Southern Bread out west

In running a Southern Restaurant in California, we learned a lot about how to not cook. We thought we did well, but it was just another Californian attempt at regional food.

So, off to Crescent City, New Orleans, we went to learn the cuisine of the creole. Overall the best experience was standing in Paul Pruhomme's Kitchen at 7:30 on a Friday Night, learning how to properly blacken catfish. In California, Recipes and technique are closely guarded secrets. No so in the south. The Hospitality really does exist. They would rather have us make the food the right way! So everyone showed us what we asked for. Grits with sauce debris', true po'boy bread, good beignets and chickory coffee, on and on.

Unfortunately, the humidity cannot be taught. The air down there does something to the bread that cannot be artifically duplicted in the desert of California. Try as we might, we never had true success with Beignets. We had a few good runs, but consistency was impossible.

Time is the secret also. Good food takes time. Not as in the new 'slow food' movement, but the time to do it right. Let the bread rise on its own, dont rush it. Oh, and a GOOD DARK ROUX TAKES ALL DAY. Seemingly anyway. I can make roux all day long and thought the Étouffée was good - sorely mistaken. No butter, just oil, flour and time at a very low heat - rush it and you'll throw it away every time.

Gotta go find some crawdad's for dinner - hope the fish monger is ready for me today!

Now that Spring is upon us and the realization that we all ate a bit more than we should of through the cold winter months, it is time to get ready for summer.
This does not mean dieting, as the latest reports show, this does not even work. As Grandma used to say, "everything in moderation" as she sipped her daily 'libation'.

No need to run out and sign up for a gym! Take the dog for a walk. Don't wait for the closest space to the store, take the first reasonable space and walk the extra 20 feet. Walk to get the coffee for the office. Just get out of the stuffy house and go smell the roses. A half hour of exercise will raise your endorphins (making you feel better and happier) and how much better will that scone and coffee taste when you get back?!

Do this for the family. The ones that look to you for support, guidance and love. Do it for yourself, as there is nothing and no one that can make you happy if you are not happy. You are the only one that can change this.

Bakery Questions

Welcome to our Bakery Blog. We hope you will visit often to see what is new and help us find the answers to odd and interesting cooking and baking issues

We have been cooking and baking for some time and will do our best to answer all legitimate cooking and baking questions.

Mrs. AppleTree is a family owned and operated Bakery located in Glendale, CA. specializing in high quality sweet breads and scones for an exclusive market. We do however ship worldwide from our website at www.mrsappletree.com

Our cooking history comes from running restaurants all over the western United States. Developing menus, wine lists, specialty drinks for our bars and desserts, of course.

After travelling enough we decided to get back to our roots and do what makes us happy. Be with our family and share the great food traditions with others. From the bakery we can create and share memories of the days when everything tasted great and we didn't worry too much about a second piece of that awesome cake or lemon curd cookies that grandma made.

More Tomorrow