Bakers\' Banter

Dark chocolate: drop the “guilty,” keep the pleasure.

PJ Hamel — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:33:03 +0000

Aren’t you glad that dark chocolate has evolved into one of those foods that’s supposed to be good for you?

I sure am. I loveloveLOVE chocolate. Not all chocolate, mind you. Milk chocolate? Ho-hum. White chocolate? To me, that’s an oxymoronic concept; I don’t go there. But semisweet? Now you’re talking. And bittersweet? So long as it balances nicely between the bitter and the sweet, I’m good with it. (more…)

Sara’s secret: celebrity cannelloni

PJ Hamel — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:45:32 +0000

Twenty years ago, King Arthur Flour was a regional flour company. Beloved by New Englanders, we weren’t known outside the Northeast.

These days, King Arthur Flour can be found on supermarket shelves in all 50 states. We’re the top-selling organic flour in the country, as well as #1 in sales for whole wheat flour and bread flour. And our unbleached all-purpose? Well, we’re #2 to Gold Medal, but we’re gaining ground fast. And you know what they say about being #2—we try harder! (more…)

Take a hike, store-bought: I’ll make my own granola bars.

PJ Hamel — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:33:40 +0000

Do you ever stand in the aisle at the supermarket and say, “Hey, I could make that!”

I do that a lot—especially these days, when it seems the price of everything from a box of crackers to a pound of eggplant is starting to mirror the GNP of, say, Algeria. French bread? Sure, I can make that. Chocolate chip cookies? Not a problem. Rotisserie chicken? Light the grill! Granola bars? Uhhhh…. (more…)

Cool, crunchy, smooth, smoky: Smoked salmon and cream cheese tart

Susan Reid — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:13:07 +0000

We’ve been putting recipes out there for a long time. Our subscription baking newsletter,
The Baking Sheet, specializes in seasonal, tested recipes, many of which come from our readers’ ideas. This recipe has been quietly living on our recipe website for years, but you may not have noticed it, because (more…)

Hey, do these look like whole grain pancakes to you? Surprise…

PJ Hamel — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:23:00 +0000

Attention, class—how many times do I have to say this?

Whole grains don’t have to taste whole-grainy.

Whole grains can actually taste good. No, make that GREAT. (more…)

King Arthur Flour lowers the price grocery retailers pay for our flours

Tom Payne — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:01:14 +0000

It’s not often these days manufacturers get a chance to announce good news about food prices. I’d like to share with you a letter from Michael Bittel, our senior VP and general manager of the Flour division at King Arthur Flour, announcing an immediate price decrease on flour. By carefully watching the wheat market and making some very smart buys, we have been able to secure a supply of high-quality wheat at better than expected prices. This means we can mill the flour at better than expected cost and pass the savings on to our direct customers, the retailers from whom you buy your groceries. (more…)

Where’s the pop in my pita?

PJ Hamel — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:40:23 +0000

Have you ever made pita bread? It’s a great example of the Endless Quest for Success that baking can sometimes be.

Most of the things I bake are pretty reliable. If they’re not, I stop fussing and move on. But there are two things I bake that are a roll of the dice every single time: Popovers, and pita. (more…)

Magical makeover: The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Store’s 37 1/2-hour renovation.

PJ Hamel — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:31:47 +0000

Once upon a time, there was a Baker’s Store in Norwich, Vermont. Now, this store had a rug on the floor that had been there since the building was built many years ago. And, like the rug in your family room, years of food spills, muddy shoes, and the day-to-day traffic of life and commerce had stained it, wrinkled it, and worn it threadbare. It was time for the rug to go—but how could The Store close for an extended period in the middle of summer, when all of the bakers from far and wide come to visit? The answer was—it couldn’t. (more…)

Scallion Pancakes: inviting your food(ie) friends to the wedding.

Susan Reid — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:31:39 +0000

I haven’t been around the blog much in recent weeks, mostly because I was tearing around getting ready to get married, so I have a decent excuse, at least. This is my brother walking me down the aisle.

When Greg and I got engaged last summer, the FIRST thing I did, in true chef fashion, was write the menu for my wedding. I wanted food that reflected my culinary career and represented my family’s tastes. It went like this: (more…)

The Cubano: Miami vice

PJ Hamel — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:52:12 +0000

I have a thing about sandwiches.

I mean, I’ve always been fascinated by the bread-filling-bread dynamic, the happy marriage of stuffing and stuff-ee. What could be tastier than peanut butter and honey on oatmeal bread? Salty-nutty PB, sweet honey, nutty-sweet bread—see how they balance one another? (more…)