Friendship batter coming your way
After I wrote about Darien Gee's novel “Friendship Bread” a few weeks ago, I received several requests for the bread starter.
At the time it didn't dawn on me that anyone would have to start Amish Friendship Bread from the ground up. It seems like between my neighbors, PTA, work and “Y” friends, someone has a bag of starter they're looking to share.
But if you want to start sharing the love like the women and men of Gee's fictional Avalon, Ill., by all means do so. Here's the starter recipe.
In a small bowl, dissolve 1 packet (¼ ounce) active dry yeast in ¼ cup warm water (110 degree); let stand 10 minutes.
In a 2-quart glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly. Transfer it to a resealable bag. Consider this day 1 of the 10-day cycle.
On Days 2, 3, 4 and 5, mash the bag. If you need to, open it up and squeeze out any air. On Day 6, add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk to the bag and mash to mix.
Days 7, 8, 9: mash the bag. Day 10: Pour batter into a nonreactive bowl and add 1½ cups flour, 1½ cups sugar and 1½ cups milk. Mix well.
Measure 1 cup batter into four resealable bags and pass this new starter along to friends with these instructions.
With the batter that's in the bowl, create your favorite Amish Friendship Bread recipe; there are a bunch to choose from (like the Blueberry Walnut version pictured) at friendshipbreadkitchen.com.
Bizarre buds: If you count escargot and tongue tacos as exotic foods, then you haven't seen what's been on Andrew Zimmern's plate.
Zimmern, best-known for his Travel Channel shows “Bizarre Foods” and “Bizarre World,” will talk about his adventurous palate (that has sampled the likes of camel kidney and parts of a bull normally reserved for reproduction) at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at Harper College in Palatine.
During his “Diversity in the Realm of Food” talk, Zimmern will touch on some of his food adventures during filming throughout Asia, Africa and South America and provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the show.
General admission tickets for Zimmern's lecture, held at the Wellness and Sports Center at the southwest corner of the campus, cost $15 and are available at (847) 925-6100 or harpercollege.edu.
Zimmern will not be signing books or be sampling any food (thank goodness!) at the event.
Cooking for a cause: Ten of the area's top chefs will demonstrate some of their favorite recipes during an afternoon full of culinary delights to benefit Women in Need Growing Stronger.
The Taste Takes Flight event takes place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, April 29, and features samples from Barrington Bistro, L'Eiffel Bistrot, McGonigal's Pub, Park Avenue Wine Bar, Dave's Specialty Foods, PL8, Agio Italian Bistro and Wild Asparagus, among others. In addition, Tom Jiaras, sommelier and president of International House of Wine and Cheese, will offer a variety of wines to taste.
Tickets cost $50 and a portion of the proceeds go toward programs to help victims of domestic violence. For a $100 VIP ticket, you get time with chef Carl Raymond, instructor at the Astor Center in New York City, and a private tasting with Jiaras.
There's also a boutique with items from Silpada and Crate and Barrel, an auction and raffle.
The event takes place at The Meadows Club, 2950 W. Golf Road, Rolling Meadows. Head to wingsprogram.com for tickets.
• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at food@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4524. Be her friend at Deb Pankey Daily Herald at facebook.com.