a roasting we will go....

For Christmas, Dave Mac pulled out all the stops and found me a little home coffee roaster and well, since then, the fun hasn't stopped!  This morning was no different.  Waking up to 5 degrees, I stayed in while Dave walked Finn.  I warmed up the kitchen with fresh baked blueberry muffins and roasted coffee for our french press enjoyment.  By the time they got back from their a.m. romp to the beach, the cottage was filled with the smell of lemon zest and blueberries and fresh hot coffee.   

I have had a little experience roasting coffee while volunteering on a coffee farm back in the day. . . here is what I know: 

 Coffee beans are picked from coffee trees once ripe (which is a big thankless job).  

A ripe coffee bean is called cherry.

When these cherries are picked at the right time, processed the right way (to strip off the outer "cherry" layer), dried to perfection (to it's "green bean" state), stored correctly, roasted and consumed in a timely manner, one great coffee experience awaits.  And Dave and I have been blessed with fresh roasted coffee every morning since Christmas (thank you dmac).  There is no going back.

green beans on right.... fresh roasted on left....

HAPPY ROASTING!

blueberries in the dead of winter

Blueberry muffins are one of the quintessential breakfast quick breads to me, and I have come across the best one to date.  Believe it or not, these do not sell at the Sea Store, so I save the Maine blueberries in my freezer for cold Sunday mornings and this muffin recipe.  Light, fluffy, crispy on the top, with a hint of lemon zest, it couldn't be better with your morning coffee.  

Blueberry muffin recipe:

courtesy of the bread bible (see picture) in cups and ounces...

     4Tbsp 2oz butter

1/2 cup 3.5oz sugar

2tsp lemon zest

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup 4.75oz all purpose flour

3/8tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/3cup 2.75oz sour cream (I also use plain yogurt)

3/4cup 3.5oz small blueberries

• Preheat oven - 375
• Cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy
• Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt
• Spoon 1/2 flour mixture and 1/2 sour cream (or yogurt) into butter and fold in
• Repeat with the rest of the flour and sour cream
• Fold in blueberries
• Pour into a 6-cup muffin pan that is lined with paper liners (and buttered, I found helps)
• Fill empty pans with water and bake 25-35 min.

*There are a few things I found with her recipe...I noticed that if you fill the muffin tins to the top to make large muffins, it only makes three...also, if you bake this way it takes about 45 min in the oven, the tops get nice and brown so don't worry, just keep checking them!*

Otherwise, this is a tasty recipe. Enjoy!

meat-a-palooza

That's right folks...I attended my first ever all meat soiree.  There were ribs, there were wings and there were shrimp all cooked on the grill in weather that would scare the even the most nordic of folk!  Hosted by a our friends Julia and Eric, they filled their house with a crew of meat lovin', hearty eatin', happy folk that consumed probably what would amount to a good sized cow!  The beer stayed chilled in the snow bank outside while we were all rosy cheeked and toasty inside.  Dave Mac and I being the only two veggies at the feast, quietly slipped to the corner of the kitchen to fry up some homemade black bean burgers I had made that morning, which, were quite tasty! The party was a hit and the next one already planned:  Dessert and Champagne...so get ready folks, this is my turf!

 Black Bean Burger (courtesy of Gourmet)

2 (14 oz cans) black beans - rinsed, divided

3Tbs Mayo....but I used Dijon Mustard and it worked really well..adding a little kick!

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne (which i omitted....capsaicin allergy...)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

• Puree one can beans with mayo (or mustard), bread crumbs, cumin, oregano and cayenne until a course puree forms.
  
• Transfer to bowl, stir in remaining beans and cilantro.
• Form into 4 patties.
• Heat 3 Tbs. oil in skillet until it shimmers, cook burgers until outside is crisp and lightly browned. ... about 5 min. ...and Enjoy on bun of your choice.

getting me through the "arctic fronts"

The buzz word in Maine right now is "Arctic Front"...so much in fact, I think the weatherman last night got tired of repeating himself and resorted to simply...really really cold.  To assist in carrying me through these long cold days I have been looking forward to cocktail hour and lately we have been exploring some very fun alternatives!  

First off, I have come to really enjoy whisky.  For Christmas, from the man I love so much, I received a whisky sampler.  In it there was 200mL of pure exploration/heaven in four small bottles including:  Bookers, Baker's, KNOB creek, and Basil Hayden's.  Drank in that order.  Being a sucker for labels and saving my favorite for last, I chose Booker's to be my first sample.  Now, at 127 proof (should have read the label before I took my first swig), if there were any spark nearby, there would have been flames and we would have been in trouble...we turned it into a Manhattan immediately (extra cherry juice to reduce the amount damage done to my esophagus).  This cocktail was so powerful, I was accused of "drunk dialing" my younger brother by 6p.m. (now this is really something if you knew my brother).  *note*  steer clear of 127 proof whisky.  The middle two went off without a hitch.  Tasty, warm in my belly, with a bit of a bite.  

The real love affair started when I finally opened the most charming little bottle that I had saved for a rainy (in this case snowy) day.  Not only did I find the name charming, the design of this little gem is quite captivating and when I took my first sip I knew there would be no going back.  The dear Basil Hayden Sr. began distilling in 1796 and God love 'em, his Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky has survived Civil Wars, Witch Trials, and Bush for all of us to sip and enjoy!

Recently, Dave and I had also stumbled upon a new beer/whisky, which, for me, could life get much better?!  This little masterpiece, called Ola Dubh Ale (meaning Black Oil) is the product of Harviestoun Brewery who aged this brew in "selected Oak Casks formerly used to mature the award-winning Highland Park 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky."  This, my friend, is pure brilliance.  When drunk at room temperature and shared with a fellow foodie (or "drinkie" I guess) it is a first rate, top notch experience.  

In closing, I want to give a little shout out to a new (to me) brewer in Belfast, Maine...Marshall Wharf.  Dave Mac and I went out on a limb and tried their Pemaquid Oyster Stout, brewed with "10 briny Pemaquid Oysters" for real.  Thinking it might be fishy, we were pleasantly surprised at it's chocolatey smooth finish.  No taste of the sea at all!  Check 'em out, they have some fun brews not to be missed.

an Arctic breeze

When the thermostat reads "0" the options of activities are generally limited to the inside (well, unless you are Dave Mac that is).  So I spent my afternoon making chocolate whoopie pies, ginger molasses cookies, pumpkin spice cake with an orange cream cheese frosting, and a cute little knitted and sewn change purse...for someone special.  Unless I decide to keep it that is!  Hope everyone is surviving the arctic weather we are having and keeping there hands busy!  I will soon be adding some fun recipes that I love to the site so stay tuned!

fabulous friend + hot coffee + great food = perfect morning

Breakfast at Bintliffs with one of my greatest friends Annie brought back a few memories. On a recent visit to Portland, Maine I couldn't resist a stop at Bintliffs American Cafe one of my favorite places to enjoy breakfast when I lived in Portland a few years back.  Sitting down to a hot Americano on the coldest day we had had yet, there was no place I would have rather been.  We placed our orders and gabbed until the indulgent course was brought to our table...my gingerbread pancakes with lemon sauce lay somewhere between a colossal meal for a t-rex and a hefty breakfast for a  lumber jack....not, I can assure you, for a gal my size!!  I have been known to polish off my share of a big meal, however, this, my friends, was a bit much:

One to-go box later, I hardly got a chance to fit in any of Annie's Tuscan egg scramble that I am certain was exceptional, but I did get a chance to enjoy a fabulous time with a funny and intelligent friend over hot coffee and good food on a cold cold day. 

I survived my first nor'easter since, well....I can't remember when I experienced the last one.  With Dave Mac in NC, my sister spent the night and she explained it perfectly as we were sitting on my couch looking out the windows at the snow.  It felt like we were in a cottage inside a snow globe and being shaken fiercely!  We woke up to over a foot and a half of snow and no way to leave the house.  Caffeinated and trapped inside a small cottage with no where to go is the best time, I found, to bake!  Since we were approaching the holidays and it couldn't feel more blustery outside, I would bake some traditional treats!  Turning the temperature up to 350 on the oven I started toasting almonds for linzer cookies and mixing dough for a holiday challah bread.  

Challah (pronounced hallah) is a Jewish celebration bread, baked typically on the Sabbath, brushed with egg and braided.  Following a recipe from The Bread Bible that stated it made one loaf, I dutifully braided my three strands, thinking to myself that it seemed awfully big already before the proof.  As the loaf rose it grew and grew and grew right out of the pan I was planning on baking it on.  I transferred pans, egg-washed, and baked big bertha off...an hour later as I pulled it out of the oven, it looked like a character out of ghost busters.  Laughing hysterically I placed it on two wire racks to cool and thought to myself it could probably feed a whole village!

Linzer dough has an Austrian history dating back to 1653, named for the City of Linz, this sweet treat is one of Austria's most famous desserts.  The dough traditionally consists of flour, ground nuts...typically almonds, sugar, yolks, spices and lemon zest and filled with preserves.  This gave me the chance to use some of my hand-picked, homemade blackberry jam that I had made in Oregon (although traditionally black current preserves are used).  I took my time rolling and cutting out each cookie then sandwiching the tasty jam in between, the final product looking just as hoped!

  

Wrapping up my projects, the scent of fresh baked bread and toasted almonds filled the cottage and I couldn't have felt more satisfied...hope you all had a fabulously warm and cozy holiday, see you in the next year!

time for a change...with the season

Happy Holidays to all!! 

For all those that know me, I am a sucker for change and with the extreme change in the season, I felt a different shade for the blog was needed.  A breath of fresh air. . . a jolt of inspiration.  I also felt the need to cut out the word "bakery" from the title, merely because I have been feeling more inspired lately to write on anything that feels good.  Baking will always be my #1 priority (adding some of my favorite recipes to the mix) and I will continue to write as much as I can about what is fun, new, and interesting in my world of food.  I hope you all like the new changes and I would love your feedback!  

Before I go, I wanted to give you a little glimpse of the "festivities" in the cottage:

For as long as I can remember my grandmother has been the core of our Christmas celebration.  Yes, my mother has been the driving force behind our belief in the magic of the holiday, the ultimate advocate of "be good or there will be nothing but coal",  "Santa is watching", and her love for the enchanting nature of the entire experience.  

However,  Nan always sat quietly by as if patiently waiting her turn to tell the "true" story of Christmas. . . and tell it she would.  On Christmas Eve every year after all the excitement of Santa and presents and cousins and family and loudness she would sit us down in our matching pajamas (for real) and read to us out of the Bible. 

As I grow and experience life, I have spent a few Christmas's away from family on my own and I realize that the sound of her voice and the depth of her belief in this holiday as she knows it is really something to treasure.  I feel so completely thankful to be back in her presence one more Christmas Holiday and look forward to her story as we are sent off to bed... (or Santa won't come...according to my mother).

something a little new

With Thanksgiving over and the pies all baked I thought I would try a little something new and fun at the store... something a little christmas-ie.  I found a recipe for cinnamon pecan shortbread and thought I would give it a go this morning.  Now, I figured it would be a bit of a chance to try to sell them at The Sea Store, shortbread in a fancy wrapper is not really the style of most customers there. They like the classics:  chocolate chip cookies, whoopie pies, chocolate cake, you know, the comfort foods.  

However, I am coming to realize there are a few out there that would enjoy a treat such as these and I think it is due time to say thank you to my number one fan at The Sea Store - Mrs. Warren, who, as if on cue, was at the store when I brought the shortbread in this evening and bought the first bag.  Thank you Mrs. Warren for all the support and advice.

Finn Biscuits

As you all know, and we are now WELL aware, we have a new pupster, Finn.  We are beginning to feel as though we were possibly not told the true age of our adorable new addition.  He has much more puppy in him than we first thought...so I have spent the afternoon making "Finn Biscuits" for "training." 

Man, does this guy have energy!

After a bit of research and Dave Mac's one qualification of no grain, I found a recipe that included:

          oats, peanut butter, 

potato flour, oil, vanilla
  ....and one squirrel cookie cutter
Finn waited very (using the word loosely) patiently at the edge of the kitchen
for the final product.

After an initial taste test by Finn, I put them into a basket with a sign and sent them to the Sea Store... they were quite a hit...a hit for the human customers that is, who couldn't resist tasting the biscuits themselves.  Next time, a bigger sign that says "FOR YOUR DOG"...if there is a next time. :)

(i do hope those that those that sampled the Finn Biscuits enjoyed!)

now introducing....FINN

Have you ever attempted to hold a laptop, angle it the right way, and snap a photo of a dog and it's owners before? No? Well, these are the results.  Two really stupid looking owners and one very confused dog.  We brought ol' Finn home last night for a sleep over and have fallen madly in love with this mixed-breed-albino-freckled pupster.  He is an absolute doll!  So, as you might guess...I am off to make home made biscuits for our new found friend (well, after thanksgiving that is, I have quite the load of pies on my hands!)  Wish us luck!

tis the season!

For apple pie!  

Mom walked into the cottage the other afternoon while I was baking apple pies and said whatever it was that was in the oven reminded her of her grandmothers house when she was a little girl...and to tell you the truth, I found a little bit of joy in that.  It smelled cozy and organic inside that little cottage while it was brisk and windy outside and I was really glad that there was someone to share that particular moment with, someone that would appreciate it as much as I, especially my mother.  If anyone far away from family is wanting a nostalgic moment, I would highly recommend making a simple pie dough, tossing some apples with cinnamon and sugar, baking it up, then sit down with a cup of hot chocolate, your favorite book, and enjoy the fabulous aroma escaping from your oven!

chocolate cake with the real-deal classic buttercream

let them eat....granola

I have a 50# bag of oats staring at me every morning when I wake up...and that same 50# bag of oats sees me off to bed every night.  Dave Mac finally looked at me and asked "can we get rid of the bag if you are not going to do anything with it?"  Note taken.  With oatmeal raisin cookies bombing at the store, I wondered how the customers of The Sea Store would take to oats, almonds, honey, and nothing more.  Dave and I love this recipe, actually, we more than just love it.  It is easy for us to consume a pound in one sitting, and when my father stopped by while it was cooling on the stove and tried a bite, then two, then three, and left with a half pound, I thought, hey, I just might have something here.  As soon as it was cool enough to break up, I bagged it and brought it directly to to the store along with a bowl full of samples.  

The next morning I noticed all the bags I had stocked the night before were gone and replenished with more...if the granola is a hit, I must say, there is hope for healthy treats at The Sea Store!!