East of Eden Cooking

2012/05/052017/12/26

Blackberry Mandarin Cupcakes

Spring!

“On the wide level acres of the valley the topsoil lay deep and fertile. It required only a rich winter of rain to make it break forth in grass and flowers. The spring flowers in a wet year were unbelievable. The whole valley floor, and the foothills too, would be carpeted with lupins and poppies.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I was so excited to see pansies and violas in every market and store; spring had arrived! It also meant decorating with edible flowers. I had been planning to make cupcakes in baby flowerpots, decorated with pansies for months. Violet Blackberry Curd is a creamy surprise filling inside the citrus vanilla cupcake. The velvety cream cheese frosting is a perfect canvas for spring violas. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. READ MORE . . .

2012/04/222017/12/26

April Monthly Miettes

Lemon Tarts

“All during school next day Abra felt good about going to see Lee. She met Cal in the hall between classes. Did you tell him I was coming? He’s started some kind of tarts, said Cal.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

This month’s Monthly Miette baking challenge is tarts! How to choose? The Miette Cookbook includes recipes for Chocolate Truffle, Lime Meringue, Lemon, Fresh Fruit, Banana Cream and Pecan! I narrowed down my choices to family favorites. I would make either Chocolate Truffle or Lemon. For Easter I had made a decadent and sinfully rich flourless chocolate cake. Now it was time to indulge my well-documented love of citrus. I was not disappointed; this is another irresistible recipe from the Miette cookbook. The lemon curd is intoxicating. Puddled inside the rich Pâte Sucrée crust the curd is velvety smooth, whispering luscious lemon flavor. Truly a Lemon Tart that will satisfy any serious citrus craving. READ MORE . . .

2012/04/162017/12/26

Dutch Oven Bread

Artisan bread in minutes

“The oakwood fire roared up past an open damper to heat the oven for the bread, which lay white and rising in the pans.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I am taking classes in Baking and Pastry Arts at Monterey Peninsula College. It is so exciting to spend time learning more about baking in a classroom setting. I am ecstatic! Baking is our homework; can’t get any better than that! One of the first recipes we made in the yeasted bread class was Dutch Oven Bread. Our instructor, Chef Andre Adams, said his wife had gotten the recipe from a friend. Searching the web for the attribution for the recipe I can see I have most definitely missed out! This recipe has been circulating in the blogosphere for years, but I had not seen it. If you haven’t heard of this bread making technique, I highly recommend it. Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery was giving bread baking classes in New York City in 2006. Mark Bittman wrote an article for the New York Times about his method of easily making artisan bread using a Dutch oven to maintain heat and humidity in the home oven, mimicking a commercial bread oven. This recipe is the easiest bread recipe I have used. The resulting bread is nothing short of amazing—rustic with great taste and a lovely deep brown crust! Jim Lahey has a new book, My Pizza: The Easy No-Knead Way to Make Spectacular Pizza at Home, available March 20. Spectacular, yes, I’m sure! READ MORE . . .

2012/04/082017/12/26

Kamut Crackers

A very satisfying cracker

“That year the rains had come so gently that the Salinas River did not overflow. A slender stream twisted back and forth in its broad bed of gray sand, and the water was not milky with silt but clear and pleasant.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Desserts may be the mania and excitement of a sparkling amusement park ride but whole grains are the fuel for after the glitter fades and still shimmering, we make our trek home. I have a whole grain recipe to share with you. It holds your attention with a natural sweetness and a bit of crunch. It is worthy of being your snack during that long car ride home from the amusement park. READ MORE . . .

2012/03/242017/12/26

Monthly Miettes

Miette Tomboy Cake and freshly-cut pink garden roses

“It sure is nice, said Trixie. Jenny’s girls came over for Faye’s birthday cake and they couldn’t believe their eyes.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

I discovered San Francisco’s Miette Bakery during the Scharffen Berger Bakery Crawl last fall. The bakery is an oasis of shimmering pale pink and creamy mint-green, a celebration of sweetness in sight and taste. I purchased the Miette cookbook and after daydreaming about the multi-faceted recipes, set the book aside until Aimee started a blogging challenge—Monthly Miettes. The challenge requires baking a recipe of Aimee’s choice, from the Miette cookbook, each month. In doing so, I would challenge myself to become a better baker. Such ambition! READ MORE . . .