The Kitchen Scholar explores the world of food and cooking beyond the levels of nourishment and sensory pleasure by intersecting with different stories that range from personal narratives to third-party perspectives in different academic fields and by promoting the legacy of culinary traditions and cookbook authors.

QUINCE PANCAKES

QUINCE PANCAKES

The Kitchen Scholar
Cakes

SOURCE: MARION CUNNINGHAM. THE BREAKFAST BOOK.

Even at their ripe state, quinces still require both heat and a sweet additive to shed their dull appearance, tough grittiness, and tannic inedibility, an empirical practice that dates back to ancient Mediterranean civilizations. Sugar and nigh-boiling temperature draw out the wonderful apple- or pear-like fragrance from raw nothingness and magically transform the colorless fruit pulp into delicate rosy chunks.

Even at their ripe state, quinces still require both heat and a sweet additive to shed their dull appearance, tough grittiness, and tannic inedibility, a categorical imperative dating back to ancient Mediterranean civilizations. Sugar and nigh-boiling temperature draw out the wonderful apple- or pear-like fragrance and magically transform the colorless fruit pulp into delicate rosy or ruby red chunks, depending on tannin content. Cooked quinces easily squish into a thick gelatinous purée under the slightest physical stress. In this recipe courtesy of the breakfast-only restaurant Bridge Creek in Berkeley, California, quince purée boldly spices the pancake with its elusively delectable flavor that any clueless eater will just keep on savoring and guessing with wondrous excitement.

Ingredients

Quince Purée

2 large quinces, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup/120 mL water

1/4 cup/50 grams sugar

1 cup/240 mL milk

2 tablespoons/30 mL and more melted unsalted butter

1 large egg

1 cup/150 grams all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons/4 grams baking powder

1/4 teaspoon/0.7 gram ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon/0.7 grams Ceylon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon/1.5 grams salt

OPTIONAL: Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Specific Equipment

Medium-sized saucepan equipped with a lid

Food processor OR hand mixer

2 mixing bowls

Wire whisk

Nonstick skillet with a diameter of 9 inches/23 cm

Makes 18 to 24 pancakes

Instructions

1. Place the quinces in a medium-sized saucepan. Pour in the water and stir in the sugar. Cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, , filling the saucepan with water if necessary, or until the quinces are tender and the liquid has almost entirely evaporated.

2. Purée the quinces in a food processor or beat with a hand mixer. Pour the quince purée in a mixing bowl and set aside to cool completely.

3. Beat in the milk, butter, and egg to the quince purée until the mixture is well-blended. Set aside.

4. Toss the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in another mixing bowl until well-blended. Beat in the quince mixture with a wire whisk until the batter is well-blended.

5. Grease the nonstick skillet lightly with melted butter and place the skillet over moderate heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons/30 mL of the batter for each pancake and give room for them to spread. Cook the pancakes for 1 minute or until the bubbles form on the top and the edges begin to look dry. Keep the pancakes warm in a preheated 225°F/105°C oven. Dust the pancakes with confectioner’s sugar before serving, if desired.

OYSTER STEW

OYSTER STEW
TOMATO GRATIN STEW

TOMATO GRATIN STEW