[1] Pane bianco, a delicious treat at any meal. [2] The award-winning recipe uses unbelted bread flour (photos courtesy King Arthur Flour).

It’s a treat for breakfast, with a light lunch like salad or soup, or with beer, wine and cocktails.

If you serve a bread basket at dinner (or at special dinners), these slices will disappear quickly!

The original recipe, by Dianna Wara of Washington, Illinois, took first place in the first-ever National Festival of Breads.

P.J. Hamel of King Arthur Flour simplified the recipe a bit so that any home baker can make it. She notes, “The unique shape is simple to achieve, and makes an impressive presentation.” Thanks to both ladies for this delicious treat!

The recipe takes 2 hours 40 minutes, because the dough must rise and then bake; but actual prep time is just 30 minutes and the steps are easy.

RECIPE: PANE BIANCO WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES & BASIL

Ingredients For 1 Loaf (About 20 Slices)
 
For The Dough

 
For The Filling

1. MAKE the dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients in a bowl (or the bucket of a bread machine). Mix and knead by hand or with a mixer; or in a bread machine set on the dough cycle. You should have a smooth, very soft dough that should stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. PLACE the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until it’s doubled in size. Meanwhile…

3. DRAIN the tomatoes thoroughly, patting them dry. Use kitchen shears to cut them into smaller bits.

4. DEFLATE gently deflate the dough. Flatten and pat it into a 22″ x 8 1/2″ rectangle. Spread with the cheese, tomatoes, garlic, and basil.

5. STARTING with one long edge, roll the dough into a log the long way. Pinch the edges to seal. Place the log seam-side down on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. USING kitchen shears, start 1/2″ from one end and cut the log lengthwise down the center about 1″ deep, to within 1/2″ of the other end.

7. KEEPING the cut side up, form an “S” shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the “S” to form a “figure 8;” pinch the ends together to seal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 45 to 60 minutes. While the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

8. UNCOVER the bread and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it with foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent over-browning.

9. REMOVE the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.

 
BAKING TIPS

[1] Use sundries tomatoes in oil. You can buy plain sundries and marinate them in your own oil (photo courtesy Bella Sun Luci).[2] Use your favorite Italian cheese blend (photo courtesy Sargento).

[1] Another way to enjoy fall’s apple cider: with bourbon and bacon (photo courtesy Davio’s | Manhattan). [2] Make your own cinnamon simple syrup with cinnamon, sugar and water (photo by Ben Fink, Indian Home Cooking by Suvir Saran).

As restaurants and lounges switch to their autumn menus, we’re getting lots of fall cocktail recipes. We test cocktail recipes each weekend, typically inviting friends to stop by between their errands.

This week’s cocktail recipe: Bacon Bourbon Cider from Davio’s Manhattan, one of New York’s fine steakhouses with a Northern Italian-accented menu.

Two fall favorites—apple cider and maple-candied bacon—will make this a favorite fall cocktail. It’s so easy that it may well end up on your favorite home cocktail list.

Davio’s uses Bulleit Bourbon for the cocktail. We used another top brand/
 
Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a cocktail shaker; shake and pour into a Collins glass.

2. GARNISH with a slice of candied bacon.
 
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*You can add ground cinnamon to plain simple syrup or use the recipe below.
 
RECIPE: CANDIED BACON

This recipe is for 8 pieces, but trust us: You’ll want to candy the entire pound package.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 300°F. Place the bacon strips flat on a cooling rack screen placed over a baking sheet. Bake the bacon for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until thoroughly brown and crisp.

2. COOL the bacon; then brush both sides of the strips with maple syrup, using a pastry brush. (We long ago replaced our bristle pastry and basting brush with a silicon pastry brush—so much easier to use and clean).

3. PLACE the bacon back on the rack in the oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes.

4. RESTRAIN yourself from eating all the candied bacon.

You can make simple syrup up to a month in advance and keep it in the fridge, tightly capped. It can keep even longer, but why take up spice with an item you don’t use?

Instead, use the cinnamon syrup to sweeten tea or coffee, or to drizzle over desserts: baked goods, fruits, puddings, etc. You can also give it as gifts in a Mason jar tied with a ribbon.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. BREAK the cinnamon sticks into pieces (1 inch or longer), using a rolling pin or other implement (or break them by hand). Place them in a small sauce pan with the sugar and water.

2. BRING to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

3. STRAIN out and discard the cinnamon stick pieces, and refrigerate, tightly covered.
 
SUBSTITUTING GROUND CINNAMON FOR CINNAMON STICKS

 
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CINNAMON AND CASSIA

Who knew that most of our ground “cinnamon” is actually cassia—not true cinnamon?

Check out the different types of cinnamon.
 
  

Today’s tip is: Find some and work with it.
 
 
WHAT IS CRÈME FRAÎCHE?

Crème fraîche (pronounced crem fresh, French for “fresh cream”) is a thickened cream—not as thick as sour cream, more of the consistency of yogurt. That’s an appropriate analogy because both are slightly soured with bacterial culture. Crème fraîche has more fat than either, for a richer experience.

Originally from Normandy, the dairy heartland of France, today crème fraîche used throughout Continental and American cuisines.

Sour cream, which is more accessible and less expensive, can be substituted in most recipes; but crème fraîche has additional advantages:

 
Crème fraîche is made by inoculating unpasteurized heavy cream with Lactobacillus cultures, letting the bacteria grow until the cream is both soured and thick and then pasteurizing it to stop the process.

Thus, authentic crème fraîche cannot be made at home in the U.S., because only pasteurized cream is available to consumers. Adding Lactobacillus to pasteurized cream will cause it to spoil instead of sour.

However, you can still make it at home with pasteurized cream. Here’s a crème fraîche recipe plus the difference between crème fraîche, mascarpone, sour cream and similar products.
 
Uses For Crème Fraîche Beyond Baking

 
 
RECIPE: DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CRÈME FRAÎCHE CUPCAKES WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE FROSTING

Because you have to start somewhere, here’s a recipe that few people would decline: chocolate cupcakes. The star ingredient in these beautiful cupcakes from Hummingbird High is crème fraîche, used in both the cake and frosting. Rich, chocolaty cupcakes are topped with a creamy, velvety, simple-to-make frosting.

Ingredients For 12 Cupcakes

[1] Crème fraîche on a baby potato, topped with salmon caviar (photo Fotolia). [2] Tomato soup with caviar in the base and as a garnish (photo courtesy Munchery). [3] A classic chocolate ganache is made from chocolate and cream. Corn syrup is added for glossiness. Here’s the recipe from King Arthur Flour. [4] Crème fraîche cupcakes, recipe below (photo courtesy Michelle Lopez | Hummingbird High).

 
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*A 72% bittersweet chocolate is perfect for lovers of bittersweet, and the cacao level used by top pastry chefs. However, if you prefer a lower percentage, go for it. You can make milk chocolate ganache and white chocolate ganache as well. The key is not the percentage cacao, but the quality of the chocolate. Ganache is de facto made just from chocolate and cream, but you can take a few liberties. We’ve added coffee to both dark chocolate and white chocolate ganaches. Here’s a recipe for chocolate ganache with crème fraîche instead of heavy cream.

[1] One of our fantasies: an entire bucket of crème fraîche from Vermont Creamery. [2] We’d use it to make everything, without forgetting the simple pleasure of crème fraîche with fresh berries (photo courtesy Good Eggs).

1. CENTER a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Prepare a 12-well muffin tin by lining with cupcake liners.

2. COMBINE 1 ounce coarsely chopped dark chocolate and 1/3 cup hot coffee in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. DO NOT STIR. Let sit for 2 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. As the chocolate is melting…

3. COMBINE in a medium bowl 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; whisk until combined. Set aside.

4. RETURN to the chocolate. At this point the chocolate should be melty and easily melt into the coffee when whisked. Turn the mixer to its lowest setting and whisk the chocolate and coffee together, then add 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup crème fraîche, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract. Continue whisking until just combined.

5. STOP the mixer and sprinkle the dry ingredients (from the 3rd step) over the liquid ingredients (from the 4th step). Turn the mixer back on to medium-low and continue whisking until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

6. DIVIDE the batter evenly between the cupcake liners using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop. Be careful not to overfill and start with as little as 2 tablespoons per cupcake.

7. BAKE in the preheated oven until the cupcakes are domed and the top springs back when gently touched, around 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack to room temperature before frosting.
 
Preparation For The Chocolate Crème Fraîche Frosting

1. MAKE the frosting. Combine 6 ounces of dark chocolate, 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl that sits on top of a pan of simmering water. The water in the pan should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Melt completely, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir occasionally to combine the ingredients.

3. SET the frosting aside for 15 minutes to cool more, giving the frosting a gentle whisk every 5 minutes to allow heat to escape. After 15 minutes, use the frosting. At first it will seem too liquidy, but the frosting will quickly cool as it is spread throughout the cake. Work quickly to frost the cake before the frosting cools completely: It will harden as it cools. Use an offset spatula or a butter knife to divide and spread the frosting evenly among the cupcakes, and garnish with any additional decoration.

Recently we had to get rid of some things in our appliance cabinet to make room for a large countertop pizza maker.

Two items bit the dust: an old Cuisinart kept as a “back-up” for 15 years, but have never needed to use; and a beautiful double waffle iron, barely used (we’d rather make French toast or pancakes than drag out and clean the waffle iron).

Then, I took some advice from Posie Harwood of King Arthur Flour, who noted with sagacity that “a waffle iron is just a teeny, tiny oven…a much cooler version of a panini press.”
 
WAFFLE IRON BENEFITS

 
STARTING TIPS

 
1. BROWNIES IN A WAFFLE IRON

One of the nicest things about a waffle iron is how much time it saves you, especially when you’re baking a single serving. Sometimes you just want a brownie, and you want it right away!

Just ladle in your batter of choice, close the lid, and cook until baked through, like a waffle. This may even be the preferred way of cooking brownies for those who like the “edges”: The waffled brownie is crisp and crunchy.

 
2. MUFFINS IN A WAFFLE IRON

Cook the muffin batter and you get what is essentially a jumbo, crisp muffin top.
 
3. COOKIES IN A WAFFLE IRON

Portion your favorite cookie dough into individual scoops and freeze them. When you need a warm cookie, bake one or two. Help you make just one instead of a baking pan full of temptation.
 
4. DOUGHNUTS IN A WAFFLE IRON

We haven’t tried it, but Posie says: “Doughnut batter performs surprisingly well in a waffle iron. It bakes up into a puffy, light disc with a wonderfully crunchy top. It’s not shaped in a circle, but it tastes just the same.” She recommends drizzling a glaze (and loves this apple cider glaze recipe) or a ganache frosting. Add coconut, crushed nuts, sprinkles or other garnish.

[2] Waffled hash brown potatoes (photo © King Arthur Flour).

[3] Pop grilled cheese and almost any sandwich into the waffle iron (photos #2 and #3 © Posie Harwood | King Arthur Flour).

[5] Waffled biscuits with sausage gravy. Here’s the recipe from Food Network Kitchen.

[6] Get 53 recipes for waffled food in this book (photo © Workman Publishing).

5. GRILLED CHEESE & OTHER SANDWICHES IN A WAFFLE IRON

Consider your waffle iron as a panini press with different grill marks. Spray the waffle iron, add a slice of bread, the cheese and any extras (bacon, tomato, etc.) and the top slice of bread. Close the iron and cook until the cheese is melted.

A tip from Posie: Spread some mayonnaise on the outside of each slice of bread. It makes the sandwich extra crisp and golden.
 
6. HASH BROWNS IN A WAFFLE IRON

They’re not just for breakfast, either. For a quick dinner, top the hash browns with a fried or poached egg, leftover proteins and/or vegetables. Rosie likes to add wilted greens.

But all you need is grated potatoes (we grate in onion as well, and you can also add cheese). Wring out as much liquid as you can, season with salt and pepper and waffle a thick layer until crisp and brown.
 
7. PANINI IN A WAFFLE IRON

Ditto. You get waffle marks instead of grill marks.

 
8. WAFFLED POLENTA

For breakfast or as a side with lunch or dinner, here’s a recipe from Julie’s Jazz.
 
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU WAFFLE?

Posie has also made waffled calzones, omelets and zucchini fritters—even simple buttered toast.

There’s a whole book on the topic, Will It Waffle? Get your copy on Amazon with 53 foods to waffle, including:

 
Here are more recipes from Food Network including:

 
Also check out Greatlist.com., which features a bunch of the recipes above plus a healthier Waffled Eggplant Parmesan!
 
Who knew?
 
 
  

If you drink wine often, you no doubt have a favorite to drink with your favorite foods, from snacks to mains to desserts.

What happens if you step out of your comfort zone? You may discover grape varietals you haven’t had before, and pairings that you like even better.

While it’s common wisdom that the wines of a particular region pair best with the foods of that region, don’t let that impede your decisions. The most important pairing is with the food and its preparation (light or heavy, herbal or spicy, etc.).

Entire books have been written on the topic, but here’s a brief overview from DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com. You can search online for recommendations, or ask your wine store clerk: an invaluable source of information and recommendations.

If you’re not familiar with the grape varietal, look it up. Wines in France, Italy and elsewhere are often named for their region of production, not for the varietal labeling of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the U.S.

 
It gets much more complicated than this, involving history, law and other factors. But let’s get on to the wines.
 
WINE & FOOD PAIRINGS FROM A TO Z

Some are red wines (R), some are white wines (W), and some are both (R&W).

[1] An Italian red is a traditional pairing with salami, olives and other nibbles. But why not try a Cabernet Franc, Malbec or Zinfandel (photo courtesy Rebelle | NYC)? [2] Don’t want beer or saké with your sushi? Try a light white wine, such as Albariño or Chenin Blanc. Our personal favorites are Gewürtztraminer and Riesling—more assertive, because we just can’t get enough of them (photo by Lognetic | Dreamtime). [3] With a well-seasoned grilled cheese sandwich, try a medium-bodied red: Barbera, Malbec, Merlot, Rhone blend, Sangiovese, or the lesser-known Montepulciano.

[4] For pasta, match the wine to the sauce. With a meat sauce or meatballs, Sangiovese, Rosso di Montalcino and Barberas are popular in Italy. But a good old American Zinfandel is also a popular match. [5] Wine with chocolate? Absolutely: We have an entire article on pairing wine and chocolate, as well as pairing wines and desserts (photo courtesy Taza Chocolate).