Weekday Rambling: Corn and Apricot Muffins
And how Tori Amos helped me on the Great American Baking Show
Howdy readers and friends! I've been out of town recently, so posting has slowed down a bit. Read on for a bit more on that topic.
Corn and Apricot Muffins
Last Friday, I got to have a conversation with Natalie Moore (one of my favorite local journalists and authors), on WBEZ, Chicagoland's local public radio station. Natalie and I discussed my time on the Great American Baking Show, summer baking, farmers' markets, baking inspiration, and more. I also shared a recipe for these corn and apricot muffins. I wanted to create a simple, quick, but surprising recipe that didn't require a mixer. I adapted my blueberry cornbread crunch snack cake, but I had a ton of gorgeous apricots on hand. So corn muffins with apricots. Check out the recipe on WBEZ.org and listen to the segment!
How Tori Amos Helped Me Make Pastry on TV
Before I left for England to film the Great American Baking Show, my husband made me a "Pump-Up Mix" playlist on Spotify. This mix featured some of my favorite high-energy (or HI-NRG) songs. Jason is a huge fan of Tori Amos, and I am, too. (I could write a whole post about her incredible music and performing, but I'll save that for later.) Jason put Tori's song "Precious Things" on my playlist. The morning before we filmed Pastry Week (episode four), I was incredibly nervous that I wouldn't finish my sweet, filled shortcrust hand tarts in time. This was one of the only challenges that I hadn't managed to finish in time we were given, but I couldn't think of any possible way to speed up the process. As I listed to “Precious Things,” I heard the speed of Tori's hands across the piano. I thought: I need to move my hands over this pastry as fast as Tori's hands during “Precious Things.” That song ran through my head throughout filming that episode. Therefore, I credit Tori with some of my success on the show.
When we saw her in Rochester Hills, just north of Detroit, she played a series of baking-themed songs: Baker Baker, Pancake, Sugar (One of all-time my favorite songs. It has the line "He brings me sugar..." which I do.), and then she opened the encore with Precious Things—my pastry week anthem. The show absolutely rocked!
A tangent. Sometimes people ask: Why did you go to so many Tori Amos concerts? Unlike 97% percent of musicians, she plays an entirely different set of songs every night. This tour, she only plays one song every night: the title track from her latest album, "Ocean to Ocean." She plays one of her biggest hits, "Cornflake Girl," almost every night, but it's not a guarantee. Part of the fun of a Tori show, for fans like us, is not knowing what songs she will play. Sometimes she'll bring out rare songs, covers of other artists, or songs that she's never played live. Compare it to Taylor Swift's one "surprise song" that she plays every night, but in reverse. There's only one song that you know she will play, and the rest are surprises.
Also, she regularly plays two keyboards at the same time. Fierce.
Otherwise I'm on a bit of a baking hiatus because of summertime travels. Plus when it's really nice outside, I just want to go jump in the lake.
What else is happening in my world?
As I mentioned Jason and I went on a whirlwind tour of the Midwest to see family, friends, and Tori Amos concerts. I brought an apricot and sour cherry galette with us to Detroit to share with family. (Forgot to take a photo! I was baking when I should have been packing.) Then we jaunted to Denver to see family and a Tori show at the amazing Red Rocks Amphitheater. (Stunning.)
This past weekend, Sarah made some lovely choux buns in her gorgeous kitchen. Nirali and I joined her and provided the fillings. Nirali made some enchanting almond and mango chantilly cream. I brought along a bit of Tarragon Ice Cream with Strawberry Ripple. (Reminder: A choux bun is a great vehicle for ice cream.) I made some corn butter and sautéed some sweet corn. We added those corns plus some chèvre and crushed up tortilla chips into the choux buns. (It was a savory corn-on-corn-on-corn situation.)
I picked up a bunch of Early Gold Plums from Mick Klug Farms, which I've made into jam, hand pies, and a sort-of filling for those aforementioned choux buns. I’m obsessed with those little plums.
I grilled some flatbread using this easy recipe from another Martin at King Arthur Flour. A great recipe when you’re out grilling and need a carb.
I made some flaky Early Gold Plum hand pies and some gluten-free buckwheat & berry hand pies (which were a complete experiment and a bit of a struggle) to take to a little gathering.
You can tell that I'm on a huge hand-pie kick. At my birthday party in June, Nirali had a conversation with my niece, where they both agreed that hand pies achieve the proper crust-to-filling ratio. While I prefer a bit more filling-to-crust, I still love a good hand pie. (Although I loathe a Pop Tart.) My lazy nature doesn't want to faff about with little individual pies. But if you use the cut and fold over method, like lots of people use with ravioli, it saves some time. Hand pies were born for traveling and sharing, which bumps them up to a go-to these days. Once I nail the recipe, I’ll share it!
Happy Hand Pies,
Martin