Seasonal Food - Regional Focus
By Laurie, Laurie Bakke's Kitchen ~ Simple custard uses local honey. It’s March in our small town of Hendersonville. The produce markets have slimmed down with the cold of winter, but several items are still available. Let’s start with honey. It comes from the nectar of flowers, sage blossoms, sourwood and dandelions, raspberries, clover and wildflowers. Honey is available locally at The Hendersonville Community Co-op located at 715 Old Spartanburg Hwy. Also, another source for … [Read more...]
By Laurie Bakke, Laurie Bakke's Kitchen ~ The only thing better than a ripe strawberry is a chocolate covered strawberry! Chocolate covered strawberries are a classic Valentine's Day treat, although they can (and should) be enjoyed throughout the year! Dark chocolate and strawberries may help lower blood pressure, and they contain antioxidants, which boost the immune system. Below is a recipe for chocolate covered strawberries from page 67 of my cookbook. [Read More & Get Recipe] … [Read more...]
By Laurie, Laurie Bakke's Kitchen ~ Now that we have reviewed its history and growing possibilities, it is time to explore the culinary aspect of rosemary. With its pungent, resinous flavor, rosemary, one of the true kitchen indispensables, subtly enhances many foods, especially roast meats, duck chicken, potatoes, sauces, focaccia, stews, ragouts, marinades, stuffings, teas and, of course, desserts, cookies and more. Ideas for using rosemary in the kitchen: Rosemary is typically … [Read more...]
By Laurie, Laurie Bakke's Kitchen ~ What spice is deliciously complex -- sweet, mellow, and woodsy, with a warming kick? If you said star anise, kudos for culinary know-how! Star anise is a pointed seedpod that has been used in Chinese cooking for centuries. The spice amplifies the flavor of everything it is added to. Gourmets all over the world are exploring the spice and how to use it. Try a touch with your favorite chili, meatloaf or meatballs to add spicy warmth to a dish. On … [Read more...]
By Laurie Bakke, Laurie Bakke's Kitchen ~ Start the New Year with a dash of good luck! What better time to appreciate simple pleasures and well-being? What better way to start the New Year than with traditional black-eyed peas in January? A staple of the Southern diet, black-eyed peas have long been associated with good luck and abundance for the coming year. They have a starchy texture, an earthy flavor, and they can be purchased frozen, dried or fresh. [Read More & Get Recipe] … [Read more...]
By Laurie Bakke, Laurie Bakke's Kitchen ~ I took the opportunity last week to visit Poppies in Brevard, NC. I had been there before, but I wanted to get reacquainted since I will be teaching a cooking class there on February 17th. I was very interested in looking at their meat choices for more natural selections. I was planning on making the Stuffed Gourmet Meatloaf from the cookbook and decided to purchase the meat and produce from Poppies. I am very impressed with the store and the … [Read more...]
Laurie Green Bakke can now check off another item on her bucket list: Cookbook Author. In addition to being an accomplished Chef and restaurateur, Laurie Bakke has taken her culinary and life experiences and put them into Laurie Bakke’s Cookbook…Fresh Recipes from Café Laurie, Culinary School and other Great Kitchens. Laurie Bakke’s Cookbook is the long awaited follow up to Behind the Scenes from Café Laurie, a hand-crafted, one of a kind book that quickly gained an … [Read more...]
Baby Spinach Salad topped with Roasted Seckel Pears, Apple-Smoked Bacon and Gorgonzola Cheese served with Cider Honey Vinaigrette Seckel pears are available late August through February with the height being around the holidays. Comparatively thick-skinned, this tiny pear has a medium-green to russet exterior and a very pale, yellow-white interior. The juicy, fine-grained flesh is sweet, spicy and flavorful, with its firm texture making it ideal for using whole or halved in poached, roasted … [Read more...]
A dry marinade of sweet spices rubbed over the tenderloin makes the blackberry sauce taste even sweeter. Spiced Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Mustard Sauce 3 Tbsps. Brown Mustard Seed 1 tsp. Fennel Seed 2 tsps. Coriander Seed 1 tsp. Cumin Seed 1 tsp. Whole Black Peppercorns 2 tsps. Dried Thyme 1 Tbsp. Dry Mustard 1 tsp. Ground Ginger 2 tsps. Course Kosher Salt 1 tsp. Brown Sugar 1 ¼ Lbs. Pork Tenderloin 2 Tbsps. Hot Dijon Mustard 2 Tbsps. Dry White Wine 1 Tbsp. … [Read more...]
Cooling Cucumbers With their abundance during the hot days of summer, cucumber salads can be a way to cool down your summertime meals. At the farmer’s market, you will see all manner of cucumbers, from long English style to short pickling varieties to the more common slicing cucumber. They are available year-round, with the peak crop from May to September. Choose firm fruit with smooth and brightly colored skins. Quick or refrigerator pickles and salads are more common than the … [Read more...]
