Butter Up

There is something inherently more magical about making "staples", the things we just assume appear fully-formed on the grocery shelves like bread and butter. It's as if we gain some empirical knowledge by pulling back the black curtain of mystery to reveal how things really happen.

And there lies the wonder of making butter in Thor. What used to take an afternoon on the porch with a churn now takes mere seconds in the Vita-mix. Whir, wiz, woosh and you've got a mass of beautiful golden butter and the separated buttermilk (which I've saved for making Okara bread). Next I will extend the process by trying flavor mix-ins. The options are endless...

Homemade Butter

(adapted from Vita-Mix cookbook)

2 cups heavy cream

Pinch of sea salt

Place cream and salt in the Vita-Mix container and secure lid.

Start on Variable #1, increase to #10, then high.

Run machine until mixture is thick and you hear a change in the sound of the machine.

Stop, scrape the sides of the container with a spatula and stir once into center.

Reset machine to variable, speed #5. Turn on machine for 5 seconds, stop and scrape sides again.

Repeat procedure several times until you see the mixture start to flow easier and fluid appears. Run for a few more seconds until solid butter sets up in center of container on top of blades.

Place butter in a nut milk bag and press out any excess liquid.

Refrigerate in an airtight container.

Drink it in

They're predicting a heat wave later this week. We've gotten off easy this summer, for which I'm very grateful. BUT, there is one thing that's made better by heat. Cold lemonade. This version is an adult refreshment. If you want to play with herbs, substitute basil or mint for the rosemary. This can easily go from day to evening with just a splash of citron vodka.

Rosemary Lemonade

3 peeled lemons, zest removed but white pith attached

1 cup maple syrup

5 3/4 cups water

4 sprigs rosemary

Put all ingredients in the container of Vita-mix. Variable speed #1, immediately increase to #10, then high for 1-2 minutes until liquefied.

Pour mixture into a nut milk bag over a container large enough to hold the full amount of juice. Squeeze until all the liquid is removed. Serve over ice.

That's Nuts!

I think the solids resulting from almond "milking" could be used as mortar or possibly given to kindergartners as play dough. It is smoother than dry ground almonds. The moisture gives it a supple texture. By its very nature you just know it has to have a greater purpose than compost. After some searching on-line it seems I'm not alone with this thought. Okara, which traditionally refers to the solids left after making soy milk, is also a term which loosely refers to nut solids. There are several uses for it. I started by trying this bread recipe I found on the Bondi appliances website. It is a quick and yummy way to use this byproduct.

Okara Nut Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup Okara

1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped pecans or other nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Stir together Okara and buttermilk; set aside.

Cream brown sugar and butter together until light.

Beat in egg. Add Okara mixture; beat well.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add all at once to liquid ingredients. Stir until well blended. Stir in nuts and turn into pan.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and complete cooling on a wire rack before slicing.

Remedies for Body and Soul

In my search to find my sister herbal remedies and speed her post-ankle surgery recovery, I found a fabulous little shop called Village Green Apothecary (truthfully, she found it. I just went there). It is a throw back in time. I felt as if I were walking into the corner pharmacy back when such things still existed. People were friendly and informed. There are shelves and shelves of vitamins and supplements, a well organized book selection and some yummy bath indulgences. I was dripping sweat having walked from the metro (welcome to summer in DC) and asked if they knew which bus would take me back. James, one of the guys behind the counter, offered to drive me to the metro. He had no other reason to leave the comfortable bubble of air conditioning and with gas prices being what they are people aren’t jumping to make extra trips anywhere. I can’t speak to the efficacy of the herbal treatments yet, but I can happily say the lost art of customer service is not totally lost.

Lactating Nuts

Nuts have very small udders and are hard to milk. Here's a nifty partner to the Vita-mix that solves the problem. Its beauty is its simplicity. It's just a nylon mesh bag with a drawstring. You can make soy, rice or nut milk (thus the name). If you're using a hard nut such as almonds you'll want to soak them before blending to get the most out of them. You can also get pulp-free juice if that's what you want or a recipe calls for. Carrot is a good example of a juice you may prefer this way.

Basic Almond Milk

1 1/2 cups almonds (soaked at least 6 hours)

6 cups filtered water

4 Mahjool dates

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients in the container of the Vita-mix. Secure lid. Start on variable speed #1 and quickly increase #10, then high. Blend for 3 minutes. Strain through the nut milk bag over a container large enough to hold all the resulting liquid. Reserve the nut solids for another use (I will write about this shortly).

Homemade CB & J

Answer: macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, cinnamon toast. Question: What are some of the most popular comfort foods? 

And one humble one I'd forgotten: the classic peanut butter and jelly. At the time I found it in my bag lunch on the playground I might have traded it for something more glamorous, but now it holds a certain homey nostalgia. Simple, honest and good.

After making the quick and delicious Whole Wheat Bread I started thinking of what I could smear on it. I started dreaming up an all homemade PB&J sandwich. I changed the peanut butter to cashew butter and used strawberry jam instead of grape. Of course, you can go with the usual suspects, but this twist is a nice way of making a kid's sandwich grow up fast.

CB & J Sandwich

Whole Wheat Bread

For Cashew Butter:

2 cups toasted cashews

1-2 tablespoons safflower oil (0ptional)

For "Strawberry Jam":

1 pound strawberries, stemmed

1/2 pound dried strawberries

For the Cashew Butter: Pour nuts in the Vita-Mix container. Secure lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Insert tamper through lid opening. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Use the tamper to push the nuts into the blades. In 1 minute you will hear a high pitched chugging sound. Once the butter begins to flow freely through the blades the motor sound will change from a high pitch to a low laboring sound. Stop processing. Remove nut butter to a container and store covered.

For the "Strawberry Jam":

Put the fresh and dried strawberries in the Vita-Mix container. Secure lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Insert tamper through the lid opening. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10, then to HIGH. Use the tamper to push the dried berries into the blades. Run for 1 minute, longer if you want completely smooth "jam". Remove to a container and store in refrigerator. Best if chilled for at least 2 hours.

Kitchen Toys

I remember loving my Easy-Bake Oven when I was little. Something about cooking with a light bulb is thrilling to a little girl (and I’m sure a boy or two). Playing with Thor brings back the same sense of adventure and experimentation. It’s four-wheel cooking; no rules, all free-form.

There’s a series of videos on youtube called “Does it Blend”. If you enjoyed the antics of David Lettermen throwing things off his roof just to see them splat on the pavement than you’ll love these videos. Everything from light bulbs to glow sticks (don’t miss this one) get thrown in the blender and “ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.” It really never gets old. I would never think of abusing Thor this way, but it does demonstrate the raw power you’re dealing with.