Buttermilk Biscuits inspired by one kitchen table

After a little bit of a long absence, I am back at my writing desk, or at least what I call my writing desk.  In reality, it has been used more as a kitchen table, ironically enough, than anything else.   This large square of solid oak actually belonged to my great grandmother.  It's here where my young grandfather was nourished by heaps of fresh butter beans and bits of crumbly cornbread, and it's the same table where my young mother's belly was warmed with bowels of cheesy grits and homemade buttermilk biscuits.  While many of my peers have acquired a virtual mountain of things over their 30 years thus far, this table is the largest, heaviest, most substantial thing I own-  most everything else, which still wasn't much, was purged from my life two years ago in order to travel.

I'd like to say minimalism only comes with feelings of ecstasy and unabashed freedom, but surprisingly enough I have also struggled with a great sense of insecurity for the lack of "things" in my life.  As time has gone by however, the anxiety has eased and I've moved into a deep sense of gratitude for simplicity.  Being inspired, and thankful, this morning by one kitchen table and the hands and heart of a great grandmother that nourished my family long ago, I decided to tackle the simplest culinary tradition of my southern heritage, a buttermilk biscuit receipt from The New Best Recipe Cookbook.

While I have your attention though, let me first take a moment to YELLLL from the roof tops that I'm lov'en this cookbook!  (And I receive no kickbacks from this head nod to Cook's Illustrated! It's pure and honest.)  They have chosen to divide the bread category into quick breads that use leaveners, like baking soda, and yeast breads.  A short explanation on the physical difference between the structure of these two different types of bread is then included for those of you who care.  And then you're off and baking (quick bread) buttermilk biscuits before you know it!  For those aspiring cooks, closet food science buffs, and shortcut Sally's alike, this book is a wealth of information that is assured to turn any piece of lead into gold if followed.  My friends and family salute you Cook's Illustrated, as does great grandmother, I'm sure.


Buttermilk Biscuits

Mixing the butter and dry ingredients quickly so the butter remains cold and firm is crucial to producing light, tender biscuits.  The easiest and most reliable approach is to use a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Expect a soft and slightly sticky dough.  The wet dough creates steam when the biscuits bake and promote the light, airy texture.  If the dough is too wet for you to shape the biscuits by hand, lightly flour your hands and then shape the biscuits.  
Factoid:  Cake flour gives these biscuits their light, flaky crumb because it does not contain as much gluten as regular flour.  If you don't have cake flour on hand though, substitute an extra cup of all-purpose flour and increase the buttermilk or yogurt by 2 tablespoons.


1      cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1      cup (4 ounces) plain cake flour
2      teaspoons baking powder
1/2  teaspoons baking soda
1      teaspoon sugar
1/2  teaspoon salt
8      tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3/4  cup cold buttermilk, or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt


  1.   Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2.  Place the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Whisk together or process with six-1 second pulses.
  3.  If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender, or your finger tips to quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps.  If using a food processor, remove the cover and distribute the butter evenly over the dry ingredients.  Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses.
  4.  If making by hand, stir in the buttermilk with a rubber spatula or fork until the mixture forms a soft, slightly sticky ball.  If using a food processor, remove cover and pour the buttermilk evenly over the dough.  Process until the dough gathers into moist clumps, about eight 1-second pulses.
  5.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and quickly form into a rough ball.  Be careful not to overmix.  Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, divide the dough into quarters and then cut each quarter into thirds.  Quickly and gently shape each piece into a rough ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet.  (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)
  6.  Bake until the biscuit tops are light brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  Serve immediately


Opinon:  Like french fries,  I believe these to be at their prime straight out of the oven, but some form of heating is definitely advised for any leftovers!  Also, the recommend serving size is NOT Pillsbury Grand size or even comparable to their regular biscuit size.  If you would enjoy a biscuit of a slightly larger size, I recommend dividing the ball of dough into quarters and then each quarter into half.


Enjoy!

Spicy Tomato Soup

Ok team!  For those of you not on the east coast this past week, let me tell you that the weather has been anything but a spring dream.  We've been locked in several days of a bone chilling grey drab, causing a general sense of irritability to have settled in among the masses.  In an effort to stay warm, I couldn't help but be thrown back to Spicy Tomato Soup.  I realize this isn't exactly the season, but then again it's not exactly the season for coats and sweaters either!


I worked with this recipe for Spicy Tomato Soup adapted from Stir-Mixing it up in the Italian Tradition by Barbara Lynch, a famed chef and linchpin in the Boston culinary scene, once in the fall and was immediately in love.  My friend Steven calls this one of my fancy soups because after pureeing it, Barbara recommends straining it through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids.  I've made it both ways, leaving the solids in and straining them out, which way is better is probably a question best left to preference.  It's a delicious soup both ways, never failing to ward off a chill and now lifting the spirit of those patiently waiting for sun on the east coast.  


In the spirit of Silva, I also decided to make a double batch so to pass on a few bowls to friends.  It was wonderful to share a little piece of my work with them, but most importantly I got to give each a huge and be in touch once again....



Spicy Tomato Soup

Ingredients
2     tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1     small onion, sliced
1     teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
2     large cans plum tomatoes, about 28 ounces each
1/4   cup basil leaves
      Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

GARNISH
6    tablespoons crème fraîche (optional)
     Caraway seeds (optional)

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups water and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Add the basil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and let cool briefly before pureeing the soup in a food processor or a blender, in batches if necessary. Pass the soup through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids with a ladle. (Save the pulp if you like; it's great on crostini or baked eggplant.) Garnish with crème fraîche and caraway seeds and serve with croutons or grilled cheese sandwiches.

                               
                                                                    
               

Move Over Betty Crocker!

Thanks to the Internet and cookbooks galore, there are hundreds of places to go to find recipes, making it all the more overwhelming if you're trying to learn the nuts and bolts of the kitchen.  A good foodie friend of mine suggested that I start working with Cook's Illustrated, The New Best Recipe Cookbook.  It covers the fundamentals of  how to cook all the basics well.  It not only gives detailed directions to creating each dish, but explains some of the food science behind the cooking/baking, offers variations, best practice tips, and of course, illustrations when necessary. I'll have you know it even makes a distinction between Northern Cornbread and Southern Cornbread.  Thank goodness someone pointed it out; move over Betty Crocker!

This book will probably become a backbone for many of my creations, as it is such a wealth of knowledge, but I'll definitely be cross referencing and drawing on a wide variety of inspiration-  Hopefully from many of you!!

¡Adelante!

Battling Some Doubt

I woke up this morning thinking about this blog space again and battling some doubt, wondering if writing on the subject of food or anything closely related is overdone, so to speak.  I mean, I saw last night where Gwyneth Paltrow and Eve Longoria have cookbooks out!  Really?  Not that I’m even writing cookbooks or would be interested in producing anything like theirs, but it seems like the entire spectrum has to be covered if they're on the scene too.  Can there possibly be room in the cosmic universe for one more angle on this subject?  The truth is that I don’t know.  But I do know, that you don’t go anywhere if you don’t start somewhere and starting places can never be the same as ending places.   Who’s to say where this could lead...

I’m hoping to borrow a friend's camera for a bit to play with some photography this week so you all aren't over run with gray matter.  As much as I want to take the leap to buy one, several camera geek friends of mine have talked me down, suggesting I practice with a friend's to figure out what I need and if it’s a tool worth investing heavily.

¡Wow!  Just as I was about to publish this post (about doubt may I remind you), the doorbell rang.  It was Silvia, a friend from the church up the hill, presenting a warm pan of spicy noodles she made us for brunch.  As she handed them to Steven, my dear friend and roommate, she said "I remember when someone new moved into the neighborhood you use to take them food.  I don't see that much anymore...."  After Steven shut the door and we both happily stuffed ourselves with Silvia's spicy noodlily deliciousness, I couldn't help but believe that maybe there is something about food and community that is yet to be said.  Thank you Silvia.

Here we go!

Dearest Friends!!

Here we go!  After much encouragement, support, and, let’s just be honest, down right unrelenting prodding from others of you, over these past several years, I submit to you my first writing project.  This is a project exploring the marriage of food, drink, and most importantly the family, friends, and community sharing it.

This isn’t intended to be a gourmet cooking blog, another tired food critic rant, or some overblown cookbook bizarre.  In fact, my talent as a cook is questionable at best, my cookbook collection averages two, and I am anything but a TopChef loyalist.  What I love though is community and few things have been as universally central to community throughout history as the sharing of food and drink.  It could be strongly argued that it is most literally the tie that binds.  And for this reason, I’m inspired to practice whipping cream better, searing steak to perfection, scouring for yummy produce, or popping the cork on a bottle of wine, in effort to gather everyone round the table.      

Let me warn you that in the next two or three months this space will be HIGHLY EVOLVING (I hope!) as I practice finding my voice and sharpening the focus.  I’ll be trying out a number of different types of posts, various photography, and templets along the way.  Please never hesitate to send along comments and suggestions.  Iron sharpens iron so they say, and almost nothing is more dreadful in the kitchen than a dull blade!  Cheers to a new adventure and the places we will go, together!!

***For the moment, please don’t read anything into the title of the blog.  I’m not expecting any presidents for dinner, at least none that I know of, but it was the only title off the top of my head that wasn’t already taken.....so Dining With the President we must, for now!