Carrot Ginger Soup with Zucchini Cheddar Bread

 The first week of September has been hot, like August. Stella's customers aren't sure whether to order hot coffee or iced coffee. Everyone knows this weather cannot last, and are reluctant to let the summer go, but the calendar says fall is just around the corner, and beyond that, winter. The school kids are eager to wear their new school clothes but fuzzy sweaters, crisp blue jeans, and the latest boot styles will have to wait a bit longer in the closets around town. Stella's daughters, Zoe and Kendra are still wearing their summer dresses, shorts and skirts to school, along with their friends and classmates.

Stella knows from experience that even though the weather says 'salads and cold sandwiches', the human subconscious, especially in Canada, begins to turn naturally to comfort food as soon as the routines of fall resume. Although the thermometer outside will climb to 30 degrees this afternoon, many of her customers, particularly the elderly couple who come for lunch most Fridays, will be after soup with a side of warm bread.

So, this morning, Stella is making a pot of her famous Carrot Ginger Soup. Today's special will be the soup with a generous slice of Zucchini Cheddar bread. When it is time for her break, however, she'll be having a salad.

Carrot Ginger Soup - adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook 
serves 4-5

Bring to a boil:

2 lbs total of  a mixture of mostly carrots with either sweet potato or butternut squash, peeled and chopped
4 cups stock (or hot water with vegetable broth cubes added)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes. Let cool a bit.

Saute in 3-4 Tbps. butter (or coconut oil) with a little salt, until onions are clear and tender:

1 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1/3 cup chopped cashews or almonds
1 Tbsp grated ginger root - added just before the onions are finished cooking

Puree everything together in a blender until smooth, in batches if necessary. Return the puree to the pot and whisk in one of the following:

1/4 cup of either: coconut milk, yogurt and a tsp honey, or milk

Reheat soup gently, stirring often

Zucchini Cheddar Bread - from Joy of Cooking 

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl:
     3 cups all purpose flour (or half and half whole wheat like we have done here)
     4 teaspoons baking powder
     1 teaspoon salt
     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Add and toss to separate and coat with flour:
     1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini 
     3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
     3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
     1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill, or 2 tablespoons dried
Whisk together in another bowl:
     2 large eggs
     1 cup buttermilk
     4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) warm melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
Add to the flour mixture and mix with a few light strokes just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; the batter should not be smooth. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.
     

Back to school Blondies

The end of summer is near, and today, the clouds are rolling in. Stella looks at the clock: 1:00 pm. In the summer months, baking in the heat of the afternoon was done only when necessary, but now as the weather is quickly turning more autumnal, a fresh warm batch of baking can be seen with increasing regularity on the counter after lunch.

School is starting up in a few days for Stella's girls, and they have, if the truth be told, very mixed feelings about returning to the school routine. "Mommy," Kendra had asked wistfully this morning, "remember, how you always make us Walnut Blondies in the fall?" Stella decides to make a batch of the rich, buttery squares covered in a thin layer of white chocolate and sprinkled with walnuts, in an effort to cheer everyone up, including those parents and children that come in for a break from back-to-school shopping. Saying goodbye to the carefree, happy days of summer seems bittersweet, but as ever, the march of the seasons waits for no one.

Stella thinks about what soups to offer for tomorrow's menu. Soup, always her biggest seller, is the best way to warm a day with a fall nip in the air. She decides Carrot Ginger soup, and Corn Chowder will fit the bill with the freshest in-season ingredients. Stay tuned!

Walnut Blondies  - adapted by Emma from The Hawthorn Series 'simply delicious slices'
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped almonds (or pecans)

Icing
150 grams white chocolate, chopped (I used 200 grams for a thicker layer of chocolate)
1/4 cup cream (or milk)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 8 x 8 inch pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving the paper hanging over the sides.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cream the sugars, butter and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. ( an electric mixer works best) Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour with a large metal spoon and gently stir in the walnuts. Spread the mixture into the tin.

3. Bake for 30 minutes till golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

4. To make the icing, place the chocolate and cream in a small bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, cool slightly then spread over the cooled blondies. Sprinkle with walnuts and you're done!

Writing by Emma and Rebecca, photos by Emma. Happy Labour Day Weekend, friends!

Garden Harvest Pasta Salad

The harvest has reached its peak in Kevin's garden, and he has been sharing his bounty with his friends and neighbours. Stella always gets first pick of the crop, however, after Kevin himself, so this morning, he brings in purple beans, vidalia onions, some early cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, chives, basil, Italian parsley, romaine lettuces and nasturtium flowers at her request. Stella has her trademark pasta salad in mind for today's lunch special, and will serve it on a bed of romaine lettuce with a triangle of delicious chewy foccacia bread created by the wonderful baker down the road.

One of her regular lunch customers, James the bookseller next door, pokes his head in the door. "What's for lunch today, Stella?" he asks, sniffing the air for some hint of what is cooking in the kitchen. When she answers him, he asks, "With or without sausage?"

"Optional!" Stella calls out from the kitchen.

"Then, with!" he calls back. "See you at noon, then."

Stella brings a large pot of water to the boil. She adds a tablespoon of salt and adds two 750 gram packages of cheese-filled fresh tortellini pasta.  She brings it to the boil again and then lowers the heat to a gentle boil, stirring all the time. She cooks the pasta until it is firm yet tender, about six minutes, then drains the pot into an extra large colander. She gently shakes the colander up and down to make sure all the water is drained from the pasta and then pours it all back into the empty pot. She mixes in a few heaping tablespoons of pesto Genovese* to coat the pasta while it cools and to keep it from sticking together. After letting it cool a little more, she pours the pasta into a large bowl to cool completely.

Assistant cook Savannah washes all the veggies thoroughly, and then cuts the purple beans into bite sized pieces. She halves the cherry tomatoes, dices the cucumber and vidalia onion, and chops the basil and parsley, and cuts the bunch of chives into short pieces with scissors. She grates a few carrots and after plunging the romaine leaves into a deep sink of cold water, she tears them into smaller pieces and puts them in the salad spinner to dry. She tells Stella that she thinks some slightly bitter endive would be a nice addition, but Kevin hasn't brought any today. Stella says the nasturtium flowers will add a peppery kick instead.

While Savannah is preparing the veggies, Stella makes the Creamy Garlic salad dressing. When all the salad ingredients are prepared, Stella mixes everything except the nasturtium flowers and the romaine lettuce together. After putting aside a bowl full for younger daughter Kendra who does not like salad dressing and will be coming down to eat her lunch shortly, she adds the dressing, tastes the mixture and deems it worthy of the lunch crowd. She'll dice some locally made farmers sausage and offer it as an optional addition and some added protein.

At 12:00 sharp, Savannah is slicing the foccacia bread into triangles when James walks in looking quite cheerful. Despite the warm late summer day, he is in his trademark woolen vest and shirtsleeves. A little gaunt looking and on the deeper end of his fifties, James sits at his favourite table by the bay window. When Stella brings him his salad (with some diced sausage added) on a bed of romaine leaves and garnished with a couple of bright and cheery nasturtiums, James eyes it with satisfaction. "You're looking sprightly this morning, James," she says.

"I finally sold that set of Haig-Brown first editions," he says, with something resembling a grin. Then he tells Stella that he will be finishing his meal with a piece of blueberry pie and a pot of Earl Grey tea with a small jug of cream on the side. He tells her he deserves the pie today, especially, as it is his birthday. Stella wonders where she put those candles...

Stella makes this salad for her family often, and she'd like to share the recipe with you in case you ever want to make it, too. The recipe is quite loose, but then, that's what makes it great. It's never the same salad twice.

Garden Harvest Pasta Salad

1 pkg fresh filled pasta of your choice

*A good tablespoon of fresh or jarred pesto (recipe found here)

assorted garden fresh veggies, a few tablespoons each of various herbs, and edible flowers for garnish; amounts depend on preference and availability. Broccoli florets, fresh peas and sweet bell peppers are all great, too.

a link of good quality farmers sausage (optional)

one small head Romaine lettuce or mixed salad greens

Creamy Garlic Dressing to taste (at least half a cup, though - you'll want to taste it!) Recipe follows.

Method: as written above

Creamy Garlic Dressing (adapted from Moosewood Cooks at Home)

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3/4 cup mixed vegetable and olive oils (I do about half and half) ( 177 ml)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (59 ml)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh basil ( or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp salt (5 ml)
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (15 ml)
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper  (2 ml)
                           
1/2 cup milk (118 ml) - any variety will do from skim to creamy

Put the garlic, oil, vinegar, basil, salt, Parmesan, and pepper into a blender and whirl for a couple of seconds. With the blender still running, slowly add the milk, whirling until the dressing is thick and smooth. Covered and refrigerated, this dressing will keep for a week.

This salad tastes best the day it's made, but it will keep for another day quite well if necessary.

A Summer Spritzer

Stella turns up the air conditioner as she wipes the sweat off her forehead. She watches the heat waves rising up off the pavement outside the cafe. A yellow Volkswagen Bug zooms by with ribbons flowing off the back and a big Just Married sign plastered on the rear window. Stella smiles as she remembers her wedding. She then frowns remembering her husband had just flown back to Dubai after a brief visit. The family had spent their 6-day holiday in a small cabin by the ocean. Collecting sea shells on the beach, roasting s'mores over a campfire and falling asleep to the soothing sound of waves breaking on the shore. But Stella has work to do, and her husband is badly needed in the busy holiday months.

The summer heat hits its afternoon peak as the final lunch dishes are cleared off vacant tables.
Customers give a sigh of relief as they step into the cool cafe. Air conditioning is expensive, but much appreciated. They order iced coffees, Italian sodas and a Stella Summer special, Homemade Spritzers. These iced drinks cool and refresh the entire body as they are eagerly gulped down.

The sound of ice tinkling on tall drinking glasses is heard throughout the rest of the afternoon.

Green Tea Cranberry Spritzer - Makes 4
Bring 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Let cool completely
Steep 4 green tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for 2 minutes.
Remove bags. Let cool completely.
Divide tea, 1/2 cup chilled unsweetened cranberry juice, and the simple syrup among 4 ice-filled glasses.
Top with 3 cups chilled seltzer (club soda works great too)

Recipe Credit: Martha Stewart Living Magazine, April 2011 Edition

Writing and photography by Emma.

Pan Bagnat for a Picnic

Yesterday, Stella received a call from a cycling club. Twelve of their members are embarking on a day tour today and have requested pan bagnat 'to go' for their trip. The club will begin their tour in the city where they live, a two hour cycle west, and will  be stopping by en masse to pick up their order before cycling another hour to their lunch stop. Assembling pan bagnat for twelve hungry cyclists gives Stella an idea. Why not add enough ingredients for two more loaves, and then after the shop is closed, she and her two daughters, Zoe and Kendra, as well as employees Kevin and Savannah, if they want to come too, can take a picnic to the beach. It will be a welcome surprise for Zoe, fifteen and Kendra, twelve, who must entertain themselves this afternoon while Stella works downstairs - their theatre camp doesn't start until next week, and their dad won't be home on leave from his year managing the start up of a new hotel in Dubai until the week after that.

This morning, Stella has enlisted her daughters to help with the pan bagnat, which begins with the making of a  good sized batch of freshly made pesto. Zoe is well on her way to becoming a good cook under the watchful eye of her mother, so she can manage the pesto, but she is a bit scatterbrained at times so Kendra is there to make sure she doesn't forget any ingredients. Kevin makes the trip to the local produce market for the freshest ingredients possible, and to the absolute gem of a bakery for the wonderfully aromatic, slightly springy, golden crusted French baguettes. Savannah attends to the customers, while Stella herself pops out of the kitchen to greet them and share a quick word now and again.

Pan bagnat is French for 'bathed bread'. Layers of thinly sliced vegetables, cheeses and other ingredients are layered inside baguettes and then the whole thing is wrapped tightly and pressed under a heavy weight for a few hours. As the pan bagnat is pressed, the flavours of the ingredients saturate the inside of the loaves with briny and delicious flavours, like a 'portable Salade Nicoise.'* By the time the cycling club arrives, the pan bagnat will have been marinating for two hours. Stella wonders how the club is going to transport the long and relatively heavy loaves, but the club's organizer has assured her they have that concern covered.

At 11:30 a.m., twelve neon clad cyclists roll up to Stella's. Looking like a swarm of some sort of tall insect with their bug-eyed sunglasses and ventilated oddly shaped aerodynamic helmets, they prop their bikes against the building and a few of them stand watch over their gear while a few others enter the shop.

"We're here for the pan bagnat,' says their fearless leader, grinning and removing his sunglasses to reveal white patches where the glasses have protected his eyes from the tanning effects of the sun.

Stella and Kevin bring out the six, twenty-four inch loaves, which are promptly paid for. They watch as the loaves are placed next to ice packs and under a large cooler presumably filled with energy bars, fruit and Gatorade, in a covered child carrier - sans child - pulled behind one of the bikes. Stella and Kevin smile at each other as if to say, "Aha! Now we know." The cyclists mount their bikes once more, and waving, set off.

*Recipe for Pan Bagnat from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

1 baguettte or other long thin French bread
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 red Vadalia (purple) onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted and sliced Calamata or other ripe black olives
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients
4 ounces sliced mild provolone or other cheese
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
anchovies to taste
1 cup artichoke hearts, sliced into quarters
1/2 cup pesto- recipe below
herbs, such as basil, marjoram, thyme, oregano

Slice the bread in half lengthwise, nearly all the way through. Open the loaf and spread the garlic on one of the cut sides. Drizzle the olive oil on both sides (and spread with pesto as desired). Layer the tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, and any optional ingredients on one half of the bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Close the loaf and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Weight the full length of the Pan Bagnat with a heavy book (or with a baking tray topped with bricks, a 25 pound weight, a toddler, or whatever you can find) for 1-3 hours.
Unwrap, slice and serve!

Pesto Genovese - makes 2 cups                

3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Whirl all the ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor or blender. When everything is well chopped, add the oil in a thin stream to form a smooth paste. If you are using a blender, it is necessary to prechop the herbs and nuts by hand.

OR

Pesto Provencal - makes 1 cup

1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped scallions
1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped almonds
1/4 cup vegetable oil
salt and ground pepper to taste

method as for Pesto Genovese

Writing and photos by Rebecca

Biscotti for the Band

Stella is up extra early this morning, as a long hot summer day awaits her. Beating the heat is her number one priority as she bustles around the kitchen, windows wide open letting in the cool morning breeze. Her skirt billows as she dances from one side of the kitchen to the other, collecting tools and ingredients while listening to some Bill Evans.

Biscotti is on her mind as she picks up the flour, sugar and baking powder from the cupboard. A whisk, stir and a bake (or two) later, warm Almond Orange Biscotti is sitting on the counter. She places a few onto a plate to keep for the musicians who will be setting up later in the day in the corner of her shop for that evening's performance. Live music is a trademark of Stella's. She invites only the best musicians and they never turn her down if they can help it. Besides, she pays well, and you aren't a true local performer till you've played a set at Stella's.

No passers by can resist grabbing a cup of tea and settling down in one of Stella's well worn chairs to enjoy an evening of music.

Orange Almond Biscotti

This delicious recipe can be found here! Thanks for reading! http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.ca/2012/02/orange-almond-biscotti.html

Writing, Baking and Photography by Emma :)
Ingredients and Editing provided by Rebecca

Summer Treat - Raspberry Oat Bars

Summer has arrived at long last. The rainy days of June seem a long forgotten thing and the customers of Stella's are ready for long cool drinks and fruit filled treats. On this Thursday morning in particular, Kevin, who tends a double plot in the local community garden, has brought in a pail full of fresh, plump raspberries.

Kevin presents Stella with the raspberries and she presents him with an agreeable sum in return. She says, "It's hard to put a price on fresh raspberries, will that do?" Kevin nods, filing the bills away for later when he will buy some of that good liquid food for his five varieties of tomatoes presently soaking up the sun and this morning's watering.


After consulting her cookbooks for inspiration Stella and assistant Savannah invent a recipe which will bring out the sweet and slightly tangy flavour of the fresh berries. The aroma of the baking Raspberry Oat Bars fills the air of the small kitchen with the scents of summer. Stella's is ready for another day of refueling customers with cooling drinks and energizing food.

Here is the recipe in case you would like to bake these delicious bars in your own kitchen.

Raspberry Oat Bars


1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 8 inch square pan, and line with parchment paper to cover the bottom and sides of the pan.

2.Combine sugar, flour, baking soda, salt cinnamon and rolled oats. Rub the butter into the oat mixture using your hands or a pastry blender to form a crumbly mixture. Press 2 cups of the mixture to the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. Using a fork, squash raspberries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and teaspoon of flour together in a small bowl. Drain out the excess liquid, leaving a little to keep the mixture moist.

4. Spread the raspberry mixture on top but not quite to the edge of the pressed oat layer.

5. Sprinkle rest of oat mixture on top and lightly press to compact.

5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes till lightly browned. Let cool, lift out with parchment paper, cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Written today by Rebecca, original recipe by Emma