Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Butter Pecans

Is it just me or do other people out there feel like total poseurs when deciding to make a dessert that follows the new supposed fad of combining sweet with salty. Whether is sea salt and caramel, bacon and chocolate, or potato chips and ice cream, this simple flavor combination seems to be taking over the world. So now when I make something along these lines or buy a salted chocolate bar, or whatever, I always think people view me condescendingly saying in their head, “oh, well she’s just following the crowd.” It’s either that or they just think I’m off my rocker, “What does she want salt on her cupcake for?”

Well I think that’s just bogus because as far as I can remember people were eating chocolate covered pretzels, apple pies with cheddar, and green olives with cream cheese (no wait, I think that was just me…) without thinking it was a big deal long before there was a mad rush to start sprinkling French salt onto candy. Our taste buds are programmed to send pleasure signals to our brain when salty and sweet are triggered at the same time. So with that said, I don’t think we can really call ”salty sweet” a fad along the lines of cake pops or macaroons but rather, simply science. Because unlike fads, salty sweet’s culinary phenomenon status and famous implementations are not due to trashy television hype but our ingrained systems of pleasure. Yet, I cannot help but think, will people get fed up with the publicity, get tired of feeling like they’re jumping on the bandwagon with what they eat for dessert. Will salted caramels ever become unpopular sending the likes of Artisan du Chocolat into bankruptcy? Or, is the flavor combo here to stay?

Well I like to think the latter because personally, I cannot get enough of the “oh so wrong but oh so right” sensation on my tongue whenever these flavors collide. So, I WILL keep baking up that combo. Call me what you like; call me a poseur, an obsessed fan, a copycat, or an infringer upon food fads, I don’t care. But, do not call me a failure when I make my desserts because if you could come over right now and try the salted caramel with butter pecan ice cream I have sitting in the freezer right now, I’d have you screaming and jumping up and down like an obsessed fan. You may even wait 60 minutes in line for a scoop. I wouldn’t doubt it.

This ice cream is so unreal, I suppose partially because it is homemade and as far as I’m now concerned that’s the only way to go. But apart from that, it’s flavor is so joltingly different, so unique and contrasting to what your used to that you. You can’t help but digging in for bite after bite with that ever-lingering question in your mind saying, what is it about that ice cream that is sooo good? Well, it’s the salty sweet my friends. It's the deeply caramelized sugar, cooked just to the point where it has a slight burnt taste, but one that you actually enjoy, like toasted marshmallows. It’s the salt, imbedded throughout, that hits you in the back of the tongue just after the sweet registers, creating this dueling tap-dance of tastes in the mouth. But then, there’s also those toasted pecans, enrobed in salted butter, that add body and crunch and, like the caramel, a deep smoked flavor.

It kind of satisfies everything you could ever want in one bite. It’s refreshing in the summer but I’d imagine it would be absolutely comforting in the fall and winter by itself or plopped on top of warm apple pie. Because oddly enough, the rich buttery caramel flavor brings warmth to the cold ice cream, yet another pleasing contrast to this dessert. I wish is could have a self-replenishing stock in the freezer because I don’t want it to end. But no fear, another batch would only be an hour of work and a quick churn away. May salty and sweet never die.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Butter Pecans
Ice cream recipe by Jeni Britton Bauer
makes 1 quart

The recipe is a little daunting because there is a quick meander into the world of candy making and cooking sugar. But it just involves a good read of instructions, proper preparation of ingredients, and a quick hand. Never fear, just go for it and if you’re confident, it should turn out great.

Ingredients
For the pecans
1½ cups pecan halves
1½ Tbs. melted butter
1/8 tsp. salt

For the ice cream
2 cups whole milk
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp cornstarch
1½ oz softened cream cheese (3 Tbs)
3/8 tsp. sea salt
1¼ cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. light corn syrup
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

First prepare the pecans. Mix the pecans with the melted butter and salt and mix to coat evenly. Lay them on a sheet pan and toast in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool completely and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

Now prepare the ice cream. Mix 2 Tbs. of your milk in a small bowl with the cornstarch until you have a slurry and set aside. Mix the cream cheese with the salt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Mix the heavy cream with the corn syrup in a Pyrex liquid measuring cup with a pouring spout. Finally prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.

Pour the dry sugar in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Have a heat-resistant spatula ready. Watch over the sugar and when you start to see the melted sugar underneath spouting out, gently push the dry sugar to the center of the pan to melt. Once completely melted, the color should look like an old copper penny. Continue to heat and gently stir. When the sugar all of the sudden starts to rapidly bubble and send up smoke, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add ¼ cup of the cream and corn syrup mixture, stirring constantly. It will splatter some so be careful. Once incorporated, slowly stir in the rest of the cream.

Once fully mixed, return the pot to a medium high heat and add the milk. If any sugar hardened on the spatula, it will melt into the mixture as it reheats. Bring the mixture to a boil, and let it boil rapidly for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cornstarch and milk slurry. Return to the heat for another minute, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.

Pour the caramel mixture slowly into the cream cheese while constantly whisking so that the cheese is fully and smoothly incorporated. Once everything is added, stir in the vanilla extract. If need be, strain the mixture through a mesh sieve. Pour everything into a large Ziploc freezer bag, seal, and place in the ice bath for 30 minutes, or until fully chilled.

Once chilled, freeze the mixture according to the ice cream maker’s instructions. When the ice cream looks like it is almost done (about 15-20 minutes), add in the pecans and continue churning until just combined. Transfer the ice cream to a container and store in the freezer at least 4 hours before serving.

Whole Wheat Hearth Bread

Everything has been leading up to this for a while now.

Ever since I discovered St. John Bread in London and their phenomenal loaves of brown bread, so chewy and crusty that you would never guess it came from whole grains, I’ve been meaning to introduce myself to the world of healthy bread baking.

Since then I took a class in school about cooking and ingredient science and found myself fascinated by the amazing lives of microscopic yeast. I also bought whole wheat bread at the farmer’s market hoping for a hint of the St. John breads I left behind. But the loaves I received from the market hippies were, although good tasting and chock-full of millet, flax, and sprouted things, were very dense and crumbly, lending no chew or dexterity and leaving me fishing out broken-off pieces burning at the bottom of the toaster. And I wouldn’t even attempt spreading peanut butter on them unless it was a mass of sticky crumbs I craved rather that a piece of sturdy peanut butter toast. So finally, out of sheer desperation for a decent slice of bread I stood in line at the bookstore with Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads in my hand and determination in my heart. And at last, I discovered the secret to the best whole grain hearth bread.

Unfortunately, this is bread baking with a lot of science behind it which of course means that it’s not a bread that’s is going to easily come together in an afternoon. This is bread that makes you wait, but boy is it worth it. This was my first delve into the long, slow fermentation process and also my first attempt at making bread with a biga and a soaker. I was nervous, really hoping not to screw things up after waiting for so long but was highly pleased with how simple the process ended up being and of course with my final result.

The bread I made, a transitional hearth bread boule, was only half whole wheat, which is the recipe Reinhart suggests for beginners, but had all the aspects of whole wheat that I really love. There was no hint of the mealiness that disappointed me previously because the long fermentation really let the gluten relax and become super elastic. Therefore, the final bread was absolutely moist and chewy, full of complex nutty flavors and a pleasing slightly sour tang. The crust was perfection and even though I was only using a standard oven, baking on a preheated pizza stone and making a steam bath in the oven let the dough spring up fast and develop that awesome crispy exterior. I took the blistered round from the oven and listened to the crust popping and cracking like the applause from an admiring crowd or fireworks blasting off in my achievement. I photographed it as if it was my first-born child, carting it around and showing off my “baby”. Taking that loaf out of the oven may be my proudest of my culinary life and we ate big slabs of solely bread for dinner. It was a perfect meal.

Transitional Hearth Bread
Makes one boule, two batard, or 4 mini baguettes
Recipe by Peter Reinhart

This is not the sort of cooking I am doing every day but I do hope that at some point of my life, this bread baking will be a more daily occurrence. I hope to soon try more of these whole grain recipes like the sandwich loaves, focaccia and pizza dough, and bagels with just as great of results. This bread would be perfect with wine, good cheese, and some select best friends; it makes me feel like the people in Kinfolk Magazine, my new favorite read. It make me feel one step closer to the sustainable, artisan person I strive to be and brings me closer with my food. It makes me trust my intuition, letting my hands determine if the dough is right rather than the recipe. It makes my house smell like heave too…definitely not a bad thing. So bake bread, share bread, enjoy this art.

On Day One
The first day, prepare the biga and starter, which will be used in the final dough on the second day. This will not take too long.

Soaker
1¾ cups whole wheat flour (227 grams)
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup water (170 grams)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl for a minute until the flour is completely hydrated and form the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with the soaker with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours. If you go longer then 24 hours without using the soaker, place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and remove it from the refrigerator 2 hours before using.

Biga
1¾ cups unbleached bread flour (227 grams)
¼ tsp. instant yeast
½ cup plus 2 Tbs. room temperature water (I needed a little more because it was a very dry day)

Mix the ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon to form a ball. With wet hands, knead the dough for 2 minutes until all of the flour is hydrated and the dough feels very tacky. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes then continue kneading for one more minute with wet hands until the dough is smooth but still tacky. Place in a clean, lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 8 hours before using and up to three days. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before using.

On Day Two
This is shaping and baking day. Two hours before beginning, remove the biga from the refrigerator to let it come to room temperature.

Final Dough
All of the soaker
All of the biga
3½ Tbs. whole wheat flour
5/8 tsp. salt
2¼ tsp. instant yeast

Chop up your soaker and biga into 12 equal pieces each, dust them lightly with flour so they don’t stick, and place them in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt, and yeast to the bowl as well. Using a wooden spoon, begin to combine the ingredients vigorously and when they start to come together, knead the dough with wet hands for 2 minutes or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. It is easy to tell when this is done with the transitional recipe because you will no longer see any marbling from the two different flours but only even, light brown dough with no granules of yeast showing. You may need to add more water or flour to end up with dough that is soft and slightly sticky. I needed more water because it was a dry day.

Continue kneading the dough on a flour-dusted surface for an additional 3-4 minutes, incorporating only as much flour as you need to make dough that is smooth and tacky, but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest for 5 minutes. Prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Knead the dough for one more minute, adding water or flour as needed until soft and supple. Form the dough into a ball, place in the bowl and roll around to cover with oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise as room temperature for 45-60 minutes.

After rising, shape the dough and prepare the oven. Preheat to 500 degrees. Place a baking stone in the lower third with a metal or cast iron sheet pan in the rack directly below it. Let the pans preheat for an hour before baking. Shape the risen dough into a boule. To do so, remove the dough from the bowl, gently pat it into a rectangle, and bring all four corners to the middle, squeezing them together to seal while pulling more dough in from the sides to tighten. Flip the dough over, seam side down, and continue pulling the dough downward into the bottom center with the sides of your hands while turning the dough into a very tight and round. Place on an overturned metal baking sheet with parchment or a well-floured pizza peel, cover with a towel, and let rise for 45-60 minutes.

When done rising, slash the top of the boule in a star pattern with a serrated knife and gently loosen it from its surface. Prepare a beaker filled with one cup of hot water. Then, working quickly, open the oven, slide the dough from the pan and parchment or peel onto the hot baking stone, pour the water into the baking pan underneath the stone, and close the oven door. Lower the temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, without opening to door, then give the bread a 180 degree turn. Bake for an additional 15-30 minutes until the crust is dark and crackling, the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, and the interior registers 200 degrees. Cool on a rack for at least an hour before cutting.

Birthday Weekend and Volt Restaurant

This past weekend was one of the best I can recall in quite a while. It was the weekend of my 21st birthday and was filled with day after day of extraordinary eating. I mean, what better excuse to gorge on extraneous amounts of rather unhealthy yet delicious things than it being you birthday. Its just one of those times you have to live a little.

I had a great party at my house on Friday where friends and family came over for eating and celebrating. I cooked up a Southern feast (because I am crazy and actually like to cook my own birthday dinner) complete with chicken and andouille gumbo, cucumber and sour cream salad, southern pecan and apple salad, and an amazing citrus peach cobbler (recipe to come). 

Saturday, my actual birthday, was very special because my sister Nia came home from Boston for the weekend. We had awesome Mexican food at La Sandia Restaurant along with a pitcher of Sangria (my first legal drink!) and though my belly was full of shrimp enchiladas and grilled plantains all day, I still saved room for an evening snack of sourdough, Robusto cheese, and fig and walnut butter. But that’s not all! Nia and I also made strawberry buttermilk ice cream that evening from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (my birthday present from her) that we devoured as our late-night movie snack.

But the best eating of the weekend took place on Sunday when my mom, dad, Nia, and I went to brunch at Volt Restaurant in Frederick MD, acclaimed restaurant of Top Chef’s runner up, Bryan Voltaggio. I’ve wanted to go for ages so I figured my 21st birthday would be an amazing opportunity to finally go. And although they offer great things for both lunch and dinner, I had to choose brunch, my favorite meal of the day where sweet meets savory for some of the most innovative and delicious food out there.

Volt is stunning inside and out. Inside the old brick building is a modern and sleek interior, both very classy and elegant yet with slightly masculine and rustic touches. Walls and linens are bright white while the ceilings are painted chocolate brown. Modern geometric light fixtures hang down, lighting the rainbow colored graphic prints on the walls, each portraying the various shops and restaurants in downtown Frederick. And servers, though dressed in white shirts, black pants, and ties, walk around in Converse sneakers. The atmosphere was very relaxed yet little did I know I was about to receive the most attentive and flawless service I could imagine.

Although our meal was a three-course prix fixe with six starters, seven entrees, and four desserts to choose from, we still received a plethora of food outside the main meals. We were first served fennel pollen dusted bread sticks to munch on as we perused the food menu and I sipped on my celebratory glass of champagne. Later, we got to pick from the breakfast breadbasket. This was a hard decision with about six breads to choose from. But, with the four of us plus a double dip into the basket between main course and dessert, we managed to try all of them but one. My first pick was the bacon and sage biscuit, a light a fluffy number speckled with huge pieces of apple wood smoked bacon. My second choice was sweeter, a citrus scone filled with lots of lemon zest and topped with a crunchy sugar crust. Both, smeared with local butter, were so delicious. And if that wasn’t enough, we also could not resist ordering the maple bacon doughnuts off the accompaniments part of the menu so we could each have a taste of this salty and sweet delight.

But finally, our menu items arrived with a brigade of four servers and they swooped the plates in front of each in our party at the exact same moment, landing between our always refreshed and replaced silverware. Our wonderful waiter then would go on to explain the details of each of our dishes before leaving us to indulge. For the first course, I chose the goat cheese ravioli made with black squid ink pasta and local Cherry Glen Farm goat cheese. Surrounding the perfectly al dente rounds were kernels of charred sweet corn and Miatake mushrooms and a balsamic brown butter sauce. Though rich and creamy, the dish was just enough, leaving my taste buds satisfied but my stomach still ready for the many more things to come. The other notable starter was Nia’s. She ordered Bryan Voltaggio’s signature “Spring Garden”, and array of beets, greens, carrots, other vegetables, dressing, and coffee grounds arranged to resemble a garden in the dirt.

I was also extremely satisfied with my main course. Most times, when I go to a fancy restaurant, I tend to order fish just because we don’t make it much at home so it is always to treat to get it. And, I trusted that in a restaurant like Volt, it would be a really fresh and good quality fish, cooked just right. I was right to assume this because it was one of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever eaten. I ordered the halibut, served alongside a farro and spring bean risotto, tomato fondue, and anise hyssop. The salty crust on top of that piece of fish was unbelievable and I held each bite in my mouth, savoring the juiciness and the terrific flavor. The accompaniments were delicious as well, mild enough to let the fish shine while still aiding in enhancing its flavor.

As we waited for the dessert, I was yet again presented with another unexpected part of the meal, a special birthday dessert, complete with candle. Funnily enough, it actually turned out to be my favorite dish of the entire meal. It was a mini vanilla bean and pistachio semifreddo, flavored with chocolate flecks and orange zest and set in an elegant spiraled mold. I guess since I’ve been experimenting with ice cream lately, I was even more excited by this, but nonetheless, its taste was almost indescribable and I will definitely be experimenting with these flavors in the future. The texture was different than ice cream, icier yet also denser and more custardy. It was light and not too rich so it served as a refreshing palate cleanser before second dessert.

Finally, among the four of us, we ordered three of the four desserts (no one got the cheese plate for dessert) so we all shared and got to try these amazing confections. We also got a cafetiere of Highlander Grogg coffee to accompany the desserts, a sweet butterscotch flavored coffee that was strong and absolutely delicious. For dessert, Nia ordered a rich goat cheesecake paired with black raspberry sorbet, almond crumbs, a citrus cookie, and rhubarb cookie. My parents got the peach tarte tatin, served with mascarpone ice cream, cinnamon pudding, crème fraiche, and few other droplets of sauces. They really enjoyed this as a refreshing a seasonal way to end the meal. But I could not resist the dessert called “textures of chocolate” which turned out to be a gastronomic piece of art and yet another inspiration for my lifelong goal of going to pastry school. Amongst a snaking strip of chocolate mousse were pools of chocolate caramel, cocoa nibs, chocolate ice cream, chocolate dust, and burnt chocolate crisps. It was so rich yet I ate every bite, not daring to leave any bit of this amazingness on the plate. Finally, as the last plates were cleared, we each received a gift bag to take home, filled with a fresh blueberry crumb muffin.

My 21st birthday brunch was a meal that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was spent with those that I love while eating wonderful food. I can’t think of anything better.

Vanilla Ice Cream

I’ve had this cooking problem for about two years now. It started about the time I really began building up my cookbook collection and delving in the vast ocean of food blogs that I now follow most diligently follow. The problem was, most of these books and blogs featured recipe after recipe for the most innovative and delicious looking ice creams. And let me tell you now, if presented with an array of fabulous desserts, I will always choose ice cream. I would see these recipes and immediately start reading through the ingredients, my heart racing with delight and excitement. I fervently continued, completely absorbed in the directions until I reached this line: “freeze mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.” Wham! Nothing kills a food buzz quite like suddenly facing the maddening and sad truth that you do not have an ice cream maker.

I have considered buying one for a while. I came extremely close last summer but a little voice in the back of my head kept reminding me that I would soon be studying abroad, then it would be winter, and finally I would be living in a dorm room. What good would an ice cream maker do then? But this summer, I had to succumb. The store-bought stuff just wasn’t cutting it anymore, especially after having spent four months in London eating this at least once a week. I couldn’t take those foamy, airy, flavorless excuses for homemade ice cream anymore. Plus, with the prospects of moving into an apartment this fall, with my ever-handy KitchenAid in tow, what was to stop from finally buying that essential piece of equipment?

Well, nothing. So now I have it, the KitchenAid ice cream maker attachment and it might just be the greatest thing I have ever used and my new favorite tool in the kitchen. I got is as an early birthday present (it’s summer right now…why wait to make ice cream) and I have already fallen in love with it. It works amazingly, and now sits in my freezer awaiting a future batch. For my first experimentation with ice-cream making, however, I decided to go for something simple. As hard as it was to avoid bizarre flavors and fun mix-ins, I retrained myself and settled for good ole vanilla. But, I found that plain vanilla, when made at home with good ingredients, was not in the least bit plain.

The recipe used both real vanilla bean (so expensive but so worth the price) and vanilla extract, lots of heavy cream and egg yolks, and sat overnight in the refrigerator to let the flavors develop and mature. What resulted was a vanilla ice cream like I’ve never tasted before. It was so rich and, well, vanilla-y. The amount of vanilla provided this slightly alcoholic taste that was pleasing and sophisticated and, after churning and hardening in the freezer for a few hours, the final result had a smooth and creamy texture. It was also dense yet still light on the tongue and sent my eyes rolling into the back of my head in bliss with every spoonful. With a successful first try, I have a feeling that I’ll be developing a little bit of an obsession here this summer. Many more ice cream recipes to come.

Vanilla Ice Cream
The recipe is exactly as David Lebovitz wrote it on his website. I didn’t want to mess around on my first try and trusted his recipe to lead my in the right direction. I was right to assume he knows what he is doing since it turned out so great. I did have a little mishap at first. After heating the milk and sugar, I added the vanilla and vigorously tried to disperse it in the mixture. I think this was a mistake since the milk immediately curdled. I guess vanilla must have a lot of acid. So on the next try I simply scraped in the seeds and let them sit in a clump, not stirring them around until after they sat in mixture for an hour. I guess this let the milk temper with the acid so when I stirred it later, the milk did not separate.

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
½ vanilla bean, split lengthways
2 cups cold heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a sauce pan, combine the milk, sugar, and salt and heat on low until steaming and the sugar is dissolved. Using a paring knife, scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk mixture and then toss in the empty pot. Give the mixture a brief stir them remove from heat and let sit for an hour.

In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks. Once the milk mixture has sat for an hour, return it to a low heat to warm it up some. Add a little bit of the warm milk to the egg yolks and mix to slowly bring up their temperature. Do this a few times. Then, slowly pour the eggs yolks into the milk mixture, whisking constantly.

Continue to cook this custard over a low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula so that is does not burn on the bottom. The mixture will slowly thicken and it is done when it is able to thickly coat the back of the spatula. Meanwhile, pour your cold heavy cream into a bowl and set this in a larger bowl filled with ice water to keep the cream very cold. Place a strainer over the bowl of cream. Once the custard has reached a thick consistency, pour the mixture through the strainer straight into the cream. Stir the custard with the cream until cool. Add the vanilla extract as well as the pieces of the vanilla pod left in the strainer and stir to combine. Place plastic wrap directly over the custard in the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the vanilla bean from the mixture and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a container and let freeze for a few hours until hardened.

Harry Potter and an English Supper

I know that this is a food blog, and yes there is a recipe at the end of all of this, but I simply cannot neglect to mention the fact that just on Friday a legacy and phenomenon finally came to an end. Of course many of you know that I am talking about the release of the last Harry Potter movie which I saw at for the midnight showing. In terms of the Harry Potter craze, I was of the lucky group of people who were 10 years old when the books came out and 17 when they finished, so I literally grew up along with the main characters. This has made them special to me in a way that younger generations, who did not endure the 2 year long waits for the next books, will never understand. So now, with the release of the last movie, the end of it all is a bit sad.

The movie itself was enjoyable, but I cannot pretend it was my favorite. Unlike Hallows Part 1, full of suspense, tension, and darkness, Part 2 was filled with much more slapstick humor than I really thought necessary, turning moments where I wanted to be one the edge of my seat, biting my nails, into those where I don’t know if I should laugh or not. That along with Ralph Fiennes’ awkward performance, the slightly non-impressing special effects, and the fact I was in a theatre full of immature pre-teens in costume that whispered incessantly, the big bang I wanted to end with was a bit stunted. It was a good movie regardless and I highly applaud the hard work that went into it, but while the world seems to be ranking it as their favorite, I’m placing it about 3rd or 4thon my list.

On a more food related note, however, I was very pleased to see fellow food bloggers taking advantage of the Harry Potter excitement by recreating some of J.K Rowling’s better known HP food inventions. I saw some delicious recipes for pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs (apparently you can buy frog shaped moulds somewhere), some adorable chocolate cauldrons that look like they took forever to make, and of course Butterbeer. I only saw this child-friendly version, but I’ve tried one with cream soda and butterscotch schnapps that definitely fulfills that warming-of-the-stomach factor.

Though I did not partake in this Harry Potter treats fiesta, I did, however, recently make a British-style Sunday supper complete with roast beef, gravy made from the drippings, roasted potatoes and carrots, and Yorkshire puddings. Don’t ask me what prompted this move…it was about 90 degrees outside and by the end of things my hair was a frizzled mess and my face greased from the excess number of steam blasts. But in hindsight, its deliciousness makes that issue unimportant.

However I warn you that a full Sunday supper, regardless of the time of year that you make it, is a time-consuming, arduous, sweat-inducing, and messy ordeal. It dirties nearly every dish in the house, as well as every countertop, and leaves no time for cleaning while cooking. Those British mothers really have quite a task for themselves every Sunday. My respect sincerely goes out to Mrs. Weasley…imagine doing this for a family of nine plus the many guests usually present at the Burrow. Though I guess a little magic probably eases the task.

This dinner’s preparation is almost a game of strategy and necessary of extraordinary time-management skills. The roast goes in the oven first, followed 30 minutes later by the vegetables. By the time the roast is cooked the veg should be halfway done, ensuring enough time to make the Yorkshire puddings while the potatoes finish. And while all of this is going on gravy bubbles away on the stove top, waiting to be messily strained through a sieve. Phew! But, I imagine when made in late fall and in the winter, the result would be welcome and comforting, and the experience, probably not much different from the beginning of term feast in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. And the thought of the leftovers the next day makes cleaning much more bearable.

Sunday Roast Supper
I have Jamie Oliver, king of British food, to thank for the recipes and his guidance as he led me to make a meal that I believe Mrs. Weasely would be proud of, Due the complexity, however, I’ll link you to the recipes for the roast, the gravy, and the Yorkshire pudding, and leave you to figure out the time management. I will however give you the roasted potato and carrot recipe, as it has become a new favorite way of preparing vegetables in our house and seasonally more appropriate. We’ve used the technique many times since and have found it a perfect way to prepare the summer’s delicious potatoes and other vegetables. Eat them on their own or as a side dish and the leftovers are great used in something like a frittata the next day.

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
2 lb potatoes
6 carrots
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plucked from the stalk
olive oil
salt and pepper

First, wash and peel your vegetables and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut any large potatoes in half and cut the carrot in half lengthways. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the potatoes and carrots and let them rapidly boil for 8-10 minutes. Drain in a colander and let the vegetables steam dry for a minute.

Pluck out the carrots and set them aside. For the potatoes, however, shake them around in the colander until the sides are really scuffed up on every potato. The uneven edges will crisp up amazingly. Set these aside as well.

Put a large roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add about 3 or 4 lugs of olive oil into the pan and let it heat up. Add the sprigs of rosemary and mix them around for a second. (You can even add a few unpeeled garlic cloves at this point too if you want some garlic flavor). Finally, toss in the carrots and potatoes and stir them around so they are well coated in the oil. Add a little more oil if they look too dry. Add the salt and pepper, give everything a stir, and position the vegetables so that they are in an even layer in the roasting pan. This will allow then to roast and become crispy rather than steam. Place in the oven for one hour or until golden, giving the vegetables a turn or flip about every 20 minutes so all the edges crisp evenly.