Now that you a very brief overview of my life, lets talk food. I have been flipping through a lots of different Thanksgiving magazines. A recipe caught my eye, it was for a Crusty White Bread in the Food and Wine magazine. The picture was gorgeous and the bread was baked in a dutch oven.

The next morning when I was putting the pre-ferment together, I scanned the recipe and was shocked to realize that the original recipe made two “HUGE” loaves. The recipe called for approximately 15 cups of flour. This was about four normal size loaves and was not going to work for my small family. I made a quick decision and cut the pre-ferment in half. The next step called for letting it ferment for 10 to 14 hours. After 10 hours, I had lost interest in making bread, so I left it on the counter and went to bed. The next morning when I check the pre-ferment, it looked the same and smelled sweet. I was so excited!! On to step two, but at the same time remembering to halve the recipe. Eight and half cups of flour later, I had a perfect dough.

This is a very forgiving dough, because it only has a quarter of a teaspoon of yeast. When a dough is completely dependent on traditional yeast, it has a certain window of raising time and then the yeast dies. With this recipe, the fermentation processes helps the dough develop its own yeast base.  I have made this recipe twice. The first time I forgot the dough out on the counter, an extra four hours, during its finally rise. It was fine. The second time I punched it down after it first rise, put it in the refrigerator and left it overnight. The next day I took it out, shaped it and let it rise for 6 hours. Again, beautiful loaves. So, until I decided it’s time to experiment again with a different type of bread, this will be my go to recipe.

(The original recipe was in Food & Wine Magazine November 2010 issue. I have made many changes.)

Crusty White Bread

PRE-FERMENT
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water
1/8 teaspoon dry granulated yeast
1 1/4 flour

BREAD DOUGH
4 3/4 cups warm water
1/8 teaspoon dry granulated yeast 
8 to 8 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt dissolved in 1/4 cup of warm water
all purpose flour, for dusting
corn meal, for during baking

1. Prepare the Pre-ferment: In a medium bowl, mix the water with the yeast and stir until the yeast is dissolved. Stir in flour. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 10 to 24 hours.

2. Prepare the Bread dough: In your stand mixer, combine the warm water with the yeast and pre-ferment: mix until the pre-ferment is broken up and mostly dissolved. Add 8 cups of flour and mix until a smooth dough forms. Let the dough rest while you mix the salt and the 1/4 of warm water together.

3. Mix in the salt water and mix until most of the water is absorbed by the dough. Add the additional 1/2 cup of flour until you have a smooth, slightly tacky dough. You may need a bit more than a 1/2 cup of flour to reach the desired consistence. Cover the dough and let stand for 3 to 4 hours.

4. (At this point you can either continue with the recipe or you can punch down the dough and chill it until the next day.) Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in half. (Each half will weigh about 2 1/4 pounds.) Gently shape the dough into 2 rounds, folding the dough under itself as necessary.

5. Line 2 medium size bowls with kitchen towels and generously dust the towels with all-purpose flour. Transfer the loaves to the bowls, rounded sides down. Cover the loaves with clean towels and let rise for 4 to 5 hours. Alternatively, let the dough rise for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate the loaves overnight. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking. (Again, this is very forgiving dough and if you rise it a bit longer than the suggested times, it is not going to complain.)

6. Put in your 2 large enameled cast-iron casseroles or cast-iron skillets with lids and preheat your oven to 490 degrees. Once the oven is to temperature, remove the cast-iron pans from the oven and dust bottoms with cornmeal. Turn the loaves, gently, into the cast-iron pans, rounded side up and score the tops with a sharp, thin knife. Reduce the heat down to 450 degrees. Cover the cast-iron pans and bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat, again, to 400 degrees and bake 15 minutes longer. Remove the lids from the cast-iron pans. Continue baking until browned and the crust just begins to smell like toast, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack: let cool, if you can, before slicing. (When you first place the bread on the rack it with make snapping and crackling sounds, this will let you know that your bread is baked through. I love these sounds.

(I do not have two large enameled cast-iron casseroles or cast-iron skillets with lids, I do the above directions twice. I just wipe the cornmeal out of the hot pan, and put it back in the oven and pre-heat it to 490 degrees and do the process again.)

The most recent Gourmet (October 2009) lays on my coffee table with a radiant red cover graced with a wine red caramel apple. I pick it up and flip through the pictures which for a foodie, is “eye candy”. I’m still sitting here wondering if this will be my last issue or if I will be lucky enough to receive the November issue.

Confusion, questions & whys lay in a tattered path and we may never know the answers. Earlier today Gourmet’s, Editor in Chef Ruth Reichl, said she found out the news only this morning. Her response via the LA times Russ Parson was, “I can’t talk about it now, it’s too raw. I’ve got to pack up my office.”

It is a sad, sad day for most foodies. As a final tribute to a magazine that never forgot amidst all of the important issues about food politics, farm strategics, celebrity chefs, farmers, butchers, winemakers, waiters, mixologists and governmental control, that much of the true joy in life is based on simple, delicious food shared amongst family and friends, at the table, over dinner.

A recipe from the October 2009 issue.

I spend the first part of my trip to the farmers market following my nose. I start at the first stand and wander from one vendor to the next. I gently pick up a sample of fruit or vegetable and smell its sweet mouth-watering aroma; feel the texture of the skin and look upon its vibrant color. I take a bite and feel the juice and flesh tickle my palate.

The other day when I was at the farmers market, I found O’Henry peaches. They are my favorite peach because when this variety is ripe, they are on the firm side. This makes for a perfect peach to bake with and macerate. Currently the peaches are called “freestones”.

Peaches are divided into 2 categories; clingstones and freestones, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone (pit) or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colors often have some red on their skin.

To find the best peach, first smell it: a ripe peach should be sweetly fragrant. Next give the peach a gentle squeeze: a ripe peach won’t be too hard; it should slightly give to the squeeze. Keep in mind that the color of a peach tells more about what variety it is than its maturity or ripeness. So don’t pick your peach based on color; it could be more white or greenish white than peach colored.

When I arrived home, I had many pounds of peaches and I started to bake; peach cobbler, peach pie, peach scones. I was down to my last pound and I remember the amazing peach shortcake I had made in the past. I went to the kitchen and with a grind of this, a cup of that and few turns of the dough, I had shortcake.  I then sliced up the peaches and macerate for a short time. Finish with a dollop of whip cream. I love peach season.

Peach Shortcake
Makes 6 to 8 shortcake

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoon sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks of unsalted, cold butter, 12 tablespoons, cut into cubes
2 eggs
½ cup heavy cream

Oven temp 400 degrees, preheat

Place flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Process to blend, add cubes of butter and process until the butter is the size of small peas. Lightly mix the eggs and cream together and add to the flour and butter mixture. Process until it just starts to come together. The dough will be sticky

Dump the dough out onto a flour surface. Pat the dough into a circle, about ¾ inches thick.  Cut out 6 cakes with a 2 ½ inch round cutter. Place cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Brush the top of each cake with a bit of water & sprinkle with sugar. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.  Let cool on a rack.

While the cakes are baking, slice up 6 peaches. Place in a medium bowl and mix in 2 tablespoon of peach brandy and 4 tablespoons of sugar depending on sweetness of peaches. Let them macerate.

Mix together 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons sugar. Whip in electric mixer until soft peaks form, add 1 tablespoon of peach brandy and mix until peaks are stiff.

Split each cake in half crosswise and place the bottom half on a plate. Spoon on peaches and some whip cream. Place on the other half of cake and put on a dollop of whip cream.

Click on picture for photo credit

I have played with many different flavors and they all have worked. Use what ever flavor of ice cream you like. My favorite brand is Hagen Daz because there are no stabilizers in their ice cream and it tends to freeze more solidly than less expensive brands.

If you are like me, you have to eat one sandwich before you continue assembling the rest of the cookies and ice cream. Clean up the edges of each sandwich and you may want to gently roll the side of the sandwich in chopped nuts, coconut, sprinkle on a bit of gray salt (I love to do this when I use caramel ice cream) or whatever else may strike your fancy. Pop them in the freezer until the ice cream firms up and serve.

My two little men love to help me roll each sandwich in the toppings. They can hardly wait for the sandwiches to set. The dialogue goes something like this.. “Are the cookies done yet Mom?” No, son they have another 45 minutes.” Before long, the same question is asked and a similar answer is given. When the hour has finally past, the 3 of us sit on the patio in the evening sun and eat to our hearts content.

Be sure to roll each cookie into a ball and press each cookie flat before baking. If you skip this step, the cookie will have a bump in the middle and will be too thick. Once the sandwiches are set, you may dip each cookie in melted chocolate (dip half of the sandwich) and freeze about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

Kendra’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Servings: Makes about 18 medium ice cream sandwiches (or 36 cookies)

3 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 bag of chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixture using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and the sugars at medium speed until light, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix well to incorporate. Add the vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

In a medium bowl, stir together the salt, flour and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, one-half at a time, until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the chocolate chips by hand. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or longer.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Lightly press down on the balls to flatten them and place the balls 2 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets. Bake until the cookies darken slightly, 14 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking. Cool the cookies for 1 minute on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies from the sheet to a wire rack to cool.

To assemble, spread a generous one-fourth cup ice cream (slightly softened) over a bottom cookie. Press firmly but gently to avoid breaking the cookies. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to clean up any ice cream hanging over the edge. If you wish, roll the cookies in topping of choice. Freeze for at least 1 hour to firm the ice cream. Repeat with all the cookies.

Cookie sandwich photo

Yesterday when I did my Julia post, I put up the recipe for her Pate Brisee Fine recipe from “The Way To Cook”. Today I was reading through my copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and found another recipe for a tart shell. I am sharing that recipe and directions to roll out the crust. I did not include the instructions for rolling out a crust, and by doing that I was asuming that you know how to do it. Not everyone does, as I remember my first attempt at making a crust. It was not the best, but with practice it improved. If you have any questions please post them here, find me on Twitter: or on my Facebook Fan page.

How to roll out a tart/pie crust
If you would like a visual, I found this great link done by Cat Cora.

Things You’ll Need:
All-purpose Flour For Dusting
Rolling Pin

A. Ensure that the dough is chilled and has rested for at least 30 minutes, unless otherwise directed in your recipe.
B. Have your other ingredients ready to finish the recipe, such as pie or tart pans and fillings.
C. Clean off your work space to allow enough room to roll the dough. Ensure that the work surface and the rolling pin are clean and dry.
D. Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Unwrap the dough and turn it out on the work surface.
E. Lightly dust your hands, the dough, and the rolling pin with flour. Only a little is necessary.
F. Pat the dough down with your hands if the dough is not already shaped in a thin circle.
G. Position the rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll it away from you to slightly flatten half the dough.
H. Reposition the pin in the center of the dough and roll towards you to slightly flatten the other half. Use even pressure on the rolling pin.
I. Always roll from the center of the dough. Use several passes to roll it to the desired thickness. Don’t try to flatten it all the way in one pass.
J. Keep the dough at an even thickness as much as possible. Make sure it’s at one even level of thickness before flattening it further.
K. Dust with more flour if needed.
L. Work fast but don’t rush. Try to roll out the dough before it has a chance to warm up.

Pate Brisee Tart Crust
Makes one 8-inch tart crust
Recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons (or more) cold water

Need
8-inch-diameter tart pan
Dried beans or pie weights

Directions
Whisk flour, salt, and sugar in medium bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 4 tablespoons cold water. Work mixture with fingertips until dough comes together in moist clumps, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 10-inch round. Carefully transfer dough to 8-inch tart pan. Press dough onto bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up sides of pan, pressing to adhere to sides. Fold down and roll 1/2 inch of dough sides inward, forming double-thick edge at top of crust sides. Using dull edge of small knife, make small indentations at 1/2-inch intervals on double-thick edge. Chill 20 minutes.

Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides of crust are set, about 18 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Pierce bottom of crust all over with fork. Continue to bake until bottom is set and pale golden, about 14 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool in pan on rack.

Happy Birthday Julia!

August is a special month for those that love Julia Child: On the 7th, Julie & Julia, a movie that intertwines the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends…until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything is possible, opens. The role of Julia Child is played by Meryl Streep. Then, on the 15th, people all over the country will celebrate her birthday by cooking her recipes or dining at their favorite French restaurant.

She was (born Julia Carolyn McWilliams August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American chef, author and television personality, who introduced French cuisine and cooking techniques to the American mainstream, through her many cookbooks and television programs. Her most famous works are the 1961 cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the television series The French Chef, which premiered in 1963 and showcased her fabulous persona.

I had the privilege of meeting Julia Child in early 2000. I was employed at Sur La Table and one morning when I walked into work, I saw a memo that simply said, “Julia is coming!” I was so excited that I danced around the back of the store. I was finally going to meet Julia Child!

On the morning of the book signing the whole staff was at the store ready to greet her. The line of customers, waiting to meet her, snaked through the store and out the door as far as one could see. Everyone was eagerly awaiting her arrival. We all greeted her and then she sat down at a table surrounded by eager fans and she began to sign her books. She was gracious, kind and answered as many questions as she could. She was supposed to sign books for an hour and a half, but she did not stop until every single book was signed. The one thing that stays with me was how she made each person feel like she was there just for them.

Once she finished signing the last person’s book, she came into the back of the store where she chatted with us, posed for pictures and signed our books. Finally it came time for her to say good bye. It was sad to see her go, and it was even harder to hear of her passing, but I still have my signed copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. Each time I cook out my signed books, I still flip back and look at her signature and feel so blessed to have been in her presents for that small window of time.

One of my favorite recipe is from “The Way To Cook”
Master Recipe for Pate Brisee Fine
Makes two 9-inch tart shell
1 1/2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 cup plain cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, quarter & diced
1/4 cup (2 ounces) chilled vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ice water, plus droplets more, if needed

Blending flour and butter. have all the ingredients measured our and ready to use. Put the flour, salt and diced butter in the container of the processor and pulse 5 or 6 times to break up the butter roughly. Add the shortening, turn on the machine and immediately pour in the 1/2 cup of ice water then pulse 2 or 3 times. Remove the cover and feel the sough. It should look like a bunch of small lumps and will just hold together in a mass when you press a handful together. (It is important not over mix: it should not mass on the blade of the machine.) If too dry, pulse in droplets more water. From now on work rapidly to keep the dough cold and manageable.

Final Blending. Turn the dough out onto your work surface; press it in to a rough mass. For the final blending, rapidly and roughly, with the heel of your hand , push egg-size clumps of dough out in front of you in a 6-inch smear.

Resting and Chilling. Form the dough into a cake – it should be fairly smooth and pliable. Srap in plastic, slide into a plastic bag and refrigerate. Freshly made dough should chill 2 hours at least, allowing the flour particles to absorb the liquid, as well as to firm the butter and relax the gluten.

The dough will keep 2 day in the refrigerator before the flour will start to turn grayish, but it can be frozen for several months.

Cheese and Bacon Quiche
For a 9-inch quiche, serving 6
Seasonings: salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg
The custard: 3 large eggs blended with enough milk or cream to make 1 1/2 cups

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Break up the pieces of bacona nd stew them in the bottom of the shell. Sprinkle on all but a spoonful of the cheese. Season the custoard and pour in to within 1/8 inch of the rim; sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and browned.
A 9-inch prebaked shell
6 crisp strips of cooked bacon
1/2 cup coarsely grated Swiss cheese

With fresh fruit, this makes a lovely breakfast. I also enjoy serving this quiche with a salad for a light lunch or dinner.

I’m a contributing journalist for an online publication call “Magnify You“. Check out the magazine & subscribe, it’s “free”. The June article I submitted is called, “Revitalize with the use of Healthy Healing Herbs and Essential oils”. I am posting it up here so you can read it and try out my fabulous potato salad.

Last Saturday when I was looking through the herb selection at the farmers market, I was considering what herbs I would plant this spring. I was thinking about their wonderful flavors and medicinal properties. The use of fresh herbs to revitalize and restore the human body has been a viable option for centuries. Therapeutic Grade essential oils are far more potent and highly regarded for their revitalizing and rejuvenating effect. I am including a list of some of my favorites.

Dill – Use in Greek dishes, pickling, fish dishes and cheddar dill scones. Dill can be used to treat sleeplessness; dill is also good for the spleen. It may help with stomach ache, indigestion, flatulence and colic. Dill is high in lutein, a carotenoid phytochemical shown to be essential for eye health and preventing macular degeneration. The dill plant is mentioned in the Papyrus of Ebers from Egypt (1550 BC). Roman gladiators rubbed their skin with dill before each match.

Basil – There are many types of basil, to name just a few; Sweet basil, Thai basil, Genovese basil, Cinnamon basil and Purple ruffles basil. It is prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in the Southeast Asian cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. The plant tastes somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, sweet smell. In the 16th century, the powdered leaves were inhaled to treat migraines and chest infections. Italian women wore basil to attract possible suitors. Research shows the Medical Properties to include: Powerful antispasmodic, antibacterial, muscle relaxant, migraines, lung infections, insect bite and to fight mental fatigue.

Marjoram – It is included in the herb blend Herbes de Provence, Italian and Greek recipes. Marjoram is tremendous as an antioxidant. Marjoram oil is also an effective anti-microbial agent, helping to prevent food spoilage. Marjoram was known as the “herb of happiness” to the Romans and “joy of the mountains” to the Greeks. It was believed to increase longevity. Research shows the Medical Properties to include: Antibacterial, antifungal, vasodilator, lowers blood pressure, promotes intestinal peristalsis.

Peppermint – Use this herb in tea, ice cream and dessert. It is said to be purifying and stimulating to the conscious mind. Dr. William N. Dember of the University of Cincinnati found that inhaling peppermint oil increased the mental accuracy by 28 percent. Alan Hirsch, M.D. researched peppermint’s stimulation of the brain’s satiety center to curb appetite. University of Kiel researchers found that peppermint blocked headache pain.

Oregano – Is often used in tomato sauces, with fried vegetables, and grilled meat. Together with basil, it contributes much to the distinctive character of many Italian dishes. Nature’s antibiotic. Oil from the oregano plant has been shown to kill unwanted viruses, bacteria, yeast, fungus and parasites. Oregano also has powerful antioxidant capabilities, is a natural antihistamine and helps to regenerate liver cells.

Parsley – is often used as a garnish. The fresh flavor of the green parsley goes extremely well with potato dishes, with rice dishes, with fish, fried chicken, lamb, steaks, meat or vegetable stews (like Beef Bourguignon, Goulash or Chicken paprikash). In Southern and Central Europe, parsley is part of bouquet garni, a bundle of fresh herbs used to flavor stocks, soups, and sauces. Freshly chopped green parsley is used as a topping for soups like chicken soup, green salads or salads, on open sandwiches with cold cuts. Parsley is a key ingredient in several West Asian salads, for example tabbouleh. Persillade is mixture of chopped garlic and chopped parsley in the French cuisine. Gremolata is a traditional accompaniment to the Italian veal stew, Ossobuco alla milanese, a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. A potent cancer fighter, especially in its juiced form, parsley has been found in animal studies to inhibit tumor formation. It neutralizes carcinogens in cigarette smoke and is good for urinary tract infections and nerve stimulation. Parsley is also nutrient rich, containing beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin A.

Rosemary – is used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine such as barbecue or grilled meats. Rosemary has anti-microbial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, astringent and carminative properties. A cup of rosemary tea has been found to be as effective as aspirin for headaches and other inflammatory symptoms. Rosemary has also been found to be protective against free radical damage caused by radiation. Keeping a rosemary plant indoors acts as a natural air freshener.

Thyme – is often used to flavor meats, soups and stews. It has a particular affinity to and is often used as a primary flavor with lamb, tomatoes and eggs. Thyme is a natural antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative and expectorant. It has been found in in-vitro studies to effectively eliminate aflatoxin, carcinogenic mold that grows on grains and peanuts that have been improperly stored.

Herb Red Potato and Green Bean Salad

8 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, halved
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
3 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoon lemon zest

Cook beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water. Drain; pat dry with paper towels.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle white wine vinegar over hot potatoes; toss gently and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk vinegar, shallot, and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Pour over potatoes and toss to coat. Cool completely. Mix in green beans and herb mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve cold or at room temperature.

P.S. Note: this information is only provided as a general reference and is not a replacement for professional health advice. As such, this information should only be used under the direct supervision of a qualified health practitioner.

P.S.S. If you would like a list of the sources for the medicinal information included in this article please email & I will forward them on. I can also share a fabulous source for where to purchase therapeutic grade essential oils.

Potato Salad photo

Wandering in the farmers market on a lazy Saturday morning you see peaches. You gently pick one up and smell it’s sweet mouth-watering aroma, you feel the slightly fuzzy skin, and look upon a golden red orb warm from the sun. You take a bite and feel the juice run down your chin…. this is as close as I can come to describing a peach, because words do them no justice.

Peaches are divided into clingstones and freestones, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colours often have some red on their skin.

I just love peaches and I have been getting them at the farmers market for the past 2 weeks. They are clingstones (stick to the pit), but there has not been that much waste. I love to make peach pie, but I found my peach cobbler recipe, so decided to make that instead. Less work and oh so delicious.

Peach Cobbler
8 Servings

Topping
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Filling
1/3 cup Instand ClearJel or cornstarch
3/4 granulated sugar (Add more depending on tartness of peaches) 
6 cup peaches, peeled & thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Cognac
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

For topping: Mix first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add butter, cut in butter until mixture resembles course meal. Cover and refrigerate.

For filling: Stir together the sugar and thickener in a large bowl. Add the fruit, vanilla, Cognac and spices, stirring to combine.

Spoon filling in to a 9-inch deep dish-pie plate. (A regular square baking dish works well too.) Sprinkle topping over time of the fruit. Bake until peaches are tender and juices bubble thickly, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a big dollop of whip cream.

An interview with J.R. Cohen, the general manager of Coffee Groundz. It is a bit technician, but I love Twitter & food, so here it is.

Groundz Zero of the Technical Age

The Coffee Groundz is the premiere venue in Houston for tech geeks and cool kids to grab the best roasted cup of Joe in Houston. Their exotic selection of coffees – combined with charismatic atmosphere, gelato and paninis – sets the perfect tone. They specialize in locally produced gourmet coffees, teas, pastries and select wine offerings at competitive prices. Whether it’s a quick caffeine fix to get you going in the morning, a quiet spot to study in the afternoon, or an evening skyline view on the patio this is the place to be in Houston.

The Coffee Groundz is a busy establishment. There are a couple of comfy booths around the edges of the establishment and 16 laptop friendly tables. There’s room for another 10 tables out on the patio. They are currently in the process of enlarging their space. They have an abundance of electrical outlets and free WiFi to lure the digital generation into the place. They serve about 400 people on an average day.

I have never been to The Coffee Groundz nor have I ever met J.R. Cohen, General Manager. Rather, I’m privy to this information because I’m following him online on Twitter, the increasingly popular – and utterly addictive – social networking and micro blogging site that encourages users to “tweet,” or post messages about what they’re doing, in 140 characters or less. Once you sign up, you can follow anyone who doesn’t block their posts (most don’t). Although Twitter has been around since 2007, recent weeks have seen a massive surge in membership, particularly among the food-obsessed and the celebrities.

I actively started using Twitter in January 2009 and immediately started looking for people that were tweeting about food. It was not too long until I stumbled on to Cohen (www.twitter.com/coffeegroundz). I tweeted about an Italian restaurant in S. California & it caught his eye. I soon found out that he was taking take-out orders from his customers via Twitter. The following paragraph tells the story:

On October 31st, 2008 Sean Stoner (@maslowbeer) was hungry. As a regular customer at The Coffee Groundz he sent a tweet to Cohen (@coffeegroundz).  Cohen quickly replied and Sean went through the drive-thru at The Coffee Groundz to pick up his burrito. This simple exchange got a lot of coverage on Twitter and was hailed as potentially the first time that Twitter had ever been used to place a to-go order. Seeing an opportunity, Cohen started taking to-go orders via direct message from any of his Twitter Clientele. This in turn so intrigued me, that I sent off a tweet to Cohen and ask if I could interview him about this Twitter-inspired drive through window.

Here is JR Cohen, General Manager, who is also the guy you speak with when you go to The Coffee Groundz:

Q: What kind of business do you have?
A: We have a Café in Midtown Houston.

Q: When did you start your business?
A: I started with the company 2 years ago. The company started in Sugar Land, TX, first around 4yrs ago, and then we opened the Midtown location in July of 2007. We closed the Sugar Land location down in April of 2008.

Q: How did you decide what kind of business to start?
A: The Company was formed by two best friends: Jonathan Zadok and Preetish Nijhawan.  They wanted to open a coffee shop that had a European feel, but catered to the American market. It was very important to the owners to have a very comfortable atmosphere that would cater to everyone. We offer just about everything and if a customer suggests that we should carry something else, 99.5% of the time, we do it. People who are working for themselves or don’t have an office, have found solace with our location. We provide many electrical outlets inside and on the patio. It really makes them happy because they don’t have to leave to recharge.  

Q: Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
A: Working “WITH” the owners and our staff, personally drives me every day. Not being a corporation, has allowed us to do what we want and run our business the way most companies can’t accomplish without going through a whole chain of command. We are all hands on when it comes to every aspect of our business. We are willing to try anything out there that might help us financially or secure our future. Perfect example is Social Media. We are believers and we inspire many others, while turning them into believers. It’s the creativity that we put into it, that has saved us from going out of business. The exposures from these outlets have been amazing.

Q: When did you start the Twitter account?
A: We started using Twitter in Sept 2008. It wasn’t until November that we really promoted it. 

Q: What was your initial purpose in starting the account?  Is your purpose to inform?  Entertain?
A: One of the Owners here, Preetish Nijhawan, his cousin lives out in San Francisco and told Preetish that The Coffee Groundz should start using Twitter. I had no idea what he was talking about. He said don’t worry I’ll be your first follower. I laughed and said ‘well then’ that makes it ok. So I started exploring on Twitter and posted some signs in the store letting our customers know that we were on Twitter. How I use Twitter, is in whatever way I can think of. Some examples are information, feedback, setting up events, to-go orders, raising money/awareness to charities, and helping out our local communities. 

Q: Is it just you that runs the Twitter account or is it a couple of people?
A: LOL!!! I get this question a lot.  I, J.R., am the only one that tweets from the account.

Q: How does Twitter help you build a relationship with your clientele?
A: The use of Twitter is endless. It’s up to the individual to create and get what they want out of it. Our online community is just as tangible as our customers coming in the door. Many forget how important the online community is. If customers DM their order to go, they can give us feedback or make requests as well.

Q: If I told you that I didn’t think there was any ROI in Twitter, what would you say to turn a non believer into a believer?
A:  Not to sound arrogant, but Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/coffeegroundz).

Q: How does Coffee Groundz measure the ROI for its Twitter efforts?
A: I measure it when I meet someone from online, at The Coffee Groundz, and engage in a conversation. What people need to remember is that its “Social Media”, converting from online to person. We are constantly striving to become the “Cheers” of the modern technical age.

J.R. Cohen
The Coffee Groundz
www.thecoffeegroundz.com
Address: 2503 Bagby, Houston, TX. 77006
Phone: 713-874-0082
Email:  jonathan@thecoffeegroundz.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CoffeeGroundz
Facebook we are under Groups and Fan page – The Coffee Groundz
To learn more about JR’s thoughts about using Twitter for you business, check out: http://cli.gs/8Mhb3L
Photo’s were taken by Katharine Shilcutt aka @She_Eats on Twitter &  Elain Mesker