Cordially Yours

I’m perpetually haunted by the ghost of cranberries Christmas past. One of the rare few fresh ingredients that remains firmly out of season and unavailable most of the year, the impulse to stock up is irresistible. Surely, there will come a time in mid-July when I absolutely NEED whole cranberries, right? It’s only reasonable to toss an extra two or three bags in the freezer while you can.

Then, the holidays roll around again and I still have those two or three bags from last year exactly where I left them.

It’s time to finally end the cycle. The solution, as with many problems, involves a more spirited approach.

What Is a Cordial?

Cranberry cordial is the easiest and most gratifying way to make festive fruit liqueur that the whole family (ages 21 and up, please) can enjoy. In the US, “cordial” and “liqueur” are often used interchangeably, generally referring to sweetened spirits flavored with fruits, herbs, spices, or other ingredients. Across the pond, however, ordering a cordial may get you a non-alcoholic fruit syrup instead, so choose your words carefully.

For this seasonal tipple, whole cranberries are steeped in alcohol with sugar and spices, slowly surrendering their color and tartness to make a more balanced little aperitif. Marvelously low-effort, affordable, and requires almost no intervention beyond 10 minutes of active cook time, hoarding excess cranberries will never be a problem again.

Low Effort, High Spirits

After a few weeks, you’re left with a jewel-toned, intensely cranberry-flavored cordial that’s equally at home mixed into cocktails, topped off with sparkling water, or sipped straight when the weather calls for something warming. Better still, the cranberries themselves aren’t finished yet. Plump, boozy, and thoroughly infused, they have one more job to do.

Saucy Second Act

Simply toss those spent cranberries back into a sauce pan and simmer them into a thoroughly boozy cranberry sauce, the likes of which are guaranteed to make a stuffy Thanksgiving gathering considerably more interesting. Waste not, want not, and never let perfectly good liquor-soaked fruit go unceremoniously into the compost.

It seems like old habits die hard; now I have a new reason to stock the freezer before cranberries vanish from stores again.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Thanksgiving Side Hustle

Side dishes are the best part of Thanksgiving. This isn’t an issue of turkey vs Tofurky, it’s just a solid fact that the real MVPs are found on the sidelines for this holiday. Give me a plate piled high with stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and at least two or three other dishes that I had absolutely no intention of taking until I saw them from across the table. It’s that abundance to the point of excess that defines a happy Thanksgiving.

When you’re making your annual autumnal feast, the sides shouldn’t feel like supporting actors because really, they’re the main event. The riot of colors and textures is a seasonal showcase, shining a spotlight on all the best the harvest has to offer. If it happens to be lavished in a bit more vegan butter and brown sugar than usual, so be it.

Whether you’re hosting, bringing a dish to the table, or just looking for a few new ways to fill out the holiday spread, these are the recipes you’ll want to have in your back pocket. Some are classics that belong on the table year after year, while others put a welcome twist on tradition. Together, they make a Thanksgiving menu that has something for everyone, and gives you plenty of reasons to go back for seconds.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)9 Comments

Between a Rock and a Hard Wheat

Whole wheat flour has an image problem. For generations of kids raised on homemade granola and natural food stores, it was the flour of dense sandwich bread, crumbly muffins, and cookies that somehow tasted healthy no matter how much sugar went into them. Going back even further in history, it was the flour of poverty, when “unrefined” stood for lower class and limited means. Whole wheat became synonymous with compromise, as though choosing more nutrition automatically meant settling for less flavor.

Hard white wheat is the solution. The first time I milled a batch of hard white wheat berries from Grand Teton Ancient Grains, I kept waiting for the familiar aroma of earthy bran rising as dark powder piled up. Instead, it smelled surprisingly sweet, with notes of fresh hay and raw almonds, pale enough that I checked the bag twice to make sure I hadn’t accidentally milled the wrong grain. Yet every bit of the bran and germ was still there; nothing lost and everything gained.

Just like soft white wheat, this is how white whole wheat flour is made. The difference is that hard white wheat is the stuff of lofty sandwich breads, chewy bagels, and perfectly blistered pizza crusts. If soft white wheat is the pastry specialist, hard white wheat is the bread baker’s best friend.

Asking Hard Questions About Hard Wheat

As I’ve mentioned previously, there are six classes of wheat grown in the United States, each bred with a different purpose in mind. When it comes to bread baking, the real rivalry is between hard red and hard white wheat. Both are high in protein, providing the gluten strength needed for high-rising loaves and an even, sturdy crumb. On paper, they’re remarkably similar. In the kitchen, however, they couldn’t be more different.

Hard red wheat contains higher levels of tannins and phenolic compounds in its bran, giving it the robust, nutty flavor and reddish-brown hue most people associate with traditional whole wheat flour. Its assertive character stands up beautifully to hearty recipes packed with seeds, molasses, rye, or warming spices, but it can easily dominate more delicate flavors. The bran also tends to produce denser loaves with a slightly heartier chew, accompanied by an earthy finish that can verge on subtly bitter, particularly in freshly milled flour.

Hard white wheat, by contrast, has a naturally pale bran and far fewer tannic compounds, resulting in a flour that’s lighter in color with a noticeably milder, subtly sweeter flavor. It still delivers the same strong gluten network and impressive oven spring, but the finished loaf feels lighter and more approachable. Rather than announcing itself as “whole wheat” with every bite, hard white wheat lets vegan butter taste richer, maple syrup seem sweeter, herbs stay vibrant, and spices take center stage. It’s the rare whole grain flour that wins over skeptics because it doesn’t ask them to compromise on flavor or texture.

Perhaps most importantly, opting for hard white wheat over red will never come at the expense of nutrition. Because the entire bran, germ, and endosperm remain intact, hard white wheat provides all the fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and naturally occurring antioxidants of a true whole grain. It simply packages those benefits in a loaf that tastes every bit as inviting as one made with refined flour, a rare case where you really can have the best of both worlds.

Cooking Whole Hard White Wheat Berries

Before reaching for the grain mill, save a few wheat berries to enjoy whole. Their pleasantly chewy texture and mild flavor make them an easy substitute for spelt, barley, or brown rice in countless recipes, while holding their shape beautifully after cooking.

  • Stovetop Method: Rinse one cup of hard white wheat berries under cool water and drain well. Soaking overnight is optional but will shorten the cooking time. Combine the wheat berries with three cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 – 75 minutes, or until tender with just a slight chew. Drain any remaining liquid and allow the grains to rest for a few minutes before serving.
  • Pressure Cooker Method: Combine one cup of rinsed wheat berries with three cups of water and a pinch of salt in an electric pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release. Drain if necessary before using.

Cooked wheat berries will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for several months, making them an easy whole grain to prepare ahead for quick meals throughout the week.

Milling and Baking with Hard White Wheat Flour

Freshly milled flour is where hard white wheat truly shines. The natural oils in the germ begin to oxidize as soon as the grain is ground, so milling only what you need preserves its delicate aroma and full nutritional value. If you’ve only baked with commercial whole wheat flour, the difference is night and day. Fresh flour is softer, sweeter, and more fragrant, with a faint honeyed aroma that all but disappears during long term storage.

Because hard white wheat is naturally high in protein, it’s an excellent choice for yeast-raised breads, though it performs beautifully in many enriched doughs as well. Freshly milled flour absorbs slightly more liquid than conventional all-purpose flour thanks to the intact bran and germ, so don’t be surprised if your dough benefits from an extra splash of water or non-dairy milk. Given time to hydrate, it develops a strong, elastic gluten matrix, capable of producing the best breads you’ve ever sunk your teeth into, toasted or not.

For the lightest crumb, many bakers allow the flour to rest with the liquid before kneading, giving the bran time to soften and reducing its tendency to interfere with gluten development. While this extra step isn’t always necessary, it can make a difference in breads made with 100% freshly milled flour.

Wheat Berry Mushroom Risotto

Traditional Uses for Hard White Wheat

With its mild flavor and exceptional gluten strength, hard white wheat is one of the most versatile bread wheats available.

As Whole Wheat Berries:

  • Grain salads with fresh or roasted vegetables, herbs, and vinaigrette
  • Pilafs and side dishes in place of rice or farro
  • Soups and hearty vegetable stews
  • Breakfast porridge (AKA cream of wheat) with fruit, cinnamon, and maple syrup
  • Risotto-style entree or side, instead of arborio rice
  • Stuffing and grain-based holiday side dishes

As Flour:

Its restrained flavor also makes it an excellent flour for recipes featuring herbs, citrus, chocolate, or warming spices, where stronger whole wheat flour can sometimes compete with the very ingredients it’s meant to support.

Whole Grain Nutrition Without Compromise

Hard white wheat proves that choosing whole grains doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor or texture. Because every part of the kernel remains intact, freshly milled flour retains the fiber-rich bran, nutrient-dense germ, and starchy endosperm, exactly as nature intended.

A typical 100-gram serving of hard white wheat flour provides roughly 13 grams of protein and 11 grams of dietary fiber, along with considerable amounts of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, selenium, and several B vitamins. The bran contributes antioxidants, while the germ supplies vitamin E, healthy unsaturated fats, and additional micronutrients that are typically lost during the refining process. Together, they create a flour that’s as nourishing as it is versatile.

Rolling with the Punches at the Thanksgiving Table

Inspiration rarely arrives in linear fashion. For me, it’s a collection of unrelated thoughts that bounce around in my brain until two or more unexpectedly collide. That’s the only explanation, or perhaps excuse, I have for the Honey Butter Potato Chip Rolls that are my new signature Thanksgiving side dish.

Many, many years ago, I was briefly enamored with honey butter potato chips; sweet, salty, buttery, and utterly decadent, I could compulsively eat a whole bag without stopping to breathe. Meanwhile, potato rolls have always occupied a category all their own. Pillow-soft, rich with butter, and just a little sweet, they’re the gold standard for dinner rolls. While mulling over what to do with my surplus of hard white wheat, I suddenly saw the parallels between those otherwise disparate ideas.

Mashed potatoes are responsible for the golden color and tender texture that’s so satisfying to sink your teeth into. Creating an exceptionally moist crumb that’s augmented with the floral sweetness of vegan honey or agave, that alone would make for an unforgettable dinner roll. I can’t leave well enough alone, though, going all-in with a crunchy crushed potato chip topping to adorn each bun.

The contrast is what makes them so irresistible. The top crust shatters delicately before giving way to an almost impossibly light, fluffy interior that practically melts away on your tongue. They’re equally at home mopping up excess gravy, piled high with leftover meatless roast, or simply enjoyed warm from the oven with another smear of vegan butter while no one is looking.

Soft Hearts for Hard Wheat

Every grain has its strengths, and hard white wheat has perhaps more than its fair share, at least when it comes to gluten content. It offers all the best nutritional assets of freshly milled whole wheat flour, without asking anyone to sacrifice the light, tender breads they grew up loving. If it can transform a crazy idea inspired by honey butter potato chips into a Thanksgiving tradition, imagine what it can do with your own favorite recipes.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

Anything But Garden Variety

Don’t be misled by the title; there’s nothing mundane about Garden Variety by Timothy Pakron. A work of inordinate beauty, it reads as both a manifesto for home gardeners and a passionate love letter to vegetables the world over. Author of the acclaimed Mississippi Vegan cookbook and eponymous blog that started it all, Mr. Pakron has already proven his prowess in the field, both figuratively and literally.

Written with poetic flair that remains fittingly down to earth, I was already hooked by the first page. It’s clear that this book is deeply personal, the product of a life’s worth of memories, aspirations, and inspirations set to print. Presented at a time when it’s all too tempting to click “skip to recipe,” it’s the complete package, the whole story, that brings me back to this text time and again. Aside from the incredibly detailed explanation of ingredients and tips for making the most of the book, you would be missing the point to head straight to the recipe sections. Flipping past the introductory pages would be like reading only the final pages of a novel; you’ll get the point, but none of the context, character, and meaning that makes it worth reading.

Beluga Lentil Nachos

Many recipes call for components found elsewhere in the book, such as the Tahini Cheese Sauce (page 89) that makes Beluga Lentil Nachos (page 210) possible. Rather than feeling cumbersome, it feels like a satisfying way to connect the dots between ideas. Nothing exists in a vacuum, after all. Recipes build upon one another in much the same way that the garden itself does, with one harvest feeding into the next. For the same reason you would plant the three sisters (corn, beans, and squash) together, each contributes something the others need. Each component is a building block that becomes more compelling as part of a larger whole. Besides, there’s no reason not to have an easy vegan cheese sauce on hand at all times to make nachos, and more, at will.

Citrusy Beets

Plated with a chef’s eye, dishes like Citrusy Beets (page 271), look fancy, but in fact celebrate simplicity. By merely letting fresh ingredients shine, they’re naturally beautiful. Simmered directly in orange juice with plenty of zest, the citrus permeates all the way to their very core rather than simply dressing them from the outside. As they cook, they become almost buttery and impossibly tender, taking on the bright, fragrant character of the orange while retaining their deep, earthy sweetness. It’s a simple technique with a big payoff.

Okra Eggplant Étouffée

The author’s southern roots come to the surface on dishes like Okra Eggplant Étouffée (page 244), transposing shrimp and crayfish so seamlessly that it’s hard to imagine the dish was ever built differently. Despite being daunting at a glance, especially for someone inexperienced with proper Creole and Cajun cooking, the procedure unfolds easily once the spices are assembled and vegetables cut. Roasting the eggplant separately keeps it intact in the stew yet velvety on the inside, giving the edges a slightly smoky char at the same time. Having a giant pot of this stew that’s layered with such complex flavor and fluffy rice to serve with it, I feel truly rich. If there’s only one recipe you make, though that would be a terribly shortsighted thing to do, it should be this one.

Timothy Pakron

I also appreciate how there’s a section on sourdough, specifically, highlighting the fact that wild yeast is something you can grow and cultivate, too. It’s one of many details that makes Garden Variety feel like a book meant to be lived with, read cover to cover, and even kept as a coffee table art book if you should so desire. The photography is equally integral to the experience, with every page offering a breathtaking glimpse into a more holistic world to inhabit, where growing, gathering, cooking, and eating all feel like parts of the same interconnected experience, at least for a little while.

Garden Variety is a vegan cookbook that doesn’t need to broadcast the message. Its argument is intrinsic, made through abundance and the genuinely joyful sharing of food. There are no allusions to imitating or replacing meat and none are needed to make the point. You don’t have to be a vegetable-lover to appreciate Garden Variety, but you will be by the time you’re through.

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments