fpo #001

For Joey,
Sadie,
and Rose

We cannot go back in time. Instead, we must

reinvent life for ourselves.
laurie colwin

Copyright 2012 by Alana Chernila

Photographs copyright 2011 by Jennifer May
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an
imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House,
Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com
CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a
registered trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
[CIP data]
ISBN 978-0-307-88726-9
eISBN 978-0-307-95326-1
Printed in China
Design by Stephanie Huntwork
Cover Jacket design TK
Cover Jacket photography TK
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

But ter

makes 6 to 8 ounces (12 to 16 tablespoons)

1 Combine the cream and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer

fitted with the paddle attachment and cover with a dish
towel to prevent splattering. Beat at medium to high speed,
peeking in every 20 seconds or so. In 1 to 3 minutes, the
cream will be whipped and airy, then it will stiffen. After
that, the cream will break, and you will have both liquids
and solids in the bowl.

1 pint heavy cream

teaspoon kosher salt

2 When the fat separates from the buttermilk, pour the

buttermilk into a jar and refrigerate to use within 3 days.
(It will make remarkable Pancakes, page 144.)
3 Run your hands under cold water, then squeeze the butter
together, kneading it in the bowl. Place the bowl in the
sink, rinse the butter in cold water, and squeeze it again.
Repeat this process until the water runs clear and the
butter does not release any liquid when you press on it.

storage
room temperature covered container or butter bell, 5 days
fridge covered container, 1 week
freezer roll and cut into sticks, wrap individually in plastic
wrap and a freezer bag, 3 months

tense moments ~ Dont skimp on the squeezing and

kneading of the butterif you do, the buttermilk still trapped in
your butter will cause the butter to go rancid within a day! So
keep kneading until there is no sign of cloudy buttermilk coming
out of the butter.

aisle 1

d a i ry

38

39

But ter

makes 6 to 8 ounces (12 to 16 tablespoons)

1 Combine the cream and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer

fitted with the paddle attachment and cover with a dish
towel to prevent splattering. Beat at medium to high speed,
peeking in every 20 seconds or so. In 1 to 3 minutes, the
cream will be whipped and airy, then it will stiffen. After
that, the cream will break, and you will have both liquids
and solids in the bowl.

1 pint heavy cream

teaspoon kosher salt

2 When the fat separates from the buttermilk, pour the

buttermilk into a jar and refrigerate to use within 3 days.
(It will make remarkable Pancakes, page 144.)
3 Run your hands under cold water, then squeeze the butter
together, kneading it in the bowl. Place the bowl in the
sink, rinse the butter in cold water, and squeeze it again.
Repeat this process until the water runs clear and the
butter does not release any liquid when you press on it.

storage
room temperature covered container or butter bell, 5 days
fridge covered container, 1 week
freezer roll and cut into sticks, wrap individually in plastic
wrap and a freezer bag, 3 months

tense moments ~ Dont skimp on the squeezing and

kneading of the butterif you do, the buttermilk still trapped in
your butter will cause the butter to go rancid within a day! So
keep kneading until there is no sign of cloudy buttermilk coming
out of the butter.

aisle 1

d a i ry

38

39

Gr aham Cr ackers
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose
flour
cup (3.38 ounces) whole
wheat flour
cup (1.75 ounces) rye
flour, plus more for dusting
teaspoon salt
teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
cup (2 ounces) packed
dark brown sugar,
homemade (page 51) or
store-bought
3 tablespoons cold unsalted
butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons (2 ounces)
shortening (see page 217),
cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract,
homemade (page 65) or
store-bought
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

storage
room temperature
covered container, 10 days
fridge unbaked dough in
waxed paper, 3 days
freezer unbaked dough,
wrapped in plastic and a
freezer bag, 4 months (thaw
in the refrigerator before
rolling out); baked crackers,
freezer bag (recrisp in a
375F oven for 5 minutes),
4 months

makes 45 to 50 2 3 -inch crackers

1 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours with the

salt, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of the
cinnamon, and the brown sugar. Mix for 10 seconds using
the paddle attachment, then add the butter and shortening.
Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
2 Combine the honey and vanilla with cup cold water in a
liquid measuring cup and stir to combine until the honey is
mostly dissolved. With the mixer running on medium-low
speed, slowly pour the honey mixture into the bowl, giving
the mixture time to absorb the liquid. Continue to mix for
another 20 seconds, or until the dough comes together. It
will still be slightly crumbly. Push the dough into a ball,
wrap it in waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours,
and up to 3 days. (The dough can be wrapped and frozen
at this point.)
3 Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes
before you are ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cut the dough in half, and lay one half between two sheets
of waxed paper dusted with rye flour. Roll the dough
as thin as you can get it, ideally 1 8 inch. It will still be
slightly crumbly, but just press it back together and keep
rolling. Use a pizza wheel, crinkle cutter, or knife to cut
2 3-inch rectangles. Use a spatula to separate the
rectangles from the waxed paper and set them on an
ungreased baking sheet. The crackers wont spread, so
they can be quite close. Reroll any scraps and repeatthen
repeat again with the second half of the dough.
4 In a small bowl, combine the remaining teaspoon
cinnamon with the granulated sugar. Sprinkle the crackers
with the cinnamon mixture and prick the dough several
times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just
starting to brown at the edges. Cool on a wire rack. The
crackers are great out of the oven, but their flavor and
texture improves the next day.

aisle 9

B R EA D S a n d C R A C K E R S

220

221

Gr aham Cr ackers
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose
flour
cup (3.38 ounces) whole
wheat flour
cup (1.75 ounces) rye
flour, plus more for dusting
teaspoon salt
teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
cup (2 ounces) packed
dark brown sugar,
homemade (page 51) or
store-bought
3 tablespoons cold unsalted
butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons (2 ounces)
shortening (see page 217),
cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract,
homemade (page 65) or
store-bought
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

storage
room temperature
covered container, 10 days
fridge unbaked dough in
waxed paper, 3 days
freezer unbaked dough,
wrapped in plastic and a
freezer bag, 4 months (thaw
in the refrigerator before
rolling out); baked crackers,
freezer bag (recrisp in a
375F oven for 5 minutes),
4 months

makes 45 to 50 2 3 -inch crackers

1 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours with the

salt, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of the
cinnamon, and the brown sugar. Mix for 10 seconds using
the paddle attachment, then add the butter and shortening.
Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
2 Combine the honey and vanilla with cup cold water in a
liquid measuring cup and stir to combine until the honey is
mostly dissolved. With the mixer running on medium-low
speed, slowly pour the honey mixture into the bowl, giving
the mixture time to absorb the liquid. Continue to mix for
another 20 seconds, or until the dough comes together. It
will still be slightly crumbly. Push the dough into a ball,
wrap it in waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours,
and up to 3 days. (The dough can be wrapped and frozen
at this point.)
3 Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes
before you are ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cut the dough in half, and lay one half between two sheets
of waxed paper dusted with rye flour. Roll the dough
as thin as you can get it, ideally 1 8 inch. It will still be
slightly crumbly, but just press it back together and keep
rolling. Use a pizza wheel, crinkle cutter, or knife to cut
2 3-inch rectangles. Use a spatula to separate the
rectangles from the waxed paper and set them on an
ungreased baking sheet. The crackers wont spread, so
they can be quite close. Reroll any scraps and repeatthen
repeat again with the second half of the dough.
4 In a small bowl, combine the remaining teaspoon
cinnamon with the granulated sugar. Sprinkle the crackers
with the cinnamon mixture and prick the dough several
times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just
starting to brown at the edges. Cool on a wire rack. The
crackers are great out of the oven, but their flavor and
texture improves the next day.

aisle 9

B R EA D S a n d C R A C K E R S

220

221