Last Crumb

Sometimes life is like a bowl of sour cherries… but I’m not complaining!

Yes you heard me right, sour (tart) cherries are now ripe and ready for picking in the Leona Valley (just North of Los Angeles, CA near Palmdale).  SOUR cherries?? you’re probably thinking, why would I want those?  Because, let me tell you my friend, they are the way to true cherry pie bliss.

And cherry jam bliss…

and real Maraschino (pronounced “maraskino”) cherry bliss.

No, you don’t need any red #40 to make these, but you do need real Maraschino Liqueur.

I have to admit that two years ago I had never tried a sour cherry.  To be fair to myself though, most Californians haven’t.  It’s more of an East coast/European/Persian thing.  Why that is, I’m not really sure.  Maybe because sweet cherries grow so well here.

This all started when I discovered the Manhattan cocktail a few years back.  I loved this cocktail, but hated the garish garnish.  For some reason those noxious things people call “maraschino” cherries just freak me out.  I knew there must be something more.  What was the origin or inspiration for these cherries?.  A little googling around and I was on to something.

The first Maraschino cherries were cooked up somewhere on the Dalmatian coast near Croatia and Italy.  They were made from small, black, sour cherries that grow wild on the hillsides around those parts.  Their name was the Marasca cherry.  A sweet liqueur known as Maraschino had long since been distilled from the fruit, stones (pits), and leaves of these wild cherry trees, but until the 1800’s no one had ever tried to pickle the Marascas in their own liqueur.

Some years later American tourists discovered Maraschino cherries and brought jars home to share with their friends.  They were a big hit and news spread quickly.  Before long, they were all the rage in America’s finest saloons acting as garnish for delicious pre-prohibition cocktails like the Manhattan.  But, sad as it is, the salad days of the real Maraschino cherry in America were numbered.  Things changed when a guy from Oregon, with too many cherries (and chemicals) on his hands, developed a way to preserve them in a less than appetizing way.

How on Earth did these offensively colored new substitutes catch on?  I can only guess.  I’m sure the Temperance Movement didn’t help.  God forbid children should be tempted to sneak one of these liquor soaked cherries!

The new and improved “Maraschino Americano” was also incredibly cheap compared to the imported varieties, and you know how we Americans are when it comes to the cost of food.  The cheaper the better.

Yum…

Thus began my personal quest to re-create the original Maraschino cherry as closely as I could.  A google search for “sour cherries Los Angeles” yielded few results, but I finally found what I was looking for.  It was a place called Cherry Tyme Sour Cherries in the Leona Valley about an hour and a half North of Los Angeles.  Bingo, I thought!

But wait, it was August and all the sour cherries were long gone according to the pleasant lady on the phone.  I had just missed the season!  As you can imagine I was devastated, but the lady offered me one bit of consolation.  I could leave her my e-mail address and the next year they would let me know when the season opens.

Sure enough, the next July I received an e-mail stating it was “Cherry Tyme!”  I recruited my dad to go up there with me and help pick.  We came away with 13 pounds of fresh, sour cherries of three different varieties: Montmorency, Balaton, and Morello.  The Montmorency were large, pale, very sour, and extremely delicate.  I used them for my pies, and they left me with memories I won’t soon forget.  The Balatons were small, firm, dark skinned, and not quite as sour as the Montmorency.  I thought these seemed most like the wild Marasca cherries of the old country, and used them for my Maraschino cherries with great results.  It’s been a year since I put them up and they’re still firm and delicious!  The Morello cherries were medium sized, dark fleshed, sour, and very flavorful.  For some reason they were the most attractive to me.  They embody a perfect balance between the other two varieties, and I used them to make my preserves.

Pitting was a bit of a challenge without a proper cherry pitting tool, but we got pretty good with bamboo skewers after the first hundred or so.

The cherry massacre!

The fun starts tomorrow morning June 27th at Cherry Tyme in Leona Valley.  Their hours are from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm; open daily until all the cherries are gone.  Bring your own boxes!

Cherry Tyme Sour Cherries:

39913 107^th St West

Leona Valley, Ca 93551

(661) 270-0649

cherrytyme@email.com

Hope to see you there!  Recipes coming soon.

Posted by: Will on June 26th, 2009 © Filed under: Baking, Cocktails & Spirits, Condiments, Fruit, Preserves, Seasonal-Summer, Sweets | 4 Comments »

The Sidecar cocktail is said to have been invented by an American Army captain living in Paris during the first World War.  He was driven each night in a motorcycle sidecar, so it goes, to the small bistro where he helped conceive and christen this drink.  On those wintery Paris nights, having been chilled to the bone by his ride in the sidecar, the captain found nothing more warming and rejuvenating than the combination of Cognac Brandy, Cointreau, and lemon juice mixed in equal parts.

Perhaps he was nostalgic for a Daiquirí back home in Florida, and with no access to rum or limes, started improvising with what was on hand.  I can only guess at what his true inspiration was, but it led to a cocktail that could be considered one of the most classic and well known around the world.

On a more sinister note, the Sidecar’s popularity has noticed a steady decline over the past few decades.  This is due in large part to the fact that many bartenders are using cheap brandy, triple sec, and commercial sweet and sour mix to prepare this drink, instead of Cognac, Cointreau, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Trust me please, it would be false economics to cut corners on this particular drink.

I should mention, before posting the formula, that there are two popular schools of thought when it comes to the proportions of ingredients in this cocktail.  The more classic “French School” adheres to the equal triad described above, whereas the newer “English School” swears by a ratio of 2:1:1.  Having tasted both variations side by side earlier this evening I have to conclude that neither school is in the wrong.  The French Sidecar is light, refreshing, delicate, and well balanced, with prominent, though not overpowering citrus elements.  It felt like Spring in Paris.  The more complex and serious English Sidecar felt like fall or winter.  The Cognac was able to take center stage while Cointreau and lemon played backup.  The harmony was beautiful!  I recommend this method if you’re using a really fine Cognac or Armagnac and want it to to shine through.

Sidecar Cocktail (French School)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Cognac or Armagnac
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Sidecar Cocktail (English School)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Cognac or Armagnac
• 3/4 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:

1. Combine ingredients in a shaker half full of ice.
2. Shake or stir vigorously until very cold (no less than 20 seconds).
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a strip of organic or well scrubbed orange or lemon rind (optional).
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Any quality brandy can be substituted for the Cognac.
• Any quality orange liqueur can be substituted for the Cointreau (Grand Marnier, Marie Brizard Grand Orange Liqueur, etc.).
• Always use fresh squeezed lemon juice (Meyer lemons can be used with delicious results, but you may want to cut back on the Cointreau to avoid an overly sweet drink).
• Some people like to sugar the rim of the cocktail glass, but I’m not one of them.
• Experiment with different proportions and find the combo you like the most.
• For more good reading on the Sidecar cocktail go here.

Posted by: Will on April 17th, 2009 © Filed under: Cocktails & Spirits | 2 Comments »

A couple of months back we marked a delicious anniversary. We’ve been part of the Eatwell Farms CSA for over a year now, and I still open each produce box with the anticipation of a six-year-old on her birthday, feasting my eyes on each item before tossing it to one side in pursuit of the next. There are strawberries to taste, carrots to trim, tomatoes to smell, garlic bulbs to hang, and fresh, pasture grazed eggs to examine.

Our Eatwell box is part of the reason we don’t go to the Ferry Building on Saturday mornings as frequently as I would like–we usually have plenty of produce at home. But another reason is that, well, it’s easy to go a little wild. I’ll often come home with unlikely and unnecessary things like cape gooseberries (just to taste), pounds of cucumbers (for when the current pickles run out), and bags of mixed hot peppers (only $3!). One Saturday recently, I came home with a pound of wheatberries. No, we didn’t really need them, but I’d been reading about them in our Eatwell newsletter for months.

Our farmer, Nigel, started growing wheat a few seasons back when it became difficult to find organic feed for the chickens, and he has recently been offering a limited amount at the market.  On this particular Saturday, back when it was still summer, one of Nigel’s sons sat atop the bags of red grain, pouring berries from the scoop enticingly. However, when I asked about the small grinder on display, I learned that a pound of grain might take ten or fifteen minutes to grind. “Or you can soak the wheat in milk overnight and make it into pancakes in the morning.” Really? I forked over my one dollar and tucked my pound of wheat into one of our overflowing canvas bags.

According to Nigel, the pancakes are as easy as switching out the flour in your favorite pancake recipe with wheatberries.  At home that evening, I poured one and one half cups wheatberries into the blender, covered them with an equal amount of buttermilk, added the sugar, oil, and vanilla, and left them to soak overnight.  In the morning I switched the blender on and briefly puzzled over the damp paste that was developing.  Of course, I should have exchanged the flour for wheatberries by weight; unfortunately my aha moment came about 12 hours too late. Here was a blender full of half ground grain in a soupy thick mess of flour, and not enough wheatberries left to start over another day.

Luckily, pancake mix is forgiving.  Going by look and feel, I added more liquid, doubled the levening, folded in an extra egg.  And, just as Nigel promised, the pancakes turned out beautifully.  Several batches later, here, in honor of Eatwell Farm, is my favorite new pancake recipe.  The pancakes turn out a wonderful golden brown, and they are surprisingly light.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups hard red wheat berries
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup low fat milk
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt

Method

The night before you make the pancakes, place the wheat, buttermilk, milk, olive oil, sugar, and vanilla in a blender, cover, and allow to soak overnight. In the morning, blend the mixture until mostly smooth. This part may take a little while. I gave my blender a couple of breaks so as not to burn out its motor. The mixture need not be completely smooth. A few small chunks of wheatberry give the pancakes a nice texture. Pour the batter into a mixing bowl and add the eggs, whisking to combine. Sprinkle the salt, baking soda, and baking powder over the batter and stir to combine well. Cook the pancakes immediately and serve hot!

Makes about twelve 8-inch pancakes

Posted by: Rose on November 22nd, 2008 © Filed under: Breakfast | 3 Comments »

This is a straight-up, kick in the ass, try it if you dare sort of salsa. It’s also quick, simple, and surprisingly complex, thanks to the carrot and two wonderful varieties of chiles.

We almost always keep a homemade salsa around the house, and I’m not usually the one to make it.  But after finding fresh ancho chiles at the farmers market, I was inspired to try my hand at developing a signature salsa to rival Will’s.  I’ve been told that in Mexico most folks don’t put garlic in their salsas.  I have to admit that I never asked anyone while we were living down in Oaxaca, partly because I’d rather not know.  I love garlic in salsa.  I suspect that, like with most Mexican cooking, the differences are regional.  At any rate, this recipe doesn’t claim to be authentic – just delicious!

I got my ancho chiles from the fabulous Tierra Vegetables.  If you can’t find fresh, dry will work fine, but you may want to use a little extra liquid.

Spicy Smokey Chile Salsa

Ingredients
1 cup dried chile de arbol, stems removed
3 fresh ancho chiles
5 cloves garlic
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 tbs grated raw carrot
1 tsp salt

Method
In a dry cast iron pan, roast the dried chile de arbol, stirring frequently, until they begin to darken.  Make sure to turn on the hood fan for this – the roasting chiles will be quite pungent!  Remove chiles from the pan and place them in a blender.  Place the fresh ancho chiles in the same pan and roast them until they begin to blister and soften, turning a few times so that they cook evenly.  Remove stems and place them in the blender with the chiles de arbol.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Adjust seasoning to taste and transfer to a glass container for storage.  Makes about 2 cups.

Warning: this salsa is hot!  If you want to make it less spicy, you can remove the seeds from some of the chiles, or substitute a milder chile for the chiles de arbol.

Posted by: Rose on November 15th, 2008 © Filed under: Condiments | 1 Comment »

Yes, indeed. In Bavaria soft pretzels are often eaten for breakfast – with sausage, beer and, of course, mustard. Here, we’ve been eating them as a midnight snack (mostly because they’re irresistible right out of the oven, and I’ve been starting them way too late in the day); then eating them again for breakfast, minus the beer and sausage. If you roll them shorter and thicker, they’ll rise in the oven until most of the holes have been filled in. Then they can then be sliced in two horizontally and used as the bread for a not-too-sloppy sandwich.

The recipe comes from Local Breads, an amazing book that has been batting its eyelashes at me from the shelf for nearly a year. Sure, I’ve opened it; drooled over the recipes, learned the photographs by heart. But I never found the time to bake from it until a few weeks ago. Since then I’ve made the pretzels three times, and I now double the recipe. (You should too – eight soft pretzels is just not enough unless you’re baking for one and don’t intend to share!)

It’s been lovely, really – Andy and I, plus an assortment of friends and house guests, all chatting about life, love, and literature around the stock pot, watching the pretzels boil, sinking into a tired and contented silence as they bake, then reviving for more on love and philosophy as we tear into the soft warmth of their flesh, our talk shepherding the night toward morning. It’s romantic, I know, but it really does happen, and it could happen to you if you bake these. No promises, but I tell you, late nights and soft pretzels create a kind of unanticipated alchemy (aside from the anticipated but still magical alchemy of baking.)

Bavarian Soft Pretzels

Yields 8 pretzels. Recipe can be doubled.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
3 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups tepid water
1 tsp instant yeast
2 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup baking soda for boiling (note: you needn’t double this amount for a double recipe)
Kosher salt and/or sesame seeds for topping

Method

In a large bowl, mix flour and butter and work butter into the dough with your fingers until evenly distributed. Add water and mix until absorbed, then add the salt to one side of the dough and yeast to the other side and work in both. Turn the dough out onto a floured counter top and kneed for 10 to 12 minutes until firm and smooth. Round dough into a ball and allow to rise, covered, in a oiled bowl at room temperature until light and springy, about 1 hour (it won’t double in size.)

If you are doubling the recipe, divide the dough and cover one half. Proceed as for one batch, then repeat. Place the dough on a lightly floured counter top and from into a rectangle. Use a chef’s knife to cut into 8 equal pieces, form each piece into a ball, and allow to rest covered for about 5 minutes. Roll out each piece with your hands until it is about 18 inches long, tapering the ends slightly. To form the pretzels, grab hold of each end and cross the left end over the right with the looped portion nearest you. Now create a twist by crossing top piece under. Finally, lift the twisted ends and flip them over onto the loop. Press the ends down to seal.

Place the pretzels on a oiled baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.

When you are ready to make the pretzels, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the baking soda slowly and turn the heat down to a simmer. Place the pretzels into the boiling water one at a time, simmering on each side for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove from the water, draining well and return to the oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all pretzels are boiled.

Sprinkle pretzels with kosher salt and/or sesame seeds and bake until they are a rich brown, about 35 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature with a good mustard. They are best fresh, but can be stored, well sealed for a couple of days.

Posted by: Rose on July 11th, 2008 © Filed under: Baking, Bread, Breakfast | 10 Comments »