The Sweet Spot for Sweet Cherries

By Katie Barreira

Like most stone fruits, sweet cherries are highly seasonal. In fact, they obtain almost half of their flavor and heft in the week before they are picked. Because cherries only ripen on the vine (some fruits can reach their peak after being picked) you’ll want to eat them at the height of the season and that means right now!

The very first of California’s cherries arrived in stores around the first of May and, according to the president of the Northwest Cherry Association, that region’s ruby crop shipped around the first week in June. So what are you waiting for?

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Flour Power

By Katie Barreira

All-purpose flour is the workhorse of baking, but what about those other kinds, like pastry and cake flour? Ever wonder about the difference? It’s primarily about the protein. When protein and water combine they produce gluten, the glue of baking. Different flours have more or less protein, depending on their end use. Choosing flour with the right protein content will help your baked goods achieve the best possible texture.

When baking, always follow the recipe as written. Rather than substituting one flour type for another, look for a recipe that calls for the appropriate flour.

Bread Flour: At around 12 percent protein, this high-gluten flour gives a structured, chewy texture to breads.

All-Purpose Flour: About 10 percent protein.

Pastry Flour: About 8 percent protein – soft enough to keep your piecrust light and delicate, but strong enough to hold those flakey layers together.

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Oven-Finished Meat

By Katie Barreira

A very generous gift certificate sent me over to one of nyc’s finest meat purveyors. After helping me to select a prime cut of dry-aged porterhouse, the butcher asked, “you know what to do with this?” Well! It was nearly condescending enough to send me out the door, but I swallowed my chego (that’s chef-ego, a powerful brand of pride) and did what I always do, even when I think I know best: I asked the expert how he would prepare the steak. Passionate experts are always happy to offer knowledge about their goods; you’ll almost always learn something new, and if you don’t, you can quietly bask in the knowledge that you would have done it just like the pro.

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Ravishing Radishes

By Katie Barreira

Brightly colored, fresh and crisp, radishes are just right for this vibrant season. I’m particularly enamored of the young heirloom varieties, which are unearthed in early spring. With whimsical names like White Icicle and Easter Egg, these peppery roots are as delightful to behold as they are to eat.

At New York City’s Recette, an “urban American” restaurant with classic French underpinnings, Chef Jesse Schenker is also feeling inspired by the season’s boisterous bulbs. On special this week, a contemporary radish salad – assorted varieties, from fresh slices of pink-fleshed Watermelon to globes of lightly pickled Cherry Belles, all scattered across a creamy smear of goat milk ricotta and finished with a drizzle of basil oil. Sold.

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A Drain’s Not the Only Place for Bean Liquid

By Katie Barreira

I’d prefer dried beans to canned any day, but the reality is that canned beans have a place in my pantry and so does their liquid.

Poke around the Web and you’ll see that bean liquid has a bad rap. But the biggest beef is its high sodium content and there’s an easy answer for that: buy low-sodium or sodium-free beans (like Eden Organics). They’re better for you anyway.

Another common complaint is that the cloudy liquid has “gunk” in it. I get it; coagulated starch balls don’t do much for me either, but I’ve found that higher-quality canned beans tend to be less gunky and when in doubt, you can just pour the liquid through a sieve. It’s no harder than draining the beans.

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