Christmas Card Cookies

These cookies have been part of the Rafn family Christmas tradition for many years. I have vivid childhood memories of rolling out sheets of dough with my brothers and using cutouts of snowmen, maple leaves, and Christmas trees to shape the cookies.

Recipe for Pear Bread

Posted by T.C. Savage

September is a good month for pears which are part of the rose family and are related to apples. You can dry them, jam them, sauce them, and make them into delicious treats. This recipe for pear bread comes from the California Bed and Breakfast Cookbook and I don't see any reason to try to improve on it.

Recipe for Cherry Nut Bread

by T.C. Savage

Cherry season is in full swing. July is National Ice Cream month, so try some cherry ice cream! Or, you can make this cherry nut bread I developed. I picked cherries with Salem Harvest last year and had some left over after making jam, so I decided to create this bread recipe. You can eat this bread toasted with butter, or you can wrap each loaf in tinfoil and place in a plastic bag to freeze.

Living Culture episode 74 with Willamette Seed and Grain, plus a behind-the-scenes look at Nature Bake

This was a fun episode to produce!

We start by visiting Clint Lindsey of Willamette Seed and Grain. Clint talks about his efforts to grow cereal grains, beans, and edible seeds for local consumers. We also interview Harry MacCormack, co-founder of Oregon Tilth and owner of Sunbow Farm, about his involvement with Willamette Seed and Grain. Harry has been experimenting with several grain and bean varieties on his small farm near Corvallis.

Honey and Whole Wheat Bread

by Nate Rafn

This recipe is loosely based on a muffin recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks. The whole wheat flour breaks down nicely as it soaks in the buttermilk, creating a soft texture. Feel free to add dried fruit and nuts for fun. I recommend adding chopped dehydrated figs and roasted hazelnuts.

Interview with Falls City baker, Keith Zinn

by Nate Rafn

Keith Zinn owns and operates The Bread Board, an artisan bakery in Falls City, Oregon. He and his partner, John, are known for creating rustic sourdough breads with chewy, caramelized crusts. Some of their breads are whole grain, others are enhanced by savory herbs, nuts and seeds. Sourdough enthusiasts will find these breads at the store in Falls City, and at farmers' markets throughout the Willamette Valley, including Salem Saturday Market, The McMinnville Market, Silverton Farmers Market, and Independence Farmers Market.

Holiday Recipe: Irish Soda Bread on St. Patrick's Day

by T.C. Savage

Most of us know that St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching. People have adopted this fun holiday, even when they aren’t Irish. So, on March 17th you could make some lamb stew or maybe you could just dye all your food green.  Irish Soda Bread goes well with any soup or stew and you could color it green, but it looks weird when you eat it and end up with green bread in your teeth, but, hey—it’s up to you.

Celebrating Food: Recipe for Sweet Corn Bread

by T.C. Savage

February 2011 has some fun food holidays. The 19th is National Chocolate Mint Day and it’s pretty easy to celebrate by sharing your favorite chocolate mint candies, brownies or ice cream. Saturday, February 20th is National Clam Chowder Day.

Basic White Bread Recipe

 by Nick Pfaff

There are few things in this crazy, complicated world that are as simple and pleasing as a warm loaf of bread. The smell of homemade bread conjures thoughts of simpler times- with Mom or Grandma wearing a flour dusted apron, working so diligently to create such a wonderful and wholesome food.   
   
Besides the amazing smells fresh bread will create in your household, homemade bread is much cheaper, has more flavor, will not contain preservatives, and is all-together much healthier than most store bought loaves. A quality loaf of bread can be a good source of iron, vitamins, calcium, and protein.

Living Culture Archive: Julekage

by Nate Rafn | Living Culture

Holiday breads are of great interest to me. They represent important cultural traditions that should not be overlooked. A few years ago I wrote an article about holiday baking for Salem Weekly.

Here's a snippet:

"Baking is part science, part art-form, and part tradition. Recipes and procedures are handed from one generation to the next- from expert baker to the young novice; from mother to daughter; from executive chef to the line cook; and so on. We make Grandpa’s julekage the same way he made it, not because his recipe is perfect or because Grandpa was a chemistry major, but because that’s how he taught us." [Read Full Article]

This video, from Living Culture's 3rd season, features holiday breads from Cascade Baking Company, plus a visit with Bruce & Louise Rafn- my Grandparents.

Steven Perkins' Pinto Noir Sourdough Bread

Apples at E.Z. Orchards, plus Steve Morton's recipe for Apple Crumb Pie