On this Wednesday, Nov. 24, edition of Sundial:
Baking with artisan flour
There is one thing that can’t be absent at the Thanksgiving dinner table and that’s bread, whether it’s bread rolls or cornbread.
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It’s one of the oldest foods in human history. It’s started revolutions, been an instrument for peace and even kept some of us sane during the pandemic. Remember the craze over bread baking?
Well, there’s more to bread than meets the rye.
“Flour is the foundation of bread and pies and cookies and lots of things we really, really enjoy,” said Jennifer Lapidus, who is a baker, miller and author of the book ‘Southern Ground, Reclaiming Flavor Through Stone-Milled Flour.’
Lapidus is also the founder of Carolina Ground flour mill. Her passion for bread took her from baker to miller, to now author. The book goes into the importance of moving away from industrial flours and putting more of an emphasis on sustainable and artisanal products.
“Stone-ground flour, it should be treated more as like a fresh product rather than something that sits on the shelf for years and it still stays the same. [This flour] has oils in it that capture the specific place it comes from. And depending on the freshness and where from, it totally changes the flavor and the product that you end up with,” said Brian Wright, one of the owner-operators and the head bread baker at the cafe paradis books & bread in North Miami.
Lapidus will be speaking at the Books & Books in Coral Gables this Friday evening. Find more information about the event here.
How food brings South Floridians together
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we re-shared some of WLRN's best stories over the years on how food brings South Floridians together.
Last year, because of COVID-19, some of our food celebrations looked a little different during the holidays. WLRN reporter Danny Rivero and our intern at the time, Natu Tweh, decided to have some fun doing a family recipe swap. Danny shared his family recipe for Cuban congris and Natu shared a Liberian version of the West African specialty, Jollof rice.
You can read and listen to that story, here. 'Making A Holiday Potluck Work In The Year Of Coronavirus'
Pikliz is a spicy Haitian condiment you can put on almost anything. Former WLRN reporter Nadege Green went on a mission in 2019 to find out how it's gotten so popular through South Florida's food scene.
You can read and listen to that story, here. 'Pikliz: A Spicy Haitian Condiment Gets A Lot of Love In South Florida's Food Scene'
Back in 2018 WLRN's Americas Correspondent, Tim Padgett, shared a Caribbean speciality for the holidays: Black Cake.
You can read and listen to that story, here. 'Caribbean Christmas Classic: Black Cake A Piquant Feature Of South Florida Holidays'
When your loved ones live thousands of miles away, sometimes a familiar dish can close the distance.
One Filipino dish that brings WLRN Multimedia Producer Alyssa Ramos feeling closer to her grandmother, is called Broken Window. Her grandmother passed away earlier this year due to COVID-19. Although her grandmother is gone, Alyssa keeps her memory alive with a platter of Jell-O.
You can read and listen to that story, here: 'More Than Just Jell-O: How Making 'Broken Window' Connected Me To My Grandmother'
Manischewitz kosher wine is a Jewish tradition that is more nostalgic than yummy, but it's beloved in Haiti. Former WLRN reporter Nadege Green went looking for the Caribbean connection in 2017.
You can read and listen to that story, here. 'Manischewitz Wine: A Kosher Drink Popular In Caribbean Communities'
In 2013 former WLRN reporter Rick Stone waited in line for Knaus Berry Farms famous Amish cinnamon buns. Brave man waited hours. So did South Floridans from all over.
You can read and listen to that story, here. 'This Is The Christmas Treat That Really Says "Miami" To Me'
Knaus Berry Farms is still open in Homestead and they're in season. How long are you waiting in line to get those buns for Thanksgiving? Let us know on social media @WLRNSundial.
