Panetonne Bread - a holiday treat

A treat and a literary connection for holiday sharing -- Panetonne Bread (Available from Bauducco Foods - a recipe from their Italian ancestors -- http://www.bauducco.com/en/discover/) and a copy of Tony's Bread by Tomie dePaola. dePaola provides the story behind it in Tony’s Bread: An Italian Folktale. The book shares the origin of the Christmas bread, panettone, and tells the story of Tony who dreams that one day he'll become the most famous baker in northern Italy. His poor daughter Serafina wants to be allowed to marry. Each of their dreams can come true.

Listen to a reading of Tony's Bread at https://youtu.be/oTmHoCOdxGI

The Brown Eyed Baker has a blog post that includes a recipe for making your own panetonne.  Check it out at https://www.browneyedbaker.com/panettone-recipe/

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Cooking with Tomie dePaola

Telling Stories with Tomie “Food as Storytelling”

There are stories in many foods.  Tomie dePaola talks about his favorite memories and the food associated with his fifth birthday in a YouTube video from Jim Henson’s Company at:  https://youtu.be/tTnT1O7rYWI.  Start your own food traditions.

Strega Nona has always been a favorite story and sometimes it is fun to share a literary meal with friends and to make your own memories.  In Strega Nona’s first book spaghetti plays a major role --  Strega Nona is Italian and so is Tomie dePaola.  Together they make a great pizza. If you want to make Strega Nona’s pizza with Tomie dePaola and Italian chef Mary Ann Esposito take a look at the four episodes on Ciao Italia which aired on New Hampshire public television.  Episode 2726: Easy Homemade Ricotta-Strega Nona's Pizza-Strega Nona's - Calzones-Tomie's Pizza Dough. 

https://www.ciaoitalia.com/seasons/season-2/episode-2726

For a look at all of dePaola’s Srega Nona books visit his website at https://www.tomie.com/strega-nona-books-1

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Panettone is another Italian favorite. It is the traditional tall, fruit-filled (candied citron, lemon zest, and raisins) Italian sweet bread that is served at Christmas. Panettone can be made up to two months in advance, wrapped tightly  and stored in heavy-duty foil and refrigerated. Tomie dePaola provides the story behind it in  Tony’s Bread: An Italian Folktale.  The book shares the origin of the Christmas bread, panettone, and tells the story of  Tony who dreams that one day he'll become the most famous baker in northern Italy. His poor daughter Serafina wants to be allowed to marry. Each of their dreams can come true. 
There are several read alouds on YouTube - this one is read by Ms. Linda at Go Read!  https://youtu.be/oTmHoCOdxGI

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Recipes in Books

The holidays are a great time to bake/cook with young learners and its a great time to share a good book together. Here are a few that will let you do both - includes my favorite Cranberry Thanksgiving (the bread is great), and a Baker's Dozen - Plan to give a Baker's dozen of your favorite cookie to those you want to remember. And when Passover comes around plan to make chocolate matzo cake inspired by Max.

Books utilizing recipes as an element – enrichment element or integral part of the story:

...

Some recipes become part of the story and are integral to the plot such as Cranberry bread is an integral part to the plot of the classic Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin (now available from Purple House Press). Or matzo cake which is the center of Max Bakes a Cake byMichelle Edwards, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Random House, 2014) in which Max sets out to make a matzo cake.

Other books include recipes as an add-on or an enrichment element to stories that suggest certain foods but the story would have been essentially the same if any other food had been mentioned.

The type of books range from beginning readers to historical fiction, concept books and contemporary fiction, to folk literature.  All types of books lend themselves for including recipes and food.

Wild Berries by Julie Flett  (Simply Read Books, 2013)

            (A Cree Tale) – Spend the day picking wild blueberries with Clarence and his grandmother.  Meet ant, spider, and fox in a beautiful woodland landscape, the ancestral home of the author and illustrator Julie Flett.  (Recipe for Blueberry Jam is an “enrichment” element).

A Fine Dessert: Four Centuries, Four Families, One Delicious Treat by Emily Jenkins, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2015)

            Depicts families, from England to California and from 1710 to 2010, preparing Blackberry Fool. Includes recipe and historical notes.  (Recipe for Blackberry Fool is an integral part of the story plot) Information about the controversy surrounding the title's depiction of the family representing the 1810 time period.

The Baker’s Dozen: A Saint Nicolas Tale by Aaron Shepard, illustrated by Wendy Edelson. (Skyhook Press, 2017)

            Provides the background for the term “A Baker’s Dozen” – all which started when an old woman insists that a dozen is thirteen. The folktale was originally published in 2010 but retold and published in this edition in 2017.

Or read this version of the popular Christmas tale.

The Baker's Dozen by Heather Forest, illustrated by Susan Graber (August House Books, pb., 2015) -- The baker, Van Amsterdam is known in Colonial America for baking his St. Nicholas cookies; however, his greed drives him to become stingy in his business, selling people short of quality cookies. Until one day ... 

The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson. Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton. (Atheneum, 2017).

            When Audrey Faye Hendricks was just nine she heard grown ups plan for wiping out Birmingham’s segregation laws.  She joined the protest – she joined the children’s march in Birmingham. The book begins: “Whenever Mike flew into town, Audrey and her Momma COO-OOKED! Barbecued ribs, stewed greens, sweet potato soufflé, and Audrey’s favorite hot rolls baptized in butter.  (Historical fiction; Includes the recipe the grown-up Audrey and her sister Jan Hendricks Fuller created in an effort to recreate the rolls made by their mother Mrs. Hendricks).

Because of Thursday by Patricia Polacco (Simon & Schuster, 2016)

            Annie Ferlock had always thought that Thursday was her lucky day. She won her first cooking contest at age 8 on a Thursday, met the love of her life on a Thursday, married on a Thursday, and each of their two children were born on a Thursday.  She is know far and wide for her “poke salad.”  But when Mario, Annie’s husband, dies she loses all of her joy and love for cooking – but when kitty appears, things change “Thursday” and Annie has some help creating Ugly Pasta – the dish that makes Annie famous.  (Fiction: Recipe for Polacco’s Ugly Pasta is included).

Pass the Pandowdy Please: Chewing on History with Famous Folks and Their Fabulous Foods by Abigail Ewing Zelz.  Illustrated by Eric Zelz. (Tilbury House Publishers, 2016).  Famous people such as Abe Lincoln, Babe Ruth, Queen Victoria, Cleopatra, and Neil Armstrong share their eating culture.  What did they eat? And what did others in different circumstances during their time, eat?  It was Abe Lincoln's love of apples that inspired the inclusion of  the apple recipe - the pandowdy, in this book.

Cooking with the Grinch: Step Into Reading 1 by Tish Rabe, Illustrated by Tom Brannon. (Random House, 2017)  (Link connects to a YouTube reading of this title.)

The Grinch loves to cook.  So Does Cindy-Lou.  They are making a treat.  What next? And for who? (Beginning Reader - Recipe for dog treats – Easy Peasy Pumpkin Dog Treats)

Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley. (Simon & Schuster, 2018)

Color Concept book – shows various vegetables with color names. (Includes recipe for “Every Color Soup” – the recipe is not integral to the story but an enrichment addition.)

Read about other books that encourage cooking and extend bonding activities - parent to child, grandparent to grandchild, school involvement and other enrichment activities.
Visit these blog posts or websites to learn about other books that you might enjoy.

Reading Rockets: WETA Public Broadcasting.  (2017) Children's books and activities: Cooking and Food. Retrieved from http://www.startwithabook.org/booklists/cooking-and-food

Harris, Elizabeth. (n.d.) Our Favorite Kids' Books About Food. Taste of Home.  Retrieved from https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/favorite-kids-books-food/view-all/

Roxas, Andrea. (n.d.) Fun Food from Kids Books. Babble. Retrieved from https://www.babble.com/best-recipes/fun-food-kids-books-childrens-green-eggs-and-ham-harry-potter-recipes/

Hennessy, Caroline. (2016 Nov 30) Fairytale feast of recipes inspired by children's books. Irish Examiner. Retrieved from https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/fairytale-feast-of-recipes-inspired-by-childrens-books-432890.html  (features a few connections featuring classics and Spiced hot chocolate, Swedish ginger snaps, home baked beans, and roast eggs.  Books are classics but not necessarily fairy tales.)

Visit Greenfroggifts on Etsy for the latest choices.

Order cookie cutters, aprons, and baker's cloths from Green Frog Gifts -- unique gifts -- many $10.00 or under.

Fresh Pumpkins: How to Bake

 

Fresh Pumpkins: How to Bake

 Nothing says fall like fresh pumpkins and harvesting pumpkins from a local patch brings the freshness right to your table.

Iowa has more than 38 pumpkin patches devoted to raising pumpkins.  They are nutritious and delicious.  There are many recipes for using the pumpkin pulp (and many for using the pumpkin seeds - but I've never had the patience to clean the seeds from the stringy fibers from the inside of the pumpkin).

Acres devoted to pumpkin patches rose from a few acres over 300 in 1989 and now the acres on which pumpkins are grown are over 1000.

Once you have selected your "pie pumpkins" wash the exterior and make a knife sized slit in one of the sides of the pumpkins -- not crucial if you forget to make the slit but it will be easier to cut, and will allow the steam from the inside to escape as the pumpkin cooks in the microwave.

Place the pumpkin into a microwave and cook for 4-6 minutes.  Those few minutes will make the shell much easier to cut.  Once the pumpkin has been removed from the microwave allow it to cook, and then cut the pumpkin in half.

Scoop out the seeds and fiber strings that are on the inside of the pumpkin.  I generally use a ice cream scoop -- not a scoop that is like a melon ball scoop but more of a curved flatish type of scoop.  If some fibers remain it might be necessary to scrap them away from the flesh with a paring knife.  But just cut the fibers and scoop.

Actually you might feel you need to clean these completely out - but its really not necessary.  Just make sure the seeds are out. 

Turn the pumpkin halves onto a cookie sheet (there will be some pumpkin water seep out so make sure you have sides on the pans).

Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.  The size of the pumpkin will determine exactly how long.  If you have a convection oven that speeds up the process.  When the skin of the pumpkin is shiny looking and begins to pucker the pumpkin is done.

The pumpkin shell looks almost as if someone has brushed oil onto the shell but no one has, it is simply the result of having cooked the pumpkin. 

As the pumpkin coos a bit, the pumpkin skin (shell) begins to pucker. 

Insert a knife or something into one of teh shell's puckers and begin to peel the pumpkin shell away from the pulp. 

The flesh of the pumpkin is the part of the pumpkin that will be put in the food processor to be made into pumpkin puree.  This pumpkin will be package into bags with 2 cups of pumpkin, and others with 4 cups of pumpkin puree.   

If you use fresh pumpkin in any recipe delete some of the other liquid called for in the recipe as fresh pumpkin is not as compacted as commercial canned pumpkin.




From about 10 pumpkins I was able to package 38 cups of fresh pumpkin for freezing.  This pumpkin will make the very best pies, pumpkin rolls, and other pumpkin treats.

The recipes linked above are great recipes.  Explore the home site and find out other information about pumpkins.

As you enjoy some pumpkin pie - enjoy some of my favorite read alouds.  Classics from your library (Pumpkin Books Bibliography).

To cite this post --

McElmeel, Sharron. (2020). Fresh pumpkin - how to bake.  GreenFrogGifts Blog. http://bit.ly/bakingpumpkins

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Making Cabbage Rolls or NOT!

So when someone gets a nice big head of cabbage, some fresh tomatoes, and green pepper, and some garden fresh onions - what does one do.  Make cabbage rolls of course.
So I set out to do just that.  I washed the produce - chopped the pepper, tomatoes, and onion.  I had previously put the hamburger in the crockpot to cook with tomatoes and the onion.  I cooked rice in tomato juice -- everything was prepared and so I began...

I boiled the cabbage leaves so they would be nice and rollable (is that a word?).  Cut out the large hard stem down the middle - then I laid a leaf down and started the filling.

This picture was more what I envisioned ... but my culinary skills do not match my mental image.

I filled several but they were not holding together well at all.  I needed help.  But no one was around. 

So I decided the ingredients might look better as a casserole (and the ingredients would taste the same right?)

 A layer of cabbage, the rice and filling, and another layer of rice and then the cabbage.
Garnish with a sprikle or two of pepper and tomato -- ready to finish off in the oven.

Cover with tomato juice or vegetable stock, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes.

Paper Crane Quilt Block

Inspired by the paper cranes sent to me by Tony Pope, I decided to create a paper crane quilt block.  This block could be incorporated into a quilt, become the center piece for a pillow top, a place mat, table topper, or a table runner.



This is my block, and this is how I made it.

Choose your background fabric and cut your square, octagon, or any shape/size you wish.  If you are going to use this block for a table topper, place mat, or other small piece you may want to cut an appropriately-sized piece of batting for the underside of this block.

Your background fabric may be any color/pattern you wish but we suggest a contrasting solid or small pattern.  If your crane will be a small pattern or solid color you may wish to choose a more dramatic background.  The darker three sections of the crane (shown in slide 2) may be a highly contrasting pattern or a solid color.  However, if you like all the pieces may be one pattern and if so just use the above slide as your pattern - enlarge it to the size you wish the crane to be, follow the fusing instructions in slide #4 below and then stitch the folds as shown in slide 6.

(PDF) www.mcbookwords.com/resources/McPattern-Crane.pdf

Coordinating scrap material can be utilized for creating the two crane pieces.  If you wish your crane to be larger than 9 x 10 inches simply enlarge both pattern pieces to the size you wish to have.  The remaining directions will be the same regardless of the size of the pieces.

The stitching will emulate the folds on a traditional folded crane.

Borders can be added to the finished block to enlarge its size or to create a pillow top, or any type of table accessory.

Example of a finished table topper where this crane block was used as the focus block for a "Wonky Block" with a 2 inch border around the edge of the block.  "Big Wonky Quilt Block - Easy Quilt Block Tutorial.  Find at http://bit.ly/bigwonkyblock.

McElmeel, Sharron (2020) Paper Crane Quilt Block. McBookwords. http://bit.ly/papercraneblock.

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