J'ai récemment eu le plaisir de goûter une barre de chocolat noir italien mélangée à des morceaux de grains entiers terreux et croustillants, et j'ai été absolument époustouflé. Une bouchée a suffi pour me faire faire une pause et savourer l'expérience.
C'était vraiment une barre chocolatée exceptionnelle !
Maintenant, en parlant de ne pas être déçu, avez-vous déjà discuté avec quelqu'un en ligne, puis l'avez rencontré en personne, pour découvrir qu'il ne ressemblait en rien à ce à quoi vous vous attendiez ?
Très bien, pas besoin d'avouer.
Mais je vais.
Contrairement aux récits de déception habituels, j'ai été ravi lorsque j'ai rencontré pour la première fois Heidi Swanson de 101Cookbooks.com. Heidi est tout aussi charmante en personne qu'elle le montre sur son superbe site Web, qui, à mon avis, constitue la référence en matière d'excellents blogs culinaires.
Alors, imaginez mon enthousiasme lorsque j'ai reçu son nouveau livre, *Super Natural Cooking*. La première chose qui m'a frappé, c'est l'aspect substantiel et la grande qualité du livre. Du papier haut de gamme aux photographies exquises, il est évident que beaucoup de soin et d'attention ont été apportés à sa création, et cela profite vraiment au lecteur.
Heidi’s book has subtly redefined natural cooking for our generation, introducing a fresh cuisine based on whole grains and intriguing flavor combinations. This isn’t some outdated, granola-style cooking. Instead, her recipes are sophisticated yet straightforward, perfectly suited for our modern kitchens. Super Natural Cooking is one of those rare books where style complements substance perfectly, offering both in equal measure.
As soon as I tore off the packaging, I made myself comfortable on the sofa and began flipping through the pages. It felt like Heidi was right there with me, rekindling my enthusiasm for cooking and eating natural foods. That, to me, is the hallmark of an outstanding cookbook—when the author’s voice resonates so clearly that it feels like a personal conversation. That’s when I know the book is a true gem.
The book is packed with excellent tips on ingredients. Did you know you can make your own baking powder? You can find the instructions on page 202. If you’re as fond of whole grains as I am, you’ll love the Wheat Berry Salad with Citrus, Toasted Pine Nuts, Feta, and Spinach on page 52. It’s next on my list of recipes to try. I’m also planning to bring back a sack of mesquite flour from my upcoming trip to Texas to make her famous Mesquite Chocolate.
Spiced Caramel Corn :
Adapted from "Super Natural Cooking" by Heidi Swanson (Celestial Press)
While flipping through the book to find a recipe for my site, I couldn't resist stopping at the Spiced Caramel Corn. Although it wasn't the best choice considering I'd just had dental work that morning, I was determined to make it. I had a jar of Orville Redenbacher's popcorn (100% whole grain, of course) and needed to buy rice syrup. Rice syrup isn't easy to find in Paris (a major understatement in 2007), but I knew where to go: a fantastic natural foods store called Biocoop, conveniently located nearby. This place excites me not just because I love shopping, especially for food, but also because it has self-serve bins of nuts and seeds, along with quirky items like organic tampons and seaweed tapenade. And they even sell confit de canard. Seriously, a place where duck confit is considered health food is amazing.
Ingredients:
- - 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
- - 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
- - 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- - 1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder (I used piment d'Espelette, which I sniffed to ensure it was still fresh. It was, and made me sneeze nuts all over my book, thus christening it.)
- - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- - 1 cup mixed toasted nuts and seeds (I used cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds)
Instructions:
1. Pop the corn in a large, covered saucepan with oil.
2. Once the popcorn is done, remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and set aside.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
4. In another large pot (at least 8 quarts), bring the syrups, spices, and salt to a boil. Cook over medium heat at a steady boil without stirring (Heidi suggests tilting the pot instead). After 5 minutes, when the syrup is reduced and aromatic, stir in the nuts, seeds, and popcorn. Mix gently until everything is well-coated.
5. If you have a blog and need to take a picture, pause here.
6. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let it cool.
Notes:
- If the popcorn isn't crisp after cooling, you can toast it in a 325°F oven for 15-20 minutes. It will crisp up as it cools and can be broken into pieces.
- Heidi follows the 'Nancy Silverton School of Popping Corn,' which recommends 1 teaspoon of oil (she uses clarified butter) for popping 1/2 cup of popcorn. Many people swear by this ratio, but I find it causes burning, so I use more oil as per Orville's directions.
