GF graham crackers, mixed with 1 cup confectioners sugar, 6 tablespoons melted butter and 1 cup of peanut butter. Spread in a parchment paper lined 9×9 pan. Cover with 1 ½ cups melted chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Cut into bars. Good luck with that last part.

This menu isn’t why we’re here. But the family was impressed, so I thought I’d share. We are here for the three varieties of shortbread I whipped up Father’s Day morning.

To remind you of my basic recipe:

1 cup butter

⅔ cups powdered sugar

1 ¾ cups flour

1 tsp vanilla

The day I discovered cascara, I came across the idea of Coffee Shortbread. Add 1 tablespoon of freeze dried coffee. I got the Folgers Instant Coffee Crystals. I think the box was .99 at Walmart. Two packets were just about a tablespoon.

Two packets are about a tablespoon. This picture shows one packet in the tablespoon.

Anise Shortbread

Do not add vanilla! This was insanely imprecise. Sorry. I added 3 capfuls of anise extract and hand crushed some anise seed. How much? No idea. This is how I normally cook and bake. Add spices until I suspect it’s enough. I know many people who want to cook, but aren’t intuitive or creative get VERY FRUSTRATED with me because I’m usually “whatever. Throw some in”. So let’s pretend I used 1 ½ teaspoons of anise seeds.

Honey Shortbread

You must have suspected I’d get here once I did maple.

I replaced the sugar with 4 tablespoons of local honey. And I did not use vanilla.

The dough was sticky, like the maple. But the cookies didn’t get as flaky. I love the way these smell.

Honey shortbread.

Mary loved the coffee ones. Dad said he couldn’t taste anything. But I suspect it’s from all the peanut butter cup bars he inhaled. My sister-in-law said that they were all horrible and she had to save us all by taking them home and eating them herself.

I brought the rest to work for coworkers to sample. No one gets the honey ones. Bill said they aren’t as sweet as any of the others. While even non-coffee drinkers are enjoying the coffee shortbread, the anise is a sentimental fave in my office. I left the containers of these three cookies on my desk for a week. Coworkers would stroll in “I need a cookie, today is difficult.” “I have a meeting, I need a cookie.” The anise ones were the most popular and were nearly gone by the end of the week.

As Mick was snagging three anise shortbread before a particularly stressful meeting he was about to attend, my stepdad texted me “All but one was very good. One kinda tasted like anise and I couldn’t get past it.”

Lisa, one of our VPs, who is about six feet tall, weighs about 5 pounds and is made of legs and geeky fangirl goodness, folded herself into the chair next to my desk as she ate the anise cookies. As she nibbled thoughtfully, she succumbed to the Power of Shortbread and told me a story.

When she was little, her parents would take her to visit an elderly female relative. When you’re Italian, your mom tells you that all old ladies are an aunt or cousin, when they may only be related very distantly by marriage. (I know this first hand. Took me years to figure out my great aunt’s husband’s sister’s kids weren’t my blood cousins. But we’re family.) This elderly woman only ever had Tab and pizzelles to offer little Lisa when she visited. As terrible as Tab is, Lisa loved the anise pizzelles. And these shortbread reminded her of those shadowy memories of this old lady and cold pink cans of Tab.

June 25, 2019June 18, 2019

Summer Shortbread (a.k.a. “I like the ones with the bits in”)

Recently I posted about the typical shortbread recipe I use that Hipster Wife sent me when she was explaining London Fog cookies to me. At some point I came across a recipe for Lavender Lemon shortbread. And now I am on a mission to see how many delightful flavours I can create!

Quick note: if you have someone who is dairy free, and not allergic to coconut, you can use coconut oil instead of butter. It gives a buttery flavour and has fooled professional chefs and self proclaimed shortbread experts (okay, two professional chefs and the daughter of a retired chef – people I actually know).

We start with the basic cookie dough:

1 cup butter

⅔ cups powdered sugar

1 ¾ cups flour
Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes (or until the perfect golden brown that you like)

Then we get a little crazy

Lavender Lemon goodness is about to happen.

To the basic dough I add 1 tsp lemon juice (I don’t care if you squeeze your own or use the store bought kind in a bottle. You do you. There is no judgement from me on lemon juice.) I zest half a lemon, and crush 1 tablespoon of dried lavender flowers. The ones pictured are organic and meant to be used in tea and baking.

Crushing is the key to making this work (according to my taste testers). I’ve made these before without crushing the flowers, so they all had a basis for comparison. The most consistent feedback on this cookie, after “this is in my top three”, was that I struck the right balance between the lemon and lavender.

Pink is my favourite colour, if you hadn’t picked up on that already. Here is my mixer in action with the lavender lemon shortbread.

June is a month of strawberries and roses. I got myself a dehydrator to dry fruits and herbs for my tea blends.

Sliced thin and tossed with a bit of lemon or lime juice, these are destined for delicious things.

Strawberry Shortbread

To the basic dough I added 1 1/2 teaspoons of strawberry extract, some finely cut up dried strawberries (unsweetened) and a bit of red gel food colouring.

These baked up so pretty. The flavour is light and crisp. Half the people didn’t know it was strawberry. They all just knew they liked it. Once I told people what was in them, they all suddenly tasted it.

Rose Shortbread

Have you ever seen (or read) Like Water for Chocolate? I read the book (in English) right before I saw the film. It was directed by the man who played El Jefe in The Three Amigos. And he was married at the time to the book’s author (little film trivia for you, you’re welcome). In the story, the young lady receives roses from the man who loves her. But she can’t keep them, so she uses them in a poultry dish for dinner. Her love and passion for the man she can’t have is infused into the dish via the roses and gets one of her sisters so worked up, the sister runs outside to the shower and sets the wooden stall on fire with the intense passion she’s feeling. Then she’s suddenly swooped up (naked and wet, but thankfully not aflame) by a cowboy who just happens to be riding by the ranch.

I suddenly feel all of you rushing to see what platform you can watch this film on.

A note: rose water is expensive. I clearly spend all my money on tea and butter and flour. So I made my own ‘rose water’ by heating water to 195F and infused two tablespoons of rose petals in 8 ounces of water. This made a very strong rose tisane. I allowed it to cool and used 2 teaspoons in the dough.

I also added 2 tablespoons of crushed rose petals.

Baked slightly longer than I like, next to the batch waiting to go in the oven. You can see how finely I ground the rose petals.

The flavour is subtle. I know it’s rose. It’s delicate. It’s a bit unexpected. One friend said “can I have another grass flavoured cookie?” He may not have been able to tell it was rose, but at least he liked it enough to want more.

June 24, 2019June 18, 2019

Cascara – the OMGAREYOUSURETHISDOESN’THAVEALOTOFCAFFEINE coffee cherry

bodhileafcoffee.com has this gorgeous photo on their site. This is what coffee looks like when it’s growing.

I was killing time browsing the limited internet I am able to safely browse at work recently when I stumbled across an article about coffee producers throwing away money. I know how much I pay for my whole beans, and for the ground stuff my daughter drinks. How could they be throwing money away?

Coffee beans are the seed of a fruit. Imagine, if you will, a cherry. Inside this cherry is a seed that, when dried (and for the brainwashed – roasted and burned) becomes our beloved coffee. What happens to the cherry? Compost.

Compost? Tea? Chicken feed? (my hens have been enjoying the brewed cherries)

Now, I’m all about compost. I even went out of my way to look up ancient and pre-industrial age composting methods. But, much like Aida Batlle, I want to know why we aren’t using this fruit. Aida Batlle is now in my modern pantheon of Goddesses. Check out this NPR story from 2015

I haven’t yet checked with my Spanish speaking coworkers, but I am going to presume, based on my years of Spanish lessons and how I pronounce my own name that this precious ‘tea’ is pronounced Cas-Car-Ah and not Cas-CARE-Uh.

If you aren’t pronouncing my name and this coffee cherry like the Spanish word for face, or how James Bond pronounces it in the Living Daylights, you’re doing it wrong.

Apparently this is only new to the Americas. In the birthplace of coffee -Ethiopia – the fruit has been used as a beverage for centuries. When the coffee shrubs were moved (by conquistadors I imagine) to Central and South America, the ‘cascara’ or husks of the coffee bean were discarded.

Back to that Friday I was wasting time on the internet at work..

I read about this delightful, mildly caffeinated beverage that isn’t quite coffee nor quite tea. I had to have it. The easiest thing in the world – go to my Amazon app, find some, press Order Now. The package arrived the next day.

I did not get to make my first cup until Sunday morning. I wanted a travel mug of something as my daughter and I transported Father’s Day lunch to the Male Progenitor of our Tree. I broke out my pink 22 ounce travel mug and puzzled over the brewing instructions. It says for ONE cup of water, use 2 tablespoons of cherries. TABLESPOONS. Now, they are large, similar in size to actual dried cherries. I put three tablespoons into my strainer because that is about all that could fit. I used boiled water 212F (100C). I steeped for 9 minutes as my daughter was dragging me out the door to visit her grandpa.

The flavour is a delightful dark cherry and honey blend. It is reminiscent of some of the dark red wines I enjoy. My daughter hates cherries. When she sipped it she did not taste them, but did say it was fruity and reminded her of red wine.

How much caffeine does cascara have? According to some lab results I was looking at – not a lot. How much caffeine does casara have? According to my stepmom who asked me if I had been drinking espresso – way more than lab tests indicate. I would have disagreed, but I never felt my eyes so widely opened before.

Monday morning I had another travel mug on my way to work. I think I scared our office admin.

My next goal is to figure out what flowers and herbs and other fruits cascara will taste good with. Because of its honeyed taste, I’m thinking chamomile. It smells a bit like hibiscus, so maybe I’ll try them together. Or lemon grass. Hmmm…

Do yourself a favour and don’t be shy. This stuff is in coffee shops all over. And you can get it easily on line. Get some. Boil your water. And enjoy!

June 18, 2019June 5, 2019

Gluten Free Shortbread – The Second Most Powerful Cookie in the World?

These Norse Gods are clearly not gluten intolerant. Art by me.

Gluten – a substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. Cereal grains include wheat, spelt, rye and barley.

In the last 15 years many people I know have discovered that they are gluten intolerant, have celiac disease, or find that they can manage their thyroid disorders, attention issues, chronic pain by reducing or eliminating gluten. I attend and host many pot luck events, entertain friends and family with a wide variety of food allergies and restrictions. It came to the point where I realized if I did not learn how to cook and bake for gluten free people, I’d not be able to feed everyone.

The little old Italian lady who lives in my soul (could be my Nona Amadea, could be an ancestral memory from my Italian heritage, who’s to say?) is not happy unless people around her are fed. And fed well. While the little old Italian lady who lives in my soul and I aren’t professionally trained chefs, we do love cooking and baking and sharing that food.

I suddenly feel like the running gag I’ve had for years about the little old Italian lady who lives in my soul was somehow borrowed for the faceless old woman who secretly lives in your home from Welcome To Night Vale.

When my daughter had to go gluten free, I knew I had to step up my kitchen game. She’s an “adult”, so one on the outside would presume she should be cooking for herself. Emma has a theory – I am a good cook because my mother isn’t. There is no need for her to learn how to cook because I’m so very good at it. Flattery will indeed get you fed in my home.

Let me pause here to note that I am not employed by Bob’s Red Mill. I am just a fan of their products.

I had to experiment with gluten free versions of my standard recipes. I can’t do this with my oatmeal scotchies because too many people have issues with gluten free oats. But I was determined to try a gluten free version of my shortbread.

1 cup butter

⅔ cups powdered sugar

1 ¾ cups King Arthur All Purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla

Bake at 325 F for 12-14 minutes

This cookie is powdery after it is baked. Not flaky. Powdery. As if it is being held together by the idea of being a cookie. It’s not quite convinced it is. Its atoms cling to the shape I cut it in, until I go to lift it, then it crumbles gently. If the butter is cold, the dough holds shape better.

The good thing about this cookie is that it is tasty, albeit a bit gritty. It more or less holds its shape. And my gluten free family and friends can have a shortbread cookie.

The Bob’s Red Mill Shortbread mix (All Hail Bob’s Red Mill – say it like we’re in Night Vale) calls for an egg white. I’ve made their mix without the required egg white and regretted it. I have a gluten free friend with an egg allergy. Let me put in a nod to Bob’s Red Mill and their egg replacer. I now keep this handy for when I need an egg white or my hens aren’t laying. Or when I’ve eaten all the eggs my hens lay. Fresh scrambled eggs on the weekend, crustless quiche for second breakfast during the week, deviled eggs made from 2+ week old farm fresh eggs – that’s the key to fresh eggs. Keep them on the counter for at least two weeks, unwashed. This allows the membrane that adheres the white to the shell to break down. Makes for an easier peel.

In the midst of reading about my gluten free cookie experiments, you’ve learned something about fresh eggs. You’re welcome.

Well, today my local grocery didn’t have the Bob’s mix. Just know that it makes an excellent rolled cut out cookie and you should totally buy it if you need to bake gluten free cookies.

I decided to make the same recipe above with one of yesterday’s eggs to see if the King Arthur flour behaved differently.

The dough required far more flour than the eggless version. I struggled to keep the shape of the cookie cutter. These shapes folded in and bent, took fingerprints easily. Whatever shape they sort of collapsed and squished into (they started off as spades), they retained that shape during baking. They are not as gritty as the eggless version. They are firmer. And they are closer in taste to a basic sugar cookie.

So, if my local groceries continue to not carry the Bob’s Shortbread (say it with me now, make Cecil proud “All Hail Bob’s Red Mill”) I know I can whip up a batch of gluten free shortbread (sans egg white).

Actually, don’t despair for me and the mix. The Market Basket where I usually shop, and the Ocean State Job Lots in the area between home and work carry the BRM GF Shortbread. For those of you who do not have access to the full range of Bob’s products, you can of course, order on Amazon.

I’ve had many people sample these (and other recent shortbreads). I will have another taste tester review post soon – with additional taste testers! Three out of four of my parents chime in! My father and stepmom are like a comedy duo. I only hope I relay their reviews in the comedic light they were delivered in.