Hi Everyone,
Have you seen the 2014 Cookbook Calendar put out by the National Milling Company (Guyana Inc)? I received a couple of copies a few weeks ago and have been ticking off which recipes I want to make.
Cookbook-style calendars are nothing new, most supermarkets and companies that produce and sell food and food products put them out annually. These types of publications are not only excellent advertising tools but they also offer inspiration for the home cook. The National Milling Company’s (Namilco) calendar offers a variety of recipes for breads and puddings that are well suited for breakfast, tea and dessert. Each recipe suggests which of their flour products is best suited for that particular baked good.
The photographs are big, bold and colourful. They take over the entire first half of each page of the calendar. With the subjects positioned directly in the middle of the image, your eyes are locked and undivided attention is given to the food in front of you. It draws you in.
The recipes featured by month are the following:
January – Jamaican Patties
February – Chocolate Almond Cake
March – Lasagne
April – Cream Puffs
May – French Country Bread
June – Apple Crumble
July – Australian Damper (traditional Australian soda bread)
August – Guyanese Butterflaps
September – Ginger Parkin Cake
October – Yorkshire Pudding
November – Steamed Jam Pudding
December – Panettone (an Italian Christmas bread)
I have not tested any of the recipes but I have been inspired to bake from the cookbook-calendar. And that is essentially what recipes should do – inspire you to cook/bake. They are guides and you can make your own additions and subtractions to put your twist on it. That’s what I’ve been doing.
The things I ticked off to make are: Apple Crumble, Australian Damper, Yorkshire Pudding, Steamed Jam Pudding and Panettone. Some of these things I’ve made before so I just took inspiration to set about baking.
Apple crumble is always such an easy dessert to make and putting oats into the crumble gives a nice texture. I noticed the recipe in the calendar has in coconut in the crumble mix. Oh yum! I didn’t add coconut in
mine but will certainly do so the next time.
The American answer to Yorkshire Pudding is Popovers, so I would say that I made Popovers instead of Yorkshire Pudding (which is traditionally one giant pudding). I like my Purnovers flavoured so I made mine with sharp cheddar cheese and herbs. These were gone in no time.
I like rustic breads that do not need proofing, just good ole kneading. Sure they taste different but that’s what makes them so attractive. When I make the Australian Damper bread this weekend, I am putting anise seeds into my dough mix. I am also toying with the idea of making two breads and putting fresh coconut and some cinnamon or cardamom into the mix. See what I mean by inspired baking?
The steamed Jam Pudding, when I make mine, I will do so with guava jam and another set with Seville orange marmalade.
The Panettone is definitely gracing my holiday table this year. I’m putting in more fruits such as dried cranberries and chopped apricots. And best of all, I am soaking the fruits with some good rum! There are many recipes for making Panettone, some require yeast and others baking soda. Some are made with a starter (a pre-fermenting of flour and yeast) and others are not. Me, I plan to do my own thing. I know that I am definitely not making mine with a starter but may add some additional whole eggs or egg yolks for added moisture and texture. Will be sure to let you know how it turns out.
The holidays are coming so if you are looking for baking inspiration, I would recommend that you get yourself a copy of the Namilco cookbook-calendar, that is, if you don’t already have a copy. They are free and here’s how you can get a copy.
Get in touch with Namilco via Facebook at: www.facebook.com/namilco or email Michelle Major at [email protected] or at [email protected] You might prefer calling, you can reach Michelle at 592-233-2463 and arrangements can be made for delivery.
I’m off to make my Damper Bread.
Cynthia
Cheese-Herb Popovers
Yield: 12
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine (table) salt
3 eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups warm whole milk (120 degrees F)
1 ¼ cups finely grated cheddar cheese
2 whole scallions/green onions thinly sliced (white & green parts)
EQUIPMENT
1 x 12-cup standard-size muffin pan
1 baking sheet lined with aluminum foil
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2, Pour 1 teaspoon oil into each cup of a standard-size 12-cup muffin pan set aside.
3. Mix together flour and salt.
4. Add the egg and milk to the flour and mix until just combined and smooth; do not over mix.
5. Fold in the cheese and green onions.
6. Place the muffin pan on top of the lined baking sheet and heat in the oven for 5 – 6 minutes.
7. Carefully remove the heated pans from the oven and pour the batter into the muffin tin.
8. Bake for 26 – 28 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
9. Serve immediately.
NOTES
● Over-mixing the batter will cause too much of gluten in the flour to develop so do not over mix.
● Other chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary and marjoram can be used to flavour turnovers.
● The turnovers will deflate shortly after coming out of the oven so serve them immediately.
● Feel free to reserve some of the cheese and herbs to top the batter just before adding the pan back to the oven.
