Brooklyn is calling me back...

My thoughts this week are influenced by my experience in NYC last week. Donuts have been on my mind since I had my last meal at Peter Pan Donuts in Brooklyn. I don't like to deep fry food so my compromise is to make a muffin that tastes like a donut. Filled with my homemade Strawberry Jam, it becomes a Jelly Donut Muffin.

While driving around Brooklyn, familiarizing myself with the names of various neighborhoods, Rob took me to a hole in the wall for my first Bahn Mi Sandwich. I've been anxious to eat one from an authentic place since I first heard of them a few years ago. It was absolutely delicious!! A French baguette roll is split & toasted, then filled with mayo, cuke, cilantro (yuck), several meats & a carrot daikon slaw. This slaw is very easy to make, stores in the refrigerator, and can be used on sandwiches or in place of coleslaw or sauerkraut.

Daikon Radish and Carrot Pickle

Makes about 3 cups

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
1 pound daikons, each no larger than 2 inches in diameter, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons plus 1/2 cup sugar
1  1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup lukewarm water

1. Place the carrot and daikons in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt and 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Use your hands to knead the vegetables for about 3 minutes, expelling the water from them. They will soften and liquid will pool at the bottom of the bowl. Stop kneading when you can bend a piece of daikon so that the ends touch but the daikon does not break. The vegetables should have lost about one-fourth of their volume. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water, then press gently to expel extra water. Return the vegetables to the bowl if you plan to eat them soon, or transfer them to a 1-quart jar for longer storage.

2. To make the brine, in a bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, the vinegar, and the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the vegetables. The brine should cover the vegetables. Let the vegetables marinate in the brine for at least 1 hour before eating. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Recipe from: Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors

On the coldest night of the week I joined my daughter Abby to see the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of "Into The Woods". As a subscriber her seats, as well as the show, were terrific! During elementary school Abby was friends with Gena Feist, whose parents founded the Roundabout. Life was simpler back then. The girls would bake brownies at home to sell during intermission to the theatre goers. Abby remembers bringing Vincent Price tea in his dressing room. I think this kind of thing only happens when you live in New York City and I'm ready to go home again. When the show was over she arranged for an Uber car to pick us up & take us home, avoiding frostbite. Are you listening Bradenton? Good public transportation is a must for a thriving community. And having smart kids are a real blessing ;-)

While in Woodstock we were lucky enough to stop into David Leader's Bread Alone shop. I've been baking his recipes for years, including the Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread that sells out instantly whenever I make it. This is his Cranberry Pecan Loaf, which I hope to replicate sometime soon. It was outstanding!

Before I left Bradenton Mike & I shared the final crop of broccoli side shoots from our Earth Boxes. I could happily live on a diet of baked potato, broccoli & cheese. The taste difference between just picked broccoli and store bought is HUGE. I doubt I'll be able to grow broccoli when I move back to NYC, so it's a bittersweet farewell for me. 

Made from the "Artisan Bread in 5" dough

Come to the Village of the Arts this Saturday between 11-4 for our annual Studio Tour when you can see the artists demonstrating how they create their work. I'll be making bread & pizza using the dough from "Artisan Bread in 5". You mix up a dough by hand for 2 minutes (no machines needed) and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, during which it can easily be turned into bread or pizza. Free recipe and tasting samples will be available. Demos start at 11:30, 1:00 and 2:30 at the TreeHouse kitchen.

Meanwhile, here's what's coming out of my oven this week.

THIS WEEK'S MENU     Pick-up   Fri  Feb 20   1-5 pm

JELLY DONUT MUFFIN     $1.50

A regular sized muffin filled with homemade Strawberry Jam, painted with melted butter and rolled in sugar. 

THE BIG COOKIE    $1.50

Each individually wrapped in the following flavors:  Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, Orange Walnut Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, Pecan Coconut Belgium Milk Chocolate.  

BROOKLYN KNISH  POTATO OR SPINACH    $ 3.50

This quintessential street food of New York City can be eaten right out of hand. A thin pastry encloses your choice of filling:  potato/onion or spinach/potato/onion. Always baked, never fried! Very filling; it served as an entire meal for my family members in the early 1900's.

CHOCOLATE ORGASM COOKIES     $5/pkg

My legendary chocolate delivery system made from melted Belgium Bittersweet chocolate, toasted fresh almonds, chocolate chips & very little flour. Sold in packages of 4 because you must have more than one.

JEWISH COFFEE CAKE  $3/slice

Sitting down to a cup of tea or coffee and a satisfying chunk of cake is a Jewish tradition. In many places around the world this Coffee Cake, filled with chocolate, walnuts & cinnamon, is what you'll be offered if you're lucky.

A TALE OF 2 BUNS:  BACON or  CHEESE    $1.50

Each starts with a soft rounded bun baked with something inside.  BACON has sauteed onions & crisp bacon inside. CHEESE has melted Havarti inside. To make a quick satisfying meal split the bun, fill with a fried egg & cheese then grill like a panini...delish!

Grilled Bacon Bun split & filled with a fried egg & cheese

WHOLE WHEAT RAISIN WALNUT LOAF   $5/loaf  

Whenever I went shopping with my Mom in Manhattan, we'd have lunch at "Chock Full 'O Nuts", devouring their Cream Cheese Nut sandwiches. This is my version of that bread, just add a schmear. This loaf is NOT sweet & DOESN'T CONTAIN CINNAMON.

JAM or CHUTNEY  $4/jar

Today I made a batch of Just Strawberry Jam using the luscious berries grown just a few miles from here. They join the other three flavors currently available:  Mango Chutney, Ginger Pear Chutney & Mango Meyer Lemon Jam.

No artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or fake stuff EVER!!

ORDER BY 5pm WEDNESDAY

all items in limited supply... first come, first served

PICK UP FRIDAY 1-5 pm at Bonni's Treehouse

in the Village of the Arts

   932 12th Street West 

(down the driveway thru the white wrought iron gate) 

TO PLACE AN ORDER 

email bonnibakes@gmail.com  

  
or call me at (941) 746-6647 

   PAY BY CASH OR LOCAL CHECK TO BONNI BROWN  

 Hugs from my kitchen,
Bonni