Currently cooking out of Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich.
You might remember this cake from the chocolate spelt pound cake. Originally, I had wanted to do the kamut version, but couldn’t find any kamut flour. During a weekend trip to Portland, OR, though, I stumbled upon some in Whole Foods. When life hands you kamut flour, you have to take it, right? So that little bag came back home with me.
I had the batter whipped up in no time, and man, was it good. It had a toasty, nutty taste, kind of like cornmeal, but without the grittiness. Like the chocolate spelt version, this one was a bit dry, so I toasted a slice and ate it with some homemade rhubarb, apple and orange jam. I’m really intrigued by the kamut flour and plan to try it in some biscuits soon. But back to that jam I just mentioned. See, right next to the Whole Foods in Portland is Powell’s Bookstore, one of the largest bookstores in the country.
Can you see where this is going?
I might have spent some time in Powell’s browsing their huge selection of cookbooks. And some of those cookbooks might have jumped into my basket and come home with me. And one of them is all about jams and jellies. More on that later.
This is the last recipe out of Pure Dessert, and I’m sad to come to the end of it. Like Medrich’s other books, this book was full of hits and only a few misses. The caramels and the almond cake have earned a spot on my list of favorite recipes and with hotter weather coming (and no air conditioning), I’ll be making that grapefruit granita regularly.
Okay, Trista will know what I am talking about. I am going to plug in stove today and so if I live then I am going to try the asparagus recipe then the brocolli and shrimp one next week. Lord knows that I need to do something that actually looks like I have done something. Too scarey right now, I need food to calm me.
Jam is very good……………….Of course I haven’t tasted anything she has brought me yet that wasn’t wonderful so I might be a little predjustice.
This was on my “I hope she makes this one” list that I just sent you. It looked so yummy in the cookbook. I’m surprised to hear that it was dry. It doesn’t look like it would be in the picture but then again I love toast so that will work. I think I need to try your jam with it although I’m not a rhubarb fan. I think it sounds interesting. I wish I could bring my momma over and we could sample it with you. I’d love to hear what tips she has for you for making jellies. I can’t remember her not making some kinds of jelly. I didn’t even know you could buy it at that store when I was a kid. We never had it so I thought no one else did either!