The last six weeks of 2012 came and went.  Endings and beginnings hit with a bang all at the same time.  Several life changing decisions presented themselves.  Amongst the craziness, time was carved out on New Year’s day to start on a fresh, healthy and taste-so-good-you-can’t-eat-just-one note.  That note was a high cord belting out outrageous cinnamon rolls.

You may be thinking how can these be healthy.  They mostly defy the norm. The less healthy part will put a smile on your face.

There are cinnamon rolls with more of a croissant like dough and a sugary icing drizzle.  Then there are whole grain health foodie kinds that omit icing, replacing it with lots of raisins and nuts.  Then there are these with gooey goodness, thanks to a friend who raved about them and shared her handed down recipe.  I hate to tell you they’re gluten free because that tends to turn up noses. But not these.

I’m thankful to not have problems with gluten, a good thing being the bread monger I am. But stepping back and changing things up is a good thing.  You know that “anything in moderation” mantra?

The first bite came just ten minutes out of the oven.  Soft, gooey on the bottom with walnuts followed by cinnamon and sweetness.

This recipe makes 12 to 16 rolls, depending on your size preference. They keep quite well wrapped in foil on your counter for a few days.  Just takes popping them into a 350 degree F oven for ten minutes to make them taste like they were just baked.  Or wrap any leftover in foil and freeze for a cold winter weekend morning.

Although this recipe is longer, it’s fairly easy. After making them once, you”ll get the hang of it then they’re a breeze!

Broccoli smiles and food literacy.  Amber Stott  has lots to smile about these days.

The California Food Literacy Center, a Sacramento based non-profit that she started July 2011 is successfully teaching kids all about food.  In a pilot program pre-test, when asked K-1^st graders if healthy snacks taste good; 82% of kids said “no.” After 1 month of food literacy training, 92% of the kids said “yes.”

The Center is running an online campaign to help them raise $11,000 by Jan 1.  You can read all about it here.

At first blush, Sacramento may seem to have its share of vegetarian restaurants. Asian and Indian inspired eateries catering to the non-meat crowd speckle the landscape.  And you can usually find a few vegetarian items on most menus in the area.  But what about taking things to the next level?  Well it’s been done; a new type of higher end vegan dining experience has come to town.

The Plum Café and Bakery, formerly know as Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe and Catering was rescued by Ron Russell and Rey Ortega earlier this year.  While Melissa Wilhelm continues to be wildly successful with her Sugar Plum Vegan bakery, running a restaurant on top of exploding popularity and increasing orders became overwhelming.  Russell and Ortega decided to take it on.

Ortega is a veteran of two successful gluten-free baking companies.  He now manages the second, Sun Flour Baking with distribution nationwide and throughout Canada.  Sun Flour produces gluten-free, sugar-free, high protein cookies and more.  You’d never know about Ortega’s hidden talent while savoring one of his desserts: writing.

Russell, a self-professed foodie is no stranger to the kitchen.  “I remember coming home at 3 a.m. covered with grease and smelling of meat”, Russell said, sharing that he dove into kitchens cooking through school.  Those experiences, not to mention his concern for the environment led him to change his food ways.  “I became a vegetarian before salad bars existed.  Eggs went first then as time passed, I became stricter moving towards veganism.”

Russell owns the Los Angeles restaurant SunCafe Organic.  The Cafe received accolades from the likes of Serious Eats, the New York Times, and Bestofraw.com, who awarded them the 2011 #1 raw food restaurant in Los Angeles and #3 in the world.  If you’re looking for a celeb sighting, you can find one almost daily: George Cluney, Megan Fox and Ed Begley Jr., most recently.

It’s interesting to note two-thirds of SunCafe’s patrons are meat eaters.  “I can always tell when people didn’t want to come to the café but were dragged in by a friend.  They’ve got this look on their face,” Russell said.  “But in the end, meat eaters like it as much as Spago or their favorite steak house.”

One recent reluctant diner told Russell his meal was the best he’d had since feasting at a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris.

Similar to SunCafe Organic, which started as a cafe and transitioned to higher end dining, The Plum is rapidly moving in that direction.  Wet your appetite with spinach artichoke dip atop house made crostini or the raw nachos with SunChorizo and nacho chez.

Nachos with avocado, chorizo, cheese and jalapenos never tasted so good.

Did I mention they’ve started making their own cheese?  Varieties are cashew, pecan garlic, nacho, feta and ricotta, for now.

Russell and Ortega added an espresso bar complete with hours of training on pulling a proper shot of espresso and foaming milk flawlessly (being a cappuccino snob I like this!)  Sacramento based roaster Temple Coffee conducted the training and will supply the beans.

The Plum’s future includes an expanded dinner menu, wine and gluten-free beer, additional pastries, macrobiotic and raw food elements, and a heated candelabra patio open year around.  Russell already taught several cooking classes there and will continue to do so with the next class scheduled for November 12 (Holiday Raw Food Favorites).

Don’t miss The Plum Café appetizer party complete with entertainment this Sunday, November 11^th from 5 to 8:00 p.m.  You can preview all the new dishes and sip off the new beer and wine menu. 

RSVP Ron@PlumCafeBakery.com.  You may just win a door prize too.

The Plum Cafe and Bakery is open 7 days a week.

Hours: Monday–Thursday 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Friday- Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday brunch 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

and pomegranates, a shopping bag full.

I used to think seeding pomegranates wasn’t worth the time and effort.  I’ve since changes my mind. 

Pomegranate possibilities are endless: molasses, liqueur, vinegar, ice cream or sorbet, pomegranate-cello, yogurt cream cheese pie with Tillamook I’ve recently discovered.  Hum…

And a pile of late season peppers.

A break to admire my friend Julie’s culinary ceramics.  A possible holiday gift?

Things are bubbling here just under the surface!

Nuts.

I’ve come into walnuts the last few weeks and lots of them.  Perfect timing for the Twelve Loaves October challenge which is all about nuts, seeds and grains incorporated into home baked bread.  There are just times you feel like a nut…or a seed…or a grain!

My quick bread is partly the result of visiting the gigantic fig tree in a friend’s garden.  Some of its last fruit was hiding from the birds.  The original plan was to make walnut molasses bread but I couldn’t help myself.  I had to throw figs into the mix.  They end up in many things.  I adore them, it’s no secret.

But the real focus here is walnuts, abundant amounts just gathered.  Last years remaining freezer bag full desperately needed to be used up.  An elderly friend had sat, and walnut by walnut cracked them open judiciously.  She carefully removed each piece of meat without breaking a single one.  Kind of like removing the seeds from a pomegranate without getting one splat of juice on you- an accomplishment.

I earmarked those nuts, being whole and all, to candy them.  But my walnut bread with molasses just exudes fall- a warmed slice for breakfast with piping hot coffee, lightly buttered for an afternoon tea break or dipped in a bowl of steamy lentil or pumpkin soup. 

Walnut fig bread with creamy goat cheese- take that bite!

Anyway you consume it the soft texture and unobtrusive magic of walnuts, caramelly molasses and spice… need I say more?   Well, yes!  How could I forget the tawny port?  There’s dessert for you: bread and wine.

So I did use up those cherished walnuts.  Guess I’ll just have to have a walnut cracking party and a challenge; who can remove the most meat without breaking the nut.  I’ll have my walnuts for candying and get to eat them too!

Twelve loaves is hosted by Lora of Cake Duchess, Jamie of Life’s a Feast and Barbara of Creative Culinary.  Homemade bread- there’s just something about sharing and enjoy it with everyone.  To see what other twelve loavers created this month, click here and scroll down.

Walnut Fig Bread for Fall

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Recipe type: Quick Bread

Author: Lynn Gowdy

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 12

An easy bread for breakfast, brunch or anytime snacking loaded with walnuts, figs and warming spices. Extra enjoyable with a fireside port wine night cap.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• 6 fresh figs, chopped (or 8 dried figs)
• ½ cup plain almond milk
• ½ cup low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt
• ⅓ cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 2 large eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Measure flour into a large bowl. Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, measure out the almond milk, yogurt, molasses, oil, vinegar and eggs. Whisk or beat the mixture just until combined.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the walnuts and figs. Stir to combine being careful to not over mix.
5. Pour batter into an 8 by 4-inch loaf pan either lightly greased or coated with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (This loaf took 1 hour 10 minutes.) Cool 5 to 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

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3.1.09

It’s more common than one may think.  While scouting around The Perennial Plate I couldn’t help stopping when I saw those two words. They make me chuckle but also give pause for thought.

The first time I dove I was amazed at all the perfectly good food in the dumpster.  I remember being stunned, having a wow moment, disbelief. Then it hit me two ways: free food! and what a sad waste.  The good thing was the food was all wrapped.  Any sandwiches or bread left over each day from the cafe where I dove were thrown in the trash.

While many grocers and other miscellaneous food stores give to food banks, etc., there are many who don’t.  This short video from Daniel Klein and his video series The Perennial Plate shares one story.

For additional adventurous eating footage go to The Perennial Plate.

Today I’m sharing a tart creation- kind of savory and kind of sweet- in a guest post over on Chef Dennis’ blog, A Culinary Journey.  Can’t recall how I discovered him but have thoroughly enjoyed his humor, ideas and creativity.  He, and a few other people I’ve gotten to know this year have rubbed off on me in a fun (and serious) way.

I’ll be sharing about the few other folks in upcoming posts, including one of them, a ceramic artist with creations that’ll make you smile (and want to buy holiday gifts)!

Stop by for a fun dose of creativity and to say, “Hello!” to Chef Dennis.

Is it really the first Friday in October already?!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a love affair with figs.  It all started with my dad showing me a fig tree.  He plucked one, and in his usual way when something tasted good said “Um, um! Man-o-man those are good!” I can hear and see him doing so in my mind.  His eyes closed, lips pursed, and head tilted to the right, he’d give a hard, diagonal nod downward as he savored the taste.  The left over fig would often be smeared on a piece of bread and consumed immediately.

This months Twelve Loaves baking challenge is bread with cheese.  What better opportunity to marry off the fig with a goat.

Sometimes soft and fluffy, other times firm and funky, goat cheese has many characters.  I’ve had it as ripe as forgotten gym socks at the end of summer.  And the fig- a paunchy fruit that wrinkles gracefully with age and oozes sweet, endearing quirkiness.  Both are eccentric in their own ways.  I suppose a little like me!

But this fougasse may just enticingly draw you into taking a second, and perhaps third piece.  Slather a warm piece with butter anytime.  And, you may just find yourself saying “Um, um! Thiiisss is good!”

For Twelve Loaves, bake a bread, yeast or quick bread, loaf or individual, filled, stuffed, studded or topped with your favorite cheese!  There’s still time in September, or join us in October.  Thank you Lori- Cake Duchess, Barb- Creative Culinary, and Jamie- Life’s a Feast!

Fougasse Stuffed with Figs and Goat Cheese for #TwelveLoaves

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons (165 ml) lukewarm water
• ¾ teaspoon granulated yeast
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 1 cup figs, cut into1/2-inch pieces.  (I used brown turkey and black mission.)
• 1 cup goat cheese of your choice. (I used a soft, Laura Chenel type goat.)
• Sea salt or kosher salt, for sprinkling
• 1 heaping teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

Method

Combine water and yeast in a medium sized bowl. Let sit a few minutes until the yeast starts to dissolve.  Add the salt, sugar and olive oil and stir to combine.

Add the flour and mix until combined either by hand, using a stand mixer with a dough hook or a food processor with a dough hook.  There is no need to knead the dough.

Cover the bowl with saran wrap or a towel.  Allow to rest at room temperature until double, approximately 2 hours.

While dough is rising, prepare figs and set aside in a bowl.

Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle of the oven.  Put another rack on the bottom of the oven with a bowl on it.  You can also use an empty broiler tray.  This will be for water when baking.

Dust the surface of dough with flour and remove.  Place on a flour-dusted surface and form into ball by stretching the dough.  Continue to stretch and shape into an oblong by hand or with a rolling pin, which ever is easier for you.  Make sure dough doesn’t stick on the surface.  You want the dough to be about 1/8 to ¼-inch thick.

Place dough on a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Cut slits into the dough on one side only.  If the knife sticks, add a little flour.  Spread the holes open gently.

Using half of the goat cheese, put nickel sized dollop’s randomly on the unslit side of the dough, leaving a 1-inch boarder around the edge.

Randomly top the cheese with fig pieces.

Finish putting the remaining cheese on top of the figs.

Sprinkle the surface with salt and thyme.

Fold the slit side of dough over the filling to meet the opposite edge.  Pinch to seal.  You can brush the top of the dough with olive oil if you’d like.

Put pan into oven and 1 cup water into the bowl / broiler tray and immediately close oven door.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top.

Cool on a wire rack.

Juicy, gooey, fig goat cheese fougasse

Yes, you heard it!  We’re smack in the middle of California’s first official food literacy month.  Thanks to Amber Stott, founder of the California Food Literacy Center, and several volunteers, the first half of the month was action packed.

Right about now you may be thinking, “What’s Food Literacy?”  It’s about understanding the impact of food choices on your health.

This is huge given the many challenges the world faces concerning food: obesity, diabetes, unhealthy diets, lack of food access, food and climate, and more.

The Center not only teaches and educates children through school programs, it provides information to parents, teachers and everyone really.  And it goes beyond this, offering training to community members through their Food Literacy Academy.

To help celebrate the month, Amber reached out to engage food bloggers in a Food Literacy Sandwich Campaign.  Other upcoming activities include a Food Literacy Fair at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market in Sacramento on September 22, and an official launch party on September 29 at Mayahual restaurant.

I’ve been enjoying simplicity when it comes to eating and extended this to the sandwich I created for the month.  All that’s needed is bread, an egg, an easy truffle pate and sea salt.

Baking my own bread was a good start.   You need just one thick slice for this open-faced sandwich.

Organic eggs from a friend’s back yard cooked just beyond a poach make way for a brilliant yellow yolk tinged with orange.

The truffle pate is easy, not exactly the real thing but the taste is darn close.

Open Faced Poached Egg Sandwich with Truffle Pate and Sea Salt

This is a light, adult sandwich that begs for a glass of wine.

Ingredients

• 1 thick- about a 1-inch slice- of your favorite bread.  I used the sesame pain au levain bread I made with a starter.  (You can barely detect its sourness.)
• butter
• one egg (know anyone with back yard chickens?)
• a pinch of minced chives
  
• ¼ cup truffle pate (recipe follows)

Preparation

Put 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar in a small saucepan.  Heat to barely a boil.

While the water is getting hot, crack the egg into a small bowl and set aside.

Lightly toast the bread, spread with a little butter then a thin layer of truffle pate.

Slide the egg into the hot water and cook for 2 to 2 ½ minutes.  Remove and place on a paper towel to soak up residual water.  Place the egg on top of the bread then top with a heaping teaspoon of truffle pate.  Finish with a sprinkling of sea salt and a pinch of chives.  Enjoy immediately.

Truffle Pate

• ½ cup cooked garbanzo beans
• water
• white truffle oil
• sea salt

Combine beans and 2 tablespoons of room temperature water in a bowl.  Mash with the back of a spoon, and mix until you have a smooth mixture.  You may need to add a bit more water.  You want it a little softer than the consistency of smooth peanut butter.  Once you have this consistency, add a teaspoon of truffle oil.  You can use less water and more oil for more truffle flavor.  Stir in a pinch of sea salt.

Message from husband: “Can you make some mustard for me?  Any kind will do but something out of the ordinary is better.  Oh, add some kick too please”.

I made something different.

The very first mustard I made required cooking the mixture down.  I’ve since opted for less time consuming versions like this easy one from America’s Test Kitchen or this from Sacramento based forager Hank Shaw.

Call it a coincidence- my mail opened to a note from Creative-Culinary, a recently discovered mustard lover sharing recently concocted mustard.  And perhaps serendipitous I had an open bottle of port and cherries begging to be used.

Mustard is one of those things, you either love it or not.  The hubby devoured a quarter pint of this in one sitting.  I could hardly blame him.  The port and cherries gave it slight sweetness; the brown mustard seeds gave it that requested kick.

This mustard will work nicely with Easy Mustard Crusted Fish Fillets from Jeanne at Cooksister.

Cherries are still hanging around here and there in northern California.  Although I prefer using fresh cherries, frozen will work too.

Port wine and cherry mustard is great with crackers, crudités or meats!

For the complete recipe, head on over to Creative-Culinary.