In the Kitchen: Focaccia and food mills
You probably know him for his imaginative and gravity-defying cake creations, but did you know Duff Goldman also bakes bread? Bread is more than just a hobby for Goldman, it’s a passion of his. The baker shares his love for bread, along with his take on focaccia.
And maybe you remember watching your mother use the food mill in the kitchen growing up. It’s a classic kitchen tool that has unfortunately fallen out of vogue with the rise of blenders and food processors. But Martha Rose Shulman shows us why this humble tool is just as important as ever.
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A sure sign of summer, we’ve also noticed all the zucchini turning up at farmers markets, and we’ve been thinking about all the delicious ways to use the vegetable. We also check out “The Vatican Cookbook,” a new book that’s as worthy of gracing your coffee table as your cookbook shelf in the kitchen.
THE ACE OF CAKES BAKER MAKES BREAD
Food Network star Duff Goldman is known for some pretty amazing cakes. But before he ever started thinking about baking cakes for a living, he was baking bread. One of his favorites? Focaccia. “There’s a lot of focaccia in the world and most of it is terrible. People need to learn about the good stuff,” he says. He shares his take on the classic Italian bread, along with his favorite toppings.
WHY MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN LOVES THE FOOD MILL
In a world of increasingly expensive and specialized kitchen gadgets, it’s easy to overlook some of the simpler tools of our past. Consider the food mill. Nothing more than a work bowl fitted with an assortment of metal disks (fine, medium and coarse), the hand-cranked mill fits over a bowl to puree such items as soups, sauces, compotes and more. Shulman shares some of her favorite recipes that make use of this classic tool.
WHAT TO DO WITH ZUCCHINI
The quintessential summer squash, zucchini is showing up in force at the markets right now. With varieties ranging in size and color, there are countless ways to use the vegetable: raw, stewed, braised and even thrown on the grill. We’ve gathered nine of our favorite recipes, along with tips for using.
“THE VATICAN COOKBOOK”
“The Vatican Cookbook: 500 Years of Classic Recipes, Papal Tributes and Exclusive Images of Life and Art at the Vatican” is quite a work. The beautifully photographed book contains more than 80 recipes, including favorites of the current pope and his two predecessors, along with sections devoted to recent popes and the Pontifical Swiss Guard, one of the oldest military units in existence.
THIS IS PERHAPS THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE EVER
Every once in a while you come across a recipe that’s a little life-changing. This is that recipe – well, at least for peanut butter fans. The peanut butter cookies from the Buttery in Santa Cruz are massive, rich with flavor and perfectly crumbly. We have the recipe so you can make them at home.
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