Not long ago, I spoke about that superb "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion" book and raved about it's great contents. Well, after having tested a few recipes, I still feel the same about it. It is just mind-blowing and I don't regret one single cent I spent on this magnificent cookbook!
Although "Plain White Bread" is the most well-known and common loaf that is baked, I decided to test this book's version and see if it was any better than the other ones which I have been making until now...
The recipe is easy to follow and clear. The result is very pleasing and offers a totally different kind of white bread than the ones I had baked previously.
This "Plain White Bread" has a superb crust, the inside texture is incredibly smooth (thanks to the potato flour) and light. It also has an appetizing fragrance and an almighty taste that leaves a smirk of pleasure dance across your face...
It is a perfect loaf with a lot of character and flavor. So, for those of you who still have doubts on this bread's gorgeousness, I only have one thing to say: try it now as it might be plain and white, but it's fine! It's a basic bread, yet it's a classic...
Recipe source: "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook" by King Arthur Flour, Countryman Press.
Makes 1 loaf.
Ingredients:
3 Cups (~400g) Plain white flour
2 Tsp Instant yeast
1 1/4 Tsp Salt
3 Tbs (~36g) Castor sugar
4 Tbs (~57g) Unsalted butter
1/4 Cup (~40g) Nonfat dry milk
1/4 Cup (~45g) Potato Flour
1 1/8 Cups (~280g) Lukewarm water
Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients, mix and knead them together for about 10 minutes (by hand, mixer or bread machine) until you've made a soft, smooth dough.
2. Adjust the dough's consistency with additional flour or water as needed.
3. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for about 1 1/2-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface and shape it into a 8 inch (20cm) log. 5. Transfer the log to a lightly greased 8 1/2 (21.6cm) x 4 1/2 (11.5cm) loaf pan.6. Cover the pan with a towel and let the bread rise until doubled, about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).8. Uncover the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminium foil for the final 10 to 15 minutes if it appears to be browning too quickly.
9. Remove the bread from the oven, take it out of the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
10. After 10 minutes, brush with butter, if desired.
Remarks:
Instead of 1/4 cup potato flour, you can use 1/3 cup (~23g) potato flakes.
Remember, the more flour you add while kneading, the heavier and drier your final loaf will be.
You can also shape you bread like mine, using the long loaf (~26cm) method (see "Baguette Parisienne" recipe).
The butter glazing softens the crust, so if you prefer your bread to be crusty, ommit this part of the recipe.
Serving Suggestions:
This bread is ideal served for breakfast with jam, Nutella, peanut butter or eaten with cheese. It is also perfect if toasted.
(Hand Kneading -Pic by www.bryannaclarkgrogan.com)
(Fresh Bread -Pic by www.scottmooreart.com)
Another WCB is taking place and Clare is still silent, but fortunately, "CatSynth.com" has kindly offered to host this week's round-up...Thanks for your efforts and for taking over this special event!
Fridolin and Maruschka are the best pals in the world and they love to sleep together.Our two lazy miniature felines like to lie in their basket and take various hilarious poses...
Generally, they stay in the basket like two lazy sausages from 7h00 AM till 16h00 PM without moving!!!The only time they get out of it is when they have to freakishly use the toilet like two pigs on acid or start to get tiringly "sticky" because their stomachs are empty... I really love the way they use the space in their basket; like jelly blobs!!!
Anne of the French "Papilles Et Pupilles" has proposed us to post some photos of the view we have from one of our windows at home. In that way, we can all travel around the world while comfortably sitting in front of our computer, thus not moving from our chairs!If you want to participate, you just need to send a 400x300 pixel version of your picture(s) and give her your name, the name of your blog and your location no later than September the 30th, 2006...
I have decided to show you the Salève as my love story with this intriguing mountain is still actual and stronger than ever!
This spring, early in the morning: the Petit Salève and it's big brother the Salève as seen from my kitchen window which looks towards the south...
A few days ago, the sky was extremely blue and the flanks of the Salève created a scene of beautiful contrast thanks to their deep green end-of-summer colour...
That's what you can see if you turn your head to the right when looking out of my kitchen window.
Berries are really fantastic and I always look forwards to the summertime when they are abundant and grace the market stalls for our biggest pleasure! I also particularly enjoy 
picking blackberries in the countryside around the Arve as those little purple jewels are a lot more tasty when they are wild than when bought at the supermarket...
This "Blackberry Tart" is an example of how I love to eat those wonderful fruits. This is a recipe of my own inspired by the tarts that I used to eat at home or at my grandparents'...
I prefer to eat my "Blackberry Tart" with a special filling as I find that the slight sourness and the smokey flavor of blackberries go hand in hand with the rich and round taste of the cream. To add a little Swiss touch, I decided to perfume this tart with a little schnaps, but if you are not a big fan of such alcohols, then vanilla extract alone or lemon essence will be as delicious. In fact, I recommend you to try the lemon essence version as it rocks with such berries!
So, if you love tarts and berries, then I can only recommend you to run into your kitchen and get started as your whole apartment/house will be filled with a magnificent fragrance and your stomach/soul will show you it's greatfulness !!!
Obachan, this post is for you. You wanted to see a picture of my berry tart before it disappeared, well that's exactly how one of those fabulous tarts looked like after it was baked!...
Ingredients:1 Quantity shortcrust pastry (see recipe)500g Blackberries50g Castor sugarFilling:60-70g Light brown sugar2+1 1/2 Tbs Cornstarch250ml Double cream2 Eggs (~50g)1 1/2 Tbs Kirsch (optional, see remarks)1 Tsp Vanilla extract
~ Handpicked wild blackberries. ~
You can also use other berries (red currants for example) for the confection of this tart.
If you don't want your crust to overbake, then you can cover the tart with some aluminium foil.
The cream filling is perfectly cooked when it's surface bubbles slightly (while baking).
Serving suggestions:Eat either lukewarm or cool with chantilly cream (whipped cream) or clotted cream.
Once again, Clare and Kiri are taking a break from the Weekend Cat Blogging event, but Sarah of the cool blog "Chef Sarah Jane" from California is volunteering for this weekend's edition...Thanks for making this round-up possible!
Look at our big baby Maruschka shamelessly lying in her basket like a little Miss Piggy!
It is her favorite position when she's feeling particularly happy, playful and she asking us to rub her lusciously soft and warm tummy...
Her body feels like a cosy pillow and I love to bury my face in her delightfully silky stomach and bond with her!
Maruschka is really a unique kitty with an immense heart of gold. She needs us to give her a LOOOOOOT of loving (more than we could ever give her!) and seems to be satisfied by the comfy life she has...
She is our little bear with the cute "moonface" (Do you know those old drawings of a moon with a face? Well, that's exactly what comes to mind everytime I look at her face...)!
The lovely Yvonne of "Cream Puffs In Venice" from Toronto (Canada) and Lis of "La Mia Cucina" from Ohio (USA) are hosting the blog event "LA FESTA AL FRESCO". They are in desperate need of help as they want to organize an outdoor feast, but have no clue regarding the food that should be served...
I was asked to participate to this event and share my recipe for a dish that features fresh ingredients. Well, to tell you the truth, I had to do quite a lot of brain-wracking in order to find something that was not totally "mainstream" and that was a little different (at least, as different as possible)! But I did come up with a simple, yet delicious speciality that I readapted (from many different sources) for our biggest gustative pleasure...So, after hours and days of brain-sweating, I came up with an idea hailing from Spain and more specifically from the Canary Islands: "Mojo Verde" or "Green Sauce".The genuine local Canarian culinary tradition reflects Spanish, Portugusese, North African and Latin American influences that can be found within many different dishes. Vegetables, fruits and fishes are the basis of this highly interesting cuisine which is far away from the Spanish standards...The "Salsa Mojo" is a typical Canarian speciality that is made with olive oil, vinegar, a lot of garlic and either green or red bell peppers. It comes in two basic versions: red and green ("Mojo Rojo" & "Mojo Verde"). Generally, the red one is eaten with "Papas Arrugadas" ("Wrinkled Potatoes") which are ovenbaked new potatoes having previously been cooked in sea water. This special treatment gives the potatoes a wrinkled aspect and a wonderful taste. The green sauce is traditionally served with grilled fish "A La Plancha".
~ A "plancha". ~
~ Papas Arrugadas. ~
Ingredients:6 Cloves garlic, sliced1 Tsp Cumin seeds, toasted2 Tbs White balsamic vinegar4 Tbs Virgin olive oil (+ 2 Tbs if you fry the garlic, optional)2 Tbs Fresh cilantro, minced1/4 Tsp Dried oregano1/4 Tsp Paprika powder1 Tsp Green Tabasco1/4 Tsp Red Tabasco1 Big green bell pepper, cubed3 Tbs Sliced almonds, slightly toasted3 Slices toast bread, slightly toasted and cubed2-5 Tbs WaterSalt, to tastePepper, to taste
Method:1. Put the garlic, cumin seeds, vinegar, oil, cilantro, oregano, paprika, green Tabasco and red Tabasco in your blender and pulse until well blended.2. Add the bell pepper, toasted almonds, toast bread and water and pulse until smooth.3. Salt and pepper to taste.4. Serve.Remarks:If you don't want to use raw garlic, then I recommend you to fry the slices in 2 Tbs olive oil until golden brown. That's what I did...
You can add more cilantro if you wish.
Add as much water as needed until your "Mojo Verde" paste reaches a thickish pesto consistency.
Serving suggestions:Eat with steamed, boiled or roasted new potatoes, pasta, over bread or salads, as a dip or in any way you find fit.
(Plancha -Pic by www.lacanche.com)
(Papas Arrugadas -Pic by Thomas Carlen www.expressen.se)
(Canarias -Pic by Irina Mordakina www.trekearth.com)
One evening, a few weeks ago, we witnessed a sudden cloudburst that was quite dreamlike...Suddenly, the sun was shining brightly and the rain was falling quite heavily. It was really astonishing!
The rays of the sun setting envelop everything in a magical reddish light...
Even a rainbow graces us with it's delightful presence...
I have been kindly asked by Ruth of "Once Upon A Feast" from Toronto (Canada) to participate the WEEKEND COOKBOOK CHALLENGE dedicated to foreign foods. She is co-hosting the event with fellow foodie blogger Sarah of "I Like To Cook" from Calgary (Canada)...
Ruth asked us to write about a dish that comes from a cookbook we own, but which is issued from a cuisine unknown to us, something we consider to be "exotic" or "foreign". This post starring this "Caribbean salt Cod" recipe is my contribution to this interesting round-up...
I could have cooked an Asian, Middle Eastern, Tex Mex dish or any other speciality from a place considered to be "different", but my choice went to another cuisine that is more unknown to me. I'm a lot more acustomed to the other cuisines upon which I dwell more often. When it comes to the Caribbean cuisine and it's specialities, I get transported into a "terra incognita" filled up with new smells, flavors and sensations!
Before I bought the fabulous "Culinaria The Caribbean: A Culinary Discovery" cookbook by Könemann, this corner of the world witheld many secrets. I was already not very well informed about this part of the world as well as it's history, traditions, customs and foods. Of course, I did know the odd information that we all learn at school (political, geographic, etc...) or the normal stuff everybody knows, but I had no in depth knowledge of the countries that form the Caribbean...
This immense and thourough book enlightened me and broadened my horizon; while it offered the perspective of many delightful feasts that lay ahead, it also taught me a lot!!! I learnt so much about the Rastafaris from Jamaica, the Arawak Indians that populated the region long before the colonialist arrived and heartlessly decimated them, Bermuda's "Pot-Hole Farming", voodoo in Haïti, Sainte-Lucie's hundreds of mango varieties introduced by the Portuguese, rum-making in Barbados, Granade's most noisy and colourful market of the Caribbean, Trinidad's Chinese and Indian communities, Curaçao's traditional Iguana soup as well as many other intriguing non-food or food related subjects...
By opening the pages of this book, I got acquainted to a culture about which I had not the slightest idea and most importantly to a culinary tradition which had stayed in the shadows of my pitiful knowledge of the Caribbean. Through this magnificent cookbook chock-a-block full of recipes, informations and valuable explanations, I learnt and still learn many things which I would never have imagined before I opened this bible!
I can only recommend you to get yours hands on this little jewel!!!
Coming back to the recipe, salt cod being something I never prepared, I thought that this r"Caribbean Salt Cod" dish would be ideal in order to make me discover this fish. It is a colourful and fragrant dish, spicy and fresh to please, that is perfect if you want to eat something healthy, yet very tasty!
I really loved this "Caribbean Salt Cod" recipe which was adapted from the "Culinaria The Caribbean: A Culinary Discovery" and reinterprtated by myself.
Serves 2 to 3 peopleIngredients:500g Salt cod60g Butter2 Onions, sliced5 Cloves garlic, crushed1/2 Red chilli, seeded and chopped1 Yellow bell pepper, sliced1 Green bell pepper, sliced1 Red bell pepper, sliced1 Tsp Ground allspice1 Tsp Dry thyme1 Can (400g) peeled tomatoes, coarsly crushed2 Thin slices of bacon500g Pineapple, cubed8 Sprigs chives4 Tbs Tomato puree1 1/2 Cups water2 Tbs Brown rumSalt, to tastePepper, to taste2 Hard boiled eggs, smashed (optional)
~ Salt cod. ~
Serving suggestions:Serve with plain white rice or "Caribbean Red Beans And Rice".
(St-Lucia -Pic by Tan Yilmaz www.trekearth.com)
(Salt Cod -Pic www.pbs.org)
(Dominican Republic -Pic by Allison Herb www.trekearth.com)
Unfortunately, Clare has not reappeared and our weekly WCB is like an orphan being moved from one house to another...This time, Bonnie of "Miss Ellie's Page" from Virginia (USA) has kindla proposed to host this 65th edition. Thanks so much for making it possible!
Here is the King "Kiki Der Dritte" during his daily meditation...
Is he a kind of reincarnated Buddha or yogi? Sometimes I get to wonder if he is really ONLY a cat!
In any case, he seems to have reached the highest point on the scale of transcendence. Just to look at him, I get transported into a different dimension...
~OM MANI PADME HUM~
Here's a picture of a red currant and blackberry tart before it is baked. I thought that the colours were beautiful...
Nature is well-orchestrated, don't you think?
Although "Plain White Bread" is the most well-known and common loaf that is baked, I decided to test this book's version and see if it was any better than the other ones which I have been making until now...
Method: 
Remarks: 
