Al Dente

There's A Dutch Apple Pie In The Oven

Thanks to Al Dente reader Kurt, I had apple pie for breakfast. But not just any apple pie. Dutch Apple Pie. Homemade Dutch Apple Pie. And this pie was just like the Dutch pies we ate in the Netherlands, or maybe even better.

After writing a post about my experience eating Dutch Apple Pie at Winkel 43 in Amsterdam, I sent out an APB for similar recipes. Kurt answered the call with a recipe from Jaydn of Dutch.British.Love. 

Apparently, Jadyn had become smitten with Winkel's Dutch Apple Pie last year and did a little web surfing herself. She found a recipe by Lynn Hutchinson of The Amsterdam Files dating back to 2007.

All I have to say is this: "This recipe is a keeper." If local strawberries haven't yet hit your market stands, give those remaining winter apples one more go. Apple pie makes the best breakfast.

--Tracy Schneider

The Stackable Cooling Rack from Nordic Ware

After cookies are baked and removed from the oven it is important to cool them on a cooling rack. The rack elevates the cookies off the counter and lets air circulate under and around the cookie. This, of course, prevents the bottom of the cookie from getting soggy.

I have two or three cooling racks that I use, but lately I've been running out of space on the counter. I am often pressed to bake cookies a little faster these days, so I find myself putting two baking sheets in the oven at the time. This causes a bit of a "traffic jam" on the counter when it comes to cooling time.

I noticed this stackable cooling grid in the Nordic Ware catalogue this morning. It might be a great solution for cookie production in my small kitchen.  At first, I considered the extra large cooling grid, but that just seemed a little too big for my limited space. Any suggestions?

--Melissa A. Trainer

Counting Down: The Number 1 Food We've Missed

It will come as no surprise to those readers who have joined me on my adventure in Germany, (HopeSew, you guessed it), that Mexican food came in as the food we have missed the most while abroad. Nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and tacos with all the fixings: guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, (yes, we still have not found sour cream), have all been dreamed about.

Yes, we have tried making Mexican ourselves. There are some (expensive!) Mexican-style products at the grocery store, but the dishes have never come out quite right. Mexican establishments, when we have come across them--a stand at a Weihnachtsmarkt in Frankfurt, a tiny corner restaurant in Paris--were a underwhelming (and expensive!) at best. 

Back in the U.S., my daughter, who said she could eat Mexican food every day, ordered Mexican when it was available at whatever restaurant we happened to be dining at. And her favorite, tacos with an horchata, she ate on our last night in Seattle. It was a perfect way to say "adios".

--Tracy Schneider

Do Pie Birds Make A Difference?

So, I am wondering what you think of those cute ceramic birds that are placed in the middle of a homemade pie before baking.

Known as pie birds, these little devices apparently result in a better pie because they let steam escape while the pie is baking. I suspect that some of you will tell me that pie birds are a gadget hardly worth discussing. On the other hand, I have a hunch that one or two of you will have an opinion about them.

Any thoughts before our seasonal fresh fruit pie season kicks off soon? What do you think your opinionated pie-baking granny would have to say about pie birds?

--Melissa A. Trainer

Counting Down: The Number 2 Food We've Missed

I've been counting down the Top 5 foods my family and I have been missing while in Germany, knowingly or not, and Al Dente reader vb landed on my Number 2: Good Beef.

Roast prime ribs of beef, bone-in rib-eye steaks, thick-cut T-bones, they are nowhere to be found. In Germany I would daydream about throwing a steak on the barbecue. Even finding good quality ground beef for a burger has been a challenge. 

You can perhaps imagine, then, how excited I was back in the U.S. to order and be served this thick cut prime rib one evening, herb butter atop, fresh horseradish and au jus on the side, with mashed potatoes and sauteed green asparagus. (More about green asparagus later.) And then I did something I never do. I went back to the same restaurant a few days later and ordered the exact same dish again.  

--Tracy Schneider 

Just Say No To Weak, Watery Iced Tea!

It's that time of year again. Well, in the South, it's always sweet tea time, but in the rest of the country, the demand for brewed tea served over ice really heats up as the temps rise.

The only problem with this scenario? Every year, I think restaurants and cafes and coffee shops are going to get better at making iced tea and every warm weather season, I'm disappointed with weak versions that might as well be called barely flavored water. I usually give up after a few tries, but that's fine because I make a mean iced tea at home.

Of course, one essential ingredient is a cool pitcher and this beauty from Takeya fits the description. It's large enough for a family and its infusion basket lets you control how strong the tea gets. The stronger, the better as far as I'm concerned. But, on the other hand, you don't want it to be overextracted and bitter. 

That's why it's key to cold brew. It takes extra time, sure, but it's worth it. Lipton makes a perfectly good cold brew bag. But you could also experiment with loose herb teas, or for that spa water effect, load the infuser with fresh fruit, herbs or chunks of cucumber. Very refreshing!

You could also give your (strong) iced tea an extra citrus zing by making a simple syrup and adding lemon or orange zest and steeping for 10-15 minutes. Then, serve that as an alternative to the traditional sugar and lemon. Sweet tea with a twist.

-- Leslie Kelly

Penn Cove Mussels Threatened by Sunken Boat...

Yesterday afternoon, I was enjoying a boat ride with my husband and son on the Puget Sound. The weather was perfect. The Sound was divine. I sat up straight, however, when an announcement came over the marine radio. The Coast Guard was reporting a boat on fire in Penn Cove, which was north of us. I immediately said to my husband, "That could be bad news for Penn Cove mussels." The announcement ended and we simply carried on because the emergency was far north of where we were.

Last night, I sat down to read the news and saw a small online newsflash. Indeed, that fire was troublesome to Penn Cove Shellfish, which is one of my favorite local shellfish companies. The Deep Sea, a 128-foot abandoned fishing vessel had caught fire in Penn Cove and was engulfed in flames. Coast Guard response boats were on the scene quickly but by the evening the fishing vessel had sunk. Efforts are being made to plug the vents and seal the fuel tanks but the risk to Penn Cove mussels remains very high. As a result, all harvesting of Penn Cove mussels has been suspended by the state until further notice.

This could be a sad turn of events for a very special Washington state family-owned shellfish farm. Located in the scenic Penn Cove and boasting the fact that their mussels are "fresh from the water and not the warehouse," Penn Cove Shellfish is the country's largest mussel grower and has long been a family-owned and operated company. I am a big fan of their mussels and serve them often on my table at home. They are always fresh, affordable, satisfying, and simple to serve.

Currently run by Ian and Rawle Jefferds, the shellfish company was started more than 30 years ago by their dad, Peter Jefferds. Back then, Peter Jefferds was retiring from the US Army and wanted to start an oyster farm. He knew that no one was making money on oysters, so he decided to grow mussels. The commercial mussels available back then weren't very good and he thought he could produce a better product.

After cruising local bays and coves looking for a good spot to start a mussel business, Jefferds eventually decided on Penn Cove. While at a dock in Coupeville, the father and sons spontaneously noticed that the pilings and docks were laden with the tenacious black bivalves. This was the certainty they needed and shortly thereafter they set up their family business in Penn Cove.

Over the years, a true "mussel culture" has evolved in Coupeville and today the local allegiance to this company runs deep. Nearly every single restaurant in Coupeville serves Penn Cove mussels! Back in January a few years ago, I boarded a skiff and enjoyed a personal tour of their farm. In March, I celebrated Penn Cove mussels by attending the annual Musselfest and preparing mussels at home.

I sincerely hope that this event is rectified quickly and with little impact on that beautiful productive little cove north of Seattle.

Photos by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

 

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

That's what my Mother's Day card said, and I cannot argue with that. Especially after witnessing a scene in my kitchen I never thought I'd see: My kiddo taking the role of chef while directing her Dad to do prep. She sounded just like me. She sounded... what? Bossy!

This is exactly why our chemistry has always been explosive when cooking: two alphas do not a good combo make. But it was so cool to see how well she and her Pops worked together, confering occasionally with me. Yet, more often, I heard Claire ask Daddy-O to read from one of her new favorite recipes: "What does Bittman say?" Yes, Mark Bittman's become her cooking guru.

I've been bugging her to cook from his latest for me and tonight, I finally got my wish. The chilled peanut noodles and stir-fried pork with kale were absolutely delicious. She also made the cucumber salad that I learned to make from my grandmother, a perfect tart note on the rich, savory plate. Somehow, I feel like... well, not exactly like the torch has been passed. Still, it's a very promising start.

-- Leslie Kelly

Battle Of The Bulge, Part 2

So, I've been dedicating the month of May to shaping up and have already lost a couple of pounds by swimming every day at the beautiful Four Seasons saltwater pool. I've also been trying to cut back a little bit on carbs. Which means I'm doing a lot of label reading and -- horrors! -- so many foods I love are carb-heavy. Yes, even yogurt has carbs!

It was amazing timing that I came across an entertaining story in this week's New York Times dining section about one food writer's quest to strip his diet of carbs and eat savory foods that were extra satisfying. Prolific Peter Kaminsky is the author of one of my fave food books, a porky adventure called Pig Perfect. We once ate barbecue together in Memphis.

He's still high on hog, but just hold the bun. He's got a new book coming out about this shift in lifestyle, during which he lost a bunch of weight and feels great. It's called Culinary Intelligence: The Art of Eating Healthy (And Really Well). As soon as I read that fun interview with Kaminsky, I downloaded the book on my Kindle and I've been reading it while sitting by the pool after doing laps. (You can read comments on that Times story on the Diner's Journal blog.)

It's funny how these things happen. Here I was, going blissfully along, eating whatever I felt like and then, wham. An ephiphany! I can still eat most everything. I don't feel deprived. Heck, I made a pig of myself this week at Baconpolis, the cured swine throw down put on every spring by Tom Douglas and his ever-growing crew. (And by the way, congrats to Tommy D for being named the nation's best restaurateur by the James Beard Foundation, earlier this week at a ceremony in New York City.)

No, I'm not going to be eating a stack of bacon every morning, nor having a giant steak for dinner every night. I'm just trying to make some changes that make sense. And the biggest breakthrough has come from getting back in the pool. It's been the best kind of physical therapy on the heels of that slow-recovering broken shoulder. 

Over the course of two weeks of swimming, it's starting to feel like its old self again, which means I'm back to walking everywhere, which makes me feel so much better. I'm sure there will be the inevitable back-sliding on this slippery slope. But the important thing is that I'm making an effort. I'm being proactive before my doc warns me that it's time to get serious about dropping some weight. 

The No. 1 question nagging at me: Is there such a thing as a low-carb cookie? I don't think so, and it kind of pains me that I'm not going to get to spend as much time checking out new bakeries around town. But maybe I'll splurge on that really expensive chocolate I've been eyeing. 

-- Leslie Kelly

An Open-Faced Lobster BLT Salad...in Hawaii!

Okay, Mother's Day Weekend must be having an impact on me. I've been dreaming a little bit today...I've been dreaming about the amazing Open Faced Lobster BLT Salad that I enjoyed while lunching at Beach Tree Restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu.

Admittedly, I had this salad back in September when I was in Kona, but it was so superb that I've continued to think about it for months. It was a simple salad but so beautifully executed. The Kona Cold lobster had been carefully cooked and transformed into a traditional mayonnaise-based salad. The salad was elevated when it was placed on top of some butter lettuce, a yellow beefsteak tomato, and a lovely slice of bread.  The whole presentation was garnished with a generous hit of bacon and a few slices of buttery avocado.

I've been wanting to recreate this at home...now that summer isn't that far away, I think I might try it myself. Are you a lobster salad fan? If so, try crafting your own version.

Photos by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

 

Let's Bring Back Breakfast In Bed

What ever happened to the tradition of letting Mom sleep in and lounge on that special Sunday in May?

We now expect Mother's Day to be about going out to brunch or maybe making dinner, a meal she might actually have to clean up. (Don't do it Mama. Don't let your babies grow up to be mess makers!)

Way back when we celebrated my mother, it was about bringing her that morning meal on a tray. It was a tradition she learned from her mother. My grandmother started most mornings by sipping coffee and reading the newspaper in bed. 

Yeah, it's probably not too practical. Who wants to deal with toast crumbs on your 600-thread count sheets? But maybe it's high time to revive this tradition? I'll take my eggs over easy and hash browns extra crispy, please!

-- Leslie Kelly

 

Counting Down: The Number 3 We've Missed

A little less than a year before we moved to Germany, the Taiwanese dumpling house Din Tai Fung opened a branch in Seattle. I was curious to try their soupy steamed dumplings, xiao long bao, but after I tasted them, I became obsessed.

I ate many times at Din Tai Fung, and not just those soupy dumplings, but also rice, pork and vegetable dishes. Everything was wonderful.

In Germany, as I filled my days with Jaegerschnitzel and spatzel, I forgot about xiao long bao, but as soon as I was back in Seattle, I couldn't stop thinking about them again. 

Just like pizza, I never suspected that dumplings would be on my Top 5 list, but there it is. I couldn't wait to get to Din Tai Fung, to eat their dumplings, their soupy steamed dumplings, their pork dumplings in a spicy sauce, and then for dessert, the mashed red bean dumplings too. Enough to last me until the next trip.

--Tracy Schneider

Hog Island Manila Clam Chowder in San Francisco!

When I was in San Francisco last month, Amy Sherman gave me a fabulous tour of the historic Ferry Building Marketplace.

For lunch we decided to grab a seat at the Hog Island Oyster Company oyster bar. I ordered their Manila Clam Chowder, which was positively outstanding. Unlike other mainstream chowders, which often feature chunks of clam and a thick creamy base, this beautiful chowder boasted whole Manila clams and a light creamy base. Within the chowder, there were unpeeled perfectly cooked Yukon Gold potatoes nestled amongst the clam shells. I devoured the chowder, but I didn't feel overly full after doing so. It remains a very memorable meal.

When I was reading through the Hog Island website this morning, I was very happy to find the recipe for that clam chowder.  The recipe is now printed and ready to be stashed in my chowder file! Are you a Hog Island fan?

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

Counting Down: The Number 4 Food We've Missed

I'm counting down the top five foods my family and I have missed while living in Germany. Some of them we've been dreaming about, others came as a complete surprise.

Milkshakes, especially peanut butter milkshakes, with juicy burgers weighed in at Number 5. But surprisingly, pizza, pizza in many forms, came in at Number 4. Sure there is pizza, and lots of it, here in Germany. But we have yet to find a pizza pie that we'd like to eat a second time.

While we were back in the U.S., we had great pizza delivered. (There's no such thing as pizza delivery near me!) I chowed down on an enormous, bubbly single slice at the mall. And then there were the authentic, wood-fired, Neapolitan individual pizzas we ate with a knife and fork in the company of friends.

I would never have called myself a pizza affiionado, nor would I have suspected that pizza would make our Top 5 list at all. But the proof is, obviously, in the eating, and when it came to pizza, I was eating it up.

--Tracy Schneider

Fusionbrands Poach Pods for Mother's Day...

If you plan to cook breakfast or brunch on Mother's Day, then maybe you should check out the Fusionbrands Poach Pods. I originally wrote about these more than two years ago, but they really are a helpful tool to have. I think they are particularly important on Mother's Day! They simplify a task that can be somewhat difficult to master.

The poach pods are quite nifty because they float in simmering water on the stove and when an egg is dropped into the pod, the egg just bobs around gently while cooking. Then, when it is time to serve the poached egg, it is easy to grasp the pod, lift it out of the water, and flip the poached egg onto toast, spinach or whatever it is being served on. The poached egg has a beautiful shape and looks really great when it is topped with sauce, gravlax, smoked salmon, crispy bacon, or even chives.

--Melissa A. Trainer

 

Counting Down The Top Five Foods We've Missed

Back in the U.S. these last few weeks my family and I had the opportunity to eat many of the foods we've been missing since we've moved to Germany seven months ago.

While there were many foodstuffs and restaurants on our list, here is the Number 5 choice: The Peanut Butter Shake.

While we have found a burger place that we like in Mannheim, there is no place that makes both burgers and shakes. And the places that do make shakes make them either too thick or too thin, while the peanut butter shake, my husband's favorite, is non-existent.

On our last day in Seattle we managed to make our way to Red Mill, where my husband indulged in his favorite combo, a bacon cheeseburger with a peanut butter milkshake.

Can you guess what other foods we've been missing? Won't you count down with us?

--Tracy Schneider

Simply Grilling Is Just The Book To Kick Off The Cook-Out Season

Yes, there are loads of folks who grill all year long. But in the soggy Pacific Northwest, it's just so much more pleasant to fire up the outdoor cooker when it's sunny outside.

And, it was a beautiful weekend in Seattle, the kind of weather that feels like a reward for those gray days of winter. Just the kind of bluebird sky day that inspires culinary exploration. I've been waiting for just such a day to try a recipe from my friend Jennifer Chandler's latest, Simply Grilling, which is packed with 105 recipes "for quick and casual grilling."

Thumbing through the chapters on starters, poultry, meat, seafood, salads, sandwiches and sides, my mouth started watering at all sorts of stuff: Sweet Bourbon Duck Breasts, Balsamic Beef Tenderloin, Lamb Lollipops with Pomegranate Glaze, Korean Barbecue Lettuce Wraps, Cedar-Wrapped Mahi Mahi. Such an eclectic lineup. And, true to the title, most recipes seem quick to prepare.

My meal planning was slightly swayed by a virtual wine tasting I was participating in on Twitter. I wanted to select something that would pair with a 2008 Perigee from L'Ecole No. 41, a Bordeaux blend from one of my favorite Washington wineries. I wanted to go beyond the typical red wine with red meat matchup, so I chose to try the Tandoori Chicken. 

This Indian-inspired dish is typically cooked in a clay oven, which preserves the chicken's moistness. But Jennifer writes: "I actually prefer the smoky flavor this classic dish gets from a hot grill."

After trying it, and loving it, I agree! The yogurt marinade is so tangy and the exotic blend of spices bring more savory flavor than heat. (I might even crank up the cayenne a little more next time.) Those bold seasonings turned out to be an inspired match for the wine, too.

Tandoori Chicken (From Simply Grilling by Jennifer Chandler)

Ingredients

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
Vegetable oil, for the grates
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 packages (12-ounce) naan (Indian flatbread)
1 cup raita

Directions

• In a shallow nonreactive dish just large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garam masala.

• With a sharp knife, cut 2 to 3 deep slashes in the chicken meat. Place the chicken in the marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover, place in the refrigerator, and marinate for at least two hours or overnight.

• Preheat a clean grill to medium-high with the lid closed for 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly brush the grates with oil.

• Remove the chicken form the marinade and shake off the excess. Discard the marinade. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper to taste.

• Place the chicken on the grill. Close the lid and cook, turning once or twice, until no longer pink in the middle, 20-25 minutes total.

• Serve with warm naan and raita on the side.

Serves 4 to 6.

-- Leslie Kelly

 

Big, Bigger, Biggest

I'm just in from my first trip to the grocery store since I've been back in Germany. I couldn't resist this limited edition, 335 gram Maxi bag of Peanut M&M's in the colors of the German flag, black, red and yellow.

While this bag was the biggest I've seen yet in Germany, it's nothing compared to the Party size bag of peanut butter M&M's I brought back from the U.S. that weighs in at a whopping 1077.3 grams.

Everything is bigger in the U.S., my German friends tell me, the spaces, the distances, and now clearly, the candy.

--Tracy Schneider

Chive Blossoms Abound!

Do you keep chives in your kitchen garden? I keep them in mine. Right now, they are in full bloom.

Ideally, I shouldn't be letting the chives bloom as abundantly as they are. I should be plucking the purple flowers off each stalk or stem. However, the flowers look quite pretty, so I can't really bring myself to behead them. (The disadvantage to letting chives bloom is that the stalks get woody.) 

Over the years, I've learned that the chive blossoms make a beautiful garnish. Hence, this morning I decided to pluck some blossoms. Maybe tonight I will break them up and sprinkle them over a simple salad. In the meantime, I decided to snap this little photo.

What do you do with your homegrown chives? Did you know that chives can be frozen? You simply snip them and store them in the freezer in a little plastic container. This is a nifty little trick that I learned from my mother years ago.

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

Your Kitchenette Survival Tips

I'm just off a 10-hour flight where I had a chance to pour over a stack of magazines. This month's issue of Travel & Leisure happens to be the "food issue," while the May Bon Appétit boasts the "travel issue. Clearly I hit the jackpot.

This month, in his editor's letter, Bon Appétit editor-in-chief Adam Rapopport writes about the summer survival gear he takes with him to cook in the motel kitchenette he and his wife rent on Montauk every summer.

I thought about his list again as I began making pasta in the fully-furnished flat we are renting here in Germany. Here's what I miss most:

Bread Knife: We broke down and bought a pairing knife, but we're desperate for a good (and sharp) bread knife for dense, dark, delicious German breads.

Cutting Boards: If I had my druthers I'd have multiple dishwasher-friendly boards. For bread, raw meat, garlic, produce... My husband wants one just for cocktail fixings. One is simply never enough.

Metal Collander with Feet: I like a sturdy collander that I can place in the sink and then pour my cooked pasta in--without risk of backwash.

Microplane Grater: The easiest way to grate Parmesan for all that pasta.

What do you pack (or wish you had packed) when you're cooking in a kitchen that's not your own?

--Tracy Schneider