Pro Bono Baker

Zucchini Turmeric Pickles

Like many of you, early fall is my favorite time of year. I've unpacked extra blankets and sweaters, started to visit our local apple orchard on a nearly weekly basis, and I'm taking every opportunity to spend time outside before the daylight hours fade.

The last few weekends have been been full of visitors and it has been a pleasure to show friends and family around town. I took advantage of the associated car access and we visited abandoned train cars, historic round barns, the Allerton estate, and the former Chanute Air Force Base. It's hard to believe that I'll be done with my degree in December. Time has flown by and this little town has grown on me.

To welcome my guests I bought a few bottles of wine and made a double batch of my favorite pickles. This recipe is perfect for late summer/early fall when zucchini is plentiful. The pickles have a familiar sweet and sour flavor with a few extra special touches: turmeric and mustard.

Zucchini Turmeric Pickles

Adapted from  the Zuni Café

Ingredients

1 lb zucchini
1 small yellow onion
2 Tbl kosher salt
2 C cider vinegar
1 C sugar
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp crushed yellow and/or brown mustard seeds (I used brown)
Scant 1 tsp ground turmeric

Method

Wash and trim the zucchini, then slice them one-sixteenth-inch thick; I used a mandoline. Do the same with the onion. Combine the zucchini and onions in a large but shallow nonreactive bowl, add the salt and toss to distribute. Add a few ice cubes and cold water to cover, then stir to dissolve the salt.

After about 1 hour, taste and feel a piece of zucchini -- it should be slightly softened. Drain and pat dry.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds and turmeric. Simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside until just warm to the touch. (You don't want the brine to cook your crisp pickles.)

Return the zucchini to a dry bowl and pour over the cooled brine. Stir to distribute the spices. Transfer the pickle to jars. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least a day before serving to allow the flavors to mellow and permeate the zucchini, turning them a brilliant chartreuse color.

Peach Coffee Cake

How is it that I never seem to realize the days are getting shorter until the first cool September day? Suddenly the sunlight looks a bit warmer on my bike ride home from work, summer flowers are few and far between, and neighborhood gardens are bursting with tomatoes and zucchinis. I'm one of the most enthusiastic autumn-lovers you can find, but the changing seasons aren't without a bit of sadness to see another summer come to a close. Luckily, Peach Coffee Cake is the perfect recipe to ease the transition. 

Midwesterners, be sure to visit your farmers market over the next two weeks to get the last of the juicy freestone peaches. Tell them you are baking, and perhaps your farmer will throw in a few slightly bruised extras like mine did. (What a nice treat!) Though, if you can't find any, this recipe will also work well with plums or apricots. 

Peach Coffee Cake
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Dimply Plum Cake 

Ingredients  

1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt 
Scant 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
5 Tbl unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 C (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 C flavorless oil, such as canola or sunflower
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 freestone peaches, pitted and halved*

Method

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan, dust the inside with flour, tap out the excess and put the pan on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a second medium bowl and working with a mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until it’s soft and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes, then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a minute after each egg goes in. Still working on medium speed, beat in the oil, zest and vanilla—the batter will look smooth and creamy, almost satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated.

Run a spatula around the bowl and under the batter to make sure there are no dry spots, then scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Arrange the peaches cut side up in the batter, jiggling the peaches a tad just so they settle comfortably into the batter.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and puffed around the peaches and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 15 minutes—during which time the peach juice will seep back into the cake—then run a knife around the sides of the pan and unmold the cake. Invert and cool right side up. 

Once cool, dust the cake with powdered sugar to serve. 

(*I used four halves in the center of the cake. Then, I cut away the bruised parts of large peach and sliced the remaining pieces. I placed these smaller pieces along the perimeter of the cake, making sure a bit of batter remained between the baking pan and the peach slices.)

Quinoa Tabbouleh

My final semester of graduate school began last week. It's hard to believe that it has been a year since I moved away from Chicago. I left the city overwhelmed and burned out after several years in nonprofit development. I didn't have much of an end goal when I started library school. I was simply eager for a change. In the last twelve months I've had the opportunity to meet many fascinating and brilliant people, to visit new places, to commute by bike for the first time in years, to encounter new ways of thinking about information, how people seek it, and how to organize it. I've even started to find my own focus in the field. It's been wonderful to be back in school. I plan to thoroughly enjoy these last few months. 

In additional to my library courses, I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone and signed up for a studio art course on RAW photography. I haven't taken an art class since middle school and I'm ecstatic to be doing so again. I'm the only student from outside the art department, and while I'm slightly afraid of looking foolish, I couldn't be happier. 

The start of the academic year means that falling leaves and sweaters are right around the corner. These last few weeks of late summer are always my favorite, with milder temperatures and perfect tomatoes. Here is a healthier take on traditional tabbouleh that calls for some of the abundant summer herbs and vegetables that are still available. 

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Ingredients

1 C black quinoa - rinsed
1/2 medium cucumber - peeled, seeded, and diced
2 medium tomatoes - seeds squeezed out and diced (I used one red and one yellow)
1/4 medium red onion - diced
3 garlic cloves - minced
2 C flat-leaf parsley - stems removed and chopped
1/2 C mint - stems removed and chopped 
2 Tbl lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste 

Method

Bring two cups of salted water to a boil in a medium-sized pot. Add the quinoa, turn down the heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer about 20 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked and fluffy. 

When the quinoa is cooked, pour off any excess water and add the quinoa to a large bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, and salt and pour the dressing over the quinoa. Stir to combine evenly. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, and mint. Stir to combine. Add additional salt and lemon juice to taste. Refrigerate and serve chilled. 

Polebridge Mercantile Bakery

I'm in Glacier National Park hiking with my family for two weeks before my last semester of graduate school begins in late August. In my absence, I'd like to give you a taste of one of my favorite bakeries. (A version of this story originally appeared on Gapers Block.)

If you have ever had the opportunity to enjoy an extended backcountry hiking trip, you are surely familiar with the campfire moment when you begin to fantasize about your first meal off the trail. If you happen to find yourself in northwest Montana, hiking in the North Fork Valley, you will likely be fantasizing about Polebridge Mercantile. This general store, bakery, and gas station is a mile from the northwest entrance to Glacier National Park and the only bakery between the Apgar ranger station and the Canadian border. Though, even without that distinction, Polebridge would be worth the long, gravel road drive.

Built in 1914, Polebridge hosts a large and eclectic staff from all corners of the country. The faces change from year to year, but the one thing they all have in common is a passion for the great outdoors and this little town in the middle of nowhere. Polebridge Mercantile bakes all day long, seven days a week, turning out loaves of bread, cookies, and sweet and savory pastries. Few items have a chance to completely cool before they are on their way to the trailhead with a happy customer.

Pastries run a dollar and change and a baker's dozen of their cookies are only $5. Don't miss the huckleberry macaroons, the spinach and blue cheese pastries with garlic and poppy seeds (pictured above), or their sticky buns. They also sell excellent hot and cold sandwiches and breads.

Polebridge sells a wide variety of home and camp supplies, toiletries, food, and beverages. The big porch and picnic tables out front provide the perfect invitation to enjoy one of the regional microbrews they sell while you take in the mountains surrounding this picturesque corner of the world.

Camping is plentiful, but Polebridge also rents cabins on their property for $45 a night. Call ahead for details and be mindful that the area is fairly inaccessible for much of the year without serious snow equipment. Remember to sweeten up the hard-working Apgar rangers with a bakery delivery on your way back south.

Polebridge Mercantile
265 Polebridge Loop
Polebridge, MT, 59928
(406) 888-5105

Strawberry Shortcake

This has been the first summer that has really felt like summer to me in a long time. Soaring temperatures, breezy bike rides, patio drinking, vacations, great food, old friends, new friends, grad school classes, and barely a moment to sit still - just the way I like it.

I've been fortunate to spend a lot of time with my family this summer and we recently had a large reunion for my father's side of the family. My grandparents had six children and - counting spouses and great grandchildren - there are about 40 of us now. We are lucky to be so close-knit for a large family, especially considering that we are spread throughout the country and the world.

The driving force behind this family reunion was to celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday. That's the two of us in 1986 and again just recently. We spent three days in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin dining, going through old photos, and enjoying my grandfather's land. I'm hoping I inherited some of my grandparent's good genes - they are both in excellent shape. In fact, my grandfather's birthday gift was a new chainsaw and he and my father are out at the land clearing away fallen trees from the most recent storm as I write this.

It's hard to believe it is already August. I've started to frantically make all of the summer dishes that I know I will miss when late September rolls around. Growing up, strawberry shortcake usually included store bought angel food cake. While I still have a special place in my heart for that distinctive flavor, you can't beat the real thing. The shortcakes in this recipe are easy to make and it's worth turning on the oven for in the hot August heat.

Strawberry Shortcake
Serves 10

For the shortcakes:

Ingredients

4 C all-purpose flour
2 Tbl baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
6 Tbl sugar
1 ½ sticks (12 Tbl) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 ½ C cold heavy cream

Method

I use Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Tender Shortcakes, which you can find here.

For the strawberries and cream:

Ingredients

2 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed
2 Tbl sugar
1 ½ C cold heavy cream

Method

Thinly slice the strawberries. Add to a medium bowl and add the sugar. Gently toss the strawberries to coat and let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, periodically stirring to distribute the sugar. Refrigerate until you are ready to use the mixture.

Just before you are ready to serve the strawberry shortcakes, add the heavy cream to medium bowl and whip with a hand mixer until light and airy. Don't over mix.

To serve, place a shortcake on a plate (you can gently slice them in half if you'd like, but I leave them whole), top with a few dallops of whipped cream and a few spoonfuls of strawberries.

Porch Beer

It is sweltering in Illinois as I write this. I glanced at the weather report before I biked to work this morning, and to my dismay saw that it would feel like 112 F outside. And, it did. Look out east coast, this heat wave is coming for you. I'd recommend that you stock a few ingredients in your home in preparation. This is my favorite way to keep cool on these hot, hot summer nights. 

Porch Beer

Ingredients

12 oz. lager beer (I use Tecate)
1 lime
Kosher flake salt
4 large ice cubes

Method

Cut the lime into quarters and run one of the wedges around the rim of a 20 oz pint glass. Pour a tablespoon of salt into a flat dish and coat the glass rim.  Add four large ice cubes to the glass, squeeze in the lime juice, and add the lime quarters. Top with beer.

(From the archives.)

Beet Ice Cream

It never feels like summer until July, when the midwest gets hit with the first dangerous heat wave and the humidity becomes overwhelming. Everyone likes to complain about it, including me, but I secretly appreciate the extreme temperatures that mark our seasons in this region. When I lived in Oregon, I was always felt a bit melancholy when fall, winter, and spring would blend together into one entirely tolerable season.

I recently spent a nice weekend in Milwaukee with part of Nick's family. I always forget how different Lake Michigan looks further north. It appears more accessible, without a messy Navy Pier and fewer people.

I've been traveling non-stop this summer (usually only as far as Chicago, thankfully). Between the beginning of May and the end of August, I'll have spent only three weekends here, and one of those was to move. I'm lucky to be so busy, but I hardly know what to do with myself when I don't have to scramble to catch a train on a Friday these days.

 

My weekend plans include a bike tune-up, a visit to the Urbana Farmers Market, and a long run. I'll also be finishing off a batch of Beet Ice Cream as the next heat wave rolls in. I used this recipe from Serious Eats (omitting the chocolate), but next time I am going to try Thomas Keller's. The Serious Eats recipe was nice, but it didn't end up as creamy as I'd hoped. (For those of you questioning whether beets and ice cream should be paired, let me assure you that while it is different, I think it is delicious. There is a natural sweetness to beets, of course, and the earthiness mellows out the rest of the sugar in the recipe.)

 

New Orleans

   

The American Library Association annual conference took place in New Orleans this year. I waited until the last minute to decide to attend, but in late June I joined thousands of other librarians and archivists for a week in a truly lovely city. 

  

It's no secret that I have a special place in my heart for long-distance train travel. I take the City of New Orleans route between Chicago and Champaign several times a month, but this was my first ride heading all the way south on this line. Most of the daylight hours on the 17 hour trip are spent traveling through the beautiful state of Mississippi and the end of the route skirts Lake Pontchartrain before arriving in New Orleans.

 

I'd visited New Orleans before, but several years ago when I was still a teenager. I remember the trips fondly, but they were fairly limited in location and activity. 

I am lucky to have two warm and generous friends, Will and Jeanne, living in New Orleans who hosted me in the Bywater neighborhood. On my frist night, we went out for fried shrimp po'boys from Parkway and saw the Stooges Brass Band play at the Hi-Ho. The musicians were stacked three deep on the small stage and kept us out late. It was the perfect introduction to the city and away from the typical tourist path.

 
We were fortunate to enjoy wonderful weather. The week of rain that had been predicted held off for the most part. It was hot, for sure, but it was pleasant enough for walking, biking, and plenty of patio dining. 

The population of New Orleans is just shy of 350,000 people (nearly 30% less than a decade ago), and 20,000 librarians flooding the convention and French Quarter districts made quite an impact. Nearly every place I went, I spotted hip glasses, vacation smiles, and sensible shoes. 

I love to eat and drink, though I tend to keep a fairly vegetarian diet, making exceptions for local fare and well-raised meats. New Orleans cast a spell on me and I wound up eating more meat in five days than I have eaten in the last ten years combined (no joke). This is a city that has immense pride in their culinary traditions and it was a joy to take part. At Coop's, I went so far as to order the Taste Plate and did my best to wade through Seafood Gumbo, Shrimp Creole, Cajun Fried Chicken, Red Beans & Rice with Sausage, and Rabbit & Sausage Jambalaya.

The best meal of my trip was at Boucherie where we ate mussels, hamachi, smoked scallops, ribs, and crispy duck confit with cucumber dill salad and sauce gribiche (pictured above). Every dish was beautifuly presented, fresh, and complex. The meal was reasonably priced and the service was wonderful. Chef Nathanial Zimet was recently shot in front of his home. He survived, thankfully, but is facing daunting medical bills. If you are planning a trip to New Orleans soon, don't miss the chance to enjoy a superb meal and support this business. 

After dinner, we enjoyed blueberry mojitos at St. Joe's Bar on their dreamy patio. The midwest could certainly learn a thing or two about outdoor hospitality from our southern friends. The outdoor bar, breezy fans, and gently rocking lanterns made for a serene evening.

 

I enjoyed several excellent breakfasts in New Orleans. One morning, I skipped an early conference session and met Julia - my friend, fellow student, and daily companion for the week - for our obligatory visit to Café du Monde.  

The beignets were just as flaky and sugary as I remembered, and the to-go line made for a quick wait followed by a leisurely rest in Jackson Square Park.

A few miles away in the Bywater neighborhood is Satsuma, a bustling coffee shop with a fairly extensive menu and delicious food. The beet lemonade and bacon, egg, and cheese on a cheddar biscuit were simple, but extremely satisfying.

 

Elizabeth's, just a few blocks away in Bywater, served the last great breakfast of the trip. It is a fairly plain looking restaurant. However, their eggs, cheddar grits, biscuit, and praline bacon are anything but.

After our last full day at the conference, I realized I had yet to have a Pimm's Cup, Sazerac, or Muffuletta - three items with a strong attachment to the city.

 

I made my way over to Napoleon House with a few friends and set out to correct that. It had just rained, and the gorgeous patio was nearly empty.

Napoleon House has been around since 1797. While nothing we ordered was amazing (lime and no cucumber in the Pimm's Cup...), the venue was truly impressive. It was full of old wood, ferns, and natural light. 

New Orleans is a welcoming, bike-friendly, laid-back city. It's full of amazing food, vibrant colors, and great music. I'd like to see more of the south. I tend to stay above the 37th parallel, but I think I've been missing out.

 

I'm incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to become reacquainted with New Orleans, reconnect with Will and Jeanne, and become more engaged in my professional community. It was a fun and invigorating trip.

 

You can find more pictures here. 

Lemon & Tahini Peas

I spent a busy Father's Day weekend between Chicago and northern Illinois. My mother is renting a fantastic apartment in a high-rise near Millennium Park this summer. I spent some time enjoying the view with her on Friday, followed by a fantastic dinner at Province with Nick.

Saturday and Sunday I spent at home with my parents, and in Lake Geneva with my Grandparents. We had a picnic at my Grandparent's land for Father's Day and enjoyed an excited hail storm that evening.

My brother came into Chicago for work on Monday evening and my father and I met him for dinner on the Small Bar patio in Logan Square. It was odd being there now that neither of us live in the neighborhood. It was a busy weekend, but I am glad I was able to visit with so many people.

I catch the train to New Orleans this evening for the American Library Association Conference. Feel free to share any recommendations you have for my stay!

Summer has officially arrived and I've been keeping cool with recipes that require very little heat to prepare. (Sometimes, I just eat an entire melon for a meal.) This recipe for peas in a flavorful lemon and tahini dressing is great on its own, or served with toasted pita.

Lemon & Tahini Peas

Ingredients

2 C frozen peas
1/4 C plain yogurt
2 Tbl tahini
2 Tbl red onion, finely diced
2 Tbl lemon zest
1 Tbl water
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Method

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the frozen peas for a minute or two -- just until they turn bright green. Remove from the heat, drain, and run cold water over them. You don't want the peas to cook, just to thoroughly thaw.

In a medium bowl, combine all of the other ingredients and mix well. Add another tablespoon or two of water if the consistency of the dressing seems too thick.

Add the peas, tossing to coat. With a fork or a potato masher, gently crush some of the peas. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Poached Egg Soup

The sky threatened to rain all day yesterday, and around 5 am the storm we were promised finally arrived with a magnificent display of thunder and lightening.

I can be a bit hard on the midwest sometimes. For much the year, it is intensely hot and humid or dangerously cold. But, nothing compares to a midwestern summer storm, the exhilarating feeling of a hot night and heat lightening, or the surprising beauty of a farm field lighting up with lightening bugs at dusk.

This will be my first summer away from Chicago in several years. While there are many things I will miss -- like the Hoyle Brothers at the Empty Bottle, Veggie Bingo at the Hideout, and the hop-fringed patio at Small Bar -- I suddenly feel quite comfortable here in Champaign. I never thought I would live in a town this small again, and while I am certain it is temporary, it is growing on me.

Last summer's routine of waiting for the Western bus on scorching hot asphalt in exhaust heavy air, to head to a job that slowly crushed my will to work for good in the nonprofit sector, seems long ago now. I feel lucky. While I look forward to the next transition when I graduate, for these last few months, I'm happy.

This dish, while appropriate for any meal, makes a great weekend breakfast for chilly mornings.

Zuppa alla Pavese
Adapted from Ciao Italia
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 thick slices of rustic bread, toasted and buttered
2 fresh eggs
2 Tbl grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 C hot broth (beef or vegetable)
Black pepper
Fresh thyme leaves, optional

Method

Preheat the oven to 375F.
Place each slice of bread in a large oven-safe serving bowl.
Crack an egg on top of each slice, carefully ensuring it doesn't slip under the bread. Top the egg with a tablespoon of cheese and carefully pour a cup of broth down the side of each bowl.
Place the bowls on a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. The dish is ready when egg whites have set and the bread is golden brown.
Serve with freshly ground black pepper and fresh thyme leaves.