B
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
The Observer & Baker City Herald
TRASH TALK
Homemade Ice Pops
ANN MEHAFFY
Importance
of locally
grown food
Years ago when our Baker City
Main Street Program was launched,
we fostered this slogan: “Put Your
Money Where Your House Is.” That
was of course to say — invest in your
community by buying locally, where
your dollars support your neighbors
and get circulated many times within
the community. Both our slogan and
the original “put your money where
your mouth is” are important when
our thoughts turn to investing in local
farmers, ranchers, growers, producers,
food crafters, and seed producers/sav-
ers. Perhaps now, more than ever, we
can grasp the complexities of food secu-
rity and the importance of supporting
locally grown and produced food that is
out of the reach of global markets and
now broken supply chains.
Taking a step back during our forced
isolation these days gives us an oppor-
tunity to refl ect and reconsider what’s
important to us and what keeps us and
our communities physically and eco-
nomically healthy. For most of us, much
of the food we put on our table comes
from large-scale corporate agri-busi-
nesses. The food is grown, harvested,
processed, mixed, boxed, packaged, and
shipped with one thing in mind: profi t.
Additionally, corporate agriculture
and food producers go to great lengths
to preserve food with preservatives,
coatings, and additives to accommodate
far-reaching markets, warehouse stor-
age, and a long shelf life. This factory
farming and high-volume food process-
ing usually means our local connection
to food production is forfeited for the
sake of year-round availability, cheap
production, convenience, and quantity
over quality. It also means automation,
monoculture crops, heavy use of pes-
ticides and herbicides, and little or no
support for the local communities near
large-scale farming sites. In short, the
factory farm or processing plant does
not support healthy soil, sustainable
agriculture or local communities.
See Local Food/Page 3B
Amy Drew Thompson/Orlando Sentinel-TNS
It’s a new version of that old orange juice-in-the-ice-tray recipe from Saturday morning television.
C HILLING O UT
Simply sweeten your blend-ups to where you
like them.
None of us is sure how long all these new
Traditional ice pop molds are fun — mine
rules are going to last, but in Florida, it’s
have “sipper” straws built in so you can get
pretty safe to say we’ll still be social distanc- every last drop — but I supplemented with
ing when ice cream truck season rolls around a giant ice-cube tray. The boxy shape makes
in earnest.
them stocky and super-cute! Stretch plastic
Solution? Make your own ice pops!
wrap tightly over the top, cut little slits at the
Perks include family togetherness and
center of each section and slide in your sticks
fun snacks on a stick that don’t involve a
before freezing.
deep fryer. Also, there’s room for creativity.
Did you know that Michael’s sells stubby
You’ll see that these “recipes” are barely even little sticks for just such a project? I didn’t,
recipes. Just instructions to pulverize two or either! But I do now.
three ingredients in a food processor, pour
I’m learning so much during this whole
said concoction into some sort of mold and
lockdown thing. Blueberry mojito ice pops are
shove ’em in the freezer.
just the tip of the educational-opportunity
Any fruit you use could be sweet enough
iceberg.
to avoid adding your own sweetener, so don’t
And speaking of ice, here goes...
feel compelled. But I used agave syrup in all
Instructions
of mine save the cucumber-melon (the hon-
Simply blend each ingredient combo in
eydew I bought was exceptional). You could
also opt for something calorie-free, like Stevia. your food processor or blender. Leaving the
By Amy Drew Thompson
Orlando Sentinel
A revolution: pan-roasted honey brioche
between your fi ngers, then toss it into the mixer
while the hook beats on medium-high speed.
When it completely disappears into the dough,
LOS ANGELES — Pastry chef Dyan Ng’s
add another piece in the same way. Keep going
pan-roasted honey brioche isn’t just new; it’s
until all the butter is incorporated. This will take
revolutionary. She created it for the brunch
about 10 minutes. (The mixer may jump on your
menu at Auburn “to give people something dif-
counter, so hold the machine steady with one
ferent that they’ve never tried before.”
hand while adding the butter with the other.)
“As a cook, I don’t want to be showy, but I al-
The machine’s beating will heat up the dough,
ways want to do something different,” Ng says.
but the butter will help cool it down to prevent
Ng fi rst developed a formula for a milk-
it from breaking. The dough is done when it’s
less brioche extra rich in butter and eggs so it
smooth, shiny and stretchy. If you hook a fi nger
wouldn’t taste like pain au lait. And though the
into the dough and pull, it should hang like Silly
BRIOCHE
brioche was delicious, she said, “It was just a
Putty. Don’t overbeat or the dough may break.
delicious French bread.” She then caramelized 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons salted butter
4. Remove the hook and use your hands to
(250 grams), preferably cultured high-fat
the top of the loaf with honey butter while it
scoop
the dough out of the bowl. Holding it over
baked but wanted the bread to be more tender 2½ cups all-purpose fl our (333 grams)
your
work
surface, pass it back and forth be-
all the way through. So she decided to cook the ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
tween
your
hands, gathering the sides under un-
dough completely on the stove while basting it 1 envelope active dry yeast (7 grams)
til
the
dough
is very smooth on top. Lay it in the
or 20 grams fresh cake yeast
with honey butter.
buttered
container
and gently press a piece of
It’s all very confusing until you take a bite. It 5 large eggs (250 grams), room temperature
plastic
wrap
directly
on the dough so it doesn’t
has the yeasty depth of sourdough without the
form
a
skin,
then
cover
the container with a lid
self-righteous austerity, the buttery richness of HONEY BUTTER
or
another
sheet
of
plastic
wrap stretched taut.
brioche with an almost custardy egginess, the 2¼ pounds unsalted butter (1,026 grams)
Let
proof
at
room
temperature
for one hour,
2 cups honey (680 grams),
welcome bitter edge of dark caramel seeping
then
transfer
to
the
refrigerator
for 12 hours.
preferably light amber
into the bread and running all over the plate.
5.
Cut
12
pieces
of
wax
or
parchment
paper
Ng’s years of mastering French pastry are
into
5-inch
squares.
Generously
butter
one
1. Make the brioche: Take the butter out of the
clear in this brilliant technique that’s actually
easy to execute even if it takes days. The genius refrigerator and cut into tablespoons. Place on a side of each square. Remove the dough from
is in its simplicity. Her technical skills translate plate in a single layer to soften. When you press the refrigerator, uncover and, pressing a bench
into a piece, it should yield to pressure like Play- scraper or sharp knife straight down into the
into just-right proportions of fi ve ingredients
dough, cut into 12 even pieces (about 74 grams
Doh. Use more butter to lightly butter a large
that yield foolproof dough, and the two-night
each if you’ve got a scale).
proofi ng ensures the bread stays tender on the container or bowl.
6. Holding a piece of dough with both hands,
2. While the butter softens, combine the fl our
stovetop while holding its shape and caramel-
fl
atten
it slightly, then pull the edges under to
and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fi tted
izing to a dark brown.
form
a
tight ball. Put the ball in one palm, then
with the dough hook. Sprinkle the dried yeast or
Testing this recipe at home over the weeks
cup
your
other hand around the ball and rotate
crumble the fresh yeast on top, then add 2 eggs.
that the coronavirus changed this city and
that
hand
to tighten the ball further while giving
Beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are
country, I found that it not only worked per-
it
a
perfectly
round shape. The dough will be
moistened, scraping the bowl if needed. Con-
fectly every time in every variation but also
sticky,
but
don’t
fl our your hands or the dough.
tinue mixing while adding the remaining 3 eggs
provided a welcome peace.
Transfer
the
ball
to a buttered paper square,
one at a time. Scrape the bowl and raise the
top
side
up.
Repeat
with the remaining dough.
speed to medium-high. Continue beating until
Arrange
the
balls
on
a sheet pan, spacing an
the wet dough fl aps against the side of the bowl,
inch
apart.
about 5 minutes. The dough will still look broken
and cling to the sides of the bowl at this point.
2 hours, plus 3 days proofi ng. Makes 1 dozen.
3. Pick up a piece of butter, smash it a little
See Brioche/Page 2B
By Genevieve Ko
Los Angeles Times
BETWEEN
THE ROWS
WENDY SCHMIDT
Spring is
finally here
Spring is fi nally happening. The
weather is capricious, wreaking havoc
with people’s joints. Plants are bloom-
ing everywhere, awakening dormant
allergies. The joy of spring is in the air,
for which we need a good rain and a
few more bees. The dust and pollen can
cause your eyes to sting.
The fi rst bees to appear here were
the mason bees. I have a mason bee
block which a group of kids gave me
at the farmers market. I really didn’t
know where to place it permanently, so
I sat it on the porch railing. The mason
bees found it there, so now I don’t think
I should move it. The block is a simple
4-by-4 or 6-by-6 with holes drilled in
it, which become the nests for female
mason bees to lay their eggs. Mason
bees are more effective pollinators than
honeybees. They are very gentle. They
don’t make honey. They don’t sting.
One time in my life I kept honey-
bees. I loved it and I loved my bees. I
didn’t mind being stung, and still enjoy
watching honeybees pollinating fl ow-
ers. Honeybees work in warm weather.
Mason bees will work when it is cold.
See Spring/Page 2B
fruit a little chunky in pops like Coco-Mango
or Strawberries & Cream makes for excep-
tionally photogenic pops. It’s all up to you.
• Strawberries & Cream: Blend fresh
strawberries and standard whipping cream.
• Cucumber Melon: Until we can get back
to the spa, this one tastes like it. Blend up
honeydew with peeled, seeded cukes. Save
two slices for your eyes. Recline and enjoy.
• Coco-Mango: Mix fresh mango, coconut
milk (I used the thick, full-fat canned variety)
and coconut water with fl akes.
• Watermelon Kiwi: Blend up watermelon,
slice kiwi. Insert kiwi slices into molds, stick-
ing them to the sides. Pour in watermelon.
Makes for a pretty presentation.
• Blueberry Mojito: Add fresh blueber-
ries, mint leaves, white rum, agave and club
soda. Blend the fi rst four to taste — don’t use
too much rum or it won’t freeze well — add
club soda at the end, stir before pouring into
molds. Rum optional, of course.
PAN-ROASTED HONEY BUTTER
BRIOCHE
This technique, which is revolutionary and
satisfying to execute, requires serving the
brioche right away and works best if you’re
making just one to four at a time. I found the
ideal balance to be doing a few on the stovetop
to eat right away, then baking the remaining
dough balls for the most delicious rolls to enjoy
anytime with or without the honey butter. Or
you can skip the honey butter and simply tuck
all the dough into a pan for a brioche-meets-
sourdough loaf.