the arugula files

Blueberry Pancakes (Plus, Can you Make Pancakes with a Stainless Steel Pan?)

After poring through a dozen recipes for blueberry pancakes, it all comes down to the million dollar question: can you use a stainless steel pan to make pancakes?  Every recipe I read called for a nonstick pan.  The problem for me is that I don't own a nonstick pan.  My husband, Marcus, thinks we will all die slowly of cancer if we use them.  This morning I set out to find out if stainless steel pans work (not if we would slowly die of cancer from using nonstick, a debatable topic in my house).  My conclusion: yes, you can in fact make pancakes with a stainless steel pan.  It all comes down to the fact that stainless steel pans eventually become "nonstick" if they get hot enough.  You just have to be patient and wait for the pan to "release" the pancakes from it's hold.  Of course, this means you have to use oil, but I think oil is necessary anyway for browned edges that give pancakes flavor and texture.  You end up with a crispy shell and soft pillow cake inside.

Blueberry Pie

If you make one pie this summer, this is the one.  Blueberry pie is simple and extraordinary at the same time.  The crust comes from Cook's Illustrated via Smitten Kitchen and the pie filling comes from Simply Recipes.  I made two crusts (for a top and bottom), but then thought better of using the top crust because I didn't want to hide the blueberries.  Instead, I used a cookie cutter to create these "fire works" on top of the pie.  Have a great weekend!

In Season: Blueberries

Blueberries are in season and I already made my annual trip to Butler's Orchard.  I picked 7 pounds, which was 3 pounds short of my goal.  For the most part, blueberry picking is an easy task, but the heat can really wear you down, and it tends to stifle even the most ambitious (and greedy) blueberry pickers.  Somewhere in the near future, I will make a blueberry pie and some blueberry infused vodka.  Meanwhile, here are a few blueberry recipes that will make your skirt twirl. 

Honest Blueberry Jam

Violet Beauregarde Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry and Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

Blueberry Margaritas

Blueberry and Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

I have to admit, I had never heard of crème fraîche until a few years ago when I saw a cheftestant using it on Top Chef.  Crème what?  I immediately looked it up online, using my number-one, trustworthy, foolproof, no-way-this-can-be-wrong source, wikipedia, and found it described as sour cream, but less sour, and thicker, with 28 percent milk fat.  Yes, please.

Blueberry Margaritas

I'm not one for mixed drinks.  Hand me a glass of Pinot Grigio and I'm happy.  But with a freezer full of  blueberries, you have to be creative. And what better way to use blueberries than in a margarita?  

Honest Blueberry Jam

Recently I've heard a few people use the word "honest" to describe food.  My first reaction was, what an absurd adjective to describe food!  Those copywriters have lost their blueberries.  As if food can lie to you.  The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense.  Undoubtedly, there is a lot of food out there, all produced by that evil monolith known by some as “Big Food,” that is lying straight to my face.  As Food Inc. notes, meat producers proudly brand their pork products with idyllic photos of the family farm, when the pork product really comes from places that would most certainly curb your craving for bacon and eggs.

Back to the blueberries: if there is such a thing as honest food, it's this here jam.  I picked the blueberries myself, then made the jam on my own stove.  Take that, Big Food.

Blueberry Picking at Butler's Orchard

This morning I dragged Marcus out of bed at 7 am.  Come on, we're going blueberry picking!  We arrived at Butler's Orchard by 9:10, and were in the blueberry field by 9:20.  Butler's Orchard is only a short drive from DC.  With no traffic you can be there in 30-40 minutes.  You should bring sunscreen, water, and a bucket or a container to hold your blueberries.  If you forget your bucket at home, you can buy one at Butler's for $1.25.

Violet Beauregarde Blueberry Muffins

My recent adventure blueberry picking led to muffins that would easily satisfy the blueberry demands of gum chewing heroine Violet Beauregarde.  Let me explain.  I’m not much of a baker. There are so many draconian rules (aka recipes) to follow.  I prefer the “to the taste” model of cooking, which does not work so well with baking unless I want to stick my head in the oven to taste the progress of my baked goods.  Alas I am not a poet either so no head in the oven for me.  The crux of my baking problem is my inability to follow a recipe exactly.  When a recipe calls for 2 cups of blueberries, I think 2 cups of my gorgeous, recently picked blueberries…that is it?  I’m adding 3 cups instead. More, more, more! I love blueberries.  I want to turn into a blueberry!  At the time, adding more blueberries seemed like a scrumptious idea.  Unfortunately, too many blueberries meant that the muffins crumbled easily and stuck to the pan.  Despite structural integrity issues, the muffins were quite tasty.  I used Gourmet Girl's recipe, which you can find here.  Avoid the temptation to modify; this recipe is perfect as is.

Interested in talking muffins? Here's a fun link.