Kate McDermott laughing over pie

If you haven't heard of Kate McDermott, you're missing out. I first learned about her from a few Seattle friends who had taken her pie-making classes and insisted that it changed the way they thought about crust. And these are kitchen savvy people. Then I read somewhere that Ruth Reichl deemed Kate's crust an "absolutely perfect crust." That's about the time I started stalking Kate. I'd go to her website to see if she was planning on teaching in the Bay Area. No luck. I started following her @katemcdermott on twitter to see if she'd give away hints there. Then I finally wrote her an email asking if she'd consider teaching a class the weekend I was going to be up in Seattle in August. And voila--a few weeks later, I heard that she'd decided to do a shortened version of her regular class at Dianne's Market Kitchen as a demo. I signed up immediately. And like the rest of the folks who have written testimonials, I'm forever changed when it comes to pie.

So today, with her blessing, I'm going to share with you her infamous recipe and all of her fabulous tips. And of course some photos so you feel like you were along for the ride. Kate's come to the conclusion that there are three types of pie people in this world: makers, eaters, and seekers. After taking this class, you can literally be all three at one time. First things first: if you actually sit and listen to Kate, she's incredibly wise. Pie or no pie. While pie crust can make people uptight and anxious, Kate has a calming 'everything will turn out fine' demeanor. She says about the crust: "Just feel it...we all know how to do this stuff." Later in class she states how "it's simple--otherwise we still wouldn't all be doing it." And my favorite Kate quote: "Everything turns out fine in pie." Ah, a breath of fresh air in an often complex pie-making world.

Kate and Dianne showing off the amazing peach pie

The other thing that struck me immediately about the way Kate approaches pie is that she sets an intention for each pie. If you practice yoga, you'll recognize the practice of setting an intention before you begin: sending out some good vibes to someone struggling or someone that needs a little extra light in their day. Kate does this with each pie she makes. Regardless of whether or not this is a little too touchy-feely for you, it's a great reminder to be conscious and aware when we set out to bake pie. After Kate set an intention to send good thoughts to a friend struggling with cancer, I knew this would be a special class. This wasn't just a peach pie. This was a peach pie baked with love, skill, and deliberate thoughtfulness and care.

Setting an intention for her pie

Now for a few nuts and bolts. Where to begin? Ingredients and equipment seems like a logical start.

Ingredients and Equipment
Kate uses King Arthur Flour, Kerry Gold Irish Butter (she buys it from Trader Joe's--the best deal in town, she insists), and leaf lard she orders from a small farm in Pennsylvania. And perhaps most importantly, she insists on using only the most superior fruit you can buy. That way, you don't need to add much sugar at all. In our class, we used Frog Hollow Cal Red peaches and nothing more than a little sugar, flour, salt, tapioca, and nutmeg. It turned out absolutely dreamy.

As far as equipment, Kate uses either an 8-inch or 9-inch pan and admits to loving many kinds of pans--from ceramic to glass. She does advise, however, to stay away from those disposable aluminum pie pans because they interfere with the even temperature of the pie crust. Kate also uses a dowel pin and a pastry cloth to roll out her dough. You can find both at your local food supply store.

After discussing ingredients and equipment, Kate began to speak about pie in general, and the elements that make up a good pie:

4 Elements of a Pie Filling:
1) Superior Fruit
2) Thickener
3) Seasoning
4) Sweetener

Pie Filling: Fruit
With any good fruit pie, there are some considerations that will make a ho-hum pie extraordinary. Kate weighs in:

• Quantity: O.K., so this tip is genius in my opinion. I always struggle with how much fruit it will take to make my pie filling. Kate uses a method where she takes whole peaches (or apples, or whatever you're using) and literally places them in the pie pan. Once it's full, you've got enough fruit. In our case with this pie, I believe we used 4 large peaches for our 8-inch dish.
• To peel or not to peel: Kate doesn't bother. Ever. I love this about her.
• Choosing the best fruit: With peaches, Kate says you want to see gold coming out of the rim (not green) of the peach--that way, you know it's gotten all of the sun and nutrients available to it. And when you're choosing a peach, a heavy peach means it has more sugar.

New Trick to Figure out How Many Peaches to Include

As we watched Kate make, form, and roll out her crust she gave many invaluable tips that I've used since and have seen great improvements in my pies. Here they are, in no particular order:

Kate's Crust Tips:

• Cold, cold, cold: Everything must be cold. I was surprised to learn that Kate not only uses cold butter and lard, but she also keeps her butter, her rolling pin, her bowl--even the pastry cloth in the freezer.
• Adding water to your dough: Kate says two things: it's not precise, and go slow. She mentions a 3-2-1 formula where she adds 3 Tbsp. of water to begin and advises to just quickly move the dough around (you're not doing a thorough mixing here) and press together to see if it holds. If it doesn't, add 2 Tbsp. more. A good rule of thumb: the colder the fat, the more water you’re going to need. And an important side-note: Don’t get ice into the dough! When asked if she likes to err on the wet or dry side with her pie crust, Kate says she'd much rather err on the wet side (apparently, Ruth Reichl agrees).
• Forming your dough: Cut your dough ball in half and you should see marbling. You want two “chubby disks” (about 4 inches by 1.5 inch). Wrap your disks in dough and then actually shape them how you'd like while they're in the plastic wrap (this was a revelation to me).
• Rolling out your dough: After chilling your "chubby disks" for at least an hour, you want to take them out and gently tap them with your rolling pin. Kate says this is to kind of jar it awake and let it know you mean business. You want to put a nice amount of flour down on your pastry cloth, and roll out slowly (without worrying about cracks) from fingertips to palms, out and back. Brush off the extra flour as you go with a pastry brush. Kate says you want the pie dough "as thin as glass and only as large as it needs to be." That's how you know when you're done.

Forming Our Pie!

And now that you're inundated with tips and advice, here is the recipe for Kate's award-winning crust. I will say that nothing could ever replace sitting across from her and watching her make it herself. And I look forward to one day actually taking her longer participation course. Maybe if we all start stalking her and sending her emails, she'll decide to take this pie-crust madness on the road. Until then...

Kate's Infamous Pie Crust

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached White Flour (red bag)
8 Tbsp. leaf lard, cut into various small pieces, pea to walnut size
8 Tbsp. Irish butter, cut into various small pieces, pea to walnut size
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6-8 Tbsp. ice water (this is an average--Kate's used anywhere between 3-15 Tbsp. at a time)

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients except the ice water in a large, cold bowl.
2. With clean hands, blend the mixture together until it looks like course meal with some lumps in it. Lumps=flaky pie!
3. Sprinkle ice water over mixture and stir lightly with a fork.
4. Squeeze a handful of dough together. Mix in a bit more water if it doesn't keep together.
5. Divide the dough in half and make two chubby disks about 5 inches across. Wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
6. Take out one disk and put on a well-floured board. Sprinkle some flour onto the top of the disk and thump the top several times. Turn it over and thump the other side.
7. Sprinkle more flour onto the top of the crust if needed to keep the pin from sticking and roll the crust out from the center in all directions. When it's an inch or so larger than your pie pan, fold the dough over the top of the pin and lay it in the pie pan carefully.
8. Don't worry if the crust needs to be patched together; just paint a little water where it needs to be patched and "glue" on the patch pieces.
9. Put the filling in the pie and repeat the process with the other disk.

Notes on Filling and Baking: fill with your favorite fruit filling. For a peach pie similar to the one we made in Seattle, use adequate peaches, a pinch of salt, 2.5 swipes of nutmeg (this is the one spot where she seemed quite precise), 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and 1 1/2 tsp. quick cooking tapioca. Then, crimp edges and cut vent holes. Paint egg white wash on top of pie and sprinkle with a little sugar. Then bake for 15 minutes at 425 F. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 35 minutes more.

Then, as Kate says, "Eat Pie, Be Happy."
For more pie musings from Kate, you can check out her blog Art of Pie for more pie musings.

Blueberry Breakfast Buckle in Ball Jars

I'm a sucker for old-fashioned rustic desserts like buckles, slumps, and cobblers. If buckle isn't part of your daily vocabulary, let's change that right now. Essentially a buckle is a light cake with fruit baked into it and scattered on the top. It earned its name because the fruit on top makes the dessert itself buckle ever so slightly. It's like a cross between a messy, fruity, light coffeecake and a more traditional cake. I started making blueberry buckle at the beginning of the summer and decided that it'd be perfect for breakfast. It's kind of like a blueberry muffin on steroids, so it seemed logical that in addition to making it for dessert, why wouldn't folks eat it for breakfast as well? Instead of serving it with whipped cream, why not dollop a little yogurt on the top?

Laying out the Ingredients for Breakfast Buckle

I first became obsessed with buckles and slumps when I came across Julie Richardson and Cory Schreiber's book, Rustic Fruit Desserts. In it, they detail numerous recipes for great old-school desserts focusing on the seasons and really paying attention to the traits of different fruits and how they'll bake up in a variety of situations. They discuss slumps, pandowdy's, betty's, crisps, and teacakes. If you've ever had an inkling to recreate some of the great old-fashioned desserts your grandparents probably made, get this book. So this is where I found the inspiration for the buckle recipe. The one in Richardson and Schreiber's book is quite different--it's for a Tayberry Oat Buckle and uses more sugar and butter and the ever-elusive tayberry. I decided to adapt the recipe to use the more common blueberry and added a bit of lemon zest and less butter and sugar. The result is perfectly breakfast-worthy--I've literally been looking forward to waking up early and grabbing a slice (or a jar) with my coffee lately. And my coworkers are happy. Very, very happy.

Buckles in Jars: Ready for the oven!

Now, the recipe below works beautifully in a 9" square pan as well. That way, you can slice it more traditionally. No problem. But I was drawn to the Ball Jar idea because I was asked to bring a little something to a brunch last weekend--something mini like scones to share. I was feeling like everyone had had a mini scone before, but that'd it'd be fun to introduce folks to the Breakfast Buckle. And I've been experimenting with baking in jars, so the two ideas came together naturally. If you like the idea of baking the buckle in the ball jars, let me give you a bit of advice that I learned after my first go-around: Only fill the jars 3/4 of the way full (at most)--the batter rises and you'll have a gooey mess if you don't. Wipe off the edges of your jar to prevent the rim of cooked cake that you'll (unfortunately) see in my photos below. They'd be prettier without it! I love the way you can see the berries strewn throughout. They'd also be great with some chopped pecans or walnuts on top. Experiment with any kind of fruit or nuts that you like. I guarantee, brighter mornings are in your future. Trust me on this one.

Blueberry Breakfast Buckle
Adapted From: Rustic Fruit Desserts

Makes: 10-12 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature, for pan
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 cup buttermilk
1 dry pint blueberries (2 1/2 cups or 9 oz), fresh or frozen
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar (or brown sugar) for topping

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter the insides of 10 half-pint glass jars or a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy: about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating inbetween each addition to combine. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition to ensure all of the ingredients are being evenly combined. Mix in the vanilla and the lemon zest.
5. Next, stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the buttermilk in two additions. Essentially, you want to begin and end with the dry ingredients and scrape down the bowl a few times as you go.
6. Using a spatula, gently fold in 3/4 of the blueberries and pour the batter into the prepared jars, being cautious to only fill them 1/2-3/4 of the way full--the batter will rise! Wipe off the rims with a dry paper towel. Distribute the remaining blueberries over the tops of each buckle and sprinkle the oats and turbinado sugar over the top. If you're using a 9-inch pan instead, pour the batter out into the pan, sprinkle with remaining blueberries and oats and sugar.

Baking Instructions:

For 1 pint ball jars: Bake for 30-35 minutes but check frequently. I found this time varies greatly depending on exactly how much you fill your jars. So once the top looks a bit golden, pull them out--they're probably done.
For 9-inch pan: Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and firm to the touch.

To serve, spoon a dollop of yogurt over the buckle and drizzle a little agave or honey on top if you’d like. Buckle will be good for 2 days if stored in plastic wrap (or with lids on jars) at room temperature.

I have a confession to make.

I used to eat dog cookies. Milk-Bones, to be exact.

And, with the exception of possible remorse for stealing bits of crunchy pleasure away from my dogs, I am totally unashamed.

Why no shame?

Because they were delicious, that's why.

And they were handy. The Milk-Bone dog biscuits were the only read-to-eat snack food within my reach when I was too small to reach the higher shelves. They were right there under the sink with the dishwasher detergent, ant poison, and the Drano. Given my choices, I think I made the right decision, snackwise. Don't you?

Please don't answer that last question.

I don't think I ever ate them in front of my mother, since I'm sure she would have disapproved. My father, on the other hand, would have probably been pleased by my eating sugar-free cookies that promised cleaner teeth and fresher breath. He's a dentist. And he loves dogs.

It would have been win-win with him.

I pretty much abandoned eating my pets' snack food when I was old enough and tall enough to reach the potato chips and Space Food Sticks. It's been a long, long time since I've eaten a dog cookie. Think Carter administration.

I recently asked all of my Twitter pals if I was the only one out there who ate dog cookies. I quickly found that I wasn't. One friend even went as far as to say she loved eating tuna-flavored cat food as a child.

Atta girl.

I have no idea why I have a sudden craving for dog biscuits again. Maybe I just miss having dogs around. Maybe my teeth need whitening. Maybe I'm not getting enough fibre. I don't really care. I just need to exorcise this pet food demon.

Besides, it counts as baking, so that's good.

Peanut Butter Boners

This recipe is an adaptation of one I found labeled "Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers." The original recipe is sound, but finding freshly ground puppies in San Francisco on short notice is a real pain in the ass.*

I added a wee bit of sweetness so that these treats can be enjoyed by man as well as man's best friend.

Just imagine the shared bond of eating the same food at the same time. And with cleaner teeth and fresher breath, when your dog licks you in the face to say "Thank you," you can lick him right back to say "You're welcome," with the confidence that only sparkly teeth and peanut buttery breath can give.

Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup peanut butter (chunk-style or smooth)

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons honey

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, put peanut butter, milk, and honey. Mix at a very low speed with the paddle attachment. Very low. Otherwise you will have a big, splattering mess on your hands.

4. When the peanut butter mixture is well mixed, gradually add the dry ingredients and paddle until a dough forms and behaves nicely by cleaning up after itself by wiping the sides of the bowl clean with its own mass.

5. Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to ¼-inch thickness.

6. Cut out cookies with a small dog bone-shaped cutter (thanks for the loan, Mark Reilly) and place on a greased (or silpat-covered) cookie sheet and bake for about 25 minutes (or until lightly browned.

7. Remove from oven, cool on rack, make your dog or your boyfriend beg for a treat, serve.

These cookies will keep for several days in an airtight container.

* I hate having to tell people I am joking, but I would rather not be sued.

It all started with pancakes. As many great things do. Kim Boyce, former pastry chef at Spago and Campanile, left the industry to settle down and have a family. At home, she was inspired to bake but wanted to create healthy options for her kids without spending all day in the kitchen. While shopping at the market, Boyce picked up a small sack of Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake Mix. Later in the day, her young daughter was hungry and there wasn't an immediate plan for meal-time, so Boyce grabbed the flour and added in apples, pureed beets, milk, eggs and butter and had some darn fine (and unique) pancakes on her hands. This began her interest in cooking with whole grains. And I'm so, so thankful that this interest turned into a minor obsession and a very real talent, yielding her special cookbook, Good to the Grain.

I'm much more of a baker than a cook, and I often experiment with whole wheat flours in certain recipes--thinking I'm making a cake or cookie recipe that much healthier. It makes me feel somehow o.k. when I go back for a second (or third) portion. But Boyce makes a point that this book isn't just about substituting a whole grain flour in place of white flour. She's spent time getting to know the flavor profile of each type of grain and the texture that each lends to baked goods. In her Introduction, Boyce notes:

"Baking with whole-grain flours is about balance, about figuring out how to get the right combination of structure and flavor from flours that don’t act the same way as regular white flour.”

And the recipes are truly original and insanely appealing. From strawberry barley scones to muscovado sugar cake to ginger peach muffins -- morning and evening treats are included and photographed beautifully by Quentin Bacon. Bacon knows how to photograph rustic desserts, capturing the simplicity of a scene, the slight dimness of morning light, and evocative shots of half-eaten desserts. This book has been on my bedside for the past two weeks and I look forward to crawling into bed and climbing into Boyce and Bacon's world each night. Actually, it's a world I'd prefer never to leave.

The book itself is organized logically, with twelve different grains/flours covered and each chapter donated to one of them. For example, Boyce begins with a chapter on whole wheat flour and ends with spelt. Somewhere in between you'll find recipes that include amaranth, teff, rye, kamut, buckwheat--and so on. There are 74 recipes total, and Boyce gives a great list of online sources to order some of the grains (page 200). After all, not all of us are lucky enough to have Rainbow Grocery or other natural foods stores with great bulk sections in our backyard.

Now generally with a book review worth its weight, the author will have cooked or baked from the book and will perhaps include a recipe for readers to try. I have done neither of those things. You see, this interesting thing has happened where a few friends and a coworkers have brought me treats made from Boyce's book. That's actually how I first learned of it. So while I haven't exactly baked from it myself, I've tried her chocolate chip cookies (and they're absolutely fantastic: chewy yet sturdy and studded with hand-chopped chocolate), the gingersnaps and the chocolate babka. We're not talking healthy deprivation here. We're talking pure joy and indulgence. That being said, I understand some of you may be seeking out a bit more information and authority on Boyce's recipes. So here are a few of my food-blogging colleagues and friends who have detailed their hands-on experiences with the book:

• Figgy Buckwheat Scones from 101 Cookbooks
• Carrot Spelt Muffins from Pithy and Cleaver
• Honey Amaranth Waffles from Fake Food Free
• Olive Oil Cake from the Wednesday Chef
• Muesli from 5 Second Rule

To close, I'm moving again. More on that later. But as you all know, moving has a way of forcing you to purge things you're not using and packing up the things you want to hold onto. I have trouble letting go of cookbooks, but I did donate a few this time around to make room for some new ones and to make life just a little easier come moving day. But I know for a fact that Good to the Grain isn't going anywhere. I've never been so excited to read, absorb each word and tip, and bake and bake and bake from a book. While I hope this move will be almost the last for a very long time, I know that Boyce's book will make it into any U-Haul that crosses my path for many years to come.

In the forward to the book, Nancy Silverton notes,

My first impulse when I’m tasting a dish or a baked good I’ve never had before is to think about how I would do it differently, how I would improve upon it. I love it when I come across something and think ‘This is perfect! I wouldn’t change a thing!’"

I agree. Wholeheartedly.

We're all fortunate here in the Bay Area because Kim Boyce is speaking at Omnivore Books tonight. Come and pick up a book and meet my new baking legend in person. Here are the details:

Monday, May 24th at Omnivore Books: 6-7 p.m.
3885 Cesar Chavez Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 282-4712

The origins of Hummingbird Cake aren't totally clear although Southern Living magazine is credited with the very first reference, and apparently it's their most requested recipe. They published the recipe in 1978, submitted by a Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, N.C. and permutations of it have spread throughout the South under different names. The Food Timeline suggests that the cake descended from Jamaica and was lovingly called Dr. Bird Cake (Jamaica's national bird is the red-billed streamertail hummingbird, also called the Doctor bird because its long tail feathers and decorative top-hat-like crest make it look like an old-fashioned doctor. Sort of).

Hummingbird Cake was also known as The Cake that Won't Last. In the late 70's, this cake became well-known in the South because it's so quick to make and it gave people something to do with their over-ripe bananas. But these days, old-fashioned Southern desserts are growing in popularity, and I think you'll be seeing more and more Hummingbird cake or cupcakes in Bay Area bakeries in the months to come. Remember the sudden resurgence of Red Velvet? Yeah, I'm thinking something along those lines. The cake itself has a carrot cake vibe but without the carrots. And in many ways, the balance of flavors is perfect: there is a fruity sweetness from the pineapple, banana and coconut tempered by the tart, smooth cream cheese frosting and crunch of toasted walnuts. It's a nice afternoon treat with tea, and I've certainly been known to convince myself that it's a responsible breakfast choice as well.

On my recent trip to Seattle, I saw Hummingbird Cupcakes at Trophy Cupcake. When I got home, I couldn't stop thinking about them and wanted to emulate the recipe. Most of the research I did yielded a super sweet or overly-heavy crumb, so I set out to adapt my own version and I think you're going to like it. I always appreciate a recipe with a history--a recipe with roots. So even though no one's really all that sure what exactly those roots are, this is a recipe that's endured for many years. In other words, these cupcakes have got legs.

Since I live alone, I didn't want to make a batch that yielded 20 cupcakes, so my proportions are perfect for a small household or a couple with an appetite. Obviously, if you're looking to bake a larger batch, just double it.

Hummingbird Cupcakes
Inspired by the recipe in Classic Southern Desserts

Serves: 8-10 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
4 oz. crushed pineapple, undrained
1 cup mashed banana (2-3 large bananas)
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup walnut pieces (for top of cupcakes)

For Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:
1. Preheat over to 350 F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the eggs and next five ingredients; add to flour mixture and stir until well combined (don't beat).
3. Line cupcake pan with foil or paper cups and fill with batter. Keep in mind they will rise a little so don't fill too full.
4. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean. Cool completely before frosting. In the meantime, make the frosting by beating together all ingredients until well combined. Add the sugar slowly and taste as you go--some people like it sweeter than others.
5. During the last 10 minutes of baking, spread the walnut pieces on a cookie sheet or a piece of aluminum foil and toast in the oven.
6. Frost each cupcake and sprinkle walnut pieces on top.

Blackberry Cornmeal Muffins from my blog, A Sweet Spoonful

There's something about this time of year. I find myself baking much more frequently, leaving the Kitchen Aid out on the counter instead of storing it in its proper winter-time home, and bookmarking dessert recipes right and left. Then I start thinking about opening a bakery...but that's a whole different post. On my own blog recently, I've made very special muffins (above) and Jim Lahey's whole wheat bread. And I have big plans for some cupcakes for a party I'm attending this week. So I'm certainly not lacking in the inspiration department. But you've got to be prepared with everything you need, the recipes that inspire, and a few extras just for fun. So here are some of my favorite things to help kick start your time in the kitchen this spring:

Batter Bowls

Some love them, some hate them: you either find them useful in an 'Oh, my mom used those for our pancakes' kind of way or you're not quite sure what to do with them. But batter bowls are actually fabulous: you can mix batters right inside the bowl and neatly pour into your cupcake tins, waffle-maker, or cheesecake pan. I also use them to help pour eggs for omelettes and I might occasionally mix and pour cocktails in my batter bowl. Yes, you heard that right. You can get them many places, but I find Stonewall Kitchen's batter bowls to be very sweet--nice spring colors and a generous handle.

Prettiest Apron You'll Ever See

I can't get enough of Ice Milk Aprons. I actually don't own one yet, but I gawk frequently online. They're a small family company that does heirloom aprons that are super simple and inspired by the founder's grandmother who always wore an apron when she fixed a dinner of waffles, fresh fruit, and ice milk at home. They do full traditional aprons, but they also do a gorgeous "Rolling Pin Waist" style that is more life a half apron with a sash up top. In many ways, they're almost too pretty to really muck up in the kitchen--but that hasn't stopped me from hinting to friends and family.

Baking Supplies

While I obviously support going to your local cookware shop, I have found the folks at Layer Cake Shop stock some interesting baking accoutrement that you may not be able to find as easily all in one spot. I love their simple paper tags that come in a variety of colors--great for labeling desserts. And they have all different colors of bakers twine and an incredible variety of little muffin and cupcake cups. Useful and inspiring.

Cupcake Toppers

Once you make those cupcakes, you're going to want to decorate them. And this is where on one recent Sunday morning I got sucked down the Etsy rabbit hole. You know the one I'm talking about--the one where you start looking at one shop and all of a sudden you've lost two hours of your life. Well I took a liking to these vintage-inspired cupcake toppers. The seller scanned in prints of the 1950's ladies from her vintage cookbook collection and mounted them on a sturdy bamboo stick. She'll also work with you on different colors of backing or increased quantities for larger parties.

Good Quality Vanilla (and other extracts)

No cutesy aprons here folks. For your spring baking projects this year, be sure you're using really good quality vanilla--whether it's an extract, a vanilla bean, or vanilla paste (my absolute favorite discovery of the year). Nielsen Massey not only stocks incredible vanilla, but they also do harder to find extracts that I'm excited to experiment with. They have chocolate, coffee, and a really nice lemon extract. You can check out their online site and they'll guide you to shops in your area that stock what you're looking for, and they have great information on the history of vanilla and how to choose which product is right for you.

Three Book Suggestions
Now this isn't a formal review because I only own one of these books. But here are a few recent baking books that have come out that I'm eager to get my hands on. If you're looking for a little baking inspiration, look no further:

• Deborah Madison's Seasonal Fruit Desserts: I'm a huge Madison fan, and have made many of her vegetarian entrees in the kitchen, but I'm even more excited to try out some of her well-regarded dessert recipes. She's the master of seasonal recipes, and this is no exception.
• Kim Boyce's Good to the Grain: I've leafed through this book and the photos by Quentin Bacon are truly stunning. But even more important--the recipes are really exciting. Boyce makes baking with whole-grain flours (not always an easy feat) look approachable and second-nature. And we're not just talking whole-wheat flour: she experiments with teff and amaranth and twelve different kinds of other whole-grain flours. I can't wait to start baking from this book.
• David Lebovitz's Ready For Dessert: If you're tuned into the food blogging world, there's been a lot of talk about this book ever since it came out. I have Lebovitz's other books so initially I was hesitant to purchase this one, but there's something appealing about having the best recipes all within easy reach (plus, those photos!). For those who aren't familiar with his recipes, this is the perfect book for you. From relatively easy cookie recipes to Lebovtiz's incredible sauces--inspiration abounds here.

So you thought you could put away the sweaters and pull out the tank tops, did you? Well, no whining. Remember all that basking you did in January? We need this rain, and it's also the last wintery chance to hunker down inside with a fat book and something really good burbling away on the stovetop. Something belly-filling and sturdy, like lentil, black bean, or split-pea soup, all started with a little pancetta or a chunk of ham hock.

Or, for oomph without the oink, a spoonful of Spanish pimenton (smoked paprika) and a handful of Tierra Vegetables' dried smoked onions--what they've dubbed "vegan bacon" for their savory, smoky punch. (Look for them at their farm stand in Santa Rosa or at their booth at the Ferry Plaza farmers' market on Saturday.)

Once you've got your soup, of course, you need bread. Now, the Bay Area is just lousy with fabulous bread. All by itself, the counter of Acme Bread can bring tourists to tears, or at least pitch them into a levain-noshing frenzy. But for the sweetest, most warming, baby-it's-cold-outside experience, you have to make your own. Now, in a future post, I'm going to tell you about baking locavore bread, using a levain starter made from Eatwell Farm's locally-grown wheat, with all the ingredients, even the salt, easily sourced from not too far away. But my starter is still a baby, only a few dozen hours old, its yeasty colonies not tough enough to lift even a little tiny pancake yet.

Until then, what you want is something distinctly non-local, as East Coast as a Red Sox cap or a lobster roll spilling from a toasted Pepperidge Farm bun. Yes, I'm talking about Boston brown bread. Hardly any of my San Francisco pals know from this old-fashioned treat; they're too busy chomping asparagus foccacia or folding injera around their spicy doro waat. By comparison, Boston brown bread is homely, a little dumpy, even. Like any recipe that uses an empty coffee can instead of a baking pan, it has an undeniable whiff of 1950s Fannie Farmer to it.

But you know what? It's good. In fact, it's really, really good, and good for you, too, packed with whole grains and rich in iron and fiber. Because it's steamed, not baked, it comes out completely moist without any added fat. A good thing, too, since the best way to eat it is slathered in cream cheese. Think of the best bran muffin you've ever had, then think of Amy Adams curled up in your lap, laughing at your jokes and feeding it to you bite by bite.

And did I mention that it's completely easy? Seven ingredients, one bowl, one spoon, and a couple of coffee cans. Actually, the hardest part may be getting the coffee cans, now that nothing but Peets/Blue Bottle/Four Barrel/Ritual Roasters will pass our lips. Then again, haven't you heard that Cafe Bustelo is the new PBR?

Admit it: you liked it back in your five-roommates-in-a-drafty-Victorian days, brewed up strong and cheap so you could make it onto the 33-Stanyan at any hour, day or night.

So drink up, then grease up. And remember to top each filled can with a little shower cap of foil or waxed paper, so it can rise without getting wet from the steam drips inside the pot.

Boston Brown Bread
Well wrapped, this stays tasty and moist for several days. It also freezes very well.

Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients:
1 cup corn meal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup molasses
1 cup raisins

Preparation:
1. Generously grease 2 clean 12-oz coffee cans. Fill a deep pot (big enough to accommodate both cans) approximately 1/3 full with water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

2. While water is heating, stir dry ingredients together. Add buttermilk, molasses, and raisins. Stir gently until you have a thick, smooth brown batter.

3. Divide batter between prepared coffee cans. Top each can with a sheet of buttered aluminum foil or waxed paper, and tie down firmly with string or a rubber band. Put cans into pot of boiling water; water should come about half-way up cans.

4. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and steam for 1 1/2 hours.

5. To test for doneness, remove 1 can from pot, remove foil, and stick a toothpick into the middle. Toothpick should come out nearly clean-if not, re-cover and steam for an additional 10 -15 minutes. When done, remove cans from water with tongs or two pot holders, remove foil, and let cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.

Every few years an amazing baking book comes along. You may already have a tried and true favorite, but if you are still on the hunt I have a suggestion for you, check out The Art and Soul of Baking from Sur La Table. Beginning bakers and seasoned experts alike will find something to love about the book. With glowing recommendations on the back cover from baking authorities and pastry chefs such as Peter Reinhart, David Lebovitz, Sherry Yard, Emily Luchetti, Dorie Greenspan and Flo Braker and an introduction from Alice Medrich you know it must be good, right?

The book is massive, over 450 pages with 250 recipes. Along with easy to follow instructions there are tips for success and little snippets called "what the pros know" that give even more insight. Recipes include classic brownies, pot pies, Danish pastries, elegant soufflés, breads, pizza and more. There is also information on more than 50 pieces of baking equipment and special chapters dedicated to basic pantry staples, sauces, garnishes, and decorations.

Author Cindy Mushet is going to be in the SF Bay Area October 23 - 26 teaching Baking Bootcamp classes at various Sur La Table locations.

What: Baking Boot Camp

Where: October 23 - 26 at Sur La Table stores in Los Gatos, San Francisco and Palo Alto.

How: Three hour demo classes are $69

Why: The class covers the following: Versatile Bread Dough -- Spongecake -- Chocolate Toffee Scones -- Classic Apple Pie with Flaky Crust -- Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramel Sauce -- Chocolate Soufflé with Cocoa Nib.

Want to see what an entry in the book looks like? Here's the recipe for luscious Duo-Tone Chocolate Pots de Crème reprinted by permission from The Art and Soul of Baking.

Duo-Tone Chocolate Pots de Crème 
Serves 6

Milk chocolate is often overlooked in the quest for the newest and darkest offerings, but it’s still a favorite—with kids and adults alike. Its presence is a surprise in this recipe, as the luscious milk chocolate custard is hidden under a thin layer of warm chocolate ganache. So although the spoon dips into a dark surface, it comes out with a lighter custard full of the malty, caramel-like qualities of milk chocolate. The interplay of cool, milky sweetness against warm, dark richness is sublime.

Equipment:
Medium Bowl, Small Bowl, Medium Saucepan, Whisk, Fine-Mesh Strainer, Pitcher or Large Measuring Cup with Spout, Six (6-Ounce) Ceramic Ramekins or Custard Cups, Large Roasting or Baking Pan, Tongs, Cooling Rack, Small Saucepan, Silicone or Rubber Spatula

Ingredients
Custard:
7 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
1¼ cups (10 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1¼ cups (10 ounces) whole milk
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar

Ganache:
1½ ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (up to 64 percent cacao)
5 tablespoons (2½ ounces) heavy whipping cream

Softly Whipped Cream (page 416) and milk or dark chocolate curls (page 428), for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and position an oven rack in the center.

2. Make the custard: Place the chopped chocolate in the medium bowl. Combine the egg and egg yolks in the small bowl. Heat the cream, milk, and sugar in the medium saucepan over medium heat until just before the mixture boils. Immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk gently but thoroughly to completely blend the mixture. Add the whole egg and yolks, whisking to incorporate thoroughly.

3. Strain and bake the custard: Pour the custard through the strainer into the pitcher. Place the custard cups in the large roasting pan, making sure they don’t touch, and divide the warm custard among them. Pull out the oven rack and place the pan on the rack; then remove one of the cups, pour enough hot tap water (not boiling) into that area to come halfway up the sides of the cups, and replace the cup. Cut a piece of foil large enough to fit just inside the edges of the pan, then lay the foil across the top of the cups, making sure it doesn’t touch the custard. You may need to smooth and flatten the foil on the counter if any wrinkles touch the custard. Gently push the rack back into the oven, shut the oven door, and bake the custards for 50 to 60 minutes, just until the edges of the custards are set—there should still be a dime-size liquid area in the very center of the custard (test by gently tapping the side of the pan).

4. Remove the foil and then the pan from the oven, being careful not to tilt the pan and splash water on top of the custards. Set the pan on a heatproof surface. Use the tongs (or your hand protected by a kitchen towel) to immediately remove the cups from the water bath and place them on a rack to cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. Add the ganache layer: Place the chopped semisweet chocolate in the cleaned small bowl. Heat the cream in the small saucepan over medium heat just until it begins to simmer (do not allow the cream to boil and evaporate). Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 1 minute, then gently stir with the spatula until thoroughly blended and smooth. Spoon a tablespoon of ganache onto the surface of each custard, then gently swirl each cup until the dark chocolate completely covers the custard. (If the ganache seems too thick to spread easily, heat another tablespoon of cream and add it to the mixture).

6. Serve the custards immediately, while the ganache is still warm, or refrigerate up to 1 hour. As the ganache chills, it begins to harden and pull away from the sides of the cup, losing its silken texture and exposing the custard beneath, thereby spoiling the surprise. Serve each with a spoonful of whipped cream, topped with a scattering of chocolate curls if you like.

What the Pros Know
Milk chocolate and white chocolate are different from dark chocolate in two main ways. They have very little or no dark cocoa solids, otherwise known as cacao mass, which provide the dark color and thick viscosity of dark chocolate. In addition they have milk powder added. Because of these differences, milk and white chocolate cannot be substituted for dark chocolate in most recipes. Sometimes, however, they can be substituted for each other. In this recipe, for instance, you could create a white chocolate custard by substituting it for the milk chocolate in the ingredient list. Keep the dark chocolate ganache topping the same. If you want to add an additional layer of flavor, infuse the milk and cream with the spice, herb, or flavoring of your choice and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes (or until you like the flavor) before reheating the mixture, pouring it through a strainer over the chocolate, and continuing with the rest of Step 1.

Getting Ahead
The custards may be baked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap. Cover with the warm ganache shortly before serving.

When I worked as a counselor in a homeless shelter I gained an appreciation for casseroles. The shifts were long and dinner was often the main focus of the evening for counselors as well as guests. Churches and synagogues provided meals at the shelter, and casseroles were served night after night. Because we didn't always know what was in them, when asked what was for dinner, one of my colleagues used to say "hot dish." The best casseroles ironically came from the poorest part of the county. Those Baptist's sure knew how to stretch a food dollar and make something out of close to nothing, they put the Episcopalians from the expensive neighborhood to shame!

In Bake Until Bubby, author Clifford A. Wright explains that casseroles gained a bad reputation after World War II when home cooks relied on processed, packaged and canned food rather than farm fresh ingredients. Thankfully, with the exception of canned tomatoes, Bake Until Bubbly eschews the cans, boxes of crackers and bags of chips and uses great high quality ingredients to create both traditional and modern casseroles.

Wright is a food historian and begins the book with casseroles throughout the ages. The recipes are divided into Breakfast Casseroles, Classic American Favorites, Casseroles from other Countries, Vegetable Casseroles, Vegetable Casseroles without Meat, and Dessert Casseroles. It's great to see casseroles being elevated into something worth savoring because they are generally easy to make, economical and yield something comforting. I've always been a fan.

Macaroni and Cheese
Makes 4-6 servings

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 pound milk or sharp aged white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
1 pound elbow macaroni or any short tubular pasta
2 Tablespoons dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 10 inch round baking casserole that is at least 3 inches deep.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the flour to form a roux, stirring for about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the milk. Return to low heat and simmer, stirring until smooth but liquidy, about 15 minutes. Add the cheese, 1 cup or a handful at a time, stirring frequently until it melts. Add the mustard, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and stir to blend well.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of abundantly salted water to a vigorous boil. Add the macaroni and boil until half-cooked (follow the package instructions). Drain the macaroni and transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni and stir and toss a bit. Transfer the macaroni mixture to the casserole. Sprinkle with bread crumbs on top and bake until the top begins to turn golden and the sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then serve.

Reprinted by permission from Bake Until Bubbly, by Clifford A. White. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2008 by Clifford A. White. All rights reserved.

Sometimes, the best of intentions go awry. Fortunately, there's always frozen puff pastry.

Emergency desserts during the summer are easy -- who needs to gild perfect berries? -- but as autumn settles in, it's more of a challenge to impress VIP guests, say, eight culinary experts called for a special meeting. And you're supposed to make dessert. No pressure.

When your beautiful pears are still hard and you don't have a single hour more to ripen them in that handy paper bag, it's time for poaching.

Make a simple syrup by mixing together in a saucepan 1 part water, 1 part sugar, ribbons of lemon peel, and a few knobs of ginger. Crush the ginger to relieve stress and release flavor.

Peel your pears and cut them in half. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the core, and then plop the fruit into the poaching liquid.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high, and then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Press a round of parchment up against the pears to keep them moist all around and to help cook them evenly. (Remember this tip for matzo balls and red-cooked pork, too.) Make the round just a tad bit smaller than the diameter of the pan, and cut a venting hole at the center. If you don't have parchment paper, use a smaller pot lid or a flat saucer to keep the pears immersed, but be careful not to press dents into the softening fruit.

They're ready when the tip of a paring knife cuts easily to the center, 20 minutes for some pears, 40 for others.

For tiny tartlets that will be served on a buffet, cut the pears in quarters and then slice thinly. If you're making one big tart for friends or family, just make parallel slices almost to the stem ends and then fan open each pear half.

Make a frangipane filling by throwing a cup of blanched or slivered almonds into your food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, buy almond meal from the nut vendors at the farmers market or visit the baking aisle at your local Trader Joe's.) Follow with a couple of eggs, 3/4 stick of soft butter (though I've been known to use the cold, hard stuff) and 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar. Flavor with a pinch of salt and a good dash of vanilla. Buzz until a smooth, thick but spreadable mixture forms. Set this aside.

Now for the crust...

Dufour is my favorite, but Trader Joe's also sells a good all-butter puff pastry that's worth keeping in your freezer.

Thaw the pastry as directed on the package label. Most call for a few hours in the refrigerator, followed by a few minutes at room temperature. You'll need to work quickly to prevent the butter layers from melting into each other, so gather all your cutters, pans, fillings and glazes before you take the pastry out of the refrigerator.

Make an egg wash by mixing together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water just until foam begins to form.

For small tartlets, you'll need to roll the pastry pretty thin, say 1/8 inch. If you're making one large tart, you can stop at 1/4 inch, but don't leave it too thick, or your layers will rise so high they'll deform and spill your filling. Those who were good at Tetris should be able to squeeze 18 to 24 tartlets, each 1-1/2 inch across, out of one sheet of puff pastry.

Be sure to use a sharp knife or pastry round to cut cleanly through the dough. Pressing the rim of a glass or a dull, plastic cutter into your pastry will simply seal together all those lovely layers. Use a small amount of flour as need to prevent sticking, but don't overdo it. Fastidious bakers will keep a soft brush handy to flick away excess flour.

Cut twice as many rounds as you'll need. Switch to a smaller cutter to punch out the centers of half of the rounds to form rings. Brush the bases lightly but evenly with egg wash, then press the ring onto each large round to make a lip for the filling.

If you don't have pastry rounds, cut small squares with a sharp knife, then cut thin strips to press around the edges. Square tarts are easy, yet look très elegant.

Prick the bottom crust once or twice with a fork.

If you have time, freeze the crusts for 15 to 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 425 F (or whatever the package says) and bake the crusts for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on their size. Remove them when they are puffed but do not let them take on color. Reduce the oven to 375 F.

Spread a thin layer of the nut filling into the center of the crusts. Top with the sliced fruit. I like to arrange the fruit with a bit of height for some drama on the buffet.

Bake the tartlet's again for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown.

For a more casual affair, one big tart is fine. It'll need to be baked for a longer amount of time, say 30 to 40 minutes, but it's a lot less fuss upfront.

Let the tarts cool on a rack for maximum crispness. For this batch of tartlets, I reduced the poaching liquid to a thick syrup, and then brushed the pear slices with it for a nice, finishing sheen. You can melt a clear, pale jelly such as apple or white wine-thyme. Or you can just use honey.

The tarts can be frozen at several points: after rolling and cutting, after the first baking and before filling, or after baking completely. Like with roasting chickens, it doesn't that much more time to make two rather than one, so go ahead and make extra. Frozen tartlets take only 15 minutes at 275 F to warm up.

Extra poached pears make an excellent topping for pancakes, waffles or French toast. Slice and rewarm in butter and brown sugar.

Finally, just as doughnut holes are among my favorite treats, the centers of the tartlet rounds end up becoming even more fun to eat then the tarts themselves. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with fleur de sel and cumin seeds, bake for 10 minutes, and enjoy while still warm with a slice of cheese, a glass of wine and a huge sigh of relief.