Fried dough.

Two simple, straightforward words.

Fried. Dough.

Yet what a wonderful metamorphosis takes place when a simple flour/butter/water dough hits a scant 1/2″ of hot oil.

POP goes the dough, coming suddenly to life as air, trapped inside, expands to create big bubbles.

And what was formerly a soft, pale round of dough becomes golden brown and snapping crisp, the tasty essence of why we love doughnuts and french fries.

It’s all about that crisp deep-fried crust and flavor – even though 3/8″ of peanut oil could scarcely qualify as “deep” frying.

Have you resisted churros, beignets, and other deep-fried treats because you hate the thought of a gallon of hot oil bubbling on the stovetop, covering you and everything within reach with a rich patina of eau de doughnut?

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Nothing beats the simple pleasure of a soft, nicely spicy molasses cookie with a glass of cold milk.

Or a cup of hot coffee.

Or a tall, icy pitcher of fresh-made lemonade.

Lemonade? Get outta town!

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The first time I tried re-creating a Chicago culinary icon outside the limits of the Windy City, I went into the process blind.

A lamb led to the slaughter, as it were.

Chicago-Style deep-dish pizza – how tough could it be?

As it turned out, it wasn’t the pizza that was tough – it was the Chicagoland readers, who were, shall we say, vociferous in pointing out the multiple errors of my ways; mainly, the addition of cornmeal to the crust. Here’s an example of one of the Chicago-style pizza blog comments:

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Who are all those happy bakers? Well, you might recognize the lady in the middle, our friend Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia fame (if you don’t recognize her, you clearly aren’t watching enough PBS!). A visit with Mary Ann was one of the highlights of this year’s Blog & Bake, our second-annual gathering of food bloggers for a three-day immersion in baking with us here in Norwich. (I’ll tell you more about everyone else in a minute!)

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Who’s that behind those Foster Grants?

Er, I don’t really know, but I definitely want to know who is behind that Bananas Foster-style shortcake!

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Move over hot fudge and butterscotch, we’re breaking the rules and giving you a run for your money. Sprinkles and whipped cream need not apply.

You must dare to try this unlikely combination of sweet and savory: a delicate drizzle of dark, tangy balsamic reduction with sweet, ripe, local strawberries mellowed by the cool, creamy, rich constant of vanilla ice cream and just the right jump from a few cracks of black pepper.

My instructor in culinary school called this concoction Heaven and Hell, and if I remember correctly, my classmates and I were all a little hesitant to try it.

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Fast. Easy.

I feel like I’ve typed those words about a million times lately. I think there’s a certain percentage of the baking population who cares more about “fast and easy” than just about any other recipe characteristic.

And you know what? That’s OK. While I wouldn’t want to limit my baking to only dishes using simple ingredients and techniques – and with a preparation time of less than 30 minutes – there are times when going that route sounds extremely compelling.

Like now, when the temperature is climbing into the 80s, and the lawn needs mowing, but oh, how I’d like to be out on the deck, cold drink in one hand, crime mystery in the other…

Which is why I’m SO glad I made up a large bowl of gazpacho first thing this morning.

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Sourdough bread.

For many, it’s the Mt. Everest of bread baking.

If you can “conquer” sourdough, there’s nothing you can’t do, bread-wise.

Not surprisingly, many new bread bakers want to jump right in and begin with sourdough. After all, it’s so distinctive; so delicious; so… well, trendy.

But tackling sourdough bread your first time out of the gate is like nosing into traffic on the Indianapolis 500 speedway when you’ve just gotten your learner’s permit.

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Sliders.

No, not those kids enjoying a fast ride on the playground equipment.

Nor the guys (and gals) heading towards home plate with the relay from left field right behind them. (Or, to stay in the same ballpark, a particularly tricky breaking pitch.)

I’m talking sliders, as in White Castle, as in small burgers on mini buns that you can eat two or three of at a time without feeling a bit of guilt.

Well, maybe just the tiniest bit of guilt… but hey, how can something this small (and oh-so-cute) possibly have many calories, right?

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Do we have the best job in the world here at King Arthur Flour, or what?

One of our recent group projects was to bake and taste biscuits made with our new King Arthur Enriched Unbleached Self-Rising Flour.

Taste biscuits, huh? It’s a tough job… or, in this case, a delightfully tender job!

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