Transcription
2INSECURE CHEFJUNE 2003Cooking with the Insecure ChefContents June 2003, Vol. 7, No. 2This issue:Guest Chefs Jan and Laurel Decher . 8Bonus Trendy Goat-Cheese Tip .5Good Summer Meals.6Answers to Real Reader Questions.7A Culinary Natural History: Apples.18Peach and Raspberry Tart . 19Trifle Recipes . 20Every Issue with the Insecure Chef:Letters from Readers .3Retractions & Apologies.7Welcome to New Readers .7Time to Digest . 22Editor-in-Chief Susan M. Gilbert-Collins * Food Editor Susan Marie “Curse the darkness” Gilbert-Collins * Contributing Editors S. M. “TheTrampoline Fiend” G.-Collins and S. Marie Gilbert-C. * “What is so rare as a day in June, when then if ever come perfect days?” * Art DirectorS. Marie Gilbert-Collins with solicited advice from Timothy James Bradford Collins, formerly “Rental Boy” * Layout Editor T. J. B. “Leave theformatting to me, Ma’am” Collins * Circulation Editor Susan “Czarina of the Universe” Gilbert-CollinsContributing Artists Tim J. B. “Caesar Salad?!” Collins and Delia “Ask me about the level of professionalism at the UW staffmeetings” WardCartoonist-in-Residence D. “Keep holding that mayo” WardInsecure Chef Logo designed by Delia WardTo subscribe: Send your name, address, and 3.50/issue or 15.00/six issues—that’s ISSUES, not MONTHS, because we don’t do one issue permonth which would be practically impossible unless I quit my day job so quit HARRASSING me Ruth—to Susan Gilbert-Collins, 137 EdgemontRoad., Rochester, NY 14620. Cooking with the Insecure Chef was founded in Dec., 1997, as a Christmas present to my sisters. Long live mysisters!Contact us at: smarie@rochester.rr.com Or don’t. It’s up to you.
INSECURE CHEF3JUNE 2003Letters fromReadersDear Insecure Chef,Soon I will be having three families over to myhouse for a social event. All together we are seven adultsand eight kids. My guests will come Sunday evening.Friday night, I will be working, possibly late into theevening.I wondered if you could give me some suggestionsfor make-ahead dishes that would satisfy this crowd.Other meals we've had were an Italian-style pasta andmeat dish, Lasagna, and Shepherd's Pie, each with theappropriate salads and some kind of easy dessert. I'mhoping the weather will be nice and we can picnic onthe lawn.Dear Insecure Chef,Thanks for the heads-up that my subscription iswaning. Keep those issues coming. I realize I’m just a“lurker”—I don’t contribute much (any) in the way ofrecipes, etc. –at least not yet. You see, I’m really not acook at all. I just get a kick out of every issue. Especiallythe illustrations. And the “asides”. Who knows—maybeone day I’ll become a chef. Maybe even an insecure one.Until that day arrives, I’ll settle for cooking vicariouslywith CoWTIC. Send that next issue soon.Priscilla M.Dear Priscilla,“Asides”? You’re finding “asides” in this magazine?Is it just Priscilla, or do the rest of you notice this too?(Note to myself: comb current issue thoroughly forDear Amy the Insecure,asides; remove anything superfluous or irrelevant orThat’s funny. We have the same nickname.just plain wordy in a blah-blah kind of way also, pickLasagna is hard to beat for a big-crowd, makeup milk, get sweaters to dry cleaner, return videos byahead meal. Darn selfish of someoneTues. noon. Stupid Blockbuster andelse to snatch that option first, leavingtheir noontime deadlines. “Extra day”“ pick up milk, getyou high and dry. But just about anymy foot. This is how they make theirsweaters to drycasserole would also work, in place ofmoney, on late fees from chumps likecleaner, returnlasagna. A huge pot of chili can alsous. Another note to myself: spearheadvideos by Tues.work for a casual, make-ahead meal. (Ia grassroots movement supportingnoon.”know you have a great chili recipe!)the local mom-and-pop video stores,If you’re picnicking, you mightwho not only have decent midnightconsider making Ruth’s Super Sandwich, along with adeadlines but offer a much better array of Indian andcold salad or two—all of which you can make ahead.other foreign films, films with soul, films featuringSee page 6 for a couple of recipes!someone other than the usual hackneyed Hollywood—What wouldn’t I recommend? Stir-frying. I’ve)made huge Chinese meals for about 15 people, and youUm oh yes! Priscilla! Thanks for writing in, andpretty much have to be in the kitchen until the very lastI’m so glad you enjoy the magazine. I agree: theminute.illustrations are worth every ounce of energy I spendThanks for your help,Amy the Insecure
INSECURE CHEFbegging and pleading with my two star illustrators(Delia W. and Tim C.) to produce them.Dear IC:I read with interest your comments concerning thePeach and Berry Trifle you served your guests [a coupleof summers ago].It sounded great, but that’s as close as I ever cameto it since, when my husband and I visited, we weregiven such mounds and mounds of a most wonderfulchicken and broccoli meal that all we could do wasdecline any offers of dessert.I now wonder ifthis was a very cleverploy perpetrated byour lovely hostess assheweariedofpreparing Peach andBerry Trifle. As asummer guest, I feltdeprivedofTHEdessert of the season.(Which, by the way, isa very good idea—one which I am going to try: onemenu per season. Think how proficient a person couldbecome at that one menu!)BUT, remember the old Confucian saying: “It isunwise to trifle with one’s in-laws.” (Or not trifle, in thiscase.)Yours disappointedly,Guest 8 of “8 & 9”Columbus, OHDear Guest 8:“ trifle with one’s in-laws ” A pun! Very good,very good. I enjoyed that. The pun, I mean. I wouldnever trifle with my in-laws. I have far, far, far toomuch respect and love for them. Both of them, even.And I would be most delighted to prepare Peach andBerry Trifle the very next time you’re in town, whichwill hopefully be this month!Now, last summer we fell into the same pattern ofmaking the same dessert over and over again, only thistime it was Peach and Raspberry Tart. We made itonce, found it scrumptious and surprisingly easy, andthen used every excuse we could find to make it again.I just wish I knew which chicken and broccoli dishit was that we served you. A stir-fry? I have no idea 4JUNE 2003Dear CoWTIC,My favorite part of your magazine has always beenthe Letters from Readers! I don't know why-maybebecause it feels like peeking into something I'm notsupposed to be reading. Few magazines have Lettersfrom Readers with such an edge. But few magazineshave readers with such an edge. Here are my commentsfrom the last batch of letters you published. You maywant to get out your February 2003 issue to followalong.1) D. Ward has no reason to fear me-juliennedbeans or not. It takes more than a bean disagreement tocross me and I'vealways liked Delia!She always seemedlike a good influenceon you, Susan. Notlike those other rowdyOberlin friends. Sorry,Tim.2) Next timesomeone (pregnant ornot) insults Bruno'sfood at a potluck, he should do what I do. Start weeping.It really makes the insulter feel small. I'm guessing itwould be even more effective for a man. (I'm assumingBruno is male. I hate to think of how bitter a womannamed Bruno must be!)3) To Tightwad in Minneapolis, asking Susan howto save money while making a seafood recipe (in thiscase, Shrimp Stir-Fry) is like asking Robin Williams foradvice on meditation. Susan excels at a tremendousamount of things-I know. I’m her sister and it makes mesick. But skimping on ingredients while cooking is NOTone of them. (Ask Tim but he'll deny it later.)Thanks for letting me vent,RuthDear Ruth:1) Delia, I hope you sleep well tonight.2) I can’t think of the last time I made a man cry,but I’ll bet you’re right: it would give me pause. Bruno,let us know how this plays out.3) It is not true that I never skimp on ingredients.For example, when buying peanut butter, which I usein Satay Beef and other Asian noodle dishes, I usuallybuy the store brand. Same with orange juice: storebrand. Saltines: store brand. Coca-cola: there I drawthe line. You can’t expect store brand colas to have thesame vim and vigor, the same sharply sweet tang, thatthe Real Thing offers. Olive oil: again, it’s worth it to
5INSECURE CHEFbuy the good stuff. Aluminum foil: store brand.Baggies? Store brand. (And I wash the big ones andreuse them! Cost-effective and less wasteful.)I sense another survey coming on Dear Insecure Chef,I am enclosing a check to subscribe to another 6issues. The last issue I received was “Cooking with theInsecure Chef’s Sister,” which I enjoyed a lot. I hope I’venot missed any issues following it.I do enjoy the magazine very much. But I confessthat, as a foreigner, I have a double obstacle; of courseit’s written in English and also one has to understandvery sophisticated sarcasm in English. (Still, I havedouble the joy when I get it!)Last year I had a baby and now I am strugglingwith him. In a few months to come, he is going to eatbaby food. So if you can tell me what kind of baby food,especially during the weaning period, you cook in theU.S., I’d like to try some recipes from the U.S.ChikaTokyo, JapanJUNE 2003Dear Chika,I have never personally known anyone (that I’maware of) who cooked their own baby food. Do peoplereally do that in Japan?! I guess you love your babiesmore than we do Does anyone out there make theirown baby food? Let us know. We’ll be duly impressed.As for your remark about our “sophisticatedsarcasm” most of our readers are not aware, Chika,of your own advanced sense of sarcasm, which could(if one were suspicious) render your remarkambiguous: that is, do you really think our sarcasm issophisticated? Or do you think it is “sophisticated”(wagging my fingers in the “air quotation marks” so invogue these days)—i.e. not sophisticated at all, butsophomoric?But I know just how advanced your ironic wit is(as well as your English skills), so it is guardedly that Ireply, Thank you, Chika, for your compliment. Or“compliment,” as the case may be.Do people in Japan use “air quotation marks” too?P.S. I miss you so much! Bonus Trendy Tip Involving Goat Cheese Artist’s rendition of atrendy goatToasted goat cheese rounds showed up everywhere in the past yearor so—by everywhere, I mean all the big food magazines. Turns out it’s agreat way to jazz up your favorite pasta recipe. Here’s my easy version:buy a 4-oz. log of goat cheese and cut it into four wheels. (If it getsmisshapen, just press it into shape.) Dredge each goat cheese wheel (or“round”) in a pile of seasoned bread crumbs. Chill until firm (I stick it inthe freezer while I’m preparing the rest of the meal.) Then toast in anoven or toaster oven for about 10 minutes at around 350 F. Place onegoat cheese round on each of four servings of pasta (works well with ashrimp-and-tomatoes kind of pasta, but try with other pasta dishestoo). Then, as you eat the pasta, sort of blend the goat cheese in as yougo.
6INSECURE CHEFJUNE 2003Good Summer MealsAdapted from Cooking Light1med. Cucumber, peeled, seeded,chopped1 med. tomato, chopped1 small chopped onion½ cup chopped black olives¼ cup Italian dressing1 unsliced round loaf of bread (trysourdough or white or whole wheat)½ pound sliced fully-cooked ham¼ pound sliced salami¼ pound sliced roast beef (or cooked porkor whatever sliced meat you want,such as turkey)½ pound sliced Swiss cheese½ pound Muenster, if desiredIn a bowl, combine, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion,olives, and dressing. Set aside.Cut the top off the bread and set aside. Carefullyhollow out bread, leaving a half-inch shell. (You can useyour fingers to scoop out the bread. Save for anotheruse if desired, or eat it while making the rest of thesandwich, as Ruth recommends.)Layer ¼ of the meats and cheeses inside the shell,top with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture. Repeat layers,ending with meats and cheeses. NOTE: It’s important tobegin and end with a meat layer to keep thevegetable/dressing mixture from making the breadsoggy. Flatten if necessary to fit the lid on top.Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate untilserving time. Cut into wedges and serve.Can be made 1 day ahead. Serves 8.This salad also makes a delicious main dish—infact, we just had it for supper tonight. The chickpeasabsorb so much flavor from the feta cheese and lemonjuice and dill and green onions and the orzo (riceshaped pasta) has a very pleasing texture. I love thissalad. I would marry it if I could.It’s also light, healthy, cheap, and meatless.Everything you could want. Go. Make it now. Now.1 cup uncooked orzoa heaping ½ cup sliced green onions½ cup (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheeseabout 1 tsp. dried dill (or ¼ cup choppedfresh dill)1 can chickpeas, drainedAdjustand rinsedseasonings to3 tbls. fresh lemon juiceyour taste. (You(or bottled – I’m notshould knowgoing to nag you aboutthis, people.) I’llit this time)admit I like to go1 ½ tbls. olive oila little heavy onthe garlic.1 tbls. cold water½ tsp. salt½ - 1 tsp. chopped garlic (can use bottledminced garlic)1.Cook pasta according to package instructions;drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.2. Combine pasta, onions, feta cheese, dill, andchickpeas in a medium bowl. Stir gently.3. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt, andgarlic in a small bowl with a whisk. Pour overpasta mixture; toss gently.Makes about 4 servings (1¼ cups each)
INSECURE CHEF7JUNE 2003nswers to Real Reader QuestionsREADER CHALLENGE: can you spot the one fake “reader question” below?CAN BAKING SODA EXPIRE?According to Robert L. Wolke in What EinsteinTold His Cook, there’s not much danger that bakingsoda (i.e. sodium bicarbonate) will expire—although itdoes pick up odors and flavors easily. But bakingpowder, composed of baking soda plus one or moreacid salts, can actually expire in just a few months.Wolke recommends adding a little of your bakingpowder to water and seeing if it fizzes. If it doesn’t, it’stime to buy a new can.IS MY GARLIC SPROUTING BECAUSE ITKNOWS IT’S SPRING?Sadly, no. Your garlic is sprouting because it is notlong for this world. But as Linda and Fred Griffith say inGarlic Garlic Garlic: More Than 200 ExceptionalRecipes for the World’s Most Indispensible Ingredient,you can still use garlic at this point: “Just remove thatsprout and you’ll still have a decent-tasting clove.”Interesting garlic fact for the day: types of garliccan be divided into two categories, softneck andhardneck. Hardneck garlic has a hard stick in the centerat the top of the garlic head, and is harder to grow thansoftneck garlic. According to the Griffiths, it comes in awider range of flavors and often has very large clovesand more colorful skin. Softneck garlic is what youusually find in supermarkets.IS THIS A GOOD TIME TO REFINANCEOUR MORTGAGE?Yes—but no matter when you lock into a rate, youwill run into someone the next day who found a rate0.05% lower. I know this because it happened to mysister. When she called me. (Update: And then ithappened to me, when her rate dropped even lockedeven after they’d locked into a rate. Life is not fair.)Send your question to the Insecure Chef at 137Edgemont Road, Rochester, NY 14620 or email us at:smarie@rochester.rr.comRetractions & Apologies ¾ I would like to apologize for my layout editor’s unauthorized use of old Betty Crockerillustrations. Actually what I would really like is to make him apologize, but he won’t. Anyway,when the copyright police show up, they can go right ahead and slap the cuffs on him. It’s notlike he wasn’t warned.¾ OBSEQUIOUS apologies to my brother-in-law Stuart for accusing him recently of nothaving read the fine print in the last issue, when in fact he did. I just forgot.Welcome to New Readers: I don’t believe we have any new readers this month; please correct me if I’m wrong.
INSECURE CHEFI met Jan and Laurel Decher back in graduate school,where I found myself drawn to the spirit of health and8JUNE 2003pursued his Ph.D. in zoology and Laurel her Ph.D. inepidemiology.wholeness that seemed to characterize every aspect ofNow living in Burlington, Vermont, Jan holds antheir lives: the spiritual, the intellectual, the physical.adjunct appointment at the University of Vermont andThere was something unutterably heartening abouttravels to West Africa to conduct research on bats andentering Jan and Laurel’s apartment on yet anothersmall mammals, while Laurel is the Chronic Diseasecold winter’s day and finding a row of seedlingsEpidemiology Chief for the Vermont Department ofsprouting beneath warming bulbs. On one occasion,Health. (If your beloved pet bat develops asthma, this isthoroughly beaten down by yet another snowstorm anddefinitely the couple to contact.) Daughters Sophienot too shy to complain about it, I found myself(aged 9) and Isabelle (aged 2) keep them busy as well.bundled into the car by Laurel and taken to theconservatory in St. Paul, where we wandered blissfullythrough the tropical plants and remembered that greenthings existed and that spring would come. I’ve learneda lot from Laurel. I curse the darkness; she lights acandle.And gardening continues to play an important role inthe family’s life. This year’s garden includes a coldframe, where they’ve planted Winter Marvel lettuce,mesclun, radish mix, arugula, collard greens, and garlicchives to use in stir-fries. “We tried sweet peas,” Laureladded, “but they were sort of a failure.” In the rest of theThe Dechers’ gift for wholeness extended (blessedly) togarden, they’ve planted jingle bell peppers, parsley,the table. An abundance of homegrown veggies,carrots,homemade pesto, whole healthy ingredients, creativecucumbers,” Tom Thumb lettuce, raddichio, zucchini,menu plans all of these things drew me (and I’m surekohlrabi, beets, fennel bulb, spinach, garlic, ruby chard,many others) to the Dechers many times. Jan andleeks (“plundered by the darn squirrel,” Laurel says),Laurel are equally at home in the kitchen, splitting theircelery root, green onions, parsnips.cooking duties fifty-fifty, so I was thrilled when theyagreed to be guest chefs for this issue.tomatoes,basil,dill,some“sad-lookingWhew! But there’s still the herb garden, which containsrhubarb (okay, not an herb, but it happens to be plantedThe Dechers met on Jan’s home turf when Laurel wentthere), tarragon, thyme, lavender, sage (which Laurelto Philipps University in Marburg an der Lhand to studysays has mysteriously disappeared), breadbox poppies,German literature for a year. After they had bothand salad burnet. (The rosemary is inside by the kitchencompleted master’s degrees in the States, they marriedsink, not being hardy enough to survive outdoors.)in Summit, NJ. No traditional wedding cake for them;they ordered Italian pastries from a local bakery. Whenthey called the bakery to confirm the arrangements,they learned that it had burned down. (Fortunately,they found another bakery that could fill the bill.) Thenit was on to the University of Minnesota, where JanAnd they use everything. When I was visiting Laurel acouple of years ago, I watched her prepare for a pastasupper by wandering out to the garden and pickingwhatever looked good to her, then tossing it in withsome Italian sausage and pasta. It was scrumptious, andwhen I asked for the recipe, she just laughed. With suchvariety in the garden, it’s never the same thing twice! (I
9INSECURE CHEFJUNE 2003did wangle a sort of recipe out of her, finally; seetheir ever owning chickens Laurel laughed andbelow.)explained that they once built a special kind of chickenI asked Laurel how they learned so much aboutgardening. “My parents gardened,” she said. “The firstgarden that [Jan and I] had together was thecommunity garden at Gibbs Farm near the St. Paulcampus. There’s a little demonstration farm there andcoop with no bottom; it was supposed to allow you tomove the coop around every day, giving the chickensfresh ground to scratch. But local skunks got in andkilled the chickens. “There are some things the bookdoesn’t tell you,” she said.they had animals and chickens. They had communityThe Dechers have also sustained another creativeplots. They’d plow it up for you and you’d plant it. Wetradition that I’d love to emulate: recording and keepinggot one square and then we watched everybody elsetheir menu plans. But Laurel can tell you about it muchmaking their gardens You do learn a lot that way.” Butbetter than I after which, enjoy the many wonderfulshe added, “We’re firm library people. Go get a bookrecipes from the Dechers, written in their own words!and read all about it. And that’s how the chickens gotkilled by the skunk!” Chickens? I had no memory ofHow the Menu Plan Came To BeBy Laurel DecherIt all began when Jan and Laurel were married andFeatures of the menu planlived in a tent as nomads until their apartment wasalmost ready to be vacated by their friends who lived¾ Chef of the day (circle appropriate initials)there. Laurel, being a newly minted wife, had been¾ Grocery shopping list on the backadvised by many more experienced women that the¾ Write in planned menu and where to find recipedifficulty of cooking every day was coming up with the(e.g., Joy of Gardening Cookbook, pg. XX)idea of what to make. Once you know what to cook, you¾ Good for two weeks ( leftovers until you getknow what to buy. If you have both an idea and thearound to shopping again)ingredients, then you have supper. Experienced cooks¾ Can add comments about how the dinner washad also mentioned that people who are new to taking areceived by all partiesturn in every day cooking can be completely un-done by¾ Keeps people from snitching your ingredientsother people (particularly newly minted wives who wantbecause they didn't know they were neededto show off how competent they are) meddling in theirprojects. Hence the menu plan.The original goal was to develop re-usable menu plans, i.e. just pick up the photocopied menu plan from a few weeksprevious and take it to the store to shop. So far this hasn't worked. We keep them all in a squashy notebook and find thatthey are a funny kind of record of the past. (“Oh, look we had spinach salad the last time your parents came to visit fromGermany ”) When we are expecting visitors, it helps us to plan around any special requests/food allergies/planned trips,if we write those things on the menu plans. When Sophie (now 9 years old) was learning to use a pencil, she made some“entries” and suggestions for menu plans herself. Isabelle (soon to be 2 years old) likes to “decorate” them.
10INSECURE CHEFJUNE 2003SAMPLE MENU PLAN 26 SEPT - OCT. 19Sunday Oct 31. (LD/ JD)Lunch:Monday (JD)Tuesday (LD)Dessert: Ice CreamPot roast & Red Cabbage& NoodlesDessert: Apple CrispTuesday (LD)Wednesday (SD)SNG:Richard Rohr TapeMonday 27 Sept. (SD)Breakfast: WafflesGroundnut Soup /Jollof?(Return R. Rohr tape)Rosemary Chicken & Brown RiceTuesday (LD)Wednesday (JD)Thursday (LD)Impossible Lasagna PieCauliflower PaprikashSophie's ChoirAfrica Night: Plantains and BeanStewWednesday (SD)Thursday (LD)Friday (SD)Breakfast: Pumpkin MuffinsBreakfast: Pancakesget R. Rohr tapePestoSophie's Choir-German Oven PancakesThursday (LD)Friday (JD)get R. Rohr tapeSaturday (LD)Sophie's ChoirMake CheesecakePizza & Movie NightSaturday (SD)Spaghetti Bolognese (w/ Ital.Saus.) & MerlotS'mores at fireplaceSaturday (SD)Pancake BreakfastLunch: Hummus& other dipsTurkey & Pumpkin PieDessert: Peach Cobbler w/ Whip.CreamSunday (JD/LD)Make Coffee CakeLunch: LeftoversSNG: Barley Soup ETT 90Friday (JD)Cabbage Kielbasa PieSunday (LD)Sunday Night Group:Coffee CakeRichard Rohr TapeRichard Rohr TapeMonday (SD)Return R. Rohr tapeCrêpes with mushrooms etc.Sunday (SD)Sunday Night Group:CheesecakeMonday (JD)Breakfast: Pancakes or WafflesTuesday (LD)
INSECURE CHEF11JUNE 2003SHOPPING LIST erseggplantgarlicgingerother herbfennelgreen beansgreen rs, green / redpotatoesred pepperssummer squashtomatoeszucchiniotherBeans, rice & pastabeans, pinto / blackbeans,lentilsnoodlesrice, whiterice, browntofuSpicesCanned foodsapplesaucecrab/ salmongreen chilesjammandarin orangepeanut butterpearspineappletomatoes wholetomato pastetomato saucetunaother cannedDairy & eggsbuttercheddar cheesecottage cheeseeggsmilkmozzarellasour creamSwiss cheesewhipping creamyogurtotherFrozen foodblackberriesfishice creamorange juiceotherBakingbaking sodabaking powderbread crumbsbrown sugarchoc. chipscocoacoconutcornmealcornstarchflour, whiteflour, whole ayeastOils and mayonnaisemayonnaiseoil, canolaoil, olivebalsamic vinegarwine ingAjax /Cascade/JoylaundryspongesMeatchicken (whole)chicken ( )hamburgerpot roastotherPaperaluminum foilnapkinspaper towelsplastic wraptissuestoilet paper
INSECURE CHEF12JUNE 2003A FEW THOUGHTS FROM THE INSECURE CHEFON JAN AND LAUREL’S SHOPPING LIST While working on this article I needed to make a shopping list of my own, so I thought I’d take Janand Laurel’s shopping list out for a spin—see how she handles, so to speak. I was scanning the list andmarking the items I needed when it dawned on me that within each category, the items were listedalphabetically. I don’t know why this struck with the force of a full-blown epiphany, but it did. Brilliant!The alphabet is probably the single most useful thing you ever learn in your life, and I for one am gladfor every opportunity to employ this knowledge.The second thing I noticed, while getting ready to mark “tortilla chips”, was that tortilla chips weren’tlisted. Genuine tortillas, yes, but no tortilla chips. Hmm. In fact, there was no category for “junk food.”Hmm. Also, curiously, there were no sodas listed at all. I checked under “Dairy & eggs,” in case the term“mother’s milk” had been used for “Coca-cola,” but found nothing. More brain-wracking ensued. Then itcame to me: the Dechers do not buy junk food. The Dechers do not buy soda. My respect for—and fearof—the Dechers rose significantly. (Who doesn’t fear that which they do not comprehend?!)Having survived the bout of self-examination and rigorous rationalization that naturally followed onthe heels of this second revelation (“I do try to eat a healthy diet; surely one measly Coke a day, andcaffeine-free at that, can’t hurt anybody ”), I sort of got a weird kick out of noticing other things that theDechers do buy and I don’t, and vice versa. For example, they list “pears” but not “peaches.” Are theypeach-haters? I’m not a pear-hater, yet I rarely buy pears. Hmm, they list “pears” under both“Vegetables/Fruits” and “Canned Foods”—yet black olives, capers, water chestnuts, and bambooshoots are conspicuously absent from their canned goods list. (Could it be that those items are junkfood, and I’m only just now realizing it?) They have “fennel” on their list. I’m not allowed to buy fennel.Certain people in this house do not appreciate fennel. I also note that oils and mayonnaise arecategorized together—this makes perfect sense, yet I know I would never have thought of it.All in all, an enriching, enlightening experience, providing much food for thought. (Ha.) I love thispre-fab shopping list idea and plan to use it (with minor additions/subtractions—pears are out, peachesare in) for all my future shopping trips! Thanks, Jan and Laurel!NOTE: If you would like a copy of Jan and Laurel’s shopping list, email me atsmarie@rochester.rr.com and I’ll email you a copy as an attachment (Word document).
13INSECURE CHEFBruderhof Bread1 T yeast1 T sugar2 T saltwater1 cup wheat berries1/2 cup pearl barley (boil 1 hour)10 cups whole wheat flour2 cups white flourJUNE 2003Start yeast with some warm water, sugar andsalt. Add dry ingredients. Add enough water tomake a sticky dough. We mix it in a large souppot. Let rise for approximately one and a halfhours. Divide into four greased and floured breadpans each about three quarters full. Put in coldoven. Set oven to 345 F (170 C) and bake for onehour. When done remove from pans and cool onwire racks. Yields four loaves.Source:HelaEhrlich, Woodcrest Bruderhof,Rifton, New York.Still life of freshly baked Bruderhof Bread with a copy of the mainwork, Innenland (Inner Land), by Bruderhof founder EberhardArnold. Photo by Jan DecherYoghurt Coffee Cake½ cup brown sugar1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon1 cup chopped nuts3 cups all-purpose flour1 ½ cups sugar3 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt1 cup butter, softened1 cup yoghurt1 teaspoon vanilla3 eggslemon peel (optional)This is essentially the “sour cream coffee cake”from the KitchenAid cookbook, which we usesubstituting yoghurt for the sour cream. Combinebrown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts in small bowl. Setaside.Sift flour, sugar, baking powder. b
Dear Insecure Chef, Dear Insecure Chef, Soon I will be having three families over to my house for a social event. All together we are seven adults and eight kids. My guests will come Sunday evening. Friday night, I will be working, possibly late into the evening. Thanks for the heads-up that my subscription is waning. Keep those issues coming.
