At the Market 3/26 and 3/27

For those who hope to make it to Local Roots to shop this weekend, here's what I'll have in store:

In the bakery case:

--Buckwheat butter cookies: One of my favorite not-too-sweet cookies, made with my homegrown and hand-milled buckwheat, local unsalted butter, and sweet hickory nuts from a local nut grower.

--Grandma's jam bars: I found a recipe my grandmother had made often when I was a child and updated it a bit. The dough uses local unsalted butter and the deliciously creamy Lemon Jewel Quark (like cream cheese) from Blue Jacket Dairy, and the filling is simply a jar of my homemade strawberry jam, using berries from last year's CSA basket. They're so good, I nibbled up all the scraps -- you're lucky there are any left for market!

--Pesto scones: These savory morsels are almost a cross between scones and biscuits with their light flaky texture. No garlic here, but the pesto flavors of basil (mixed with the local butter and frozen last fall), walnuts, and savory Burr Oak cheese (from Canal Junction, like a Parmesan cheese) make these scones the perfect accompaniment for your Italian-style meal.

On the shelf:

--Sesame thins
--Cheese-herb artisan bread: three varieties -- dill cheddar, chèvre and rosemary, and garlic cheddar and basil
--Maple oatmeal bread
--Pain aux noix
--Pumpernickel bread
--Whole wheat pita (in bags of four) -- new item!

Stop by and pick up something so you can enjoy the fresh, home-baked semi-whole-grain goodness at home!

Pumpernickel Bread

It took me years to appreciate rye bread, but strangely enough, I've long loved pumpernickel bread, despite it being an even darker and heartier loaf. This artisan recipe is one I stumbled across recently and love for the tang and full flavor it carries.

The only local ingredient in this loaf right now is the sorghum molasses I use for a hint of sweetness, though I hope to find local rye flour eventually. Cocoa powder and espresso powder add to the rich color and complex flavor you'll find in this bread, making it suitable for sandwiches, toasting, or dipping into a mixture of olive oil and herbs. Perhaps you'd even enjoy it as an open-faced toasted cheese sandwich? I would!

Will this bread be a big seller at the market? Time will tell -- and I hope you'll tell me what you think of it!

Sesame Thins

Ever since I learned how to make crackers, I've found it really difficult to go back to store-bought boxes of them. The taste just doesn't compare! Here's proof: these sesame crackers, loaded with good local spelt flour (about half to two-thirds of the flour content), are crisper and more flavorful than any store-bought version -- with less salt and no sugar, too!

With a good dose of toasted sesame oil, the fragrance and taste of these crackers will remind you of sesame noodles or similar Asian dishes. (Frankly, the scent of these wafting out of the oven makes me want to whip up a spicy peanut sauce and start dipping!) The spelt flour keeps them crisp for longer than wheat flour alone would, but remember: there are no preservatives in these crackers, and they won't last forever.

So eat up! Where else will you find crackers that taste this good and are wholesome, too?

(Sold by 4-oz bags at Local Roots; also available through the online order system for those members who want different quantities.)

Cheese-Herb Artisan Bread

After two journeys to France, I came home with a lingering fondness for real French bread. It isn't easily found around here (if at all), and while I don't claim to make a perfect replica of French baguettes or any other French bread, I enjoy making a simple artisan bread and adding different flavors to it.

Of course, nothing goes better with this kind of bread than good cheese, and at Local Roots, we have so many good cheeses that it's difficult sometimes to know where to begin! That's why I started pairing these local cheeses with homegrown or local herbs to add a little kick to the basic artisan bread recipe. Among the combinations I've tried so far are:

--dill cheddar curds from Blue Jacket Dairy with more dried dill
--garlic cheddar curds, also from Blue Jacket Dairy, with minced fresh basil
--creamy chèvre from Lucky Penny Creamery, either with dried thyme from Adonai Acres or minced fresh homegrown rosemary
--salty, creamy Chouda (cross between Cheddar and Gouda) from Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese, with dried thyme

And there are more cheeses to sample and experiment with! I could probably go on forever...

These breads are generally all made with unbleached wheat flour, but I hope to develop some half-whole grain variations over time. All are marked with the traditional "scallop" cuts on top of the loaf, something I've adopted as reminiscent of the Grain Maker logo.

Look for these on the shelf weekly, with combinations to change as cheeses are available. Stop by after work on Friday and pick up a loaf to go with your dinner!

Pain Aux Noix

Taken from a traditional French recipe, this pain aux noix (pronounced pehn' oh nwah') simply translates to "walnut bread." Made with local spelt flour to enhance the nutty taste of the walnuts, the bread uses nonfat dry milk and local unsalted butter to create a tender crumb, and a touch of local maple syrup sweetens it just enough to deepen the flavors. It's not suitable for those with nut, wheat, or dairy allergies, but for the rest of us, it's wonderful!

The bread is not made entirely from spelt flour; I balance the spelt with organic unbleached wheat flour with wheat germ to give it its characteristic tenderness. I try to keep from adding too much flour overall to these loaves in order to let them rise spectacularly and to keep a soft airiness to what could become a brick of a loaf in less gentle hands.

Of my whole grain breads, I think I like this one the best! I especially like this bread in a grilled cheese sandwich (preferably with a sharp cheddar or maybe Muenster). It also makes an excellent French toast, and it's great toasted just with a light coating of butter. Pain aux noix with spelt flour lasts well -- usually a week or more -- and it freezes and thaws reasonably well.

I usually have limited quantities of this bread on my shelf at Local Roots each week. Let me know if you keep missing it!

Maple Oatmeal Bread

One of the mainstays of my weekly baking, this maple oatmeal bread has become a favorite for many customers. Why?

--For a mostly whole grain bread, dense with fiber, it retains a soft, slightly moist crumb.
--Local maple sugar and maple syrup provide just a hint of sweetness.
--Whole wheat flour (local when available) and local organic rolled oats offer a little more texture than most breads.

This bread works well for sandwiches, toast or French toast, or just eaten by the slice, on its own or next to a hearty soup or meal. Other producers at Local Roots have enjoyed using it as a (toasted) base for a breakfast sandwich of local sausage, chipotle cheddar curds, and scrambled eggs -- or even as the outer layers of a hamburger.

Given its popularity, I now bake it weekly and keep my Local Roots customers happy. Will it become your favorite, too?

Baklava

For over 20 years, baklava has appeared on my holiday baking lists as I prepare sweet (and even savory) treats for friends and family. People just can't resist the delicately flaky pastry, the spiced nuts, and the sweet honey syrup that sticks to their fingers. Every year, the list of eager recipients has grown to the point where I almost had to start a business to handle the demand.

Oh, wait. I did. And lucky you, you get to share in the delight of homemade baklava (in season from November into February or March).

The filo dough, while not homemade, is prepared by a local company, and I use the best local unsalted butter to layer the leaves of dough and choice local honey for the syrup. Pecans and walnuts generally appear in the filling, though I have had the opportunity on occasion to use delicious local heartnuts (a milder version of walnuts). Cloves anchor the top layers to the rest of the pastry -- it's so light and flaky, it might just fly away!

In season, this dessert is available at Local Roots Market (in-market as well as on the online order system). I am willing to consider special orders with plenty of advance notice (at least 3 days).

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

When the warmer weather comes around, I find myself craving lighter meals -- and that sometimes means lighter breads. I still like the whole grain taste, but for sandwiches I'd sometimes prefer to use pita bread instead of thicker slices of homemade loaves.

That's why I'm adding these whole wheat pita breads to my market repertoire. They're very simple to make -- a little more than half whole wheat, with unbleached flour to keep them soft; no sweeteners, and just a touch of olive oil. And they satisfy a bread craving without going overboard.

These pita breads work well for sandwiches or even filled with fresh salad. (Here's a tip: cut the bread in half, then toast both sides just a little bit to help the pocket open up.) Cut them into wedges and serve them with hummus or other delicious dips, too.

I'm working on a spelt version, too, but for now you'll find these in the weekly rotation at Local Roots.