Good Night Kitchen

It is a parting glimpse of a day well lived. We may not have accomplished all we set out to do or be satisfied with the results. However at the end of the day what matters most is that we are reunited with those we love through our prayers for one another. S.O.A.P.

Tea Time

Tea time. What a nice phrase and what a lovely way to end a busy day of homekeeping. We like to 'take tea' at or near 4pm. This is the perfect time in the day for us to have tea though it may not be the traditional tea time. Some in England refer to 'tea' as the last meal of the day.

If it has been a particularly busy baking day (a large farmer's market order), we are, each one in turn, ready to call it quits with the Doorstep Bakery and all that surrounds it.

Tea time settles the day, quiets the mood and gives us a lift so that we are able to change gears and prepare supper . A small snack and something hot to drink, rests our appetites and allows that the children and the moms can wait  for a nice meal. 

It is a peaceful time to reconnect and speak to one another like family members and not co-workers.

Cardamon applesauce cake is one our tea time favorites. It keeps will refrigerated, is not too sweet and goes great with Tazo Chai or  freshly brewed espresso. 

Please try a tea time for yourself when the day's events close in, your head is in a spin and everything seems pushed. I am reminded of the many heroines of English novels who, while in the middle of a crisis, will ask for  a 'nice cuppa tea'. Perhaps they are on to something deeper than a hot drink.  

Good Night Kitchen

It is a parting glimpse of a day well lived. We may not have accomplished all we set out to do or be satisfied with the results. However at the end of the day what matters most is that we are reunited with those we love through our prayers for one another. S.O.A.P.

Sweeties!!!

Sweeties is a new business that helps celebrate the sweet moments of your life!

*for more information leave a comment and we will get you the information*

Codes of Conduct for the Kitchen

There are four ‘codes’ of conduct for our kitchen. When practiced by all or some of the bakers, we are as astonished as anyone else. J

1. Mise en place. French term that describes the way a chef pulls up and measures out all of his ingredients before he starts to prepare the recipe. Think….cooking shows and the pre-measured bowls of ingredients.

2. Clean up as you go. Messy kitchens are my mom’s pet peeve and she would harp on our doing the dishes as we went along. She is right and to this day I find I can not cook in a messy kitchen. Good practice.

3. Good cooks never eat in their own kitchen. What? This is an old saying that reminds the chefs not to nibble away a million calories while cooking. The sense of it is borne in good practice, as you are not licking your fingers or spoons being used while touching food.

4.Wash your hands before a new task and groom for the kitchen. Well this one is obvious isn’t it? Clean hands, an apron and your hair tied back are just plain common sense.

So, cook like you are Julia Child in a televised, professional, iron chef throw-down with Bobby Flay. You never know.

Good Night Kitchen

It is a parting glimpse of a day well lived. We may not have accomplished all we set out to do or be satisfied with the results. However at the end of the day what matters most is that we are reunited with those we love through our prayers for one another. S.O.A.P.

Pumpkin Souffle 

Good Night Kitchen

It is a parting glimpse of a day well lived. We may not have accomplished all we set out to do or be satisfied with the results. However at the end of the day what matters most is that we are reunited with those we love through our prayers for one another. S.O.A.P.

Dried Fruit Conserves

I made dried fruit conserves many years ago. It was, in fact the first canning project that I had ever undertaken. I was in the doldrums of homemaking due to a long siege of parenting sandwiched between diapers and teenagers who were learning to drive. One day I decided that I would learn to ‘can’. I had an old water bath canner at the house and a few jars left over from a summer craft project that we did while at the beach (sand sculptures using colored sand).

Making the conserves was easier than I thought it would be and to my surprise a complete success. I believe that making conserves versus jam as my first attempt may have been a stroke of true beginners luck. Conserves are stewed in a sugar mixture. Making conserves with dried fruit was totally doable and delicious. Dried fruit gives the conserves an almost foolproof quality. At the time I was not aware of that, I merely chose the recipe for dried fruit conserves from my cookbook because it was the only recipe for which I had all the ingredients on hand at the moment.

As I have traveled the jam making journey, I see now that there is more knowledge needed to ensure success than I had invested in my first attempt. I know that I need a lot more time and practice in order to become an expert.  

If you want a success the first time at bat, do try making Dried Fruit Conserves. So foolproof is this recipe that I made it with my culinary class at our homeschool co-operative last semester. That class consisted of six teenaged boys and two teenaged girls who had their minds on other things and not the perfect jar of conserves. J

Good Night Kitchen

It is a parting glimpse of a day well lived. We may not have accomplished all we set out to do or be satisfied with the results. However at the end of the day what matters most is that we are reunited with those we love through our prayers for one another. S.O.A.P.

Good Food Award

Doorstep Bakery was asked to compete in the Good Food Awards being sponsored by Michael Polland and Alice Waters. These two people are well known in the foodie world and Doorstep is thrilled to participate.

Small, local and artisan food producers are being asked to submit a sample of one of the food items listed in the categories given. The food item will be judged for its worthiness. The winner receives a trip to California (or was it New York) hmmm…I forget. Honestly I never thought we would ever have chance to win so those details are not in my memory. J I was excited just to be asked to compete. I am sure that they searched the Pick Tennessee sight and asked us to participate because we are part of that promotional.

The categories are spirits, beer, sausage, cheese, chocolate, pickles, preserves, and coffee. Since there is no bread category then we will enter our jam. I am not a proficient jam maker but preserves are the only category that even comes close to something I know about (unless you count ‘eating chocolate’).

So here goes. We will keep you posted on our progress. As the saying goes, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’. What’s the worst that can happen? My family has to eat stacks of waffles drizzled with less than perfect jam. No problem. J

County Fair

Saturday is our 'end of the week' day 

at Doorstep Bakery. We are finished 

with our most demanding baking tasks 

and can relax. Sunday is traditionally 

a 'no bake' day. On Saturday our blog 

will feature one last thought presented 

in picture form, which sums up what has 

been on our hearts through the week. 

If one picture is truly worth a thousand 

words then it is our hope this picture 

will say it all.

Have a wonderful Sunday, see you Monday morning.

Good Night Kitchen

Recipe Friday!!!

Today's Recipe is Key Lime Pie. Since we are now starting the fall season it is good to say 'good bye summer' with a nice big slice of pie!

Key Lime Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust (however you prefer to make it, pre made is easy or you may have a special recipe)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup of key lime juice (if you can only get lime juice use 1 cup)
1  (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the egg yolks, key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk together.  Pour into your prepared graham cracker crust.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Cool completely.  Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, add the powered sugar, finish whipping.  Top the cooled pie with the whipped cream.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Then enjoy!

I have always loved making Key Lime Pie.  It is easy and cools me on a hot day.  So I will be saying 'good bye summer' 'hello autumn' with a slice of pie.
Please leave a comment and tell us "How do you say good bye to summer?"  or "What are your favorite summer recipes that you only bring out during the summer?"
Thank you for sharing it really is interesting to read all the different rituals that people practice.

Good Night Kitchen

Music Moves Us

Being a bakery of all female bakers you will not be surprised to know that there are certain ‘rules’ to our work day. These rules are not about serious matters like flour percentages, ingredients or recipes but about something far more important, what music is going to be playing in the background as we work in the kitchen.

The 1^st rule. Whoever takes the morning shift (usually 4am for the first cutting and shaping of the dough that has been refrigerated all night) chooses the music for the work day. If the college aged daughters are up first then I know I will awake to the sounds of the 60s or Adele. Not bad.

If I take the morning shift then they will awaken to Michael Buble’ or Dean Martin or perhaps Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra. My daughter’s think that my choice is amusing but rules are rules. J

The 2^nd rule. The first rule will be canceled when the little bakers wake up and come downstairs for the day. If the ‘little girls’ are contentedly playing nearby then the music will be Disney show tunes or folk songs by our favorite artist, Pete Seeger. 

In the evening while we are cleaning up and preparing for the next day, it will be to the sounds of relaxing instrumentals. Currently my favorite is a classic Yoga relaxation CD.

Naturally we are looking forward to a kitchen filled with the sound of fantastic seasonal music for the holidays as we bake and prepare food for those we love.

Please tell us what music moves your day along. We love to hear from you.

Good Night Kitchen

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!

Congratulations Jenny Reosti! We are pleased to announce that our very first give away is going to be enjoyed by Jenny and her family.


Today Doorstep bakery will be selling our breads and cookies at The Mercantile Restaurant, located on the square in Manchester. This is a new venue for us and we are eager to see how it will work.
The Mercantile is located in a building that is approximately 100 years old. Sue Banks and her sister, Jane Lusk have invested in the building, making the necessary upgrades to meet the many health and safety codes in order that the building  can be purposeful and continue to be useful.
Using the building for a commercial kitchen and restaurant presented more than the usual set backs but the work is now complete and they are serving up family style meals.
Sue and Jane respect the history behind this building and recall memories from their childhood when the building was a grocery store. Renovating a old space can be frustrating. Each new layer of need reveals yet more challenges. It takes a dedicated effort and a willingness to cope with unexpected problems. A vision of 'what can be' is key to taking a potentially derelict building and returning it to service once again, breathing new life within its walls.
Doorstep Bakery likes this type of vision and finds that it fits in with our desire to celebrate local businesses.

Good Night Kitchen

There are those times in our busy kitchen when we feel 'enough work for one day is enough' and it is off to bed.  In the morning the unfinished chores of the previous night are tableau that prove 'everything will wait except people.'
Each evening we will leave you with a parting glimpse of our finished or unfinished day in hopes that you will find something familiar and realize that we are kindred spirits after all.

Peach Jam

County Fair Jam Entries

In addition to artisan breads and cookies, Doorstep Bakery is licensed to produce jams and jellies. Though this is not our specialty, we want to improve our skills in this area in hopes that we can offer signature jams and jellies on a regular basis.

I am new to the science of jam making and find it interesting. The experimentation with different ingredients and spices added to basic fruits and berries is challenging and helps to keep us interested as we work to re-invent what we know about jam and jelly. For example we are working with a recipe now that we will call Peach Brandy. This special peach jam is made with late summer yellow peaches combined with savory spices and a touch of brandy. It is reminiscent of the peach brandy my mother would make each summer when peaches were plentiful. My mother grew up in the orchard business and remembers this particular recipe as a family favorite. After the fermentation process the brandy was a treat for the Christmas holidays.

I am a perfectionist and will practice, research and work with a recipe until I feel that the end product is truly worthy for my family and customers. Thank goodness less than perfect jam makes a great topping for ice cream, yogurt, waffles etc. J

Here is a list of the books we are currently using to help us with our jam making.

The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders

The Art of Preserving by Williams and Sonoma

Jam, Jelly, and Relish by Ghillie James

The Ball Blue Book

County Fair

County Fair.  Depending on your age and situation those two words conjure up different images.
For some it is a carnival scene filled with amusement rides and games. For others it is the annual enjoyment of foods unique to experience; corn dogs, cotton candy and funnel cakes.  Still others look forward to the grandstand entertainment and beauty pageants.  Some would not consider fair week complete with a visit to the livestock barns and the 4H exhibits.  However for the Doorstep Bakery, it is exploring the Women's Pavilion, where the homemade items are displayed and judged.  We are particularly interested in the jams and jellies. 
Seeing shelves lines with jars of carefully prepared summer fruits and berries is always a pleasure.  The jars' rich jewel colored preserves are proof to me that the art of preserving summer's harvest is just that, an art best appreciated, perhaps, by those persons who have tried to master the techniques themselves. 
Doorstep bakers have won ribbons with our different jams and this is a wonderful honor to be sure but second only to the overall realization that there are many experienced artisans who are equally skilled and from them we have much to learn.
This week we want to focus on our own Coffee County fair.  The children are eager to do the research, especially if it means daily visits to the fair.
If you have a fair entry you would like us to highlight please leave a comment so that we can all share in the joy and satisfaction of your accomplishment.  If you have a particularly fond experience at this fair or another please tell us about it.  We always look forward to reading your comments as it brings us closer to kindred spirits.  Doorstep Bakery celebrates local and seasonal foods where fresh bread is a daily pleasure.

Look for Doorstep Bakery artisans breads and cookies this week at Bean's Creek Winery Farmer's Market on Thursday from 3-6pm, Coffee County Farmer's Market on Saturday from 6am- 12pm and at a new venue, The Mercantile Restaurant located on the square.  The Mercantile Restaurant serves freshly prepared meals for take out or eating in.  They are opened on Wednesday and Friday from 11pm-2pm.



   
Here are some of our favorite County Fair foods!

The Village Life

Saturday is our 'end of the week' day 

at Doorstep Bakery. We are finished 

with our most demanding baking tasks 

and can relax. Sunday is traditionally 

a 'no bake' day. On Saturday our blog 

will feature one last thought presented 

in picture form, which sums up what has 

been on our hearts through the week. 

If one picture is truly worth a thousand 

words then it is our hope this picture 

will say it all.

Have a wonderful Sunday, see you Monday morning.

Recipe Friday!

                                                       

Haute Cuisine

My mom is a wonderful cook. Using basic recipes that she can dress up to suit the tastes and situation of those people for whom she cooks, her talents are a delicate balance of taste and nutrition. When we were children the following recipe was her quintessential 'Welcome Autumn' treat. As kids we loved this recipe and today my family enjoys it as well.

Mom's version of Waldorf Salad

1-2 bunches of seedless grapes washed and cut in half (we like a combination of red and green grapes)

3-4 apples diced into bite size pieces (again a combination of different apple varieties is nice)

1/4 cup of toasted walnuts (certainly this can be omitted or more can be added according to your taste)

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

2-4 tablespoons of homemade mayo

1 tablespoon of honey ( of course we prefer Tracey Hansen's honey from her Milk and Honey Farm)

Combine the apples, grapes, walnuts and lemon juice in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayo and honey. Drizzle the mayo mixture over the apple mixture. Chill for at least an hour to let the flavors blend. This salad is best eaten the same day.

Traditionally waldorf salad contains diced celery but that would never do for my family. I have also seen it served with dried fruit and diced cooked chicken too.

Waldorf salad was created in 1893 by the chefs of the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. For its day and its beginnings it was considered very fashionable cuisine to be sure. However today we think that it is just the right combination of Autumn flavors making a delicious seasonal treat.

Living in a Village

Market Time Buckle Up!

One of our sons recently returned from Coventry, England. He had been living in the village of Coventry for over a year while doing research at Warwick College. Having previously lived in New York city, he found village life a drastic change to say the least. After settling into the rhythm of a small village, to his surprise he found that NYC and Coventry shared a common denominator, cars are not needed to navigate either city on a daily basis. In NYC people move about by mass transit (subways) or they walk. In Coventry, Michael used his bicycle and he walked. In many parts of NYC people still shop daily at small neighborhood markets on their way home from work. In Coventry Michael did the same. Meal planning is spontaneous and inspired by what is available and looks tasty. He found this lifestyle to be  pleasant and in many ways relaxing after being at 'the office' all day.
There is a belief among foodies that shopping for produce on a more frequent basis, encourages us to prepare our veggies and fruit simply and with the inspiration of the seasons. Supper might feature  cut up apples, cheese and fresh bread with steamed broccoli and grapes for dessert. Because seasonal offerings are in abundance we are more apt to experiment with recipes which feature the in season veggies and fruits once we tire of the simple preparations.

Though I can not say I have access to a village market within walking distance of my (ahem) cottage, I do have the blessing of a grocery store fully stocked with seasonal produce. Beyond this I have the great joy of shopping twice weekly at two very fine farmer's markets, Bean's Creek on Thursdays from 3pm to 7pm and Coffee County Farmer's Market held on Saturday mornings from 6am until 12pm. In between times it is fun to search out local fruit and veggie stands and acquaint myself with the owners becoming a regular customer.

Doorstep Bakery celebrates fresh, local, and seasonal produce where fresh bread is a daily pleasure.

Interview with Milk and Honey Farm

On Wednesdays we enjoy our  interviews  with a local business that celebrates our philosophy of fresh, local and creative. We especially like the give away featuring a product from the business owner.  This week we interviewed Milk and Honey Farm owner and operator Tracey Hansen. 

Doorstep Bakery interview with *Milk and Honey Farm*

Doorstep Bakery:  Tracey your family's Milk and Honey Farm appears to be not only the  culmination of a long held dream but an ongoing vision as  well. Tell us what led you to this path and your inspirations along the way.

Tracey Hansen: I have been an advocate for healthy eating for near 20 years. Having tried everything from raw to vegetarian and everything in between, I know that eating locally, healthy produced foods in good mix and moderation is the best way to health. Our farming adventure started with bees. TJ's dad was a beekeeper for 20 years. When he hung up his veil, he passed his passion and equipment on to his son. That was in 2004 when we lived in the city limits of Tullahoma and had 3 hives. During that time, I also had the opportunity to learn the art of livestock care with a wonderful mentor. We read, prayed, talked over and dreamed for 2 years until the time was right for us to move and tend land, animals, gardens and many more beehives. Inspiration came from everywhere including the encouragement of friends and family We would not be the family farm we are without that encouragement and prayers.

Doorstep Bakery:  A farm is by necessity is an enormous amount of work,however I sense it is a labor of love for you and your family. Can you give us some idea of your day's work and how you weave this around the demands of 'mommy' and 'wife'.

Tracey Hansen:  Wow, not sure I do this well at all most days but I am up by 5:30 to milk the cow and the goats, strain and cool the milk. The morning chores are done by 7 most days when I take  few minutes to help get TJ to work and I have some quiet time for about an hour. During the day, we get schoolwork, housework and play with the animals. In the evening, most of the time some of the boys feed and tend to the animals. If I am milking twice per day, then I go out. Otherwise, I can get supper ready for them when they come in. Farming has its ebb and flow just like many things in life. After 2 years, we have found a rhythm that works most of the time. As always, we are flexible to change that may be necessary such as downsizing how many animals we have or how much of a crop to grow. Labor of great love, yes indeed.

Doorstep Bakery: Of all the products that you make, which expresses your genuine creativity the best and why?

Tracey Hansen:  Oh my soap of course. I created the formula based on the ingredients that are available to me at an effective cost and good skin enriching properties. I grow and infuse many botanicals into oil for the soap too. Rose petals, nettle leaf, red clover, St. John's Wort, plantain and many more because of their skin healing or softening strengths. Using only natural vegetable oils and butters, pure essential oils and organic ingredients when possible make a product I am very proud of and stand firmly behind. Everyone has to bathe and why not as naturally as possible. Our bodies are a temple of the Lord and anything that goes on or in them is important to Him. I want it to be important to my patrons as well. So far, the reception has been overwhelming. More and more, people WANT natural! This warms my heart so much.

Doorstep Bakery: Where do you want to see Milk and Honey Farm in the  future?

Tracey Hansen: Oh wow, good question. We have lots of great ideas in the works. Participating with the Bean's Creek Farmer's Market has opened a wonderful door for us. I won't give secrets away but I know our farm is blessed by God and He has great plans to prosper what we do. My biggest goal for the future will be charity work and how we can use what we have been blessed with to bless others.

Today's Giveaway:  French Sourdough Boule and Honey from Milk and Honey Farm!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please).  We will randomly pick a winner on Wednesday of next week and you can collect the prize at the Bean's Creek Farmer's Market

on Thursday 9/22/2011. Visit the Doorstep Bakery table to claim your prize and of course visit Milk and Honey Farm while you are there.
**To post a comment you must become a follower of the blog and then post a comment.  It also posted after I used the "preview" button.  If you have any probelms just post on our Facebook page and we will make sure you gets added to the drawing.**

Doorstep Bakery celebrates Fresh, Local, Seasonal, and Creative products and those persons who use thier talents to fulfill dreams and hopes for the future.