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Something Classic
1323 Central Avenue
Charlotte, North Carolina 28205
phone: 704.377.4202
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Daily Morsel
I grew up in the small town of Davidson where everyone knows everyone, everyone leaves their doors open and people still say hello when they pass. My parents no longer live in their house, but still rent out the house that has many fond memories for me. On my last visit, my neighbor Minerva had these beautiful hibiscus-like  trees with hundreds of pink and white blooms all over her yard. As my gardening passion has gotten the best of me in the past few years . . . I had to find out what these blooming beauties were . . . I was coveting them for my own garden! In truth, along my travels, I pick off blossoms, seeds and branches from nurseries, families' and friends yards, botanical gardens and other places I really shouldn't. So, I was thrilled when she told me that she would cut off some stalks and give them to me!
I would have to put them in water through the winter and plant them in spring after the last frost. In fact, this particular tree, the Confederate Rose has a long history. It was brought to Europe in 1690 from China and made its way to the United States. It became popular in the South during and after the Civil War, as Southerners had little money after the war to spend on landscaping and planted the 10-12 ft trees in their yards and cemeteries to brighten their spirits. The tradition of the tree has one important rule: if someone gives you a cutting, you must share your cuttings with friends and fellow gardeners: therefore, propagating this heirloom beauty to many gardens and keeping its history alive. So, this past week-end, I planted my cuttings and eagerly await their colorful blooms come fall. And, if you come by and have an interest, I will share this precious heirloom with you.
Jill Marcus
Founder, Green Goddess Alliance
President, Something Classic |
Amish Friendship Bread
My grandmother loved this recipe . . . passed to her from her Sister-in law Gretchen. She passed this starter to many friends and neighbors.
Create the Starter: Blend one cup each of warm water and flour into a large glass jar. Adding yeast takes away the authenticity of the starter. Keep the jar in a warm place: 70-80 degrees. Feed your starter every 24 hours: First throw half of it away and add a half cup of flour and a half cup of water. Do this everyday until it starts getting lots of bubbles throughout and gets a pleasant sour/beery smell. . . it may even start to puff up, too. When it gets that bubbly froth . . . you have your starter . . . a secret behind wonderful bread for centuries. This could take three days or up to a week.
Take your starter out of the fridge. Pour it into a large glass or plastic bowl. Meanwhile, wash the jar and dry it. You may also wish to pour boiling water over it, since you don't want other things growing in there with your pet!
Add a cup of warm water and a cup of flour to the bowl. Stir well, and set it in a warm place for several hours. This is called "proofing," another word for fermenting. Sourdough bakers have their own language; use it to impress your friends.
Watch for Froth and Sniff. When your sponge is bubbly and has a white froth, and it smells a little sour, it is ready. The longer you let the sponge sit, the more sour the flavor you will get. The proofing-time varies. Some starters can proof up to frothiness in an hour or two. Some take 6-8 hours, or even longer. Just experiment and see how long yours takes. If you're going to bake in the morning, set your sponge out to proof overnight.
The Recipe2 Cups of sponge (proofed starter)
3 Cups of unbleached flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil or softened margarine
4 teaspoons of sugar
First, let's talk about leftover sponge. You should have some. The leftover sponge is your starter for next time: Put it into the jar, and give it a fresh feed of a half-cup each of flour and warm water. Keep it in the fridge as above; you'll have starter again next time.
Now, for the recipe: To the sponge, add the sugar, salt, and oil (the oil is optional - you can use softened butter instead, or no oil at all). Mix well, then knead in the flour a half-cup at a time. Knead in enough flour to make a flexible bread dough. You can do this with an electric mixer, a bread machine on "dough cycle," or a food processor. You can also do it with a big bowl and your bare hands. Keep in mind that flour amounts are approximate; flour varies in absorbency, and your sponge can vary in wetness. Use your judgement; treat it like ordinary white or French bread dough. Trust your hands and eyes more than the recipe, always.
Let the dough rise in a warm place, in a bowl covered loosely with a towel (if you're using a bread machine's dough cycle, let it rise in the machine). Note that sourdough rises more slowly than yeast bread; my starter takes about an hour or so, but some starters take much longer. Let the dough double in bulk, just like yeast-bread dough. When a finger poked into the top of the dough creates a pit that doesn't "heal" (spring back), you've got a risen dough. Punch the dough down and knead it a little more. Make a loaf and place it on a baking sheet (lightly greased or sprinkled with cornmeal). Slit the top if you like, and cover the loaf with a paper towel and place it in a warm place to rise again, until doubled in bulk.
Place the pan with the loaf in your oven, and then turn your oven to 350o and bake the bread for 30-45 minutes. Do not preheat the oven. The loaf is done when the crust is brown and the bottom sounds hollow when thumped with a wooden spoon. Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack or a towel and let it cool for an hour before slicing. Don't forget the most important parts: Slather butter on a slice of warm bread just for yourself and share the starter mix and a loaf with a neighbor. | |
