Bookmarks–February 20, 2022
In this edition of Bookmarks: a new Newfoundland cookbook that offers more than recipes, new chilies to add to your garden, 24 innovative baking recipes, a deep dive into whole grain flour, and, like other 90s trends, will sun-dried tomatoes make a return to popularity?
How two cookbook authors joined forces to showcase Newfoundland’s bounty of wild foods
I’m absolutely not one to cook or eat wild game, but I love books like this that combine recipes with stories about the origins of certain dishes and culinary know-how from previous generations. And I’m sure the historic photos contributed by one of the authors add a lot to the book.
“Their new cookbook, Food, Culture, Place, not only offers a seat at the Newfoundland table but also in the dory, on the trail and in the back of the side-by-side ATV—the recipes only feature wild ingredients. It is part history lesson through photography, part wild food cookbook, and part foraging guide.” Chatelaine
Hot stuff: chillies that are easy to grow
My son experimented with growing some cayenne and Scotch bonnet chilies last summer. He had good success, but I found the Scotch Bonnet too hot. I’m always interested in learning about other chilies, so this article caught my eye.
“…having personally run taste tests on hundreds of chilli varieties over the years, it does seem to me that many have been actively bred exclusively for their ornamental appeal. So if you are looking for amazing flavour, here are three that really stand out from the crowd..” The Guardian
24 brilliant baking recipes to change your kitchen game
I haven’t made any of these but I think I will end up trying all of them. I love the adaptations: no-yeast cinnamon buns, tea-infused butter in cookies, miso in cookies. Seriously, everything in this list sounds amazing.
“Behind every clever, inventive technique is a clever, inventive cook who looks at a recipe and wonders, How could this be done better? The savviest home cooks and recipe creators always think about how to streamline and innovate in ways big and small, and the 24 recipes below illustrate just that.” New York Times
Flour Trip
A wide-ranging look at whole grain flour versus commercially made, covering a brief history of milling, interviews with small-scale millers, and a consideration of food insecurity and “grain equity.” A long but very interesting read.
“Advocates for whole grains and the special whole wheat flour they produce have been saying that it is better for us in every single way — for our health, for our regional grain economies, for food equity, taste, and more — for decades, and yet all it took was a global pandemic to really start asking what that meant. After more than two years of touching grain, meeting millers, baking near-constantly, and seeing how the flour sausage gets made, I had learned how alienated the average home baker is from flour as an ingredient.” Eater
The dream of the ’90s is alive in sun-dried tomatoes
My son was just telling me how much he enjoyed the sun-dried tomato pesto he bought recently and my husband has always enjoyed the desiccated, oil-packed fruit on pizza. Will such a quintessentially 90s food trend return? Kat Kinsman at Food & Wine thinks so. She includes a few serving ideas too for those who are new to sun-dried tomatoes or those who have forgotten how to enjoy them.
“…much like my beloved boots and fishnets, I have a feeling that sun-dried tomatoes will be stomping back into favor. It’ll be fueled by the ’90s nostalgia of those of us who lived it, as well as my peers’ children, devoid of cultural baggage, who have dug into their parents’ closets to haul out clunky Steve Madden sandals, plaid flannel, and grunge CDs.” Food & Wine
Books image: ID 141398627 © EnkaParmur | Dreamstime.com