Tag: baking

Lemon Law

How could something so ambrosial as a lemon get such a bad rap? “When life gives you lemons,” it’s implied that you have a whole lot of something unwanted. If you get a car that’s a lemon, you’ve just purchased a shiny new piece of junk. Tangy, sour, sharp, and bright, perhaps these early phrases come from eaters unprepared for such a blast of bold flavor. Lemons are the key to balancing out dishes both sweet and savory, adding contrast and depth with a floral softness that straight vinegar can’t match. If I could only have one citrus for the rest of my life, I would choose lemons, hands down.

Lemons have a way of making everything they touch simply taste better. They can play the sidekick or the hero with equal grace, playing well with just about any ingredient it meets. Though typically harvested during the cooler months, it’s a perennial staple, effortlessly bridging all seasons.

Lemons have a quiet power; think of how a splash of juice can wake up a dull sauce, how a pinch of zest can invigorate a salad, or how a sweet lemon syrup can turn a humble cake into something gourmet. It’s these little touches that remind us just how much these sunny citrus fruits can do.

With that in mind, I’ve pulled together a roundup of my lemon recipes, celebrating its full range, from zesty mains to crave-worthy desserts, and a few unexpected delights in between. Whether you’re a citrus enthusiast or just looking for something new to try, these ideas are sure to brighten your table.

Continue reading “Lemon Law” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Center of the Cinnamon Roll

It’s not every day, or even every year, that I get the chance to share a guest post on the blog, so you have to know that this one’s special. I’m lucky enough to have a local chef Craig Vanis of Bistro Vonish joining us to share a story that’s both personal and delicious. As someone with a deep love for food and tradition, Craig reflects on the small yet unforgettable moments that food can create. Especially as we near Mother’s Day, it feels especially poignant as he takes us back in time to his grandmother’s kitchen, where cinnamon rolls were more than just a treat, but also a symbol of connection and joy. It’s a real treat to have him share that moment in time along with the recipe that’s been a part of his family for years. -HK

Somehow, grandmas always have the best treats. It’s a fact. Maybe our memories of those goodies tasting so great is due to a childish regression. Or maybe, and I think this is more likely, everyone is factually correct in remembering their grandma’s snacks as superlative. Having those little treats at Grandma’s house is always going to be a little slice of joy so wholesome that Norman Rockwell wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Being a descendant of Bohemian immigrants, kolaches were a must have at Grandma Vanis’s house (only the sweet varieties are “kolache” in a Czech home, and the poppyseed filling is especially popular). But kolaches were not my favorite treat in her kitchen. My favorite? The Cinnamon Roll. Yes. Singular Cinnamon Roll. Specifically, Grandma’s Giant Cinnamon Roll (™). How giant? Giant. About 10 inches across. Approximately 120 cubic inches. It was as if a whole loaf of monkey bread was twirled to maximized cinnamon-sugar surface area. “Quick! Tell me about grandma’s cinnamon roll.” I’d say, “It’s huge!”

Her mid-western farm house was always abuzz with innumerable grand kids, and eventually, great grand kids. The Cinnamon Roll was an ever-winding solitary behemoth, spiraling out to the far reaches of a large pie pan. A horizontal monolith of hypnotic enjoyment. We would cut sections off of the outer edge as the circumference tightened in on itself (full disclosure: we probably used our fingers unless an adult was watching), relishing each delightful morsel while we caught up with the extended family.

There’s a delicate dance to this ritual where you do not want to fill up too much on the outer layers, lest you miss being the lucky duck whose final big bite includes the point from which all cinnamon-sugar elation radiates. The very concept of a dopamine rush made incarnate and leavened with yeast. The headliner in this amazing festival of treats. The checkered flag in the pastry grand prix. The Center. The Center of Grandma’s Giant Cinnamon Roll (™).

This is where the cinnamon-sugar is concentrated while being endlessly wound during assembly. It is where the icing pools and gently soaks in while the pastry race is in progress. And unlike other cinnamon rolls, this center is attained by beating your siblings and cousins in a criterium race to the treasure. Eat too little and you’ll never get there. Eat too much and you’ll be too full to compete at crunch time. It’s not just that the center is the moistest, or sweetest, or gooiest. The center of this cinnamon roll tastes like victory.

The rules to this game of Duck Duck Cinnamon Goose chasing bites around the pie pan are sacred. And it is this sanctity which keeps the calm and order during this adventure. And woe to whomever skips ahead to pluck The Center before it is time. That person will meet the wrath of this sugar-fueled mob, and feel the ire of a whole half of a family tree. This betrayal will plant a grudge that will persist for decades.

So be warned. This Ceylon-spiced key to delight can also unlock a bedlam not known since William Golding stranded that group of British school boys on an island.

Now that you know the stakes, I offer this recipe up to you, dear reader, in hopes of sharing a sliver of these happy memories with you and your loved ones.

Continue reading “Center of the Cinnamon Roll” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Add a Little Bit of Spice

Oh, I thought, staring vacantly at the occupied oven. Oh well.

Am I getting more careless in old age, or are product packages becoming more inscrutable? All I wanted was to use up the last of a bottle of tahini and conquer cookie cravings all in one fell swoop. Whether it was willful ignorance or distracted driving behind the stand mixer dials, I had failed to notice that this was harissa tahini, creamed into the already baking batter.

Unfazed, I waited for the timer to sound before retrieving the sheet pan as planned. What else was there to do? Yank the half-baked dough out of the oven and hastily toss it into the trash? As a person more likely to pull the same dough out of the trash, letting the effort go to waste was never an option.

Fortunately, my mistake turned out to be so minimal that you could call it an asset. Nutty, toasted, and subtly buttery, you’d never know anything untoward had occurred at first bite. Only after would you feel a very slight warmth, a growing but gentle burn, at the back of your throat. Balanced by the woodsy sweetness of maple syrup, it certainly won’t light your tongue on fire. In fact, it’s such a successful twist, I’d suggest adding a little bit of spice to standard tahini in case you have the opposite supply issue.

Continue reading “Add a Little Bit of Spice” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)Leave a comment

Whiskey Business with Brownies

Does the world need another brownie recipe?

That’s the question I posed on social media, teasing a photo of just such a thing. Perfectly squared, with razor-sharp edges and straight sides, stacked beguiling towards the viewer, even they seemed aware of what an obvious ask this was. The answer landed even before the question mark was fully formed.

“There is always a good reason to create a new brownie recipe. After all, brownies = joy.”
“The world 🌍 ALWAYS needs another brownie recipe!”
“Yes of course.”
“Yes, please!”
“Well duh!! 😍😍😍”

The people have spoken.

Better Than Basic

While we can agree that there’s no limit to brownie recipes, I’m not one go all the way back to basics. There needs to be at least a small twist, a little something that sets them apart from their fudgy brethren. To that end, I offer two shots of salted caramel-flavored whiskey, warm and rich, alongside nutty toasted pecans. A gentle snow of flaky sea salt feels necessary to round out the theme, ending each bite on a saline high note, thin crystals crunching gently into the glossy surface.

Sweet Stories, Edible Memories

This recipe in particular holds stories, coming from a specific set of circumstances that made me want to preheat the oven in the first place. An embarrassment of riches came from my neighbor’s pecan tree, and a stunning amount of that plunder went to me. Stashed carefully in the freezer for safe keeping, I’ve been working down the surplus slowly, thoughtfully, while trying to think of ways to repay such a gift. This same neighbor and I sometimes share fresh pecans and shots of this particular whiskey to gossip about the community, complain about work, or just catch up, so I knew these ingredients already had a strong affinity. All I had to do was add chocolate.

So, settling the debate once and for all, the world needs many, many more brownie recipes! They don’t need to be earth-shaking, wildly creative, never-before-tasted creations to make a big impact, and more importantly, taste like a little morsel of joy. Sometimes, a little salt, a splash of whiskey, a handful of pecans, and a whole lot of love can do that.

Continue reading “Whiskey Business with Brownies” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)1 Comment

Scout’s Honor

Shredded coconut bums me out. Sweetened or not; long strands or short sprinkles; flat flakes or coarse grounds; I cringe inwardly every time that distinctive ingredient pops up in a recipe. I love coconut in general, but the moment as you deprive it of moisture and distill it down to only its most fibrous components, you’ve lost me as a fan. As a result, shredded coconut tends to sit around in my freezer for unconscionable amounts of time. After fulfilling its duty for whatever assignment it was called for, I have no inclination to consume it myself. That’s why I’m thrilled to pack it up in a caramel tart and pawn it off on others.

Coconut Head

The beloved girl scout samoa cookie inspired this supersized snack, employing a simple shortbread crust topped with that cursed coconut filling, finished with a liberal drizzle of dark chocolate. Quick, uncomplicated, and straight to the point, there’s no better way I can think of to use up a full 3 cups of shredded coconut in one go.

Worthy of a Baking Merit Badge

Samoas, not to be confused with Indian samosas, sometimes go by the name of Caramel deLites, depending on which troops do the baking. First being offered on the girl scout menu in 1975, the only explanation for the original name is that it likely aligns with the island of Samoa, where coconut is one of its major exports. Seems a bit random to me, given all the possible sources for coconut products, but I wasn’t the one who chose the title.

Lightly toasted and wrapped up in a gooey yet sliceable brown sugar substrate, resting just beneath a thin veneer of chocolate and comfortably nested on top of a crisp, slightly crumbly crust, shredded coconut is utterly transformed. My surplus was immediately plundered, as slice after slice hit plates, then to-go containers for seconds and midnight snacks.

Did this finally change my tune on the desiccated dread? Absolutely not. I’m just happy to find a compelling approach for using it up and sharing with others. To each their own, although better together; coconut lovers are welcome here to eat all of it for me.

Continue reading “Scout’s Honor” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

In Dog We Trust

Making dog treats from scratch is more of a gift for the person than the pup. Of course, I know that Luka will be beside himself with joy the moment that such a tasty morsel of human food is in fact for him. His tail will wag so hard, it might threaten to unwind and spin right off. His jaw might chatter, taking tiny chops out of the air before my hovering hand, as if preemptively tasting it, not wanting to miss a single crumb. Despite that, I’ll be happiest of all by creating such joy, no matter how simple or fleeting.

The thing is, dogs would make terrible food critics. Anything edible, and many things not, would be deemed delicacies. Every plate would be licked clean. There’s no such thing as tasting notes since they shouldn’t have salt, or sugar, or anything spicy, in addition to a long list of verboten ingredients. These baked doughnuts, which I’ve deemed dognuts, would be pretty blah to the average eater. Little more than flour, applesauce, and peanut butter, they’re fully edible for anyone who wants to partake, but might fall a little flat based on visual expectations.

Thankfully, my Luka is obsessed with all things doughnut-like and doughnut-shaped, would eat five dinners if no one stopped him, and has been known to eat small rocks if offered. This little gesture of love was an instant hit.

As we survive the one year anniversary of the day I almost lost him, I can’t help but want to squeeze him tighter, spoil him a bit more than usual, go on extra walks and let him sniff for as long as his snoot desires. I know he doesn’t understand, but I want make him some extra special treats for my own sake. To say that I love him, that I’m grateful he’s here, that I’m so lucky he’s still here.

Continue reading “In Dog We Trust” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)9 Comments