Baguettes: DO try this at home.
May 2nd, 2008 by PJ Hamel
Baguettes. Crusty, golden… unattainable-except-from-an-artisan-bakery baguettes.
Not so. And we’re here to prove it to you. Read the rest of this entry »
Roasting garlic: more than one way to get a head.
May 1st, 2008 by Susan Reid
I’ve done my time running the show behind the swinging doors of high-end restaurants, where there’s something I call the “first dish” phenomenon. They’re the menu items that sell themselves once they go out on the floor: the sight and smell of the first plate creates an “I’ll have what they’re having” cascade. You know from experience that once the first order leaves the kitchen, there will be a dozen more tickets for the same item coming within the next 15 minutes. Picture the perfect head of warm roasted garlic, scented with lemon and rosemary, with crusty bread to smear it on, the right soft sheep’s milk cheese to put on top, and fresh, lightly cured and slightly sweet green olives to go with. Read the rest of this entry »
We break for biscotti.
April 30th, 2008 by PJ Hamel
Biscotti are one of the simplest, most versatile cookies you can possibly bake. Butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and baking powder come together in a simple dough that can be flavored to taste (vanilla, almond, anise, orange, maple… pineapple! banana!). Or enhanced with impunity (aside from any possible fallout related to your waistline): chocolate chips, pecans, cinnamon bits, chopped ginger, diced apricots… In short, biscotti are Everyman’s Cookie. Read the rest of this entry »
Baltimore’s finest.
April 28th, 2008 by PJ Hamel 
Have you seen the latest Saveur magazine? Gotta love it. It’s packed with gorgeous photos; I mean, total eye candy. The writing’s fine; the subjects are compelling, both to foodies and travelers; and the writing is calm and friendly. Read the rest of this entry »
Blueberry crisp: it SHOULD have been a piece of cake…
April 24th, 2008 by PJ Hamel
Ah, blueberry crisp: ideal for Mother’s Day. A simple recipe anyone can make. No rolling dough, no scary knife work, no fancy techniques. Just 1) mix, 2) pour, and 3) bake. Or so I thought. Read the rest of this entry »
Chocolate Roll: a sneak peek at Summer
April 22nd, 2008 by Susan Reid
We can see the finish line for the snow in my neighborhood, and the first fresh hints of green are peeking out on the hillsides. If you’re lucky and from New England, you can travel south to remind yourself that warmer temperatures are not too far away. I was lucky enough to spend 3 days in New Orleans last week, and lo and behold, I seem to have brought the weather back with me. I also do a lot of my traveling to summer climes by researching recipes for the Summer issue of The Baking Sheet. Read the rest of this entry »
Cinnamon bread in a hurry: a loaf born of panic.
April 22nd, 2008 by PJ Hamel 
A blog reader, Sue, posted this comment yesterday. And it sent me running for the kitchen: literally.
“Now a question for you, something I’ve tried to have answered a couple of times before - the recipe for Easy Cinnamon Bread posted on the KA Flour website calls for an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2” pan which I found is too small; a 9 x 5” pan is perfect. I keep checking back to see if the pan size has been changed……..not so far!! Love the Bakers’ Banter and, of course, the great recipes. THANKS!” Read the rest of this entry »
Ima fanna banana bread.
April 21st, 2008 by PJ Hamel
Bananas on oatmeal. The banana split. Banana Turkish Taffy (remember that?). Banana cream pie. Heck, mashed bananas right out of the Gerber’s baby food jar… Is there an American alive today who didn’t encounter the ubiquitous banana numerous times during childhood? But never mind childhood: the banana is the most popular fruit in America today. Pretty amazing, for a fruit that’s commercially grown in only a single American state: Hawaii. Read the rest of this entry »
Blueberry muffins: Back to basics.
April 18th, 2008 by PJ Hamel
Home ec. Remember it? If so, you’re probably in at least your mid-30s, or maybe even a bit older. For those of you young enough to be scratching your head in confusion, home economics (“home ec.”) was what girls took in junior high (er, middle school) while the boys were taking shop. (And if anyone knows the official name for “shop,” illuminate me, please!) Read the rest of this entry »
Behind The Scenes: Life Skills Bread Baking Program
April 16th, 2008 by Tom Payne
Every school year King Arthur Flour goes out into the community teaching and inspiring children to bake. Our Life Skills Bread Baking program, aimed at middle-school aged children, provides the tools, tips and techniques needed for successful scratch bread-baking. And we even throw in the flour and yeast! Read the rest of this entry »
