Dean's Sweets: Candy for Grown-ups

Halloween has come and gone.
The Bonus Baby is still hoarding Reeses cups, Milky Ways and other candy of the grocery store-variety.

(Snickers and Starburst are strictly forbidden this year, due to our recent orthodontic investment in her future smile.)
There's no denying the allure of a peanut butter cup or a fun-size bar of whatever the neighbors hand out.

But as we grow older  mature, we come to a new appreciation for a different kind of chocolate.
We like subtle flavors, intriguing combinations. We notice texture more. And sweetness levels. We are interested more in quality than quantity (well, most days.)

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Dean Bingham of Dean's Sweets in Portland.
Dean is an accomplished architect who started making chocolate truffles as a sideline in 2004.

Watch the reaction to locals when they try Dean's truffles!

There are a couple of things I really like about Dean's chocolates...

1. Dean's new chocolate bars. Though a departure from his signature truffles, they are no less elegant. There are three flavors: Mocha Latte, Brandied Orange Peel and...wait for it...Maine Potato Chip! I know there are those of you out there who are not at all into fruit and chocolate, but let me tell you - the orange peel with dark chocolate is off-the-hook. If you don't like it, fine. More for me. I love the Mocha Latte too because it has crushed up coffee beans it. My two tasters at home adored the Maine potato chip in milk chocolate.

2. Salted caramels. Are there two words in the English language that are quite so lovely together? Dean's caramels are dipped in dark chocolate and have a sprinkle of sea salt on top.

3. The truffle flavors! Ginger, coffee and maple are some of my favorites, but many swear by the single-malt scotch, Champagne and brandy flavors. (See, I told you they were for grown-ups). If you're more of a purist, go for the double-dark. 

4. It's local. There's one store and it's in Portland, owned by a real Maine guy.
I love to support local businesses and home-grown entrepreneurs. Don't you want to see your neighbors succeed?

5. He's a generous guy. Dean donates his delicious products to local charitable organizations on a regular basis. We met at an event for Portland Ovations. It was there that I first tasted the chocolate with orange peel. I later approached him about donating to the auction I was co-chairing for The Community Schools. The large platters of Dean's truffles were a big hit after dinner.

Stop in and see Dean at 82 Middle Street in Portland for a taste and a chat. Or if you're not in the area, you can order on-line.  The chocolates come elegantly packaged for gift-giving. Hint, hint.

*I was compensated for this blog post solely in chocolate, which is almost as good as cash.

Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen Apple Spice Scones and a Giveaway

For those of you unaware, I work part time at a small, independent bookstore, here in my small Maine town.
It's always been a dream of mine to work in a bookstore. so when this opportunity came up, I was thrilled.
It's the perfect job for me.
Talk about books. Recommend books. Look at new books.
Visit with customers, about half of whom I know. Many others become friends. Read books, when there are no customers.

And sometimes I get to meet the authors too.
For a small town, we actually have a number of authors who live here or nearby.
There's Lily King, whose most recent book, Father of the Rain, is a bestseller.
We also have Melissa Senate, who has a new book out called The Love Goddess' Cooking School. An irresistible title if there ever was one.
Debra Spark, author of Good for the Jews, lives in the next town over and comes in occasionally.
And Ken Nye is a local poet, who reflects lovingly on dogs, Maine and family.

Last week Jane Crosen stopped in. She's a mapmaker and cookbook author.
Jane draws detailed maps of Maine places by hand. If you have ever tried to draw a map by hand then you know how difficult this can be. Her maps are elegant in their simplicity and clarity.
One of them hangs over my daughter's bed in her college room, in landlocked Colorado.

Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen is her cookbook and it's an eclectic collection of creative and healthy recipes. There are lots of notes about growing food, variations on recipes and practical advice.
 When she stopped in at the store, I blurted out, "My readers would love this! Can you donate one for me to giveaway?"
I don't think I even gave her a chance to think about it. She put her signature inside and handed the book to me. Thanks Jane!

Soooo, if you'd like to have this book for your very own, leave me a comment on this post.
Have you been to Maine? Where? If not, where would you most like to visit? And of course, what would you eat?

How about apple spice scones?

The recipe comes from Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen. As scones go, these are relatively healthful, with not too much butter, lots of whole grains and chunks of apple. The texture is nice and light.  I added an apple cider glaze because I'm that kind of girl. (The kind who likes sweets.)
Note: Instead of the individual spices listed here, I used about 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. I am also the kind of girl who is a little lazy.

Apple & Spice Scones


2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup oat flour

1/4 cup whole oats or toasted wheat germ

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/4 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

3 Tbsps. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

3 Tbsps. canola oil

1 cup small-diced apple

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

1/3 cup milk + 1 Tbsp. yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg

1/3 cup sanding, or coarse, sugar (optional)

Combine dry ingredients (flour through spices) in a large mixing bowl. Rub butter into mixture using your fingers, until you get the texture of coarse crumbs. Add canola oil and work in evenly, then add chopped apples and nuts (if using).

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 2 cookie sheets, or line with silicone baking liners (Silpat).
Measure milk and yogurt into measuring cup, add vanilla and egg, then whisk until well-blended. Pour into dry ingredients and stir briefly, just until flours are moistened.

Form balls of dough, one at a time, and press the tops into sugar (if desired). Place on baking sheet and flatten top slightly. Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on cooling racks. When cool, you can top them with the cider glaze if you want.

Mix 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar with 2 Tbsps. apple cider. Mix until smooth.
A little cinnamon sugar wouldn't hurt either.

Grilled Tomatillo Salsa

September is truly the golden month in Maine.
Still warm enough for boating or biking during the day.
Cool enough for a campfire or a cup of hot tea in the evening.

The farmers' markets are still in full swing.
Berries have given way to apples and Brussels sprouts (yay!) are the new zucchini.
And how about these sweet little peppers? Soooo cute.

This week I branched out a bit and bought some tomatillos.

"Why?" you might ask.
Because I've always wanted to and never have. And because I've had this recipe hanging around for awhile and it seemed like the right time to give it a try.
I hope you do too. It's tangy, spicy and smoky. Plus it's an excellent accompaniment to grilled chicken or fish.
I wouldn't mind it with some good tortilla chips either.

Grilled Tomatillo Salsa inspired by Rachel Ray


1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and halved crosswise

1 small red onion, thickly sliced

1 fresh jalapeno, halved and seeded

1/2 tomato, preferably yellow, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

In a medium bowl, toss the tomatillos, onion and jalapeno halves with the vegetable oil and garlic. Season with salt. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat grill to high.
Remove vegetables from oil and grill until lightly charred. The tomatillos will cook much more quickly than the onion and jalapeno. Remove from the grill.
Chop all the vegetables and mix in a bowl with tomato, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar and sugar.

Field Trip! with a Snack

Remember the excitement of a school field trip?
Free from the confining classroom! Be outside!
Who are you going to sit with on the bus? Sit with me!
Same seats coming back!

I relived it all yesterday with my daughter's class.
On a day that passes as early spring in Maine, we went to Jillson's Farm in Sabbatus, to learn about maple sugaring.
You may think of maple as sort of a fall flavoring (pumpkin pie, etc.), but spring is when the sap flows. In fact, the very first sign of spring, all over northern New England, is a sap bucket hanging from a tap in a maple tree.

Did you know it takes about 43 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup? The sap gets boiled down in the sugarhouse for hours until all that remains is the very essence of maple. There's nothing else to it. Just time. patience, warm days and cold nights.

This is Mr. Jillson, in the sugarhouse. He's been making maple syrup and other maple treats for a long time and had lots of stories for the kids.

And this is Mrs. Wilcox, who works at the farm and cares for the animals. She's holding Mom Goose, a 19 year old blind goose, who likes to give hugs. A little freaky, in a fun kind of way.

Look at that face! I may not be posting about bacon for awhile.
But then again nothing goes better with farm fresh eggs...

Jillson's Farm bottles and sells its maple syrup. A field trip with baby animals and shopping?
 Best. Field. Trip. Ever.

So guess who's getting a taste of Maine?
You!

I put together a nice package from the farm: 1 quart of pure Maine maple syrup, a big bag of maple kettle corn, Maine wild blueberry jam and 2 maple moose pops.
Just leave a comment telling  me your favorite way to use maple syrup. I'll pick a winner at random and send  the goods your way, asap.
And let me know if you're a fan on my Facebook page. Fans will get their names put in for two chances to win.

Here's something to whet your appetite. I made mini-muffins for the kids and larger ones for the adult chaperones. Wholesome, healthy, easy and delicious. In fact, these may be the easiest muffins I've ever made.

Maple Oatmeal-Apple Muffins
adapted from Epicurious


1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup oats

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsps. ground cinnamon (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 apple, diced

optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts and/or 1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or spray generously with baking spray).
Combine first six (flour through salt) ingredients in a large bowl and stir to blend.
Whisk buttermilk, applesauce, maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, egg and vanilla in medium bowl until well blended. Add to dry ingredients, along with chopped apple and any other optional ingredients. Stir just to incorporate - do not over mix!

Divide batter equally among muffin cups. Bake until muffin tops are golden brown and tester inserted into center of muffins comes out clean, about 28-30 minutes.
Transfer to rack and cool.

Note: I made 24 mini-muffins, which baked for about 18-20 minutes, and six regular size muffins with this recipe.

I've Got the Blues...

Finally...wild blueberry season in Maine.

The little tiny ones, bursting with real blueberry flavor.

The farmers markets are full of them, and so is my refrigerator.

So many recipes, so many things to do with them, it's hard to know where to start.

The list of fruit desserts include some funny names.

There's grunt. Slump. Buckle. And pandowdy. 

Do any of those really sound like something you want to eat?

How about a cake called Blueberry Boy Bait?

There's a cute story about a teenage girl, in the '50s,  who won a prize in the Pillsbury baking contest with this recipe. One bite, and supposedly the boys were hooked.

Of course these days we would never try to win them over with our baking talents, would we? Oh no never!

Yet it sounded so intriguing, I had to try it.

It tasted very good, but I can't say it was anything special. Plus, all the blueberries fell to the bottom.

(Can any experienced bakers out there tell me why that happened?)

Girls, if you're going to throw some bait out to the boys, I think you might have more luck  with chocolate. All the boys worth catching love chocolate.

Then I made Blueberry Crumb Bars.

Now we're talking!

Crumbly and nutty, loaded with berries, perfect with a spoonful of fresh whipped cream.

These bars have the taste and texture of a blueberry crisp ( a perennial favorite), but add a delicious bottom crust and you've got a dessert that's extra special. Easy too.

Note: I used  half all purpose white flour and half whole wheat pastry flour, for the health benefits. Whole wheat pastry flour can usually be found in the natural foods section of your supermarket. It is more finely milled than regular whole wheat flour, and can be exchanged for about half the all purpose flour in a recipe without changing the taste.

Blueberry Crumb Bars, adapted from Bon Appetit

Crust:

2 cups all purpose flour 

(or 1 cup ap flour and 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour)

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Filling:

3 cups fresh blueberries (about 15 oz.)

1 cup blueberry preserves

1 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter bottom of 13 x 9 x 2" metal pan.

Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Add butter cubes, and using your hands, rub butter into dry ingredients until mixture sticks together in small clumps.

Transfer half of this to another bowl and mix in almonds. Reserve for topping.

Press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. If you find you don't have enough to cover, take some from the reserved topping.

Bake crust until golden, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Mix all filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread evenly over cooled crust, then sprinkle reserved topping over it.

Bake bars until filling is bubbly around the edges and topping is golden, about 40 minutes.

Cool in pan on rack, then cut into squares.

Warning! It may not have "boy bait" in the name, but the warm scent of butter, brown sugar and berries is very likely to bring them running. 

A Spot of Sunshine

As my dear local readers are well aware, we were blessed with another 10'' of snow yesterday. School cancelled. Don't you think the DPW should just attach a snowplow blade onto the front of the school buses and get two jobs done for the price of one? I certainly think so.

I also think we needed a little spot of sunshine in the midst of such a wintery day. So I made a Grapefruit Yogurt Cake. It smelled so fresh, tasted so light that I was momentarily transported to a warmer clime. Momentarily. Then the dog came in for something like the twelfth time, and shook off all the snow.
 
I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, a great recipe and food photo blog. She adapted it from Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. If she lived in Maine, would she be the Booted Contessa?

Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 cup sugar, plus 1 Tbsp.

3 extra-large eggs

grated zest of one large grapefruit

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, plus 2 Tbsps.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Grease an 8 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
In another larger bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into batter, making sure it's well incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) placed in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup grapefruit juice and the remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Remove cake from pan, peel off parchment paper and carefully place on rack. Pour the juice/sugar mixture over the still warm cake and allow it to soak in. Cool completely.

Make a glaze with 2 Tbsps. grapefruit juice and 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar. Drizzle over cake, so some drips down the sides.

You could substitute any citrus fruit for the grapefruit. Lime would be delicious!