It's winter. Don't think I think you don't know it's winter, but I say this to invite you to perhaps realize that it is winter. Because becoming aware of the time, the temperature, the season may seem obvious to some of you, but for others, and I am one of them, they move so quickly that their peripheral perception diminishes and they forget to take time to watch time pass. I regularly, in my communications at work, discuss the temperature, and have a client ask me the question “Is it nice in Gaspésie?” and to realize that I am at my desk, saturated with post-its, 2-3 espressos behind my tie, and that I have no idea of the outside temperature. However, I organized the kids, drove to work, walked outside to enter the workshop, I should have seen the temperature... Well no. Shame on me! So I got into the habit, every time I arrive at work, just before entering, to put my arms crossed, turn towards the sun, and smile. I put myself in photosynthesis mode, my teeth like mini solar panels, and I take a few good breaths of sea air filled with iodine and the scent of fresh algae. And I become aware.
There you go, it’s winter!
Perfect season for cocooning, slowing down, drinking coffee and cooking. And since cooking is for me a way of meditating, I will
from time to time suggest simple recipes to accompany your coffee. Because I'd rather talk about recipes than medical stuff like: are there antioxidants in coffee?
So this morning I had the honor of starting my day with a delicious fresh cranberry muffin. (The large lingonberry of North America, or as the Iroquois called it, the atoca.) This small red fruit is typical of our part of the country and represents a diet based on our products, well connected to our climate. Nordic. Moreover , Quebec is an important producer, producing 25% of Canadian production. I like cranberries for their particular taste, tangy, astringent and harsh, which differentiates them from other fruits. And also because it looks like a coffee cherry :-)
The taste of cranberries goes well with coffee, especially when incorporated into lightly sweetened pastries. Like a muffin or chocolate-cranberry bread. Choose a coffee whose aromas are similar to cranberries, such as a bean from Ethiopia, Yyrgacheffe region , more citrusy but which will please your taste buds.
I still mention that cranberries have many therapeutic aspects, a true food-medicine (nutraceutical), champion of antioxidants and miracle cure for urinary infections.
So I'm offering you a little fresh cranberry muffin recipe that will give your morning a little zip.
Fresh Cranberry Muffin
Bowl #1
2 cups of pastry flour
1 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking powder
1 1/2 oat flakes
1 pinch of salt
Mix this together.
Bowl #2
2 eggs
314 cup orange juice
Orange zest to taste
3-4 drops of vanilla
1/2 cup butter
Mix this together.
Place the dry contents of bowl #1 into bowl #2, mixing with a spoon. Add a little milk if your mixture is too thick. Once mixed well, add 1 cup of fresh cranberries, whole or cut in 2 or 4, as you like. I like it when they are whole
We put this in muffin molds and place everything in the oven until the muffins are golden brown, about 15 minutes at 350F°
It should look like this. The recipe makes more than 2 muffins but I didn't have time to take a photo as the kids had popped them into the tray.
And for the coffee, I used a Clever coffee Dripper , 26g of coarse grind coffee, 380g of water.
- Rinse your filter
- Weigh and add your coffee
- Put 100g of water on the grounds to pre-infuse
- Mix with a spoon and wait 1 minute
- Add 280g of water (1ml of water = 1g of water)
- Put the lid on and wait 5 minutes
- Place on your cup and let everything filter.
It should be good. If the result is not satisfactory, review the grinding level and the quantity of coffee used.
Warning: Preparing muffins and coffee may make a mess on your counter and take time.
Danny Marquis
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