Cherry Barley Scones, Oh My.

My Apologies. I built up cherry season so much, promising jams, pies, salads, and basically anything one could possibly think of pertaining to cherries (the food that is).... and I just never did post anything. Before you get too mad, please picture a mid 20 something girl, so overwhelmed by the bountiful-ness of cherry season happening in her backyard that the tiny stone fruits are flailing through the air, leaving the grout on the kitchen tile a delightful but equally maddening shade of red, and all this while running around on a sugar high from the foods that were made subsequently from the mass influx of this great fruit.





Ok. I'm exaggerating a bit. But just a bit. Our cherry season went wonderfully and I managed to can some jam (even though I heard my mother say the word botulism 567 times), dry some cherries, make a grain salad with them, and then of course were these delightful scones.

If you've been at the other end of my baking, you know I love cooking with kooky (as it may seem to some) ingredients. I love to try and obtain a depth and interesting flavor that is a little beyond the grasp of white flours and sugar. Not to say they aren't delicious! Please. I would never say that. I do love a wondrous and simple croissant of course. But, more than sometimes a little creativity is worth your pursuits, and I don't think that this recipe with fall short of meeting high expectations. I used barley flour here, which is a tinge sweet with a malty sort of flavor. Indeed, I think its my new fave. I should have a biscotti recipe also using this flour comin at ya very soon as well. But you know me.... maybe that happens.... maybe that doesn't. But until then, please try these...

Cherry Barley Scones

adapted from Good to the Grain

If you love cooking with whole grain flours, Kim Boyce's cookbook Good to the Grain is essential to have. It meets all my criteria for a great book, hitting the high mark in fields of photography, interesting and innovative recipes, and not to mention the pic of the author in the bck is adorable. And she looks happy too. What baker shouldnt look happy? Anywho, tangent, mangent.... Feel free to experiement with different types of jams you have on hand from the season. I would guess that peach, nectarine, and berry work very well also in this recipe.

1 cup Barley Flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

scant 1/4 cup turbinado sugar plus 1 TB honey, or 1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

to finish:

1/2 cup Cherry Jam

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

Les Directions:

Go ahead and set your oven to 350 degrees F. Rub a baking sheet with butta.

Sift all of your flours, sugars, powders, sodas, and salts into a bowl. Cut up the cold butter into small-ish chunks and add to dry mixture. Then you may either:

1. use your fingers, swiftly, to break butter into smaller pieces, resembling tiny pebbles or large-ish grains of rice. If you have hot hands.... forget about it and...

2. Use a pastry cutter or even a fork. This will buy you more time, not melting the butter while working.

Ok. Back to work. In a separate bowl, wish the egg and the buttermilk together. If you don't have buttermilk don't fret, just combine milk with a tablespoon or so of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it set for a minute et viola... your replacement for buttermilk.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Don't worry about leaving behind a few crumbleys. The less hands on time, the better the scones. Separate the dough in two. Turn the first of the two doughs onto a lightly floured surface. Flatten out to make a fairly thick round... about 1/2 inch. Do the same with the second dough. Now its time to make the scone sandwich. Spread the jam onto on one of the rounds and place the second on top. Cut into about six triangles and you are there. To finish, spread melted butta on top and sprinkle with some sugar.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes and enjoy!

Music Pairing


"Little Lion Man" by Mumford & Sons
Barley's a lil country and so are these guys.

My Favorite Breakfast

I've converted many a naysayer before, so it comes as no surprise that everyone doesn't share the same affinity for the rice cake as I do. The poor things do get a lot of crap. And if you are talking Quaker, then, yes it is even warranted crap. But next time skip over the styrofoam stuff and pick up a natural foods brand, like Lundburg. Top with some pb, raisins, banana, and cinnamon, and you wont be sorry. Pick up the Sunday Times..... and now thats a morning.

Seconds Please: Zucchini Spelt Bread

I feel like every post has become an "Im bacK!" post. Apparently its the fault of the migrant lifestyle I've become accustomed to. I just cant seem to stay put, now can I? I even found myself planning my next move before I returned home to California, from family vacation.... where I leapt to after camp counseling in Monterey, and that's what I did when I got back from Paris. I mean, I need to get a flippin grip. So, I'm trying something new... I'm just here in Stockton,CA....today. Not somewhere in my next 20 adventures, but just here. And there is nothing that brings me back to the right now with a smile on my face like baking. And my garden. Any maybe goblets filled with jewels. So, when I can incorporate 2 out of 3 into a recipe, I barely recognize that there is still a world happening outside of my kitchen.

This recipe is one of my favorites Ive put together in a while. It is pretty multifunctional; working as a breakfast item, an afternoon tea snack, or a light dessert....or not so light dessert when some people (maybe me, maybe not me) pair it with Haagen Dazs ice cream. I have so many monstrous zucchini squash in my backyard that there wasn't any way they were escaping the oven in a bread form. And everyone just loves it when you can tag on a veggie in the title of a sweet bread. I guess it lowers the guilt factor? And nothing says summer better than fresh zucchini and well, I just love it. I hope you like it too. Take it to the beach. or a picnic. Or ship it to one of your pals that you wish you were at the beach with.... or hell, even a picnic.

Zucchini Spelt Bread It Is!

inspired by Silver Palate Cookbook

makes 1 delicious loaf

I started the way I start most baking experiments, with a fairly simple base recipe, and then changed everything I possibly could. I decided to make this one with spelt flour because I think its absolutely delicious. And if you ask me, it completely makes this bread what it is.... and that is glorious.

oil/butter for the loaf pan

3 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cane sugar

1/2 cup UNpacked natural brown sugar

1.5 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups grated unpeeled raw zucchini

1 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1.5 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup raisins (I didn't add them by request... but I really wanted to. Why don't raisins get any love?)

Sea Salt and Coarse Sugar to top it off

OK. Pretty simple recipe. Go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If you are from Europe I am not providing conversions so use google.

Oil a rectangular loaf pan. Beat the eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, and sugars until combined and slightly thick. Fold in the shredded zucchini.

In a separate bowl sift together the flours, baking soda and powder, the glorious salt, and cinnamon. Add to the wet mix and stir until all is nice and combined. Fold in your walnuts and raisins. I'm guessing chocolate chips wouldn't be a bad call either. Instead of the raisins that is. But, oh so not necessary. Pour batter into the oiled loaf pan et voila! The zucchini is about to meet its fate dans le four!

I almost forgot my favorite part. Sprinkle just a TEENSE of sea salt and turbinado sugar on the top of the bread before it goes in the oven. Its too good. Just be careful with the salt. A little bit makes it amazing, but too much kills it. I would aim for about 1 teaspoon if not less.

It takes about 50 minutes in my oven, but it generally bakes things rather fast. Stick a knife in the middle and if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Enjoy...

Music Pairing

"SummerTeeth" by Wilco.

Its Summer. Nuff said.

A Take On The Chocolate Chip

Oh, camp.

One Breath. Two Breath. Three Breath, four. These chicas are wild.

For those of you who are unaware, I have been spending the past three weeks being a Camp Counselor in Monterey, CA. A beautiful place, spent with hundreds of energetic and lovely (for the most part) young ladies.

The other day was the sanctuary of my week, my 24 free continuous hours granted every glorious Wednesday accompanied simply solo with the liberty to do as I please. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my girls, and camp is a blast... but sometimes you just need a break. As a matter of fact, I think they do too. There seems to be little time to linger and enjoy what is happening right now... and as our first session is wrapping up everyone is wondering where all the time went. In short there is little time to do "things" let alone do them well or even notice when they are happening. A problem indeed. It actually becomes impossible when your daily schedule is on autopilot and consists of:

7am Wake up

8 Breakfast (although I did see a camper take an entire peach pie to breakfast this morning; so I use the term "breakfast" loosely)

9 Class 1

10 Class 2

10:55 Snack

11 Class 3

12 Lunch/Fustercluck Time

1:30 Class 4

2:30 Class 5

2:25 Popsicle Break/ Sugarfest

3:30 Class 6

4:30 Free Time (Squeeze in hygiene maintenance, telephone calls, screaming, jumping, and maybe 3 seconds of sitting time)

6pm Dinner

7 Evening Activities/ Fustercluck #2

8:30 Night Meeting

9:30/10 (more like 10:30 in reality) wrestle the little ones into bed and hopefully regain sanity (usually 50% success rate)

Throw in crazy amounts of sugar, occasional disorganization and I cant flippin believe our girl's heads are still attached. Funny enough, all of this wondrous craziness was my inspiration to make some chocolate chip cookies. There is nothing that is more connected to childhood and understated than a chocolate chip cookie. We tend to dismiss them swiftly as being rather consistent, unchanging, and even boring (gasp!) using the standard ingredients: flour, butter, sugar, and chocolate chips. Its understandable how one might mistake the results of these darlings as being rather stable and unchanging. Au contrare my friends, since there is so much variety to look for in this sweet treat, I could seriously make hundreds of batches and not repeat the same flavor /texture/experience profile once. When you take the time to peer a bit closer, you begin to notice the techniques and elements that make all the difference in the world. Brown sugar lends a molasses flavor and chewiness. You want lightness and lift? Try beating your butter and sugar together on high for 4 or 5 minutos. Make your jaw work a bit more with a grainier flour and thus a denser cookie. Guaranteed chocolate in every bite, you request? Great idea... instead of adding more and risk overloading, cut up dark chocolate bars and find slivers and chunks throughout.

Its actually camp and its girls that make me think about my childhood and how I wish I would have paid more attention to the details then. The closer you begin to look at the one genre of anything the more varieties and differences unfold. So, I chose to look at the chocolate chip cookie. The other night I tried three different batches... the first too cakey, the second missing a certain je ne sais quoi, and the third just right. They will be dished out hot with milk to the girls on their last night, made with love as always, but more importantly....they are made with time. If only one notices, I'll feel triumphant, and hell if no one does... I always have my personal stash of leftovers and a chocolate laden smile.

Enjoy your time. Reading this. Baking these. And eating every morsel.

Les Cookies du Chocolat

adapted from here

1 3/4 sticks (10 TB) of unsalted butter, softened

2 TB cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup Turbinado sugar

1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces dark high quality delicious chocolate cut into various sized pieces

more turbinado for tops of cookies

Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.

Cream the butter and the sugars in high for about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides a couple times. Beat one egg into the mixture at a time, making sure each is incorporated individually. Sift your dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mix slowly to the batter, reserving a teence for the end. Once everything is mixed up nice and neat fold in the rest of the flour mix and the chocolate chunks and slivers. We are now ready for the magic to happen.

Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto cookie sheets. Pop into the oven for around 8-12 minutes, depending on your oven and how done you love your cookies. After they start flattening a bit sprinkle some turbinado sugar on the tops...it makes all the difference. I like them when the edges are just turning brown and they are still nice and gooey. But hey, thats just me.

Enjoy with friends, family, and campers alike.

Music Pairing

Since I find it impossible to let myself recommend any camp friendly music coming out of Lady G*G*'s mouth, I will meet in the middle with Spice Girl love. Baby Spice would completely adore these cookies. And summer camp for that matter.

Girl Power.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

I miss tea. I miss tea time in New York at my old favorite spots, that have since, sadly closed. The shutdown of operations were probably major contributors for me taking the final steps to leave behind my crazy Manhattan life. But, god, if there is anything I miss from the other coast, besides Tuesday night all you can drink at Doc Holidays... its tea time.

There is something so simple and beautiful about enjoying tea with friends. It just doesn't seem right to rush tea into to-go containers. It urges you to take the pot, and sit down a while... taking your time to enjoy your day... or trying to rectify a really bad one. Indeed, there just isn't anything like tea. The times we (Schmoopie et moi) pretended to be super fancy while attempting to solve all things life... we always did it over tea. and various pots of tea. and tea lattes. green tea cupcakes. lavender bread. and tea infused cookies. Well I guess that brings me to my recette. Le cookie du the. It is a take on shortbread, but with that great bergamot flavor from earl grey tea leaves. If you love tea.... this is a must. And if you don't... just give it a shot. They're truly special.


So have a treat, invite a friend over, and remind yourself sometimes you just need to take the time. So why not do it over deliciousness. Maybe the Brits did get something right afterall.

Early Grey Tea Cookies

adapted from The Kitchn

These are so, so simple. You can make (and bake) them, start to finish, in about 30 minutes. (minus refridge time) I used tea from an organic tea bag, but I'm sure loose leaf would work just as well....if not better.

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea leaves

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp honey

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Begin the wonderfulness by pulsing together the flour sugars, salt, and tea leaves in a food processor. You want the tea leaves to be finely ground.


Ina separate bowl beat your butter up and then add in the vanilla and honey until combined. Finally add in your dry mixture until everything is uniform. Roll your dough into a log and place in the refridge. Wrap it up... in parchment or plastic, to avoid other smells being absorbed. Chill for about 30 minutes.


When ready preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refridge and slice off quarter inch segments off the log. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until they just are turning brown. Enjoy... with tea.







Music Pairing


"Glamorous" by Fergie


This song always makes me think of my favorite tea friend. Too many good times were spent swifer-ing the floors and sipping tea over this tune. Plus, you cant help but feel first class fanciful with tea. and tea cookies.

I Did Not Bake This...

I repeat. I, Stephanie Stein did NOT bake this dense, delicious, walnut cranberry, whole grain loaf. But I wish I did. I did, however, take a crucial part in the consumption of it. And I'm damn proud of it.

After leaving Paris behind, and regretfully my addiction to good bread (and believe me, not by choice), I have come along a great bakery, right here, within a lengthy biking distance from my house in California. Double yay!

So,again I didn't bake this, and have no recipe to give you, but what I can do, is share the gloriousness of this place with you. That is if you happen to be somewhere in northern/central California strongly craving delicious bread. Its my new favorite, and if you aren't somewhere close to here, then please plan a visit.

Did I mention its a winery too? Just sayin...

Tarte au Citron REMIX

fantabulous photo compliments of Miss Megan W Moore

So this time I did things a little backwards. Sitting at the comp listening to le musique on the wondrous Grooveshark, I was smiling so hard listening to M Ward (also the smiles no doubt credited the gloriousness of the weekend too) I decided to let the song dictate the recipe. No thought really, just listening and then whatever came to mind... smiles, sun, bike rides, and ah yes, a lemon tart. Et plus...le chanson: "Chinese Translation" par M. Ward.

I think its partially because I have just wanted an excuse to make a tarte au citron. Ive been thinking about it since I left Paris and their cute little sunshine tartlets with "citron" written in a white chocolate cursive over their tops. My mom is going to kill me, when she sees yet another dessert sitting on the kitchen counter, waiting for her to make sure the lines from the last slice are as straight and clean as possible, usually meaning a sliver here and there to even everything out. Its true that the poor pies, tarts, crumbles, cobblers (not to be confused with the shoe man) always need a bit of help when it comes to upkeep and we, the Steins, have dedicated ourselves to never let one let itself go, you might say, until there isn't a crimbly crumb left. Its funny though how no frittata, Shepard's pie, or any of the like never needs any straightening like the glazed foodstuffs do. I guess sometimes you just do what you can, and when it comes to straight lines and the absence of crumbs, I guess we will just stick with the suga.

Tarte au Citron ReMix with Almond Meal Crust

adapted from Mr. David Lebowitz

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of one lemon, grated
1/2 cup raw sugar (such as turbinado)
6 TB butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

One pre-baked Almond Meal Tart Shell (recipe to follow)



You are ready to commence!

In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter until everything is melted together. Keep on low heat.

In a separate bowl whisk together your eggs and yolks. To this eggy mix add about a couple TB of the buttery sugary mix to temper. Once you have warmed the egg mix whisk the two mixes together in the saucepan over low heat. The mixture should thicken, but be sure to stir constantly and attentively so you don't get scrambled eggs.... not a welcome attribute of a tarte au citron I say.

Once you see whisk marks in your curd (this should have taken about 10 minutes), pour through a strainer right into your pre-baked tart shell. Let this set up for a couple hours so you have a nice sturdy tart. Finish with shaved white chocolate...trust the frenchies on this one. Enjoy with puckered lips...


Ah, yes, to make the crust (or 2).....

Sweet Almond Tart Crust

adapted from Mr. Pierre Herme

Now, lets try something new. To get things just right when you are baking..whether it be bread or crusts, you need to start doing the gram things. I know, I know. I was intimidated at first too. But why? Its so easy. I guess it was letting go of my cute stainless measuring cups that I have grown accustomed to and reaching for my mom's digital scale that hasn't been used in a creep's age.* One definite benefit is the precise number flashing at you on the screen, ensuring accuracy time in and out. Yay for something new.

285 grams sweet (unsalted) butter
150 grams raw sugar (such as turbinado)
100 grams ground almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
500 grams white whole wheat flour

Beat da butta. until creamy. Then add in your sugar, ground almonds, salt, vanilla, and eggs and beat on medium speed in a kitchen aid until things are just Incorporated. Then, take your flour and add, bit by bit, at a low speed. Et viola... you have your dough. Refrigerate at least for 2 hours or up to 3 days. This also keeps in the freezer....just transfer to the fridge about a half day before rolling.

When ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Now, formation. It depends what you are making the crust for, but for this particular recipe, I like to keep the dough fairly thick (around one inch) to counterbalance the intensity of the lemon. Flour your work space as needed, as well as the top of the dough. Roll dough out to desired thickness. Place in your desired vessel (mine was a medium sized square Pyrex) and it took approximately took 20 minutes to finish with a nice goldeny brown tone. Don't forget to stab the dough with a fork before baking. Once it has cooled, pour your citrus filling dans le centre et refridge ou mangez tout suite! Comme vous voulais....


Now... if you have managed to wait long enough to let your tart set, take a slice, turn on the aforementioned tune and skip around in circles trying not to stumble over your clumsy feet. There is nothing like good music, citrus tarts, sunshine, and a great spring day. If I ever open a cafe, each time someone orders a tarte au citron, the above will commence. They might think I'm a wacko, but again....I'm just gonna run with it.


*not exactly sure what this is suppose to mean....but just roll with it.