Volume 2 Issue 10 (December 2007)

December 2007, Volume 2 Issue 10

Welcome to the December Foodletter!

My fifth-grade teacher was a remarkable man. In addition to teaching all the usual stuff, he tried to give us skills that we could use to become truly responsible adults.

One of his lessons (and an on-going theme that year) was the difference between a reason and an excuse.

If one of us showed up for class with our homework not done, he'd ask why. Out would come the story: my dog ate it, Mum sent me to bed early, blah, blah, blah. Then he'd turn to the class and say, "Is that a reason or an excuse?" and we got to vote (as I recall, we were a pretty merciless bunch).

If we agreed that it was a reason, the student would be off the hook. If it was just an excuse, well...

I've never forgotten that lesson and whenever I'm about to trot out an explanation, I can hear Mr. Walker's voice, in the manner of a talent-show emcee, asking, "Is that a REASON or an EXCUUUUUUUSE?"

All of which is a long-winded way to say, "Sorry for the total lack of a Foodletter last month."

I have no reason to offer, but for some interesting excuses, I direct you here, here and here.

Everything's back to normal, and I promise to do better from here on in.

There are exciting changes in store over at Pannifer's Food and Such. I hope you will check in to see how things develop!

And I'd like to wish you all a Happy and Hopeful New Year!

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Alan's Recipes of the Month

White Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 lb Cannellini or Great Northern white beans
1 med Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
8 lg Garlic Cloves, peeled
1-1/2 c Freshly Grated, Best-Quality Parmesan Cheese
1 T Fresh, Ground Black Pepper
1 t Salt
¼ c Extra-Virgin Olive Oil


Method

Rinse the beans under cool water and then place them in a heavy-bottomed pot with enough cold water to cover by one inch. Place the pot over high heat until the beans come to a boil. Remove the pot and leave to sit for an hour.
After the hour, drain the beans and rinse under cool water. Return the beans to the pot and cover with water, as above. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes, drain the beans, rinse under cool water and return them to the pot. Then cover the beans with fresh, cold water and return them to the medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and simmer gently until the beans are very tender. (Add extra water if necessary to keep the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot.)
Use a food processor or blender to puree the bean mixture. Pass the puree through a strainer, if you wish. Whisk in the cheese, salt and pepper.
Serve hot with a drizzle of good quality, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil on top.

Serves 4-6.

Sausage Meatloaf with Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

4 Hot Italian Sausages, meat removed from the casings
1 lb Ground Beef
2 T Tomato Paste
1 t Salt
¾ c Fresh Bread Crumbs (remove the crusts from 2-3 slices of good bread and
puree in a food processor or hand chop with a knife)
½ c Milk
½ c Marsala Wine
3 lg Eggs
½ lb Fresh Mushrooms
1 T All-Purpose Flour
1 c Chicken Stock


Method

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the sausage meat, ground beef, tomato paste and ½ teaspoon of salt together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Combine the breadcrumbs, milk and Marsala in a small pan and cook over medium heat until the mixture forms a sticky mass (about three minutes). Scrape into a bowl and let cool.
Add the breadcrumb mixture and the eggs to the meat and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9” x 5” loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for an hour. (Best to place the pan on a baking sheet just in case the juices spill over the sides.)
While the meatloaf is baking, puree the mushrooms in a food processor. Transfer the puree to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until all of the moisture is evaporated. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Stir in the stock and cook until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, pour any juices from the loaf pan into the gravy. Turn the meatloaf out onto a platter and cut into thick slices. Serve with the gravy, mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Serves 6.

Last Minute Chocolate Cake


Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.

Start with:

4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 oz Unsalted Butter
¾ c Brewed, Strong Black Coffee

Heat these slowly over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to combine. Let cool.

Then mix these together:

2 T Grand Marnier (or other Orange Liqueur)
¾ c Sugar
1 lg Egg
1 t Vanilla Extract

… and add to the chocolate mixture.

Then whisk these together:

1 c All-Purpose Flour
½ t Baking Soda
¼ t Salt

… and whisk these into the chocolate mixture.

Butter and flour a 9” x 5” loaf pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
Let cool and serve with good quality ice cream.

Volume 2 Issue 9 (October 2007)

October 2007, Volume 2 Issue 9
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In this issue:

Welcome to the October Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Pear and Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger, Sweet and Sour Medallions of Pork, Apples Baked with Cranberry Juice
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Welcome to the October Foodletter!

We had dinner with some friends from Michigan the other night. We try to get together a few times a year. But this year just...

Well, we saw them the other night and as we were waving goodbye, I said to Alan, "Wasn't that nice? Now I feel like summer can officially begin."

"Uh, honey?"

Yup. It's been that kind of year.

And it's not just me. Many of our friends report the same time-out-of-control feeling, so I think we're looking at spatial anomolies here (why won't Environment Canada take my reports seriously?).

Now Halloween is just around the corner.

Alan and I quite enjoy Halloween night. He buys way too much candy and we keep all the best stuff for ourselves (especially this year - we were tagged again).

We sit on our porch with a big glass of red wine and say hi to everyone who walks by. For some reason, this seems to scare the parents. I'm fine with that. Why should the kids have all the fun?

As the summer farmers markets wind down, Alan is getting to work on his next e-cookbook: Winter Dinner Recipes. I am a happy and willing guinea pig, though I think I'll need to up my walking schedule!

We'll keep you posted as the new one progresses, meanwhile, the first in the series, Autumn Dinner Recipes is available here.

I hope time is moving as it should where you are and that your Halloween is just as scary as you want it to be!

Pear and Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger

Ingredients

1 T Olive Oil
1 med Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 ribs Celery, finely sliced
3 med Leeks, whites mostly, sliced and rinsed under cool water to clean
3 Shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ c Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 Pears (Bartlet, Anjou, Bosc, etc), peeled and cored
4 med Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 c Chicken or Vegetable Stock, or water
Salt and Pepper, to taste
½ c Yogurt
Pickled Ginger, cut into fine strips (optional)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leek, shallots and ginger and cook gently until soft. Add three of the four pears, the sweet potatoes and the stock/water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender (35-45 minutes). Puree the soup in a blender until smooth (and pass through a fine-mesh strainer, if desired).
Return the soup to the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Chop the remaining pear into a fine dice and mix with the pickled ginger (if using). Serve the soup with a small scoop of the yogurt and top with some of the pear/ginger mixture.

Serves 6.


Sweet and Sour Medallions of Pork

Ingredients

2 whole Pork Loins, cut into 2-inch long pieces
3 T Unsalted Butter
1 T Olive oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 lg Clove of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 med Shallot, peeled and finely chopped
4-5 Fresh Sage Leaves (or a pinch of dried)
¾ c Dry White Wine
1/3 c White Wine Vinegar
¼ c Sugar
2 T Unsalted Butter, optional

Method

Heat the butter and oil in a good, heavy, non-stick pan (cast iron is great, if you have one) over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the pork pieces and cook on all sides until golden brown. Remove the pieces to a platter.
Add the garlic, shallot & sage to the pan and cook for one minute (being careful not to let the garlic burn). Add the wine, vinegar and sugar. Scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the meat back into the pan and cook, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes longer – turning and basting as you go.
Remove the meat to a serving platter and reduce the sauce until it is thick and syrupy. If using the butter, remove the pan from the heat and swirl it in. Pour the sauce over the pork and serve.

Serves 4-6.


Apples Baked in Cranberry Juice


Ingredients

6 med Apples, such as Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Pippin, Granny Smith,
½ c Sugar
1 c Brown Sugar
1 t Ground Cinnamon
½ c Walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ c Golden Raisins
1 ½ c Cranberry Juice
2 T Unsalted Butter

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a melon baller or potato peeler to core the apples, leaving the bottom intact. Remove a half-inch strip of peel from around the top hole. Place the apples in baking dish.
Mix the two sugars, cinnamon, walnuts and raisins. Stuff this mixture into the apples and top each with a bit of butter. Pour the juice around the apples.
Cover the dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until just tender.
Carefully place each apple onto a plate. Pour the juice into a small pan and simmer it over medium-high heat until reduced to ¾ cup. Drizzle this over the apples and serve.

Volume 2 Issue 8 (September 2007)

September 2007, Volume 2 Issue 8
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In this issue:
Welcome to the September Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Carrot Garlic Soup, Penne with Sausage and Red Peppers, Pumpkin Gratin with Creamy Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce, Apple Mousse
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Welcome to the September Foodletter!

When I was a little girl (the youngest in the family), my mother and I would occasionally walk past the local school, in which my siblings were trapped, and stand on the sidewalk across the street, chanting, "Ha haha hahaaaa haaaaaaaaa! We don't have to go to school. And you-oo do-ooooooooo!"

Face it. We were mean.

I thought about that a lot last week as all the local kiddies were piled onto school buses and sent out of town. I even woke up early last Tuesday to smirk, quietly and to myself.

I hated school. And the worst of it was that, even after struggling bravely through an entire day, that bell did not signal FREEDOM. No, it just meant that it was time to go and do HOMEWORK. Ugh!

Eventually I grew up. And I love it. I especially love that, no matter what is going on in my life, no matter how difficult my day might be - too many things on the old "To Do" list and no hope of getting them accomplished. No matter if the mortgage is due and the sofa is just not coughing up the loose change like it's supposed to. No matter what kind of serious, adult concerns I have to deal with (and this past year has been a doozy!). I can always, always cheer myself up with the thought, "At least I don't have to do HOMEWORK!"

I hope all of you can find something to bring a smile and lighten the mood!
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Carrot Garlic Soup

Ingredients
2 T Vegetable Oil
2 lg Red Onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 c Garlic Cloves, peeled and left whole (they should all be about the same size)
1 T Brown Sugar
1 t Fresh Ground Pepper (white or black)
1 c Celery, roughly chopped
4 c Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
5 c Chicken Stock or water
2 T Unsalted Butter
salt to taste

Method
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and garlic and cook until very brown (careful not to burn it). Add the sugar, pepper, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots start to brown. Add the stock (or water) and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are soft (this will take 30 minutes or more). Puree in the blender with the butter. Season with the salt to taste. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, if you want a smoother soup. Garnish with sautéed shrimp (or sliced button mushrooms) or chopped chives (or basil).

Serves 4-6.


Penne with Sausage and Red Peppers

Ingredients
4 Sweet Red Peppers
4 Italian Sweet Sausages (or hot ones, if you prefer)
2 T Olive Oil

3 T Olive Oil
2 med Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 lb Penne
3 T Italian Parsley (or Basil), chopped
Freshly Grated Best Quality Parmesan Cheese, to taste

Method
Cut off the tops and bottoms of the peppers and cut out the cores. Lay the pieces flat on a baking sheet (skin side up) and place under a broiler until the skin blisters and darkens. Place the pieces into a paper bag and close it up. Leave them to steam and cool. When they have cooled enough to touch, peel and scrape off the skins. Cut the peppers into half inch strips.
Meanwhile, gently fry the sausages over medium-low heat in the two tablespoons of oil until they are cooked through and browned. When they have cooled a little, cut them into bite-sized chunks.
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large fry pan and cook the garlic until golden. Add the peppers and heat through. Add the sausages, stir to combine and heat through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Cook the penne until al dente, drain and toss with the sauce.
Serve with lots of the parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6.


Pumpkin Gratin win Creamy Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs Pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced into half inch cubes
1 med Leek, cut in half lengthwise, roughly chopped and rinsed under cold water to remove the grit
1 T Unsalted Butter
1 T Vegetable Oil
1/2 lg Red Pepper, seeded and diced
4 sm Ripe Tomatoes, diced
1/2 c Fruity, Slightly Sweet White Wine (such as Riesling or gewürztraminer)
1/2 c 35% Whipping Cream
3 med Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
2 T Tomato Paste
Fresh Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley and/or Basil to taste, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 T Grated Swiss, Parmesan, Aged Jack or Cheddar, or Asiago Cheese
2 T Fresh Bread Crumbs
1 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter and sauté the pumpkin and leek until lightly golden. Add the red pepper and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are saucy (may take about 15 minutes).
Add the wine and cook until it is reduced by about half. Add the cream, half of the garlic, the tomato paste, fresh herbs and salt & pepper to taste. Mix together well.
Pour the whole mixture into a 12x15 (or so) baking dish.
Mix together the remaining garlic, cheese, bread crumbs and oil. Sprinkle this over the pumpkin mixture. Bake just long enough to melt the cheese, brown the topping and finish cooking the pumpkin. This may take from 15 to 25 minutes (depending on the size of the dish).

Serves 4-6.

For a picture of this dish, click here.

Apple Mousse

Ingredients
6 Firm Apples, such as Golden Delicious, Mutsu (Crispins) or Spartans
6 T Honey
6 T Sugar
1 t Ground Cinnamon
2 T Unsalted Butter
1/4 c Sour Cream
3/4 c 35% Whipping Cream
1/2 t Vanilla Extract
1 T Calvados (or other brandy), to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
Core, but do not peel the apples. Place them on a baking sheet and fill the hollows with the honey, 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the cinnamon. Top the hollow with the butter and bake until the apples are tender. This may take 30-40 minutes. Let cool to the touch.
Chop the apples roughly and puree in a food processor along with the sour cream.
In a clean bowl, beat the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until the cream forms stiff peaks.
Stir one-third of this cream into the apple mixture. Add the apple mixture to the remaining cream and fold in gently. Sprinkle the vanilla and/or brandy over the mousse and fold in.
Spoon the mousse into wine glasses and serve (or hold in the fridge until ready).

Serves 4-6.

Volume 2 Issue 7 - (July/August 2007)

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July/August 2007, Volume 2 Issue 7
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the July/August eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Zucchini! Zucchini! Zucchini!
Who We Are and How to Reach Us
Subscribe
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Welcome to the July/August eFoodletter
Summertime in the Village and the transition to our new business set-up has been accomplished, but not without a few glitches and some very sad looks.

We had a closing-week sale, we were closed for nearly two weeks, we took the Pannifer's signs off the windows, Barb opened her shop and put second-hand furniture out on the sidewalk. We gave out every visual cue we could. And still people walk in, expecting bread. I feel so guilty telling them no!

Most people are very understanding and accepting of the changes - especially when they hear that Alan's bread is still widely available. Some, however....

One man, after I had chirpily explained the whole second-hand, fixed-up treasures scenario, looked around a moment and asked, "Well, what kind of baked goods do you have?"

I stopped being chirpy.

Another lady after looking around at my carefully-edited collection said, "Well, if you don't have any bread, why are you open?"

I'm looking to increase my internet presence.

In the meantime, Alan hits the road every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, meeting new customers in Huron and Perth Counties. We are into the marathon of summer eating and looking forward to the cooler weather and quieter days when all the kids go back to school.

And how are things in your corner of the world?
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Feeling a little overwhelmed by your zucchini harvest this month? Here are some recipes to help you out.

Spaghetti with Zucchini

Ingredients
12 oz spaghetti

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb small zucchini
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
handful fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

Method
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan. Cook the garlic until fragrant. Thinly slice the zucchini and fry in small batches until golded and just starting to crisp. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the cheese, basil, and mint and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and toss well with the zucchini mixture.

Serve immediately, drizzled with a little extra-virgin olive oil and some more parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Summer Pasta
This one is brilliant on those days when it's just too hot to cook.

Ingredients

Pasta
1 lg fresh zucchini
1/2 red pepper
1 carrot
1 sm red onion

Sauce
fresh, ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
hot pepper flakes (optional, to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

Method
In this recipe, the zucchini is the pasta. Wash it and discard the ends. With a potato peeler, cut lengthwise strips of the zucchini into a bowl (include some or all of the core). Cut the red pepper and onion into very fine strips. With a mandolin, finely shred the carrot. Mix together in a bowl

For the sauce, finely chop the tomatoes. Salt to taste and drain in a colander for an hour or so (this will make the sauce less watery and more flavourful - if you're in a hurry, you can skip this step).

Add the kalamata olives, garlic and chili flakes (if using) to the drained tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over the zucchini pasta and serve! (Goes great with a loaf of crusty bread.)

Zucchini Clafouti

Ingredients
6 oz Parma ham (Prosciutto), about 1/2 cup roughtly chopped
1/2 c Fresh (soft) goats cheese
1-1/2 lbs Small zucchini
2 lg Eggs

2 lb Egg Yolks
3 oz Flour,

1 oz Whole milk
2 Shallots (or half a small onion), finely chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 T Fresh Chives, finely chopped
5 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 t Curry Powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 450. Cut the ends off the zucchini and shred on a box grater (largest holes). Crumble the goat cheese.

Cook the shallots and the garlic in 2 Tbsp of oil. Add the zucchini, cook, stirring until the moisture evaporates. Add the salt, pepper and curry powder.

Sift together the flour, salt and pepper. Form a well and add the eggs and yolks. Mix while adding the milk. When the batter is smooth, mix in 2 tablespoons of oil, the cheese and the chives.

Mix the zucchini and ham together. Layer half into an oiled casserole dish. Cover with the batter and scatter the remaining mixture on top.

Sprinkle with another tablespoon of olive oil and bake for 35 min.

Serve hot or at room temperature with a salad.

Serves 4.

visit us on the web at: www.pannifers.blogspot.com

(check it out - the website for May December Home and Barb's home-decor blog www.maydecemberhome.blogspot.com)

Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 2 Issue 6 - (June 2007)

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June 2007, Volume 2 Issue 6
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the June eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Pea and Lettuce Soup; White Fish Cooked in Tomatoes and Olive Oil
Who We Are and How to Reach Us
Subscribe
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Welcome to the June eFoodletter

We can't say we weren't warned.

I'd been reading about the benefits of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) for years. And the abundance that comes with signing up for one. My brother had been involved and spent many a summer's day canning tomatoes and making soup.

But somehow, when I signed up this year, I just didn't picture how vast an array of food there would be. Thankfully, we started out "small" with a half-share.

The first box arrived last week. Our friend Douglass dropped it on the counter with grim warnings that, "We're just getting started".

There were three kinds of lettuce, spring peas, snow peas, spring onions, garlic scapes, strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, mint and a little bouquet of flowers. Muttering darkly about potato season, he left to continue his rounds.

We've been eating like kings all week. Alan made a wonderful batch of minted lettuce and pea soup with an asparagus garnish from the leftovers. In fact, we're almost ready to take on the next round.

If you want a real food adventure, I highly recommend signing up for a CSA subscription in your area. If it's too late for that this year (and they do get started early in the season), at least check out your local farmers' markets/farm stands.


Eat locally. Eat well!
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Pea and Lettuce Soup

Ingredients
3 T Vegetable Oil
1 small Onion, roughly chopped
6 c Various Lettuces, roughly chopped (use romaine, iceberg, boston, etc - just about any you have on hand)
1 c Fresh or Frozen Sweet Peas
3-4 sprigs Fresh Mint (leaves only) - or use Fresh Basil, Thyme, Marjoram, Tarragon, Chervil or Italian Flatleaf Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Soften the onions in the oil over medium-low heat. Add the lettuces and peas. Add enough water to just cover the contents (remember that lettuces contain a lot of water; it's easier to add more later). Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the herbs and puree either with a hand or free-standing blender. You can pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer, if desired.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold. If serving cold, a little more salt may be required to bring out the flavour.
Serves 4.


White Fish Cooked in Tomatoes and Olive Oil

Ingredients
1 quart Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (red, yellow or a mixture of both), sliced in half
1/2 c Good Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 6 oz Pieces of White Fish, fresh from the lake or the sea
1 sm bunch Fresh Basil, roughly chopped
2 T Unsalted Butter (optional)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method
Gently heat the tomatoes and the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan over low heat. You just want to bring out the juices from the tomatoes.
Slip the fish pieces into the pan and cover with the liquid. Raise the heat to medium and cook the fish until it is just done through (careful not to overcook).
Gently remove the fish pieces to a plate. Swirl the butter and basil into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the sauce between four large, flat bowls and place a piece of fish on top of each.
Serve with boiled/steamed new potatoes and a loaf of good, crusty bread.
Serves 4.


visit us on the web at: www.pannifers.blogspot.com

(check it out - the website for May December Home and Barb's home-decor blog www.maydecemberhome.blogspot.com)

Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 2 Issue 5 (May 2007)

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May 2007, Volume 2 Issue 5
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the May eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Grilled Asparagus with Peanut Sauce, Chilled Asparagus Soup and Asparagus Risotto
Who We Are and How to Reach Us
Subscribe
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Welcome to the May eFoodletter

Wow! What a month! We closed one store and opened another. May December Home opened for business on the 17th, offering cool stuff for home and entertaining. There's even a blog to go with it, with lots of ideas for living well with, well, junk.

In the meantime, Alan is driving through the countryside, selling his bread at Farmer's Markets across the land. And possibly picking up a few new wholesale accounts for the granola, as well.

We've eaten many pounds of local asparagus (recipes to follow) and had a family of mourning doves build a nest, hatch a family and move on, all in the space of a few weeks. The speed
of departure was understandable, they went from looking comfortable and serene:


to looking insanely overcrowded almost overnight:


Life is full of adventures. I hope you can pick and choose yours as you see fit.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Asparagus with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients
2 med Garlic Cloves, very finely chopped
1 T Fresh Ginger, grated
1 T Rice Wine Vinegar
1 T Soy Sauce
2 T Sesame Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 lb Fresh Asparagus, tough ends snapped off
2 T Peanut Butter, preferably the kind with just peanuts, although the supermarket variety will work as well
2 T Fresh Cilantro Leaves, finely chopped
2 med Scallions (Spring Onions), White and Green parts finely chopped

Method
Fire up either the barbecue or the broiler.
Whisk together the garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and the sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take two tablespoons of this mixture and toss it with the asparagus (to coat each piece). Whisk the peanut butter and cilantro into the remaining mixture. Whisk in two tablespoons of water to thin it.
Grill the asparagus, turning occasionally, until cooked (5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the stalks). Alternately, spread the stalks out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and place about four inches under the hot broiler - shaking the pan after about four minutes to rotate the stalks - until cooked (about 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of the stalks).
Place the cooked asparagus on a serving platter and pour the peanut sauce overtop. Sprinkle the scallions on top and serve.

Serves 4 as an appetizer.


Chilled Asparagus Soup

Ingredients
1 lb Fresh Asparagus, the fresher the better
1/2 Avocado
1 stalk Celery, roughly chopped (optional)
2 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Soy Sauce (or low sodium Tamari Sauce)
2 t Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 sm Garlic Clove
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme, leaves only
2 t Fresh Tarragon
pinch Cayenne
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Cut the asparagus four inches from the top. Place the tips in a blender and reserve the rest for another use. Add the rest of the ingredients to the blender and pour in 12 ounces of water. Puree until very smooth. Pass the soup through a fine-mesh strainer. Adjust the taste for salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
That's correct, this is a raw soup. You will be amazed at how easy and tasty it is. Remember, it all depends on how fresh the asparagus is (if you buy it in the supermarket, it won't be as good).
Serve in small white bowls, if you have them. Garnish with the other half of the avocado cut up into little cubes.

Serves 4.



Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients
1/2 small Onion, or two shallots, finely chopped
1 small Garlic Clove, finely chopped
2 slices Bacon, roughly chopped
2 T Extra-virgin Olive Oil
3/4 c Arborio Rice (better if you can get Carnaroli Rice)
1/2 c Dry White Wine
2 c Chicken Stock, or water
1 lb Fresh Asparagus
1/2 c Best Quality Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
2 T Unsalted Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method
Place the onion, garlic, bacon and olive oil in a medium pan and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft. Meanwhile, heat up the stock so that it can be poured hot into the risotto. When the onion is soft, add the rice and stir to mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the white wine and stir constantly until the pan is almost dry. Add 1 cup of the stock and stir occasionally as it cooks.
Cut the top two inches of the asparagus off and place in a small pan with cold water. Bring the pan to a boil over high heat. When the pan has come to a boil, strain and plunge the tips into cold water to stop the cooking. Drain when cool and set aside.
Cut four more inches off the asparagus and discard the rest. Cut the four inch pieces into two inch pieces, place them in a small pan with cold water and bring the pan to a boil over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer the asparagus until very tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the asparagus and puree it in a food processor until very smooth (add a bit of water to thin it if you need to). If you want, pass the puree through a fine-mesh strainer. Season the puree with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Continue to add the stock to the risotto as it cooks into the rice and evaporates in the pan. Stirring occasionally is okay, here; no need to stir constantly.
As you get close to using up all of the stock, taste the rice to see if it is cooked yet. It should still be firm, but not chalky, or stick in your teeth.
When the rice is almost cooked, stir in the puree and the tips.
When the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

visit us on the web at: www.pannifers.blogspot.com

(check it out - the website for the May December Home)

Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 2 Issue 4 (April 2007)

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April 2007, Volume 2 Issue 4
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the April eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Ricotta & Parmesan Soufflé and Roasted Monkfish with Pesto
Subscribe
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Welcome to the April eFoodletter

Ahh - tax season.... that wonderful time of year when you find out that you can't actually afford to live as you've been living for the past year....

Alan is a big believer in playing to your strengths. All of our numbers are saying that our strengths lie in the farmer's market and our wholesale business. So, on Saturday, May 5th, we will be closing the doors on the shop at noon (after a Closing Week Sale, of course). Alan has signed up to do two more farmer's markets this summer. He'll be in Grand Bend on Wednesdays from 8:00 till 1:00 (starting May 23rd) and in Mitchell on Fridays from 9:00 till noon (starting May 11th). Of course, he will still be at the Stratford Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 7:00 till noon year-round.

We're also keeping up with our wholesale business, so you will still be able to get our bread at Gentle Rain on Fridays. Pannifer's granola is available at Gentle Rain, Pfenning's (in St. Agatha) and McCully's Hill Farm.

And what about the other great products we carry? The Nutty Bakers, who supply the squares, butter tarts and meat pies, are also at the Stratford Farmers Market every week - you can find them right next to Alan. They will also be at the St. Marys Market this summer. And they are always on the lookout for other places to sell their products (we'll keep you posted).

Monforte Dairy Cheese, as well as an amazing selection of preserves, oils, condiments, great coffees, etc. are available at Buzz Stop in Stratford. Go see Nancy and check it out.

This hasn't been an easy decision for us. We have amazing customers, and have really enjoyed getting to know you over the last two years. We hope that our continued presence at the farmer's markets means that we can continue to see you and supply you with good bread.

Those of you who have been paying close attention will realize that these new plans will leave the retail space empty. Since we can't have that, watch for the opening (planned for Thursday, May 17th) of Barb's shop, May December Home, which will feature funky, reclaimed treasures for the home. Our former bed and breakfast guests know my work. I hope the rest of you will come in to see.

I can't stress enough how much we've enjoyed our time with Pannifer's and our hope that our customers will be able to weather these changes with us.

This newsletter will continue, as will the blog (sadly neglected these days - Alan's planning to spend more time with it once he's gotten used to the new routine). We will keep you posted on any and all new developments, and, of course, continue to share our love of good food and good living with you.

Thank you for your support, encouragement and friendship.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Ricotta & Parmesan Soufflé

This dish makes a nice little appetizer, side dish (with just about any meat or vegetarian dish), or a nice lunch (when served with a salad of mixed, lightly dressed greens).

Ingredients
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
3/4 cup Best quality Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
2 T Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
4 lg Egg Yolks
6 lg Egg Whites
2 T Milk
2 T All-purpose Flour
1 pinch Nutmeg (optional)
1/2 t Salt & Pepper (or to taste)
2 T Unsalted Butter, also at room temperature

Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
You'll need 6 four-ounce ramekins. Divide two tablespoons of butter among these and spread it all around the insides and bottoms. Set them aside.
Melt the other two tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir & cook for two minutes. Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk for 2 minutes, or until the mixture gets a little thick. Whisk in the nutmeg and salt & pepper.
Stir in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then mix in the ricotta and 2/3 of the parmesan.
In a separate, clean bowl with a clean whisk, whip the egg whites until thick and stiff (but not dry). Fold a quarter of this into the cheese mixture. Then fold the remainder into the cheese mixture.
Divide the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Sprinkle the rest of the parmesan on top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The soufflés should rise above the rims a little bit and should be just a little firm when touched with your finger. (Still too soft when you touch the top? Leave it in the oven a little longer.)
Serve hot.

Serves 6.

Roasted Monkfish with Pesto

This is a great way to use up some of that big batch of pesto you made last summer (but store-bought will do, too).

Ingredients
36 oz Fresh Monkfish (you know it's just the tails, right?)
8 cloves Fresh Garlic
3 T Pesto
1 sm Lemon
18 sm Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
2 T Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut away the fine membrane around the meat (or have your fish person do this). Rinse and pat dry.
Using a very sharp knife, make a slit lengthwise down the centre of the top of the tail (about half way down through to the middle). Spread it open a little and spoon the pesto into the slot. Gently tie the tail back up with butcher's string.
Peel two of the garlic cloves and cut into small matchsticks. Cut little slits into the side of the tail and insert the garlic pieces (as you would do for a leg of lamb).
Heat the olive oil over high heat in a pan big enough to hold the monkfish. Sear the tail on all sides, salting and peppering as you go. This should take about five minutes.
Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the tail, add the tomatoes and the rest of the garlic cloves (unpeeled) into the pan and then place the pan in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes (basting with the pan juices about every 5 minutes). The monkfish should be firm when pressed and the tip of a small sharp knife should feel hot on your lower lip after being inserted into the centre of the tail for ten seconds.
Remove the tail from the pan, cover and let rest for a few minutes. Cut into one inch thick medallions and pour the pan drippings overtop.
Goes great with small, plain boiled potatoes.

Serves 6.

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Where You Can Find Our Bread

Beginning May 23, every Wednesday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm Grand Bend Farmer's Market

(Where Gill and Crescent Streets meet at Main Street East)

Beginning May 11, every Friday from 8:00 am to Noon Mitchell Farmer's Market (at the Tourist Booth just off Huron Road)

Year round every Saturday 7:00 am to Noon Stratford Farmer's Market
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Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 2 Issue 3 (March 2007)

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March 2007, Volume 2 Issue 3
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the March eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Cauliflower Soup with Turmeric and Hazelnuts; Porcini Walnut Risotto
Subscribe
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Welcome to the March eFoodletter

When I was little and we kids were succumbing to cabin fever, my Mum used to say, "Let's go look for signs of spring."

It was a rare chance to have some one-on-one time with her. The garden would be knee-deep in snow, but she knew where to look: close in to the house and in the protected corners - here a bit of green, there the first snowdrops...

As time went on, it became a ritual. Through the awkward teen years and the doubtful twenties, it was a way for her to tell us that she noticed, she cared and to look beyond ourselves and see that hope was there. As I grew up and moved away, I tried to time my visits home to coincide with a chance to go and look for signs of spring with Mum.

And eventually the roles reversed. She grew older. M.S. made her life more difficult. And every early spring, I had the chance to show her that I noticed, I cared and that hope was still there.

Spring blew into town on Monday. I so wanted to call Mum and tell her. But she's not here anymore.

Today Alan and I went for a walk. The snowdrops are out. Hope is everywhere.

May your days be filled with signs of spring.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Cauliflower Soup with Turmeric and Hazelnuts
Cauliflower soup is all the rage in the restaurants around here....and probably for good reason (the stuff stinks while cooking, but turning it into soup seems to tame it). You can garnish the soup with many things - pan seared scallops or shrimp (or just about any seafood), chopped chives or scallions, a fresh-grated tart apple, etc (got a favourite? let us know)

Ingredients
1 T Unsalted Butter
1 med Onion, chopped
2 t Ground Turmeric
1 t Curry Powder
1 med Head of Cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 c Good Chicken Stock, or water
3/4 c Hazelnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method
Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and then add the onion, turmeric and curry powder. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.
Add the cauliflower and stir to coat in the spices. Cook for 4-5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower starts to soften. Add the stock (or water) to just cover. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until the cauliflower is cooked (soft and breaks apart easily).
Meanwhile, chop the hazelnuts in a blender or food processor until finely ground (careful not to overdo it - you don't want a paste - run the machine in short bursts/pulses).
When the cauliflower is cooked, add the hazelnuts to the pot and cook for 5 minutes more.
Puree the soup in the blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be reheated and served the next day.

Serves 4-6.

Porcini-Walnut Risotto

Ingredients
3 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock (or water)
30 g Dried Porcini Mushrooms (about one ounce)

2 T Olive Oil
2 T Unsalted Butter
2 strips Smokey Bacon, roughly chopped (optional)
1 med Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 c Arborio Rice
1/2 c Dry White Wine
1/2 c Roughly chopped Walnuts, lightly toasted
1 handful Spinach (optional), washed, stems removed and roughly chopped if the leaves are large
2 T Unsalted Butter
1/3 c Freshly Grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Method
Bring the stock to a gentle simmer and add the dried mushrooms. Reduce the heat to low and keep the stock warm.
Meanwhile, heat a medium-sized pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter (and bacon, if using). (If using the bacon, let it cook for 3-4 minutes.) Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook until softened. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with the oil. Cook the rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the white wine and stir continuously until it is almost all evaporated.
Add the stock in 1/2 to 3/4 cup increments, stirring constantly until each addition is almost all evaporated. Make sure that all the mushrooms in the stock make it into the risotto and try to ensure that any sediment at the bottom of the stock pot does not get added (just add the stock to the risotto by pouring it slowly from the pot).
You want the rice to be a little firm, but not chalky when it is done. If three cups of stock is not enough, just add more water. The risotto should be creamy, not too thick or too thin.
Just before the risotto gets to this stage, add in the walnuts and spinach (if using).
When the risotto reaches the desired consistency, stir in the butter and parmesan cheese.
Pass around more parmesan to be sprinkled on top after the risotto has been portioned out.

Serves 4-6.


Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 2 Issue 1 (January 2007)

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February 2007, Volume 2 Issue 2
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the February eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Peanut Butter Cupcakes and Roast Pork Loin
Subscribe
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Welcome to the February eFoodletter

Whoever decided to make February the shortest month sure was on to something. Does anyone wish it could last a day or two longer? No one I've been talking to lately (mind you, it snowed every day for three straight weeks here, so we're all a little cranky). It was a bit unimaginative to put the extra day in Leap Year at the end of the shortest month. I mean, who in the world would object to an extra day in June once in awhile? Must've been a bureaucrat who decided that one - just tuck it in wherever it'll fit, instead of where it'll do the most good.

I haven't just been idly rearranging the calendar, while staring out the window. New things are afoot in the bakery, too. We started offering coffee to go when we reopened. It's beginning to catch on. Launching this great new idea in the middle of the howling blizzard I was talking about was hardly a recipe for success. Even if people could read the sign, they wouldn't be tempted to get out of their cars. It's been a little warmer in the last couple of days, so the neighbours are starting to come in.

And The Nutty Bakers, our friendly suppliers of butter tarts and all things sweet, are expanding their business. They've rented a little corner of the bakery and are bringing in fruit pies, brownies and other amazing desserts. I can't wait to see what else they come up with! It's always exciting to watch a good idea grow.

As I mentioned in the blog, we were at the giant food show in Toronto last week, sampling products and trying not to get trampled. Suppliers have been contacted, orders will soon be placed. In the meantime, we're hunting through our current stocks, thinking of what people might like a little taste of when they come in.

I love playing store!

Hope new ideas are popping up in your corner of the world, as we wait for the new growth of spring!

The view of our picnic table....




And we note with sadness the passing of Caryl Ann Browning, one of our subscribers. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her husband and to the entire Browning family.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Icing

Cupcakes are all the rage in the New York bakeries right now. And why not? They're fun and easy to make, especially if you have little hands to help.

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
1-1/2 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Salt
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature soft
1/2 scant cup Brown Sugar
1 lg Egg
1/2 t Vanilla
2/3 cup Whole Milk

1/3 cup 35% Whipping Cream
4 oz Good Quality Milk Chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup Peanuts, roughly chopped

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Beat together the peanut butter and the butter until combined. Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Add half the flour mixture and combine gently, but not necessarily thoroughly. Add the milk and mix until well combined. Add the rest of the flour mixture and combine well, but do not over beat.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cups. Fill the cups 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (test the middle cupcakes, as they take the longest to cook). When they are done and have cooled for a couple of minutes, remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
Bring the cream to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat and then pour it over the chopped milk chocolate. Leave it for a minute and then whisk it together until smooth and the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated. Stir the icing occasionally until it is cool.
Spread a little onto each cupcake and top with the chopped peanuts. The iced cupcakes will keep in a covered container in the fridge for three days.



Roast Pork Loin with Honey and Coriander

While standing at my table at the Farmer's Market every week, I see the lovely rolled pork loins at Rudy's Meat counter and I dream of this recipe.

Ingredients
2 T Vegetable Oil
1 3 Pound Boneless Pork Loin
Salt and Pepper

1 med Onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 Celery Stalk, finely chopped
1 med Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
½ c Honey
¼ c Soy Sauce
½ t Ground Cumin
½ t Curry Powder
2 T Ground Coriander Seed
1 T All-Purpose Flour
1 c Chicken Stock

Method
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy roasting pan over high heat and sear the pork until golden brown on all sides, adding salt and pepper to each side as you go. Add the onion, celery & carrot and place the pan in the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the honey, soy sauce, cumin, curry powder and one tablespoon of the ground coriander. After the pork has cooked for 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and brush it with the honey mixture. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast for another 60 minutes. Every 20 minutes, scoop up the mixture from the bottom of the pan and pour it over the pork.

If the honey mixture gets too dark in the pan, add a couple ounces of water.

Remove the pan from the oven. Place the pork on a platter and cover with foil to keep it warm. Place the roasting pan over low heat and sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Mix well. Whisk in the chicken stock and the other tablespoon of coriander, being sure to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Pour through a strainer into a serving bowl.

Slice the pork into half-inch slices (pouring any juices from the bottom of the platter over the meat) and place out to serve with the sauce alongside.

Steam or boil trimmed green beans to accompany.

Serves 4 to 6



Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 2 Issue 1 (January 2007)

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January 2007, Volume 2 Issue 1
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Welcome to the January Foodletter

Just a short message this time. We've been off for the month of January, but I did want to wish you all a very Happy New Year.

We will be getting back into the swing of things tomorrow. The store re-opens with fresh coffee and muffins to go. We'll open the doors at (gulp) 7:30 on weekdays. Still keeping with ten till two on Saturdays and we will be back at the Stratford Farmer's Market dark and early Saturday morning at 7:00.

Other than that, not a lot of changes here. Barb's mother died at the beginning of the month, so our time off was spent with her, at the funeral and then tidying up some loose ends and resting up. We're looking forward to seeing our local customers again and watching for signs of spring. I am so in the mood for it this year....

Sorry for the shortness of this newsletter, and the total lack of recipes. We will get back to normal next month. And start updating the blog even sooner than that.

Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 1 Issue 12 (December 2006)

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December 2006, Volume 1 Issue 12
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the December eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Green Beans with Bacon and Mushrooms; Flourless Walnut Cake; Easy Bread
Subscribe
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Welcome to the December Foodletter
Is it just me, or is anyone else double-checking the calendar, not really believing Christmas is less than a week away? While I'm loving the whole lack of snow scenario (it makes trips to Windsor to visit my mother so much easier), it does make it difficult to get into the spirit of the season. We put some Christmas decorations into the shop this weekend. They just seem incongruous...

Still, people are smiling and party invitations are arriving. Time to suspend disbelief and just enjoy.


I hope all of you get to spend the holiday season exactly the way you want!
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Green Beans with Bacon and Mushrooms
Yes, everything tastes better with bacon, green vegetables especially!!

Ingredients
1 lb Green Beans, stem-end trimmed and beans cut to 2" lengths
2 strips Bacon, roughly chopped
2 med Shallots (or half an onion), finely chopped
1 cup Mushrooms (Button or Cremini), trimmed and quartered

Method
Fill a mixing bowl with cold water and some ice cubes.
Bring a medium sized pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the beans and cook until almost tender. Drain the water away and immerse the beans in the ice water bowl. When they have cooled, drain them and set them aside.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Carefully remove the bacon to a paper towel lined dish. Return the pan to the heat and add the shallots. Cook until almost tender. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have given up their juices and those juices have almost evaporated. Add the beans to the pan and stir to heat through. Add the bacon and stir again.
Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Flourless Walnut Cake
Elegant enough for your Christmas Feast, but easy to make. This is from my Autumn eCookbook.

Ingredients
4 lg Egg Yolks

4 lg Egg Whites

1 c Sugar – Plus One Tablespoon

2 t Grated Lemon Zest

12 oz Walnuts, finely ground in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the sugar

Butter and Flour, to grease the pan

Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Use about a tablespoon of butter and grease an 8-inch cake pan. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of flour and swirl it around so that all of the butter gets dusted. Turn the pan over and tap out the excess.

Use an electric mixer or a whisk to beat the egg yolks and remaining sugar until light and fluffy. This may take 3-4 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest.

In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until lifting the whisk leaves stiff peaks. Add one third of this to the yolk mixture and gently fold in (using a spatula or the whisk).

Add the walnuts and gently mix in.

Add the rest of the whites and gently fold in using a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven until firm and a golden brown colour. This may take 55-60 minutes.

Cool the cake on a wire rack before removing it from the pan.

Cut the cake into wedges and lightly dust with icing sugar and a little cocoa. Serve with fresh fruit (berries and/or orange segments).

Serves 4-6



Last, but not least, you have to try this. If you have never baked a loaf of bread before and are intimidated at the prospect, Jim Lahey from the Sullivan Street Bakery in Manhattan has developed an easy method that makes the best bread you've ever made.

No-Knead Bread

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours rising

3 cups All-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon Instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons Salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.


Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 1 Issue 11 (November 2006)

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November 2006, Volume 1 Issue 11
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the November eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Our Famous Woodmont Guesthouse Chicken, and more
Update: Alan's eBook!
Subscribe
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Welcome to the November Foodletter

Greetings from the little bakery in the village!

We survived Halloween. Some of our neighbours were worried about possible damage (after the tagging incident). I was more worried that it would be too cold to sit outside and give out candy. We managed it for the first hour or so, then when our extremities went numb, we moved into the candle-lit bakery and had our dinner. Missed a few trick-or-treaters, I think, but the ones we saw were well loaded down with candy, so I'll call it another successful night.

The weather's warmed up since October and we've had no more snow. There are rumblings of some coming this weekend, but it seems unsporting to complain about it in November, so I'll save it till January...

There was great excitement at our house when we launched Alan's eBook and it started selling (thank-you, thank-you!) Thinking that maybe there was a little more we could learn about this whole e-commerce thing, we took the weekend of November 4-5 off to go to a conference in Toronto, where we discovered, of course, that we were doing it ALL WRONG. Sigh.

I kept thinking, through that weekend, that it was like an orientation course for moving to a new country. There was a whole new language to learn, concepts and customs to try to grasp. Fortunately, the dress-code is a non-issue.

Though I'm not ready to declare myself a Citizen of the Web quite yet, I do feel a little more at home than the average Internet Tourist.

As an added bonus, on the Saturday night, we were able to check out the new location for our friend Frederic's restaurant, Le Select Bistro. It's gorgeous, dinner was fabulous and we need to go back soon.

I hope your travels, wherever they may take you, are as tasty!

And Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Woodmont Guesthouse Roasted Breast of Chicken

Ingredients
2 T Unsalted Butter
2 Chicken Breasts, bone off (optional) and skin still on (you can remove it later, if you wish)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
1/2 c Dry White Wine
1/2 c Chicken Stock
2 T Unsalted Butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Heat a heavy pan (cast iron if you have it) over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Add the first amount of butter and swirl around until melted. Gently place the breasts skin side down into the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tuck the sprigs of thyme between the breasts. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is a light golden brown. Turn the breasts over and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Then turn the breasts back onto the skin side and place the pan in the oven. Cook until the meat is firm and a metal skewer (or small, sharp knife) inserted for ten seconds into the thickest part of the breast feels hot when pressed to your lower lip. Place the breasts on a plate in a warm place and cover loosely with foil.
Pour the excess oil out and return the pan to high heat on the stove. When the pan is smoking, pour in the white wine (careful, it will bubble and boil enthusiastically). Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the flavourful crusty bits. Let the wine reduce until almost gone. Add in the chicken stock and reduce by about two-thirds. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the second amount of butter.
Spoon half of the sauce onto each plate and place a breast on top. If the bone is off when you begin, you can slice each breast diagonally across its width into two or three pieces (fancy restaurant style).
This is a great dish that goes with just about any kind of starch - potatoes, polenta, pasta, etc.

Serves 2 and can be multiplied.


Chocolate Pudding Cake

Ingredients
2 T Unsalted Butter
3/4 c White Sugar
3/4 c All Purpose Flour
2 t Baking Powder
pinch Salt
1 oz Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate
2 T Unsalted Butter
5 oz Milk

1/2 c White Sugar
6 T Brown Sugar
3 lg T Cocoa Powder
6 T Water

Method
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Butter an 8 inch x 8 inch ovenproof dish.
Place the chocolate, milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat and stir gently until everything is melted and well combined. Cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the dry mixture into the chocolate mixture. Spread this into the prepared dish.
Whisk together the remaining sugars and cocoa powder. Sprinkle this mixture over the cake batter. Pour the water overtop.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. A toothpick should come out of the cake with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool and serve.

Serves 4-6.


Update: Alan's eCookbook

We've had a good response to Alan's first eCookbook. And a few questions. For those of you who may not have encountered one before, an eBook (short for electronic book) is simply a book that downloads to your computer. It's very tree-friendly and so easy to store. Once it's on your computer, you can display it on the screen, or print out any pages you want to.

We think it's a very exciting way to publish.

Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 1 Issue 10 (October 2006)

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October 2006, Volume 1 Issue 10
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the October eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Raspberry-White Chocolate Upside-Down Cake, and more
Announcing: Alan's eBook!
Subscribe
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Welcome to the October Foodletter
Autumn is upon us. Squashes of every sort are in the farmer's markets, the leaves have turned and fallen. And the weather is at it's seasonal best - soggy, wet and cold. We've even had our first bout or two of snow! Fortunately, it's warmed up a bit since then, though Alan still has to wear long pants when he goes out on delivery. But that's what I love about living in a temperate climate: there's just so much weather to complain about!

Life in the village has been pretty quiet of late. We had a power outage last Friday night, while Alan was baking for the Saturday market. Fortunately, he was finished mixing the dough and the ovens are gas-fired. He couldn't see a thing, though, so he lighted all our candles and spent the next couple of hours rolling baguettes and baking bread by candle light. I think it's a tale more romantic in the telling...

As the summer season winds down, we're starting to think about winter projects. Catching up on our sleep would be good, but instead, we're working on Christmas gift baskets, sprucing up the apartment and starting our e-publishing empire (more on that below).

The change of seasons has given me a burst of energy. I hope it's done the same for you.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month
Rather than clog up your inbox with a huge eFoodletter, I thought what I'd do is give you a link to one of the menus from my new eCookbook. The first recipe is for 'Roasted Red Pepper Soup'. 'Pork Tenderloin with Dried Cherry Sauce' follows as a main course with 'Spinach with Raisins & Pine Nuts' as an accompaniment. And for dessert, I've included a favourite of mine: 'Raspberry-White Chocolate Upside-Down Cake'.

These dishes aren't complicated, but they are tasty. I hope you'll give them a try and let me know what you think of them.

http://barb.alan.googlepages.com/sampleautumnrecipes

Got any food questions? Email Alan and he'll try to help you out.
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Announcing: Alan's eBook!

As promised a few issues back, Alan has published his first eBook. And yes, folks, it's a cookbook! Menus for Easy Entertaining - Autumn Edition.

It has thirteen full dinner-party menus, enough to take you through an entire season of once-a-week dinners with friends. He decided on this approach after meeting too many people who are intimidated at the thought of hosting a dinner party. The menu format takes the guesswork out of deciding what to serve with what. And the recipes are written for the amateur cook - someone who likes good food and is looking to build their skills. Even though the recipes are simple to prepare, the meals themselves are full of rich, complex flavours. I'm always amazed at what Alan can do with a few simple ingredients and a small amount of time.

I could go on for pages (we're very excited about this project) but, really just check out the website. The link above will take you to the sample recipes.

Let us know what you think!

--- Update--- Since we first published this cookbook, our "clickbank" account has expired. If you wish to purchase a copy, you can pay through PayPal, or email us and we will be happy to help out.---
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Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 1 Issue 9 (September 2006)

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September 2006, Volume 1 Issue 9
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the September Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Roasted Corn Soup with Sautéed Scallops, Peach & Blueberry Cobbler
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Welcome to the September Foodletter



Well, the crime spree continues unabated, here in the Hamlet with Heart. We were tagged last week. It seems the disaffected youth of Sebringville have discovered spray paint. Forty years after the fact, but they think they're hip....

What alerts us to the fact that we're living in a small town is this: the part of the decoration that prompted the young brother/sister paper delivery team to knock on our door to tell us that our beloved building was now sporting a very bad word was sprayed on the window, making it possible, though not easy, to scrape off. That and the fact that here, the police actually want to know about these things. Of course, they can't really do anything about it, but it's nice to know they care.

Next year, we're planting climbing ivy. That should remove the temptation.

Last month's comments about the spiders garnered more responses than any newsletter to date. We even had a poem! Thank you to Judy Morley for the suggestion on getting rid of them (scrub the place down with a highly concentrated solution of vinegar and water). They wrinkled up their little noses and left in disgust. Now we spend our days chasing wasps. At least they don't build webs!

The fall colours have started here and the nights are downright cold. It's my favourite time of year. There are wonderful foods in the markets and absolutely no point in working on the garden. I'll enjoy it while it lasts - all too soon, we'll be shovelling snow and wondering if the highway's closed again!

For those of you who live in the area or are planning to visit us, please note that after Canadian Thanksgiving (October 9), Pannifer's will be closed on Sundays.

I hope you enjoy this month's recipes. They're from Alan's soon-to-be-released e-book Menus for Easy Entertaining. He's been working like crazy on it and we're very excited. We'll keep you posted!

Hope life is calm and law-abiding in your corner of the world.
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Roasted Corn Soup with Sautéed Scallops
This is a rich, but simple soup. And because it is rich, a little goes a long way. The soup can be made a day ahead but the scallops are best prepared just before serving, while your guests are getting seated at the table.

Ingredients
3 ears Fresh Corn on the Cob

1 T Unsalted Butter

1 sm Onion, finely chopped

2 med Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1 c Dry White Wine

2 ½ c 35% Whipping Cream

½ bu Fresh Basil, leaves only

Salt and Pepper to taste

4 lg Sea Scallops

1 T Unsalted Butter

Method
To roast the corn, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the silk tassel and all except one layer of the husk. When the oven is ready, rinse each cob well and place them on a baking sheet in into the oven for 45 minutes. Leave to cool. Cut the corn kernels from the cobs using a sharp, or serrated-edged, knife. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the onion, garlic and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (but not coloured). This will take about 3-5 minutes.

Add the wine; increase the heat to high and let the wine reduce until almost gone.

Reduce the heat to low and add the corn. Cook this, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Add the cream and increase the heat back to high. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the soup is slightly thickened.

Puree about three quarters of the soup in a blender with the basil leaves. Return this to the pan with the rest of the soup and add salt & pepper, to taste.

The soup can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. To serve at dinner, reheat gently over medium heat (careful not to let it boil).

While the soup is reheating, heat a non-stick pan over med-high heat. When the pan is hot and just starting to smoke, add the butter and swirl it around. Gently place each scallop into the hot butter and sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Cook until the underside is just a little dark (you can see the colour of the scallop change along its side as it cooks). Turn the scallops over, sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper and cook until almost done – still just a little soft when gently pressed in the centre with your finger. Careful not to overcook them – they will cook some more when placed in the hot soup.

Ladle soup into each bowl and place a scallop in the centre of each.

If you like, sprinkle a few tiny shreds of some more fresh basil leaves overtop (use scissors for this) and serve.

Serves 4


Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
This quick and easy dessert uses the last of the late summer fruits. Serve with best quality vanilla ice cream, if you wish.

Ingredients
12 Ripe Peaches

2 c Blueberries

3 ½ T Sugar

1 T Fresh Lemon Juice



1 c All-purpose Flour

½ c Sugar

1 c 35% Whipping Cream

1 T Cider Vinegar

pinch Salt

3 T Unsalted Butter

3 T Shortening

1 c Pecans, Toasted and Chopped

Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Here’s how to remove the skin from the peaches. Bring a pot of water to a boil (make sure that there is enough room so that each peach will be completely submerged). Beside it, place a big mixing bowl half filled with cold water and ice. Gently drop a couple of peaches at a time into the hot water. After half a minute, or so, lift each out with a slotted spoon and give it a gentle pinch. If the skin feels loose, place it into the ice water (if it doesn’t, lower it back into the boiling water for a little longer). While the peaches cool in the ice water, use your fingers to remove the skins.

When the peaches have cooled, use a sharp knife to cut each into 8 wedges.

Toss the peach wedges, the blueberries, the sugar and the lemon juice together in a mixing bowl; set this aside.

Mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the butter and the shortening and then mix them together using a pastry cutter or a large fork. No need to overdo it; the mixture should look like dry and crumbly. Pour in the cream and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Add half the pecans and mix them in, too.

Pour the fruit mixture into an 8 x 12 x 2 inch pan. Pour the topping over the fruit. Sprinkle the pecans on top.

Bake the dessert for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is browned and cooked through.

Best served warm.

Serves 6

Cheers!

Barb & Alan

Volume 1 Issue 8 (August 2006)

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August 2006, Volume 1 Issue 8
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the August Foodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month
Subscribe
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Welcome to the August Foodletter

Wow! Where did the summer go? Labour Day is galloping up on us and it feels like we just put the snow shovels away!

Here in Sebringville, the nights are getting cooler, and I've even noticed some leaves starting to fall. I think we lost track of time during the heatwave. The air-conditioning unit on the building seems to be there just for decoration and some idiot kept turning on the ovens! It was a hot and (mentally) hazy couple of weeks.

But we've survived another summer and so have the spiders. It seems to be an amazing year for them, and not just here. My Mother down in Kingsville reports that an all-out war with them is on in the nursing home. They can string a web across vast amounts of space in no time at all. Alan has taken to walking through the place with his hand in front of his face like some kind of old-time explorer. I, of course, forget they're there and so spend a lot of time dancing around like an idiot, trying to get the nasty, sticky webs off of me (and this, mere moments after doing the cleaning. How do they move so fast?). Can we train them to use their powers and incredible energy for good? Sweeping the floor, for instance....

More research is required.

On a more positive note, the harvest is on! One of the things I love about living in this area is that, even without planting a thing, we can be completely inundated with fresh fruit and vegetables. Friends arrive for dinner bearing gifts from their gardens: beets and tomatoes and green beans. My brother came last week with a sack of corn and a very heavy watermelon. The farmer's market is awash with temptation. We've been eating like kings lately, happy in the knowledge that many of our friends do their own canning. Alan made several batches of jam during soft-fruit season. We will gladly trade.

We're getting quite an education, too, watching the farm vehicles drive past, from one job to another. I've no idea what they could possibly be for, but sometimes we see one in action in a field and the picture gets a little clearer.

Hope treasures abound in your corner of the world, as well!

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Alan's Recipes of the Month

John Taylor's Stacked Tomato Salad

It's tomato season and time for a couple of recipes featuring this most wonderful (and healthful) fruit. John Taylor was the first chef I worked for at the Westover Inn in St Marys, Ontario (just South of Stratford) many years ago. He now has his own highly acclaimed place in Ottawa (http://www.domuscafe.ca/) and occasionally this recipe reappears on his ever changing menu.

Ingredients (per person)
1 med Ripe Tomato, can be red or yellow (or a mixture) and the fresher - the better
4-6 lg Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
2 oz Soft Goat (or Sheep) Cheese, crumbled
3 T Extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 bu Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper, to taste
1 handful Mixed (Mesclun) Greens

Method
Core the tomato and turn it on its side. Cut the tomato into six slices. Take the top and bottom slices and chop into fine squares.
Make the vinaigrette by mixing the oil and vinegar in a bowl. Finely chop a few of the basil leaves and mix them in. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the greens.
Place a slice of tomato in the centre of a large plate. Place a few of the greens on top. Add another slice of tomato on top of that. Top with some of the chopped olives and a few more greens. Top with another tomato slice. Gently place some of the crumbled goat cheese on this slice, along with some more greens. Add the last slice of tomato on top of this and place a small basil leaf on top.
Sprinkle the rest of the chopped tomato, olives, chopped basil and cheese around the plate. If there is any vinaigrette left, sprinkle that about as well.
Crack a bit of fresh black pepper over the whole thing and bring carefully to the table.

Variation Place all of these ingredients (except the greens) in a big bowl and toss in hot pasta - just about any shape will do. Add a bit more olive oil if need be and serve with crusty bread (to sop it all up). Makes a lovely light summer supper.

Gazpacho

Ingredients
4 lg Ripe, Fresh Tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 ea Red and Yellow Bell Peppers, chopped
1 med Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 T Red Wine, Balsamic or Tarragon Vinegar, or to taste
1 bu Fresh Basil, chopped
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper, or to taste
Best Quality Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Croutons (small toasted chunks of bread rubbed with garlic)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method
Place the tomatoes, half of the peppers and half of the cucumber in a food processor and pulse until good and sloppy, but not pureed. Pour into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix thoroughly and chill well until ready to serve.
To serve, pour about 6 ounces into each bowl. Top with a splash of olive oil, a few croutons and some more chopped basil.

Serves 4.


Cheers!
Barb & Alan