Today was a day I have looked forward to for months: the opportunity to learn and bake with the person who made me fall in love with bread. Being the cookbook collector I am, I own all of Peter’s books. His books intrigue me with the romantic lore and history of bread making while highlighting the artful techniques that truly makes four simple little ingredients flour, salt, water and yeast into an amazing work of culinary art.

My day started with a glorious drive through Sonoma Valley on my way to Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma.  I mean, could it be any more beautiful out?  No.  The answer is no, at least in my book, um, I mean blog.

Arrived with camera, notebook and pen in hand and walked into the warm lobby of Ramekins and grabbed my note packet.

Breads featured: Crusty Hearth Bread Variations, Vanilla Challah and Chocolate-Cinnamon Babka, followed by three out-of-this-world sweet dough variations a Fruit Filled Czechoslovakia Kolache, Sticky Buns, and Crumb Cake.

Our esteemed Instructor, Master Baker Peter Reinhart.

Tubs of dough we are about to work with are sitting snug in the grey bins–shouting “Let’s do this!”

Later find out that my very talented class partner George arrived an hour early by mistake and helped prepare these with Mr. Reinhart–lucky duck!

And with that, the yumminess just keeps on coming for another five hours…..beginning with “sitting snug” cinnamon rolls.

Followed by the Sally-Mars Kolache, affectionately named after the famous Sally (Sun) Lunn (Moon) bread recipe, except on some of them we co-mingled the lemon curd and cherry and affectionately renamed it Sally-Mars Kolache.  Class joke, might have to be there to appreciate…

The most beautiful dough of the day shot.  Bubbly and airy.  Just delightful!

My partner, George.  Who’s quiet confidence produced some seriously good bread dough for he and I to go home with.  Thank you George.

Bring on the beautiful Babka….covered in rich chocolate morsels.

Holler for my braided Challah thanks to the help of my partner George.

A few artful photos of the Mr. Reinhart at work.

Working the crumb cake angle…

After preparing everything for baking, we were served a light snack to hold us over. Thank you Ramekins….

Okay now for the finale.  Bread 1: Vanilla-Challah

Bread 2: Chocolate-Babkas, Oh my….

Breads 3: Hearth Breads Collection

Bread 4: Best Sticky Buns—EVER!

And I shall happily end this post with my favorite picture.  Me and Mr. Reinhart as he is signing my new Artisan Breads Every Day Cookbook.

Thanks to James and all the Ramekins support staff.  Today was just terrific!  Be back soon, you can count on it.  I’m hooked.  Uh-oh….

Enter, stage right….. your kitchen freezer. Freezing enables the home chef to extend the life of foods, save money by preparing in bulk, and save time by storing prepared ingredients for future meals.

The idea for this post came to me after reading an article from Mark Bittman, New York Times columnist and author of Food Matters. It struck me that freezing might help me on my money saving quest. So here are a few quick tips that I found to be most helpful:

Vegetables

Blanched vegetables like broccoli and spinach in boiling water.  Then freeze in plastic bags. Blanching stops enzyme reactions and preserves favor, color and texture.

Beans

Cover cooked beans or grains with a layer of water or oil to make an airtight seal. Make sure the container lid is tight or moisture will move into the cold dry air, creating freezer burn.

Nuts

Most nuts, including walnuts and almonds contain unsaturated oils that can go rancid after a few weeks.  Freezer bags make a safe home for up to six months.

Bread

Freeze whole rather than sliced reducing the exposed surface area will prevent the bread from drying out.  Best used within one month.

Fruit Puree

Turn fruits that are about to go bad into applesauce-like purees, then freeze in a zippered bags. Thaw and mix into smoothies, or stir into oatmeal for a sweet nutrient boost.

Tofu

Frozen tofu becomes chewy and spongy, making it ideal for stir fries because it soaks up the sauces.  Drain, slice and wrap in plastic, or simply stick the whole container straight into the freezer.

Soup

Divide soup into single serve containers.  Before you snap on the lids, place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the liquid, so it tightly clings to the surface.  This will keep the soup airtight and frost-free.  Cool down in the fridge first to prevent ice crystals.

Rice

Storing pantry basic like rice in your icebox could save you money.  That’s because freezers work more efficiently when they’re full–solids stay cold longer than gases.

Meat/Fish

To avoid freezer burn, vacuum-seal your food-filled freezer bag by placing it in a large pot of water, submerge all but the top of the bag, squeeze out the air, and close the bag.  The water acts as a natural vacuum, forcing the air out of the top.

Leftovers

A few general rules of thumb for last night’s dinner.  Soups and casseroles are best within two months; fish and chicken last about three months; fruits and vegetables last up to one year.

But wait!  There is more….

10 more foods that freeze surprisingly well—who knew?

avocado puree (for sauces)

whole lemons

egg whites/yolks (break eggs and freeze whites and yolks seperately)

leftovers that you’ve already frozen and thawed)

pancakes

berries

plain cooked pasta

butter

pesto (stored with a layer of oil on top)

And last, BUT certainly not LEAST.  Bacon.  That’s right Bacon.  Hmmm.

Wanting a breakfast that was both easy and new, I began to get flummoxed when I realized that this endeavor isn’t as simple as I first thought.  I’ve ladled the crêpe batter, I’ve done the soaked french toast overnight casserole, I’ve cracked the eggs to a perfect poach for toast, bugger!  This doesn’t leave me with too many options.

What’s a semi-lazy, yet slightly motivated girl to do?  I could try to tackle the formidable souffle…but that would wipe out the “concept” of easy, at least in my mind anyways.

With that, I decided to consult my circa 1950s Real French Cooking Cookbook by Savarin, this simple yet elegant french classic provided me with just the inspiration I needed. (See I knew it was beneficial to have an overstocked cookbook library <–pardon my digression of blatant rationalization over my excessive cookbook collection)

After browsing through the pages, I came across “the secret of how to make a really good omelette” by Dr. A. Becart of the Academy of Gastronomes. The directions don’t read like your typical recipe instructions, filled with unusual words his method is as sound as it is beautiful:

• A good dedicated omelette pan: thick, flat and level base, not dented or concave or convex: this is so that the butter shall flow evenly and prevent the omelette from sticking, when it’s just about cooked through, to the raised portions of the pan from which the butter has melted and slipped away.
• Don’t crowd your “omelette:” As a general rule do not attempt an omelette of more than three or four eggs, buy your pan with this in mind.  It is easier to make two omelets of three eggs each that one omelette containing six. For a three-egg one, take half an ounce to three-quarters of an ounce butter (no need to be over-parsimonious with it, however), a small pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper.
• Put butter in pan or medium-high heat to let butter melt.  When it is smoking just faintly, pour in the eggs, lightly beaten that very moment, and seasoned at the last second before turning into pan.  Allow mixture to set but only just. And now watch carefully…
• Move the egg slowly, using a steel fork and drawing it from one side of the pan to the other–rather as if you scrambling an egg, but much less vigorously.  This is to make sure uniform setting of the egg mass, a homogenous texture and a mellow blending.
• Turn over without respite, and when the mixture is solidifying to desired consistency, deliquescent and nicely moist to suit your own inclination, draw the pan away from the hottest area and slip your fork under the edges of the omelette all round.  Now shake the pan to detach the rest of it.
• The Great Fold: simply fold in halves the runny bubbly part will escape. It is a good wrinkle to fold as you would a table-napkin, thus sealing the liquid.  With your fork, fold in a quarter of the omelette farthest away from the handle.  This closes it, now leave it on the side of the hot-plate/pan, and just before taking it to the table gloss over its surface with a little butter.

Now for the creative fillings:

• Quite plain eggs: eggs and seasoning only
• Herbs: chopped parsley, chives, spring onions
• Mushrooms: previously cooked gently in butter for a few minutes
• Morels: sauté in butter in frying-pan, together with chopped shallot
• Truffles: thin flakes
• Cheese: Parmesan or Gruyère
• Bread: an egg-sized piece of the middle of a loaf soaked in milk and stirred with beaten egg
• Vegetables: sautéed onions, or asparagus tips
• Italian Style: stuffed with paste consisting of pounded garlic cloves (cooked in water), two anchovies, capers, olive oil to soften and add tomato sauce
• Cream: adding a dessertspoonfuls for each egg before beating
• Tomatoes: using half a pound of tomatoes to three ounces of onions, chopped garlic, tarragon, parsley, basil all cooked in olive oil and added to first stage of cooking.
• Shellfish: oysters, mussels, cockles, blanched scallops, cook in wine stock and add to beaten eggs
• Viroflay: ham and spinach
• Jardiniere: mixed with vegetables cooked in salted water, the tossed with butter.
• Acacia Flowers: few clusters of acacia flowers, chopped and topped with a few drops of Kirsch
• Extra Nourishing Omelette: two tablespoons of oatmeal, three milk, with sugar or salt to taste are blended in a bowl and then beaten into two-three whole eggs. Omelette may be served as a dessert with rum or jam.

Well blow me down, who knew there could be so many simple yet sophisticated ways to spice up the simple omelette?

Sourdough is one of my favorite all time breads. From taste to texture and aroma, it is hard to compete with the culinary qualities of sourdough.  Now I still contest that the best “true” sour taste comes from the time and care of a good mother sponge.  But not every baker has the foresight to have a mother sponge available when the sourdough craving comes on.  To this end, I began my quest for the impossible: a one day (direct dough method) sourdough, that would have all the benefits of the “gold standard” sourdough made from a “mother” or “master dough.”

The art of this possibility came when I was experimenting with the James Beard Classic: Beard on Bread.  In this book Beard experiments with sour cream when he could not find any buttermilk on hand.  The bread smelled and tasted sour and had been my go-to until the development of my current creation.   Wanting a bit more nutrient value in the mix I decided to tinker with the addition of whole wheat and semolina flour, not too much that it would weigh down the dough, but enough to give it good color and texture. The liquid, an essential feature to the structural framework of the bread, was a trifecta of plain yogurt, buttermilk and lemon juice all acting synergistically to draw the yummy sourness out of one another.

Organic evaporated cane juice sugar was added for flavor and for creating a golden crust, while also providing a little extra motivation for the “yeasties.”  Unsalted butter, is added to give a tender and rich bread while improving browning.

Ingredients: (makes 3 8×4 loaves)

2 Cups Low-fat Buttermilk
2 Cups Plain Yogurt
1/2 Cup Warm Water
1/4 Cup melted unsalted butter (tempered: not over 115 degrees)
1/4 Cup Evaporated Cane Juice Sugar
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp. Salt
2 pkg. Active Dry Yeast
8-10 Cups Flour
(1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour, 7-8 cups hard wheat bread flour, 3/4 cups Semolina Flour)

Directions:
Combine in saucepan: buttermilk, yogurt and lemon juice let sit for a few minutes. Then add sugar, butter and salt. Heat almost to a boil. Cool thoroughly. In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine dry yeast and water. Add yeast mixture to cool buttermilk/yogurt mixture. Mix. Gradually add flour to make workable dough. Knead 10 minutes on floured board. Place in bowl and cover. Let rise for 45 minutes. Punch down. Divide into three equal loaves. Place loaves in greased bread pans. Let rise 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Yield: 3 loaves.

Cauliflower, why?  If your like me, you were part of the incredulous “why” is this so good for me group?  Perplexed by this vegetable with an off smell and snow white color, I decided to find my transformative dish to help me transcend my childhood “cauliflower” baggage. To my surprise, soup was the answer.

It all started with the Jimtown Store Cookbook:“Vanessa’s Cauliflower Sharp White Cheddar Soup” recipe–pause, followed by consideration raced through my mind. And when I finally grew the courage to try and experiment, I was in love.  Why had I been shunning this healthy cruciferous vegetable for so long?

My new found love of this virtually fat-free, zero cholesterol, high in Vitamin C and cancer fighting vegetable got me curious.  Was there other things I could add to play off an already fantastic dish?  I was leery, as I have always heeded to the “If it ain’t  broke, don’t fix it” credo.

But to my delight, the marriage of a lovely new partner–> the parsnip, only added to the complexity and nutrient value of this already rockin’ soup.  With haste, I decided to jot down the notes of this lovely little experiment.

Adapted from the Jimtown Store Cookbook – Vanessa’s Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

1    Large leek (white and pale green parts only)

1/2 Stick unsalted butter

2  Celery ribs finely chopped

2 1/2 tsp.
Dry mustard

1/2 tsp.
Smoked paprika – or sweet paprika

4 Cups
Vegetable stock

1 Cup
Hot water

1/2 Cup
Milk

1/2 tsp.
Fine grain sea salt to taste

4 Cups
Cauliflower florets

2 Parsnips diced

2 tbsp.
Dry sherry

1/2 Cup
Grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 bunch
Fresh thyme

1 tbsp.
Minced chives

Directions:

Step 1
Cut the leek half wise rinse under cold water and dice.

Step 2
In a medium pot over low heat, melt the butter.  Add the leek and celery, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes.  Add the flour, mustard, and paprika, and cook, stirring often without browning, for 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in the warm broth, milk and water.  Stir in 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt, add cauliflower, parsnip and bunch of thyme cover and bring to a simmer.

Step 3
Cook partially covered, stirring occassionally until the cauliflower and parsnips are tender about 20 minutes.  Cool slightly, and puree with an hand blender or food processor.  (The soup can be prepared to this point up to 3 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate).

Step 4
Return the soup to the pan and set over low heat.  When the soup simmers, stir in the cheese and sherry.  Heat, stirring with out letting the soup boil.  Until the cheese has melted smoothly.  Season with pepper and adjust the salt.

I love Sunday mornings.  I grab my newspaper and head out the door to treat myself to breakfast and a morning of leisure.  Santa Rosa is now home to two of my favorite breakfast places: Dierks Parkside Cafe and Jeffrey’s Hillside Cafe in East Santa Rosa.

This Sunday I decided to try an new venture, Jeffery Madura’s Hillside Cafe and to my delight, it was all that I expected and more. This cafe has the cozy blending of sophisticated eats with down home Sonoma charm and friendly service.  And, as I entered the building I had my dining setting choice of “old school” counter seating with a flat panel television or comfy booths and tables.

New owner and previous Executive Chef of John Ash&Co. Jeffery Madura has transformed not only the building, but the menu. His unique gourmand offerings of exotic and classic breakfast favorites make it an easy crowd pleaser.  Scanning the menu I came across some intriguing breakfast choices of my own, a beautiful vegetarian scramble with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, yams, spinach and green peppers, or a delicate formage blanc cheese blintz with lemon curd fresh figs, and strawberries.  I went with the latter and the dish tasted as good as it looks!

Ingredients:
3 Cups:  White bread flour
1 Cup:    Whole wheat flour
2 tsp:      Fine grain sea salt
1 Tbsp:   Active dry yeast, or 1 tsp. dry instant yeast
1 Cup:    2% Milk (heated)
1/4 Cup: Wildflower, or standard honey
2 Tbsp:   Butter (I prefer Irish Kerrygold unsalted butter)

Directions:
In a bowl whisk together 2 cups of flour and salt. (set aside)

In small pot lightly warm milk and add butter and honey until dissolved.  Take off stove and cool until 115-120 degrees, no hotter – yeast dies at temperatures hotter than 120 degrees.  Mix active dry yeast to milk, honey and butter mixture and let it sit and “get happy” for a couple of minutes before adding to the flour.

Combine milk, yeast and honey mixture with the two cups of flour and salt, gradually add the third cup of white flour in increments.  (may not need to use all of it).

Once dough comes together, sprinkle some of the last remain cup of flour and knead the bread for a good 5-10 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly greased bowl.  Cover and let rise until is doubles in size.  If the house is warm, rising should take about an hour-and-a-half.  If cool, rising could take up to four hours for a slow rise (which works just as well).

Punch down the risen dough and shape for baking,  You can use one large pan or do two small loaf pans.  I prefer on large loaf myself. Cover and let sit for another 45 minutes or so, until it has double in size.

Brush the top of the loaf with an egg white wash and sprinkle cornmeal or oats, whatever you prefer.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 30 minutes. Viola!

Wait until it cools, slice and begin to enjoy the yummy goodness. Great for breakfast toast, cinnamon toast, sandwich bread.  Or whatever you can think of.

Have taste tested this with adults and kids, both gave me big smiles after their first bite.