Al Dente

Brandied Cherries Offer Sweet Way to Toast NW's Bumper Crop

At the recent Tom Douglas Culinary Camp, I went home with a very cool prize: a jar of brandied cherries. Those boozy treats were put up by Jackie Cross, Tom's wife, who's also quite the accomplished cook. It's been a great year for cherries in the Pacific Northwest, with some stone fruit on sale for as little as 99 cents a pound.

I brought the jar of cherries to a meeting last week to talk about a grassroots effort to breathe new life into the old-fashioned practice of canning and preserving the flavors of summer. This "Canvolution" was born after a passionate discourse on Twitter, the charge being led by veteran food writer Kim O'Donnel, former Washington Post-er whose work can now be found on TrueSlant.com. The "Canning Across America" is a work-in-progress involved in setting up canning demos and classes and encouraging food communities across the country to do the same on the weekend of Aug. 29-30.

The cherries ellicited the expected noises food lovers make when they're chewing something special. Mostly, a chorus of mmmm's all around. These spiked cherries were a world away from the simple Bings my grandmother preserved after picking them off a tree in her backyard. Nana was a canning genius, capturing everything from homegrown raspberries for jam to pears, pickles and, my favorite, peaches.

This "Canning Across America" event reminded me of a story I had written 10 years ago, when the specter of Y-2K prompted a run on canning supplies. The whole Y-2K meltdown never happened and canning moved to the back burner again. But the current economic downturn has reawakened interest among those on belt-tightening family budgets. At the same time, there has been a welcome movement toward more sophisticated recipes such as chutneys and, well, pickled cherries. And by pickled, I mean soused.

Hope you jump on board this summer's canning revolution. Here's a good place to start:

Jackie's Brandied Cherries

Ingredients

4 pounds dark sweet cherries
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy

Instructions

1. Stem, rinse and pit cherries, saving any juice.
2. Combine cherries, juice, and sugar in a saucepan - heat the mixture gently over medium heat, stirring it occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and cherries are hot. Themixture should not actually boil, though.
3. Divide the brandy among three hot, clean, pint canning jars. Lift the cherries from the syrup using a slotted spoon and distribute them among the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
4. Reheat the syrup until boiling and fill the jars with it, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
5. Remove any bubbles and add more syrup, if necessary.
6. Process the jars in a water bath for 15 minutes to seal.

-- Leslie Kelly

The 102nd Simple Salad of the Season

Last week Mark Bittman served up "101 Simple Salads for the Season", another of his extraordinary lists to appear in the food section of the New York Times. My longtime favorite salad appeared in an article in Self Magazine, July 1985, written by Rozanne Gold.

Couscous with Chicken, Almonds and Currants is from her list of recipes that boasts "grains instead of greens," a rather novel concept in the '80s. Whenever I serve it, people ask me for the recipe. I vary the ingredients quite a bit, and you should too.

I never put the orange sections in the salad. I think it would make it too sweet for my taste. Sometimes I leave out the currants too, especially if I'm watching my sugar intake. My family isn't crazy about nuts in their salad, so I drop the almonds, though if you like nuts you might try pecans as an alternative. If you have any leftover chicken in the fridge, use that instead of buying and poaching chicken breasts. Leave out the chicken altogether to make the meal vegetarian. The real key to this salad is the dressing, which I don't mess with. It's perfect just the way it is.

Rozanne Gold's Couscous with chicken, Almonds and Currants

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 10-3/4 ounce can chicken broth
3/4 cup quick-cooking couscous
1 can (10-1/2 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup currants or raisins
1 large orange, peeled and sectioned
3-4 scallions, finely chopped
8 ounces plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place chicken in skillet with broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 10-15 minutes, or until done. Cool in broth and cut into strips.

2. Drain off broth and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add couscous and cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander and cool to room temperature.

3. Combine chicken and couscous in a large bowl. Stir in chickpeas, almonds, currants, orange sections and scallions; set aside.

4. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and pour over couscous mixture. Toss and garnish with watercress sprigs if desired.

--Tracy Schneider

Brownie Bake-Off: Katharine Hepburn's Brownies

Last Sunday, thanks to my new brownie bake-off acquaintance, Sherry, I made a batch of brownies from The Silver Palate Cookbook. Sherry told me this recipe was one of her two favorites. Today I tried the other favorite, Katharine Hepburn's brownies from Liz Smith's Dishing.

I have to admit that I was skeptical. Katharine Hepburn's brownie recipe had made the rounds, but I'd always assumed that the attention they received was more a result of good PR than true merit and great flavor. I was wrong.

Kate's brownies are marvelous. Her recipe is easy and requires just a single saucepan. Originally published in Ladies Home Journal in 1975, the recipe reminds me of my mother's saucepan brownies taken from the same magazine in 1959. But Kate's has a bit more butter, a lot less flour, and twice the nuts, walnuts instead of pecans. They are deservedly famous, just like Kate.

Kate's Famous Brownies

Ingredients:
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1/4 pound butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter over very low heat in a heavy saucepan.

3. Remove from heat and stir in sugar.

4. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

5. Quickly stir in walnuts, flour and salt.

6. Spread the batter in a well-greased 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the pan to a rack to cool.

Yield: 12 brownies

Dishing, Liz Smith, Simon & Schuster, 2005

--Tracy Schneider

Portland Farmers Market Tops the Polls

I always visit the local farmers markets when I travel, and the Portland Farmers Market is tops on my list. No wonder it has been showing up in polls as one of the best markets in the country.

In addition to fabulous produce stands and tantalizing food vendors, there are booths selling bread, cheese, meat, fish, pickles, cookies, ice cream, wine and soda. One of my favorites is Chop Butchery & Charcuterie. Their variety of patés makes me swoon, but my very favorite, for now at least, is the chicken liver paté with pistachios and brandy-soaked currants. I grew up on chopped chicken liver, but it never tasted like this!

Fortunately for visitors to Portland, if you miss out on Saturday's PSU Farmers Market, you can find Chop everyday inside the wonderful City Market NW in Nob Hill. Why not pop in there too? Even if you're in town on Saturday.

--Tracy Schneider

Cutlery With a Twist: Sporks and Spifes

I'm a collector of ephemera by nature, so when I came across an unusual spork today, I thought it would be fun to pull out a few of my favorite flatware finds from the back reaches of my drawers.

Most are disposable utensils from cafes and take-out shops; a couple are from Bambu, a company that offers an in-depth line of bamboo tabletop products.

My unusual cutlery collection includes a plastic spife (a spoon and knife combo perfect for slicing and scooping kiwi); a three-tined, Bambu bamboo fork; a foldable, plastic spork; a serrated bamboo knife from Sprinkles Cupcakes in Los Angeles; a biodegradable, plant starch soup spoon; a Bambu bamboo double-sided spork; and a more common plastic spork. What about you? Any skeletons in your drawers?

--Tracy Schneider

Trendy Seasoned Salts Add Exotic Flavor Twist

Most people are proud to admit to having a sweet tooth, but I've always been a savory fan. If it comes down to making a choice between mashed potatoes and gravy or ice cream, I'm always going to stick my spoon in the spuds.

That's why I'm so tickled to see the rainbow of exotic salts surfacing in the past few years. I've collected various shades of salt: pink salt from Hawaii (where the red soil gives it a blush), snowy flakes from Cyprus, rocky gray stuff from a steakhouse in Argentina. 

Lately, I've exploring all sorts of seasoned salts. I'm a huge fan of Seattle-based Bacon Salt and all its variations. The Hickory flavor is probably my favorite. I'm also been sprinkling lots of Secret Stash Sea Salts on anything and everything.

Chef Joseph Conrad and his partner Janna Wemmer (in the photo at the Thursday Queen Anne Farmers Market in Seattle) launched this line about a year ago, creating some intriguing flavor profiles under the name. Secret Stash Sea Salts. The lineup includes Almond Cardamon, Nicoise Olive, Coconut Masala, Bloody Mary and Soy. I used the Pineapple Cumin Chili salt in my watermelon salsa (chopped watermelon, Walla Walla Sweets, serrano peppers and lime juice). I felt like a composer finding the right note writing a song. OK, I am over-reaching. I could not even dream of writing a song, but the salsa was a hit, served over grilled salmon.

Of course, with all the fresh herbs available year-round, it would be fun to come up with your own mix and give them a whirl in a coffee grinder reserved for that use. I don't have a grinder, but instead prefer an old-fashioned mortar and pestle, which can be downright therapeutic. Add some rosemary, some thyme, a bunch of Kosher salt and then pound, pound, grind, grind. As relaxing as a downward dog. 

--Leslie Kelly

Beyond Gorp--Lightweight Culinary Inspiration for High Adventurers

Regardless of your age or ilk, if you like high adventure and healthy foods, you are bound to enjoy the book, Beyond Gorp: Favorite Foods from Outdoor Experts. Published by The Mountaineers Books in Seattle and coauthored by Yvonne Prater, Ruth Dyar Mendenhall and Kerry I. Smith, this book is a treasure trove of ideas for packing lightweight satisfying backpack meals. I recently discovered this book because I need all the help I can get.

My 11-year old son is now in Boy Scouts. He is advancing rapidly and enthusiastically. I sense that numerous kayak trips, high adventure camps, and hard-earned merit badges loom on the horizon. I also sense that fueling my son's adolescent body through these milestones is going to be no easy task.

Thankfully, Beyond Gorp has come to the rescue, offering useful recipes and insider information.
The book features classic recipes and stories from some of the country's most accomplished outdoor enthusiasts. Much of the content appeared in the book's original version entitled Gorp, published in 1982. 

I've never seen the original, but I love this version. The chapters are basically organized by meals. There are lots of chatty tips for setting up a camp kitchen, carting fresh foods, making one pot meals, and concocting warm spicy beverages, such as Jeff Renner's Trail Cider.

I am particularly enthusiastic about Pete Takeda's Noodles Plus recipe. Takeda is world renowned rock,  ice, and Alpine climber who is also an accomplished author and editor. Takeda sings the praises of ramen and discloses how he varies the ingredients on the packets of these inexpensive lightweight instant noodles--keep or discard the seasoning packets, repackage the ramen in resealable bags at home,  add other items such as jerky or dried tofu, increase the carb load by adding potato flakes, or serve for breakfast with brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts and dried fruits.

My Boy Scout loves ramen noodles, so Takeda's suggestions are bound to help when my Tenderfoot hits the high road.

--Melissa A. Trainer

Friday Links for Food Lovers, Plus Tom Douglas' Favorite Kitchen Gear

It's Friday again! Here are a few tasty links the Al Dente editors obsessed about this week:

• Humans would be less smart if there were no McGriddles--or something like that. (The Frontal Cortex)
• Pepsi Blue, we hardly knew you. Seven soda brands that didn't survive the 2000's. (BuzzFeed)
• A 150.7 lb. cupcake sets a new World's Record for pointlessness. (news:lite)
• Man v. Food premiers August 5 with a spicy burger challenge known as the Four Horsemen. (my SA News)
• Man who can't cook sued Denny's over high sodium content. (FoxNews)
• Your diet ends today. Blame the Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Nutella Cream Sandwich Cookies. (Life's Ambrosia)

If you haven't heard yet, Seattle's favorite chef, Tom Douglas, recently launched a line of kitchen utensils and grill tools. He's also listed out his favorite kitchen gear. Notably missing from his list are the SlapChop and Magic Bullet. And you call yourself a chef...

Have a great weekend.

--Spanno

For a Limited Time Only: Zucchini Blossoms!

Early in the spring my daughter begins asking about zucchini blossoms. The season is short, so when we came upon them at the Farmer's Market last week, we pounced.

Because the blossoms are so fragile, it's best to eat them day they are picked. So even though we had other plans for dinner, I fried up our zucchini blossoms for a late-night snack.

The recipe I use most often, Fiori de Zucchini Ripieni or Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, comes from the chef and owner of West Seattle's La Rustica, Giulio Pellegrini. It's easy and allows for a lot of variation.

You can try other fillings, ricotta or mozzarella with some fresh herbs, perhaps, instead of the goat cheese and anchovies. Or you can forget the filling altogether and simply dip the the carefully washed and dried blossoms into your batter and fry, which is what I did the other night.

Because of the late hour, I simply dipped the blossoms in a beaten egg and then a bowl of flour, sprinkled on some salt, and pan fried them in a little bit of hot oil. I can't tell you how they tasted. I never got a one. They were devoured by my daughter and my sister before I had a chance to sit down.

Fiori di Zucchini Ripieni or Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Chef Giulio Pellegrini, La Rustica

Ingredients:
8 blossoms of zucchini
4 ounces goat cheese
2 ounces anchovies
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 eggs beaten
A touch of cream or milk
1 ounce flour
Dash of baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups olive oil for frying

Directions:
1. To make batter: Mix together eggs with the cream; add flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.

2. For stuffing: Mash anchovies, and chop parsley; combine with goat cheese. Divide cheese into 8 equal portions.

3. Cut zucchini blossoms lengthwise and open slightly. Stuff blossoms with cheese mixture and close.

4. Heat olive oil in a frying pan until it shimmers. test temperature of oil b y dropping in some batter. If it sinks, wait for it to heat further. If it sizzles and floats you are ready to fry!

5. Dip stuffed blossoms in the batter and place carefully in hot oil. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes and remove onto paper towels. Serve Immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

--Tracy Schneider

Dreaming of a Jacket Potato with Cheese and Beans

Here’s a simple question: why can’t I get jacket potatoes from a takeout window here in Seattle? Or a jacket potato truck? Are there any, to be less local, jacket potato windows or trucks in the whole U.S., for that matter? In the U.K., the jacket potato is a revered form of food, readily available and possible to pick up from lunch to late night (when it’s especially good). If you don’t know, a jacket potato is the same thing (with a much cooler name) as a baked potato. But unlike the baked potato, which is usually topped with the slightly mundane sour cream or bacon bits, you can find jacket potatoes topped with almost anything, from the classic cheese and beans (pictured nicely in the accompanying photo from Benito’s Wine Reviews) to Bolognese sauce to Indian curry to prawns with mayonnaise. The first one I ever had? Cheese and coleslaw. Delicious, with the creamy coleslaw and melted cheese oozing all over the hot potato. If any one reading this is looking for a surefire business opportunity, open a jacket potato van (or truck, or stand) somewhere in downtown Seattle--being sure you have the full range of toppings, including British-style beans. I, at least, will ensure you don’t run low on business.

--A.J. Rathbun