Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Feb 13

Semlor, a Swedish Bakery Classic || Portland, Oregon

Semlor are a Swedish bakery classic, unique to the Easter season.  What exactly is inside this dreamy puff of goodness, you ask?  A semla is a golden cardamom bun that has been hollowed out, filled with almond paste and whipped cream, topped with its own hat and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Rolling the dough between my palms and watching them turn golden in the oven, I was instantly transported to my grandmother Elsa’s home in Sweden; remembering how she made these for me and my brothers when we visited her in the springtime.  After my grandfather died, she moved away from the beloved farm into a small house near the coast.  She brought familiarity into this new space with the food she made.  These little buns remind me that there is continuity and love in the traditions we bring to the table.

Ingredients for 14 Semlor:
- 1 cup milk
- 7 T melted butter
- 1 packet of yeast
- 1/4 t salt
- 3 T sugar
- 1/2 t cardamom
- 1 egg
- 3 2/3 cups flour

Glaze:
- 1 egg

Filling:
- 200g (one package of Odense) almond paste
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 T sugar
- 1 t vanilla
- powdered sugar

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the milk. The mixture should be lukewarm, but not hot. Sprinkle the yeast in the bottom of a big bowl and pour the lukewarm butter & milk mixture over it, stirring. Sprinkle a bit of sugar in to help activate the yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients (salt through flour), working it into a dough ball. Cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rise for 15 minutes.

3. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Break the dough into 2 evenly sized pieces. Shape each into about 7 smaller dough balls, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cover the buns with the same clean towel you used earlier and let them rise for 20 minutes.

4. Glaze the buns with an egg wash before baking: whisk an egg in a small bowl and dip the top of each bun into the egg mixture. Place them back (eggy side up) on the parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, and let them cool.

5. Mix your almond paste together with the milk to make a creamy paste. Make some whipped cream by blending together the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together under high speed with a mixer.

6. To assemble the semlor, cut a little “hat” off the top of each bun. Scoop out the inside of the bun with a fork (taste test!). Fill the hole you’ve created with a bit of the almond paste, and then top with whipped cream.  Place the hat back on, and sift some powdered sugar on top. Enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Recipe adapted from Johanna Kindvall’s Kokblog.



Posted in Food, Personal, Portland
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Feb 11

Sun Dried Tomato, Chèvre, & Basil Baguette Snacks

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  I spent time with friends, family, and made these baguette snacks twice. Great people & delicious food: weekend success! Technically these tomatoes are oven dried, but you can easily imagine they’d spent a few weeks sunbathing in Italy; they’re that sweet.  These would make a great Valentine’s Day appetizer if you’re cooking at home with your love.  Here’s what you’ll need:

- Parchment paper or foil
- A bunch of roma tomatoes
- Sea salt & pepper
- Olive oil
- One baguette
- Fresh basil leaves
- Chèvre

1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice your tomatoes in half and place them on your baking sheet.
2. Sprinkle your tomatoes with olive oil & sea salt. Bake in the oven for 3.5+ hours until they look sufficiently dried. Baking time will depend on the size of your tomatoes. They should look crinkly!
3. Take the tomatoes out of the oven when they’re ready. Start slicing your crusty baguette into slices diagonally. Crusty, such a good word.
4. Spread your baguette slices with chèvre.  Top with one basil leaf and one sun dried tomato. Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with a final touch of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  Enjoy!



Posted in Food
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Sep 17

A Weekend Getaway in Seattle

Zac and I drove up to Seattle on Friday so we could be there for Tom & Alex’s wedding on Saturday.  Temperatures were in the mid-70′s, and the sun was shining, and everyone seemed to be in a weekend kind of mood.  What  a gorgeous city!  I had consulted Design Sponge’s Seattle Design Guide on the car ride up, and it gave me some great ideas for places to visit.  Once we checked in to our hotel downtown, we started walking toward Pike’s Place Market.  There were so many dahlias and the biggest lobster tails we’d ever seen.

Just when we decided to start heading toward dinner, we walked past Cupcake Royale.  It was fate.  We went for dessert before dinner and shared a carrot ginger cupcake.

With 15 minutes left until our dinner reservation, we booked it up Pike Street toward Sitka & Spruce.  I saw quite a few people in Seattle with bionic calf muscles and decided it must be because of all their hills.  Sitka & Spruce is a beautiful, airy restaurant inside the Melrose Market.  I first discovered it when Amy & I stopped in Seattle for lunch last month on our way to Vancouver, B.C.  When I saw its open kitchen area, exposed brick walls, and tall windows, I knew I’d have to make a trip back (it reminded me a little bit of Oxheart).  Our meal was delicious.  On the walk back to the hotel, we stopped at an arcade and played motorcycle racing, car racing, horse racing, and Dance Dance revolution.

On Saturday morning, we went for a run to the Space Needle and through the Olympic Structure Garden (I’m up to 4/15 runs for my September goals… time to get crackin’).  After we showered and got dressed, we realized that uh-oh… we’d both packed matching outfits for the day.

Before heading to the wedding, we drove to Ballard to explore.  Ballard is a cute neighborhood with wild hills.  Those crazy calf people must all be from Ballard.  We had a light lunch at Bitterroot, peeked inside a charming children’s toy store called Clover, and found a darling fabric store called Drygoods Design that I could have spent a very long time inside.  Our last stop on the way toward Redmond was the Theo Chocolate factory (try the lemon truffle!).

The best part of our trip was seeing Alex & Tom get married.  Their wedding was absolutely beautiful and straight from a storybook.  The community, love, and support that radiates from the celebration of two people creating a new family together is incredible.  It was so special to be there and witness this, especially with Zac next to me.  Hearing other people say their vows reminds me of our own, and it’s always good to be brought back to the core of what matters.



Posted in Food, Out & About, Personal, Travel
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Sep 12

A Little Picnic

The September picnic I wrote about?  It happened!  Yesterday Zac and I rode our bikes to a grassy spot near our house, laid out a blanket, and unpacked this bounty.  Here’s what was on the menu:

1. Brie & salami baguettes inspired by the sandwich I had at Finch’s in Vancouver, BC last month

2. Figs

3. Strawberries & blueberries

4. Heirloom tomatoes with basil, olive oil, salt & pepper

4. Spinach & cucumber salad with balsamic vinegar & pine nuts

5. Chocolate!

6. Rosé

Having a picnic was a great way for us to slow down and connect with each other during the work week when things usually feel rushed.   We stayed until the sun went down and it was dark and chilly outside.  When we got home, we watched an awful movie about piranha attacks.  Romance at its finest!

 



Posted in Food, Personal
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Sep 2

September Goals!

Happy September!  Even though it sounds autumn-ish, I’m determined to squeeze every last drop out of summer and the warm days we still have ahead.  That means I’m going strong with dinners outside, bike adventures, flip flops, and berries.  Lots of berries.

To start off the month, I second shot for Aaron Courter at Bridal Veil Lakes.  It was a dream to shoot there and I’m so excited to show you some photographs: kind couple, heartfelt wedding, gorgeous Oregon scenery.

This month is going to be a good one, friends.  In a few weeks, Zac and I will be traveling to New York to see Kelly, Timm, and our new little niece, Evelyn.  I am sincerely trying to restrain myself from using a hundred exclamation marks, I just cannot wait!

Fresh months full of possibility are the best.  What you are working toward in your life right now?  Here are my September goals:

- Photograph my newly renovated home studio & blog it. Zac and I spent a good portion of May getting this room finished, and I feel so lucky that I get to work in this space.  Now I need to get a few pieces of artwork and a mirror up on the walls to pull the room together and make it feel finished.  I don’t want to rush the artwork part, but I fear that if I wait any longer, the walls will remain empty.

- Finish reading Quitter by Jon Acuff and start a new book.  Reading makes me feel inspired, and it’s such a good way to slow down, and learn.  When I used to ride the bus to work, I would read (and knit) like crazy.  Now?  Not so much.  I am going to change this!

- Log 15 runs.  After training for 18 weeks and completing a marathon in June, I gave myself some time off to recover.  2+ months later, my body and mind are ready to get back into it again.  The truth is, I am my best self when I run.  I am taking care of myself when I run.  Rap music, tights, and trails, let’s make it happen.

- Have a picnic.  I’m dreaming of a flaky baguette, salami, brie, a blanket on soft grass, sparkly water, and Zachary next to me.

- Make a giant blackberry crisp!

 



Posted in Business, Food, Personal
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