Homemade Pretzels in a Blizzard

It has been a very strange winter here in VA with numerous huge blizzards literally shutting down the state.  The last snowstorm Mary and I were lucky enough to be home for and got to enjoy the blizzard.  The storm dumped over 30 inches of snow across the state and we ended up with a long weekend, and after spending most our day outside in the snow, skiing, snowshoeing and just having fun. We came in for some mid-afternoon snacks and decided to make our own homemade pretzels. It was the first time we made them and not only are they easy but super delicious.

In addition to the pretzels we made some hot spiced apple cider with some fresh whipped cream which made a perfect accompaniment for the pretzels.

…………………………………………... RECIPE ………………………………………….

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package active dry yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for pan
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Pretzel salt

Cider Ingredients

8 Cup ~ Cider
2 tbsp ~ Butter
To Taste ~ Cinnamon, Nutmeg, All-Spice
2-4 oz ~ Heavy Cream
1 tsp ~ Sugar

Cider Directions

On a medium warm stove top, add the butter to the pot let melt, add the cider and spices, let cook over medium low heat for five to ten minutes.  Pull off the heat serve into mugs and add the homemade whipped cream. (Just whip the heavy cream and sugar for 2-3 minutes).

Pretzel Directions

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.

Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.

In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make your pretzels as best as you can Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Two Moon’s (Best Breakfast EVER!)

"Two Moon's"

Memories can be triggered by so many things, and this breakfast triggers so many memories for me.   For Christmas this year my wonderful wife Mary decided to arranged to make my favorite breakfast “Two Moon’s”. This  elegantly rugged breakfast is one I ate reguarly while living in Saranac Lake, NY at my favortire breakfast spot Blue Moon Cafe.

This is a simple breakfast but the most important part of it is the Wolferman’s English Muffins.  They are unlike any other english muffin on the market, thick,  and delicious.

……………………………………………. RECIPE ………………………………………………..

Ingredients:

1 Package Wolferman’s English Muffins

4 Eggs (for a breakfast for two adjust for more or less people)

12-24 oz  of Spinach (Fresh from the farmers market is best *Not Frozen)

Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients:

3 egg yolks
1 teapsoon water
1/4 teaspoon sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Hollandaise Sauce ~

Pour 1-inch of water into a large saucepan; over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low.

Place egg yolks and 1 teaspoon water in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until mixture lightens in color, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and whisk for another 30 seconds.

Place the mixture over the simmering water and whisk constantly for 3 to 5 minutes, or until there is a clear line that is drawn in the mixture when you pull your whisk through, or the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Remove the bowl from over the pan and gradually add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and whisk until all of the butter is incorporated. Place the bowl back over the simmering water occasionally so that it will be warm enough the melt the butter. Add the salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper.

While preparing the Hollandaise Sauce ~

• Heat a skillet with a some Olive Oil to Medium once at temperature put the cleaned spinach in the skillet and add a squeeze of lemon juice.  Let the spinach wilt till its about 1/4 the original size. Take off the heat.
• Cook the four eggs in a skillet, its best to cook eggs at a lower temperature like medium to keep them moist. Flip them gently and remove immediately from the heat, you want the yokes to still be runny!!!
• Toast the English Muffins.
• Put the Eggs on the English Muffins, then the spinach and cover with hollandaise sauce.

Hors d’ Oeuvres…

Simple Ingredients

My wife and I have been talking about this blog since we got married two years ago.  We love food, we love taking time to cook good food, and we love how food can transform a home.  From the intoxicating smells of cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven, to the scintillating taste of fresh home-made pasta. Even the simple homemade deep dish pizza brings great joy as it’s retrieved from the oven with cheese and toppings all bubbling together.This first post is just an appetizer of what you can expect as we chronicle our endeavours.

Raspberry and White Choclate Scones

I wanted to start this blog by thinking about why food matters, and why I care about food.  I have had a life long love affair with food, I love eating it, cooking it and reading about it. (Even watching it via  Food Network and Bravo)  I grew up immersed in the Food Industry (that story is for another post) and to this day I have a deep passion for food.  I am not a Chef, Sommelier, or any variation of these just a home cook thinking about why food matters and hoping to share my discoveries, failures, success and recipes along the way. We wanted to chronicle our food journey so we can look back at what we find and cook along the way even if no one reads this blog but us!

A lot of our stories start with food even great Biblical stories have food as the central theme, feeding the 5,000, turning water into wine and the last supper among many others.  So here starts our story of food and we hope you enjoy the journey.