On the Road

Whether you’re headed far from home or just dreaming of distant shores, you can savor our book reviews featuring foods from afar. And if your vacation is a stay-cation, why not venture out to one of the crop swaps listed below? But before you go anywhere, we hope you’ll help us win the Edible Feast Cover Contest!

 

 

Edible Feast Cover Contest

We’re in third place and need readers to help us get to first by sharing our summer cover on facebook, twitter, and pinterest. If we take the lead by July 1, we’ll win $500 for Fibershed, a terrific nonprofit that creates local textile cultures. Their mission—to change the way we clothe ourselves while enhancing ecological balance and utilizing local agriculture. To help us win, click here and use the icons near the top of the page to spread the word. Contest ends July 1, so please don’t delay! You can read more about Fibershed in our current edition.

 

Crop Swaps In Full Swing

Share your garden’s bounty and come home with someone else’s. Trade zucchinis for lemons, spinach for snap peas, or tomatoes for plums. Some swappers also bring seeds, plants, or gardening tools. Join in to meet your neighbors, exchange recipes, and pick up valuable gardening tips. Arrive early for the best selection!

 

Mondays, 6:30–7:30pm
Ohlone Greenway, Berkeley
At Sacramento and Delaware streets

Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30pm
Albany Community Center
1249 Marin Ave

Wednesdays, 5–6pm
Richmond Public Library
325 Civic Center Plaza, in the courtyard

Wednesdays, 5:30–6:30pm
El Sobrante
Lila’s House, 2932 May Rd

4th Saturdays, 2–5pm
AdamCrest Urban Farm
5000 Patterson Cir, Richmond

Sundays, 1–3pm
Pollinate Farm & Garden
2727 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland

 

Book Reviews

Foreign Shores
Reviews by Kristina Sepetys

If you’re traveling abroad this summer—or if you’re not but would like to imagine you are—here are some cookbooks to guide you!

My Paris Kitchen
by David Lebovitz
(Ten Speed Press, 2014)

A collection of stories and 100 sweet and savory French-inspired recipes from popular food blogger David Lebovitz with lovely photographs taken in the author’s Parisian kitchen and around the city. Find many updated traditional French dishes. As with most of Lebovitz’ books, desserts are standouts: Warm Chocolate Cake with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce, Duck Fat Cookies, Bay Leaf Poundcake with Orange Glaze, and French Cheesecake.

 

 

My Irish Table
by Cathal Armstrong and David Hagedorn
(Ten Speed Press, 2014)

Armstrong and Hagedorn present 130 recipes showcasing modern Irish fare, along with stories about Armstrong’s journey from Dublin to Washington, D.C., and becoming an internationally recognized four-star chef, the owner of seven successful food and drink establishments, and a leader in the sustainable-foodmovement. Tempt yourself with Kerrygold Butter-Poached Lobster with Parsnips, Irish Stew, Shepherd’s Pie, or Mam’s Apple Pie.

 

 

Rose Petal Jam
by Beata Zatorska
(Tabula Books, 2011)

Part memoir and part travelogue, this captivating cookbook presents the story of Beata Zatorska’s childhood in rural Poland, mixing stories of her youth and her grandmother’s handwritten recipes with stunning photos of Poland in summer. Included are more than 60 recipes for traditional Polish home-cooked meals, from poppyseed cake and pierogi to fruit-flavored summer liqueurs.

 

Recipe

Bay Leaf Pound Cake with Orange Glaze

Gateau Week-end Parfume au Laurier, Nappage a l’orange

Makes one (9-inch/23cm) cake, 12 servings

Melting the butter and saturating the flour results in a moist pound cake with a buttery crumb. You could substitute rose geranium or another scented leaf, making sure – of course – that whatever leaves you are using are unsprayed. –David Lebovitz

Ingredients

Cake
6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened, for piping
10 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 2/3 cups(230g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (preferably aluminum-free)
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (125g) sour cream
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (unsprayed)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Orange Glaze
1 cup (140g) powdered sugar
1 ½ tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau

Instructions

To make the cake, melt the 6 tablespoons (85g) of butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add 3 of the bay leaves. Let steep for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Butter a 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan. Dust with flour and tap out any excess, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Dab one side of the remaining 7 bay leaves with a little bit of butter and place the leaves, evenly spaced, on the bottom of the prepared loaf pan, buttered side down.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla until combined.

Rewarm the butter to liquefy it and pluck out the bay leaves. Gently fold into the egg mixture.

With a rubber spatula, gently stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients, just until the batter is smooth. Do not over-mix. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, being careful not to disturb the bay leaves. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of softened butter in a plastic bag and snip off a corner (or make a parchment paper cone), then draw a straight line of the butter down the center of the cake. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of the cake and then tip the cake out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.

To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange liqueur. Spread the glaze over the cooked cake, allowing it to drip down the sides and harden.