Zucchini bread started to appear in the 1960s, as hippies looked for healthier foods. But the concept dates back to the Middle Ages, when European chefs began to develop sweet vegetable puddings. Carrot pudding was first; sweet potato pudding and pie followed in the Renaissance. The different types of squash offered still more options. Carrot pudding, a side dish, evolved into the carrot cake dessert in the 20th century.
Zucchini became popular in American home gardens during and after World War II. If you’ve grown zucchini, you know that you can’t find enough ways to use it up. But zucchini lasagna and zucchini bread are two of the happy outcomes.
Zucchini bread was catapulted to prominence by James Beard, who published a recipe for it in 1973. Homemakers found it easy to make, healthier than cake, easily portable for snacks and travel, and freezer friendly. The water content of zucchini also added natural moisture to the cake.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAKE AND BREAD
The difference between a recipe called “cake” and one called “bread” is that a bread is:
Zucchini bread with a light glaze. Photo courtesy Betty Crocker.
Less sweet
Slightly drier (less butter or other fat)
Baked in a loaf pan
Not frosted, although a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar or a drizzle of glaze cana be used
CARL GOH’S ZUCCHINI BREAD
Carl Goh was a food writer and friend of James Beard. This recipe appeared in Beard On Bread*. It has less sugar than some contemporary recipes, and for an even healthier bread, you can substitute 1 cup of whole-wheat flour for one of the cups of white flour.
Ingredients For 2 Loaves
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated†, peeled, raw zucchini
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup coarsely chopped filberts or walnuts
Optional: 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit or drained crushed pineapple; reduce nuts to 1/2 cup
Is this the seventh day of the heat wave? We’ve lost count. But we’re glad to have this recipe created by Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos, hosts of the Cooking Channel show, Extra Virgin.
They whipped up a coffee-themed ice pop using Lavazza, Italy’s beloved coffee brand. They used the Lavazza Qualità Rossa variety, made with African beans that have a natural chocolate aroma—perfect for a mocha popsicle. If you like strong coffee, you can use espresso.
Then, instead of after-dinner coffee, you can enjoy your coffee and your dessert in on a stick.
Debi and Gabriele also follow our own favorite practice of freezing leftover coffee in ice cube trays. “In summer we never toss whatever coffee is left in our pot,” says Debi. “Rather, we keep filling ice cube trays with it to make ‘espresso iced cubes!’ Add two or three cubes to a half glass of cold milk on a hot summer morning to get going.”
Cool down with a homemade mocha ice pop. Photo courtesy Lavazza.
CREAMY MOCHA ICE POPS RECIPE
Preparation time 15 minutes, refrigerator/freezer time 6 hours.
1. MIX together sugar, coffee and water in a saucepan mix; bring to a boil. Let simmer for 4 minutes, stirring continuously. Filter using cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.
2. MIX the chocolate and hot coffee syrup in a bowl; stir until completely melted. Let cool; then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before proceeding to next step.
3. MIX together heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip lightly to soft peaks. Add the cream to the cold coffee syrup and mix gently so the cream does not loose volume. Pour the mixture into the ice pop molds and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
DON’T LIKE MOCHA?
Use your favorite juices and other beverages (coffee, tea, kefir, smoothies) or fresh fruit purées to make the ice pops of your dreams. For gourmet touch, add fresh herbs like basil or rosemary. Like heat? Add chipotle, jalapeño or hot sauce. Check out these recipes:
While the Unilever legal team can’t spend all day chasing down every recipe called “Popsicle,” no one else can sell a product called Popsicle. They’ll have to invent their own name, as Popsicle inventor Frank Epperson did, way back in 1923.
If you followed yesterday’s tip and made pesto, here’s a fun recipe that works for everyday or company.
Pesto Parmesan Potato Stacks, a fun side dish from PotatoGoodness.com, simply tosses thinly sliced potato rounds in a bowl with Parmesan and pesto. You stack them in a muffin tin, bake and voilà! The Parmesan melts into the potatoes: Delicious!
Kids can help with the stacking and they’ll love peeling apart the layers while eating the delicious results. Alternatively, you can vary the flavors, layering the potatoes with everything from garlic and olive oil to mozzarella and marinara (see recipes below).
Prep time 5 minutes, cook time 25 minutes.
RECIPE: PESTO PARMESAN POTATO STACKS
Ingredients For 6 Servings
Stack and bake for a fun side dish. Photo courtesy PotatoGoodness.com.
6–8 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons pesto
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Preparation
1. PREHEAT oven to 400°F; spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Peel the potatoes if desired, and thinly slice them by hand or with a mandolin or food processor fitted with slicer blade, discarding rounded ends.
2 PLACE the potatoes in mixing bowl; add remaining ingredients and mix well with a spoon, separating the potato slices so that all are evenly coated with the mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. STACK slices in the prepared muffin tin until they reach the top of the cup, beginning with smaller potato pieces at the bottom. Scrape the bowl to remove all remaining cheese mixture and spoon over potatoes.
4. BAKE for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
Yukon Gold potatoes are a favorite of chefs. Photo courtesy BonniePlants.com.
GARLIC & OLIVE OIL POTATO STACKS
Ingredients
6–8 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves (2 teaspoons) garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Follow the preparation instructions above.
ITALIAN POTATO STACKS
Ingredients
6–8 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Follow the preparation instructions above.
ABOUT YUKON GOLD POTATOES
Yukon Golds are “gourmet potatoes” that have become a favorite of chefs for their delicious, buttery-rich flavor. They get their name from their golden skin and yellow flesh.
The variety was developed at the Ontario Agriculture College at the University of Guelph, Canada, in the 1960s. That’s not exactly near the Yukon territory (which is on the other side of the country, abutting Alaska), but the developers did strike gold!
Maguro tuna with “seasoned avocado sauce”: guacamole. Photo courtesy Ippudo | New York.
Whenever we visit Ippudo—a creative Japanese ramen chain with luscious ramen soups and so much more—we’re inspired to adapt some of the recipes at home.
This one is very easy and for hot summer days; it requires no cooking. Fresh tuna is marinated lightly and served with “seasoned avocado sauce,” i.e., guacamole.
RECIPE: TUNA SASHIMI HORS D’OEUVRES
Ingredients
Raw tuna filet
Vinaigrette: 3 parts olive oil, 1 part wine vinegar (ideally rice wine vinegar), salt and pepper to taste
1. CUT tuna into a small dice and marinate in vinaigrette for 20 minutes or longer. Drain well and fill Tostitos Scoops.
2. TOP with guacamole, garnish with fresh herbs. Serve immediately. Delicious with beer, wine or iced tea. TIP: Instead of preparing extra “scoops” to refill the tray, wait until you need them to fill the Scoops. Otherwise, they may lose their crunch.
