May happenings

The month of May has come and is passing by, bringing sunshine, thunderstorms, new growth and much needed greenery to Minnesota.

This is how the mulberry tree looked like 2 weeks ago:

... here it is today

With lovely fragrant lilac

The microgreens are growing












I made a few "green" items in my kitchen recently:

Spinach lasagna with Bolognese cream sauce (I followed Marcella Hazan's recipe for a pillowy, delightful 7-layer lasagna that is unlike the 'typical' chunky meat-and-Mozzarella-and-Parmesan one)...

...and lemon-thyme-lavender cookies

The thing about salt

I have been reminded so many times of how salt does wonder in bringing out the flavor of other foods.

A visible dusting of coarse salt on top of this focaccia compliments the fragrant rosemary and the nutty olive oil

A more generous use of salt in the batter and a dusting of sea salt on top give these chocolate chip cookies a unique taste

However, don't put salt and yeast together when making bread dough as the salt will inhibits the working of yeast.  Mix the salt and flour together, then add them to the yeast mixture.

What I have been making at culinary school

It's already one month into 2011. It's time for me to be more present here on this blog.

To start, some pictures to share with you what I have been working on at school, in my Intro to Baking class.

It has been wonderful baking and soaking in fresh bread scent no matter how cold or dreary it is outside.

White Sandwich Bread

Kaiser Rolls

Dinner Rolls

Potato Herb Cheddar Rolls

Pilgrim Bread