Two-bite appie and pool party!

We ate, we laughed, we ate some more, we swam/bobbed around the pool in our lavish fullness!

Our 3rd annual two-bite appie and pool party was another resounding success, with all manner of deliciousness to devour. Huge thank you to Lisa for hosting us again!

Our next meetup will land around the 3rd week of September. Who is up for Harvest Showstopper?

In the meantime, let’s relive the glory of August. Starting with the two dishes for which I have recipes to share!

Jean’s Fougasse

Fougasse is a type of bread mostly associated with Provence and is often slashed or sculpted to resemble and ear of wheat. One thing is for sure – Jean is far  braver with bread than I am. And what a result!

• 500gr.bread flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. yeast
• 2 tbsp. Extra virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup warm water (115′)
• 11/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 11/2 tsp. chopped rosemary
• 11/2 tsp. chopped thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• sea salt to finish

Grease a large container with a little olive oil. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put flour, salt and yeast into the bowl of Kitchen Aid(don’t put yeast on top of the salt) Add olive oil and 3/4 of the water. Mix on low. As the dough starts to come together add the remaining water, very slowly.Add herbs and continue to mix. This is a tough dough and need a lot of work. Add a little more olive oil to loosen it a bit.

Put dough in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Punch down.

Tip dough out onto counter(greased with some more olive oil) Divide dough in half.

Roll out 1st piece into an oval-shape to cover your baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter, make 2 consecutive cuts down the middle. Now cut 6 diagonal cuts(6 on each side) of the centre cut, forming a leaf design, the stretch the dough out slightly to emphasize the holes. Cover and alow to rise again about 20 minutes. Preheat oven 450′ . Brush bread with olive oil and sprinkle with the other dried oregano. Bake 15-20 minutes until fougasse sounds hollow when you tap the bottom. Remove from oven and while still hot, brush with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt.(I also put a pan of hot water in the oven under the bread-creates a little steam)

Janice’s Shrimp Dip (with cucamelons!)

According to Wikipedia, the Cucamelon (or Melothria scabra if you really want to get into it) is a vine grown for its edible fruit. Fruit are about the size of grapes and taste like cucumbers with a tinge of sourness. They’re so adorable. There is no better name for them than the one they already have. And the shrimp dip emerged perfectly from the mold and looked so elegant before we decimated it with our cracker spoons.

Recipe:

• 1 can tomato soup
• 1 envelope gelatin, unflavoured
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cans shrimp
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped

Heat soup and dissolve gelatin, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly, then put in mixer with cream cheese and mayonnaise. Mix in the shrimp, celery and onion by hand. Pour into a greased mold to set in the fridge, then unmold to serve with crackers.

Tracy’s Mini Cherry Bakewells. Just look at their unabashed cuteness. We ate them all.

Lory’s Goat Chees Stuffed Apricots w/out BACON. These were a great little mouth celebration of summer.

Dorthea’s gluten-free Banana Bread with pineapple and a creamy topping that a little bit of everything in it (I’ve lost the wee bit of paper – of course I have). I think it even had Sriracha in it. She had tested it on Peter pre-meetup and he gave it an enthusiastic “it’s okay!” Yes to daring kitchen experiments!

Peter’s “Happy Appies” – Chevrai Brei & Jarlsberg, gluten free crackers and sausage from Tony’s Meats & Deli in Penticton. Lovely combo, and I got to try beet crackers!

Wendy’s Almond-stuffed Figs wrapped in BACON! The BACON deserves to be capitalized, for BACON is always welcome. There was a little pot of dipping sauce to complete the delectable experience.

Kim’s Vine Leaves stuffed with Boccocini & Sundried Tomatoes. As one does. I volunteer Kim to be on my “uber decadent picnic” planning committee.

Kim Lawton’s “Summer Pigs.” They were still warm and the cheese was all melty and maybe I ate three of them.

Sophia’s Sour Cream and BACON Deviled Eggs. I would certainly make them again. Nom.

You can’t have enough bocconcini in the summer. Chantelle made these lovely little tomato/basil/bocconcini bites with a rich vinaigrette. Yes.

They didn’t have BACON, but Lisa’s little pumpernickel sandwiches did have salmon that Harry had caught, and little capers on top for that little extra pop o’ flavour.

I was hoping someone would bring bruschetta and Sandra saved the day with Peach Bruschetta and tiny homegrown tomatoes.

Mirjana’s Lemon Blueberry Tarts with Mascarpone and Maple. I managed to snag some of these at the end of the meetup and I can say with great enthusiasm that make an excellent breakfast with a nice cup of tea.

That’s all the treats! We’re really rather splendid, I think. I didn’t manage to get a good photo of Margaux this time, but Lisa & Harry’s home is now resplendent with this artwork inspired by the glorious mini fur nugget that I adore. So I shall leave you with “Chapeau Margaux” in all its loveliness.

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In which we potluck, western style

This month I learned that sangria goes with everything. Thank you Tracy – what a way to welcome summer.

Our theme was Western and in true baking club fashion, we gave it the old yee haw. There were two baked bean dishes, both slow cooker style (all those tender hours on low heat). Think of rich, tangy sauce, the flavour equivalent of a heavyweight boxer light who is on his feet.

In the salad realm, there were three. We decimated the entire bowl of spicy coleslaw. In goes without saying that creamy coleslaw next to baked beans is a glorious thing. I was initially suspicious of the kale salad (I’m always suspicious of kale – it’s just a built-in thing with me). But I I really liked it. Never underestimate the power of feta cheese and a zingy dressing. The Texas Caviar was resplendent in anti-oxidant-rich veggies, and added the necessary additional crunch for overall mouth-feel awesomeness.The bready things were paired with the saucy and salady things. We lavishly dipped the jalapeño & cheddar cornbread and the bannock made with BACON.

There were two kinds cookies. One kind was so decadent with rich ingredients, the dough had defeated a Kitchenaid and had to be mixed by hand. The other cookies were so gooey with chocolate, they inadvertently caused the eater to take time out for gentle reflection, just letting the mind wander on the silky softness of cookie bliss.And there was sangria and delicious white wine and lovely company and meeting new friends and the stunning view of Giant’s Head Mountain from Tracy’s porch.

So yeah. Just the usual baking club routine. Recipes next time and more of the same extravagance at Lisa’s August 3 for the two-bite appies and pool party.

May meetup – World Travel

Greetings, foodie friends!

Thank you to everyone who came out and eat generously at our World Travel potluck in the park last month. The stormy weather may have chased us off early, but we sure did eat well. Below are some delectable photos, some with recipes. 

First, SAVE THE DATE! Our next meetup will be Thursday, June 22nd, when we will be hosted by Tracy. We’re sticking with the original idea of a “Western” theme, so dig out your cowboy hat and start making your barbecue sauce. More details and directions forthcoming by email.

Onward to the deliciousness!

Laura’s Hawaiian Salad and Mediterranean Salad (both of which were so very delightful)

Sandra’s Pavlova (I had two big slices of this. There are two photos because I couldn’t decide between them!)

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites, of room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablesppon cornstarch

Directions

Line cookie sheet with greased foil.  Draw a 10 inch circle of the foil.
Beat egg whites and salt until peaks form, but not dry.
Add vanilla and vinegar and beat well. Mix sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon at a time to egg whites beating well after each addition. Spread meringue inside circle on paper – building it up around the edge. Bake at 275 F. for 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave meringue in ovenr to dry for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cread and fresh fruit.

Chantelle’s Easy Tiramisu (Don’t you just want to get a spoon? The recipe uses cream cheese instead of  mascarpone) http://www.kraftcanada.com/recipes/easy-tiramisu-174501)

Lory’s Prawn Pilau (with pieces of pineapple sauteed in butter!)

Ingredients
12 oz. basmati rice
6 tbsp ghee or butter
1 tbsp. crushed coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1 small pineapple cubed or 1 8 oz can pineapple chunks
8 oz frozen prawns thawed
1 tsp. salt
1 pint fish or chicken stock

Garnish
2 tbsp. ghee or butter
2 tbsp. sultanas
2 tbsp. cashews or almonds (I used slivered almonds)
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered (I omitted this)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander

Wash rice under cold running water, then soak in fresh water for 30 mins.  Drain throughly. Melt butter in a large saucepan, add coriander and fry for 30 seconds.  Add turmeric stir for a few seconds, then add pineapple and fry, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add prawns, rice and salt. (If using stock cube omit salt.) Fry, stirring for 1 minute, then pour in enough stock to cover rice by 1/4 inch. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and cook very gently for 25 mins. or until the rice is cooked and the liquid absorbed.

Meanwhile, prepare the garnish. Heat the butter in a small pan, add the sultanas and cashews or almonds and fry for 1 to 2 mins., until the sultanas are plump and the nuts are lightly coloured.  Transfer rice to a warmed serving dish and gently fork in the sultanas and nuts.  Arrange egg around the edge (if using) and sprinkle the coriander on top. Prawn Pilau can be served warm or cold.

Wendy’s Spanish Rice (Yes to garlic and tomatoes and spiced beef)

Jean’s Sticky Toffee Pudding (with the most delectable sauce ever)

Sophia’s Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing (very easy to make and it’s just as good without the mango and the cilantro. Recipe is here: https://www.jessicagavin.com/crunchy-thai-salad-peanut-dressing/)

Thanks for being awesome, everyone. I strawberry heart you.

World Travel Meetup May 30!

Greetings, foodie friends!

I have consulted the draft schedule, which listed “World Travel” as the theme for May. What fun we can have with this! The goal is the make a dish from somewhere you’ve visited or always longed to visit, and bring it along to show off and share.

• Date: Tuesday, May 30th
• Time: 6pmish
• Location: Memorial Park, just off Wharton Street. If the weather looks like it will be bad, we can always dash back to my place, although we may have to carpool out to Prairie Valley.
• What to bring: Along with your dish, I recommend bringing a lawn chair along, as well as some bug spray, as the little critters are bad this year. I’ll bring some paper plates and my small horde of cutlery.

If you haven’t already responded to the Facebook event, email me at pleasebringcake@gmail.com to let me know if you can come along. Thanks everyone!

All things deliciously maple syrup

You know when you’re really hungry and you walk into a room that has been perfumed with just the kind of food you want to eat? That’s what happened to me on Thursday night after work, trundling into Maple Roch and being consumed by the scent of the maple pulled chicken simmering in Mirjana’s crock pot.

Then more people arrived, and more food. Maple pulled pork (courtesy of Nick), maple pork patties with spicy maple mustard glaze, maple walnut cake, maple granola bread with maple butter, maple tarts and maple squares, maple banana bread, and a small vat of baked brie with seeds, dried fruit and maple syrup.

We also got to hear from Roch about some of the company’s new adventures, and try new products such as maple water, maple cotton candy and two kinds of syrup. After reading this post, if you decide that you simply can’t get enough maple, check out some of the Maple Roch recipes.

And we celebrated a birthday! Jean bravely lit the sparklers on her Maple Cake while Ken (aka birthday boy) stood at a safe distance. We sang boisterously and no fires resulted from the festivities.

As usual, not all of my photos turned out. As glorious as pulled pork and chicken are, unless they are photographed spilling lavishing from the confines of a bun (alas, a photo I neglected to take), the picture simply looks like a mass of mangled meat. So you’re going to have to imagine how good they were, because they were both amazing. Similarly, there are no images of my maple ice cream with sticky maple walnuts, which looked like a lumpy beige landscape but which was truly delectable.

Thank you to our wonderful hosts and to everyone who came out for our potluck extraordinaire!

May meetup! Likely the 3^rd week in May. According to the draft outline, there was a desire for a “World Travels” gathering at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens. Yes?

Enjoy the photos. Hopefully I got everyone’s dishes right. Where there are recipes, I have included them.

Wendy’s Baked Brie with seeds, cranberries, apricot preserves (homemade!) and maple syrup. This was so decadent, I kept going back for more.

Our newest member Lorraine from Peachland is a goddess of piping! Behold her Maple Nut Cake with glorious springtime flowers. It tasted just as delicious as it looked.

Sandra’s Mini Maple Cheesecakes. Rich and moist and ever so lovely.

Denise made Maple Pork Patties with Spicy Maple Mustard Glaze. I think I ate four. Yum…

Chantelle’s Maple Syrup Butter Tart Squares. All the flavour of butter tarts with the extra delight of also being cakey in texture.

Thank you, Victoria for always showing us tricks to bring a little still-tasty health boost into our diets of cheese and whipped cream. Her Maple seed cookies were vegan and gluten free.

Lory’s Maple and Bacon Popcorn. Reily, we ate all the bacon on your behalf!

Another dish from Lory – Maple Baked Beans! Despite her delayed realization that the beans needed to be soaked overnight before cooking, she pulled off the recipe in record time. Soooo good.

Kim’s Maple Granola Maple Bread with Maple Butter. Maple. Butter. Butter with Maple syrup whipped mercilessly into it. Yes.

Maple syrup is a perfect match for Carrot Cake. Thank you, Lorraine B for showcasing this classic combination.

Jean’s Maple Cake with Maple Sugared Walnuts and Maple Buttercream, before we devoured much of it.

Kim’s Maple Butter Tarts, which unfortunately I didn’t get to try. You have to be quick at these meetups…

Mirjana’s Maple Coleslaw, which paired brilliantly with the pulled chicken. A must-make for summer BBQ season.

Maple Sugar Cookies, made by Dorthea. Gluten free and doused with a Maple-Whisky Glaze for good measure.

Sugar Shack Treats (made by Janice) – these would be perfect for an afternoon tea, with a cup of Earl Grey.

Ingredients 1

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preparation: Mix ingredients and place in a greased mold (9×9 inches). Cook in oven for 10 minutes, at 300 F.

Ingredients 2

• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs

Preparation: Mix all ingredients and pour on previous mix. Cook in oven at 325F for about 40 minutes. Let cool and cut in squares.

Maple Glazed Banana Bread (made by Tracy?) – also known as my post-meetup breakfast!

Ingredients

Bread

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3-4 medium bananas (or 2 large bananas)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Maple Glaze
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease one 9×5 pan or two 8×4 pans. In a small bowl, mash bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and beat until mixed. To the wet ingredients, sift in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Pour in mashed bananas, and mix until combined.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (for two 8×4 pans) or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it. If using one 9×5 pan, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then lower the temp to 325 and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Move to a wire cooling rack.

Glaze

Melt butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and cinnamon over low heat. Once melted together, pull off the heat. Sift in powdered sugar and whisk until fully combined. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes so the glaze can thicken. Once the glaze has thickened, give it a quick stir and pour it over the bread. Allow the glaze to harden completely before cutting into slices.

The Great Maple Syrup Potluck!

Greetings foodie pals!

It’s the potluck countdown…

• Who: You and anyone who haul along with promises of great deliciousness
• What: Maple Syrup Everything! Your dish should include maple syrup in some way. Bake with it, make a fancy drink, use it in salad dressing….it’s up to you! Along with your dish, bring your Tupperware for potential leftovers. Has anyone else noticed the impressive lack of leftovers at the last couple of meetups?
• When: This Thursday, April 13th at 6pm.
• Where: Our hosts Maple Roch are located on Victoria Street. The entrance is at the back of the building. It’s a nice big space so invite your friends!
• Why: Because treats. Because all the treats.

I’m very excited for this one. If you haven’t already joined the Facebook event page, email me at pleasebringcake@gmail.com to let me know you’re coming along.

I squeeze you.

Sophia

 

 

In which we spurn the technology gods

So the film didn’t work. Well, the film worked but the sound didn’t. So what. And so what if now the stupid photo collage thing isn’t working so I can’t make pretty collages of all my photos for this post. What really matters is this:

What matters is we got to hear how Judith stayed up until after midnight stacking layers of crepes with chocolate ganache and cream. And then we got to eat the entire thing.

I stole Judith’s photo from Facebook because it’s nicer than the one I took. Look at it. Just look.

What matters is Val’s valiant spun sugar survival story, in which she attempted the signature fling and twirl, only to find stalactites of hardened sugar hanging from her cupboards and shards of sugar crunching underfoot. Nevertheless she battled through, bringing to fruition her original creation: The “CroquemBroke.”

What matters is Rylee filling up all the space on her mom’s phone taking photos of all the things.

What matters is Kim’s Brioche surviving its overnight outdoor banishment where it was supposed to chill but instead froze. And the fact that she still managed to make it look like this:

What matters is Janice’s spinach flan has become one of her new favourite recipes. She’s reported that she has since made it again, but with added mushrooms and onion.

What matters is so many of us tried new things that we never would have attempted, and that we got to celebrate our culinary successes with huge, heaping plates of food.

What matters is we were all together – more than 30 of us in a room, sitting and laughing and eating and drinking wine and eating some more. And when it was all over, Lisa and I sat around drinking more wine and talking American politics until we were both exhausted and craving carbs again. We decided that an “Eastern European” meetup is something we should definitely do. Anything to find new and exciting ways to combine starches with other starches.

A massive Merci to Lisa and the Summerland Waterfront Resort for hosting our clan of foodies. And thanks to everyone for being awesome.

No meetup in February but start digging through recipes for our March “Maple Syrup” gathering at Maple Roch downtown. Date announcement coming soon. It’ll be a Tuesday night near the end of March.