Welcome to April 1st or April Fools Day as a lot of people think of today. Today I don’t have a joke or a prank I am playing on your. I just wanted to bring you Food Holidays happening in April.
April 1, 2021
Green Day– I must admit this isn’t something I had ever heard of. In fact I had to look up the Holiday. Which was a teaching moment for Charlie.
Soylent Green is referred to as the original “people” food for the masses. The Soylent Green Biscuit Co’s famous snack is known as a cult classic since its inception in 1973. People everywhere were delighted to have this affordable snack that “tastes just like grandmas.”
- Soylent Green, was introduced in 1966. It’s considered the original “green” food.
- Soylent Green was first marketed as a, “Miracle food of high-energy plankton gathered from the oceans of the world.”
- Here is a few of there slogans:
- “Food for the people, by the people.”
- “Make room, make room for green.”
- “It’s easy being green.”
- “You’re in good hands with Soylent.”
- You can find recipes for homemade Soylent Green, but there’s nothing like the real thing.
- There is a rumor Charlton Heston said Soylent Green was the snack’s #1 fan, keeping mass quantities in his home.
- The Soylent Green Biscuit Co. is planning on world distribution by 2022. Makes me wonder why I knew heard of it. How about you?
Soylent Green Ration Crackers
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup oat flour
½ cup almond flour
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp matcha green tea powder
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
½ tbsp sesame oil
Extra salt for dusting
Mix water, Tahini, honey, olive oil, and sesame oil into a paste dense as the population.
Mix everything else in a separate, clean bowl.
Now you will mix the two ending up with a dense green dough.
Lightly spritz a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick spray.
Put the dough in the middle of the foil. Press the mixture down with your fingers.
Put a sheet of waxed paper on top.
Roll the dough until it’s as thin as a pie crust.
Trim away the uneven scraps and use them to patch up any holes in the dough.
Carefully transfer the aluminum foil to a cookie sheet.
Lightly dust the top with extra salt.
Use an oiled pizza cutter to cut the crackers into squares. Poke each square twice with a fork.
Bake at 300F for 6-10 minutes, or until the edges just barely turn brown. Don’t overcook or they’ll be as ruined.
Let cool for 30 minutes before eating.
You can serve the crackers with withe a teaspoon of strawberry jam or hummus.
If I had time this morning I would have made a loaf of Sourdough Bread and invited my sister over because this is her favorite bread.
Tips about Sourdough Bread:
The liquid alcohol layer referred to as ‘hooch’ comes from a Native American tribe called Hoochinoo.
Barm is the English term for sourdough starter.
Sourdough originated in Ancient Egyptian times around 1500 BC, This was the first form of leavening available to bakers.
Recipe:
Ingredients
- 150g/ 5.35 oz bubbly, active starter
- 250g/ 8.80 oz warm water, preferably filtered*
- 25g/ .90 oz olive oil
- 500g/ 17.65 oz bread flour (not all purpose flour)
- 10g/ .4 oz fine sea salt
- fine ground cornmeal, for dusting
*For a more soft and pliable dough, increase the water up to 300 g- 325 g total.
Please use a cloth lined bowl (instead of the Dutch oven for the second rise).
**You will need a 5 1/2 or 6 quart Dutch oven for baking
Instructions
Make the Dough
Whisk the starter, water, and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Squish everything together with your hands until all of the flour is absorbed. The dough will be dry and shaggy. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, reusable wrap or a clean, very damp kitchen towel. Let rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, if preferred.
After the dough has rested, work the dough in the bowl into a rough ball, about 15 seconds.
Bulk Rise
Now the dough needs to rise.
Cover the bowl with wrap or a very damp kitchen cloth. Let rest in a warm spot to rise. The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense and has doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 3-12 hours depending on the temperature of your ingredients, the potency of your starter and surrounding environment. For example, in the summer rise times can take anywhere between 3-4 hours @ 85 F whereas in the winter, the dough will take about 10-12 hours @ 68 F.
Optional Step: Stretch & Fold the Dough
During bulk rise, you have the option to perform a series of ‘stretch & folds’ to strengthen the dough. Start 30 minutes into the bulk rise. Gather a portion of the dough, stretch it upwards and then fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl ¼ turn and repeat this process until you have come full circle to complete 1 set. Do this once or twice spaced about an hour apart. Although this step is not mandatory, it will increase the total volume and height of your bread. Click here for a step-by-step video tutorial.
Cut & Shape the Dough
Divide your work surface in half; lightly flour one side (for cutting) and leave the other half clean (for shaping).
Remove the dough from the bowl, and place onto the floured section so that it does not stick. You do not need to ‘punch down’ the dough; it will gently deflate as you fold and shape it.
Cut the dough in half to make 2 loaves, or leave it whole for a single loaf.
To shape, use a bench scraper to move your dough to the non-floured section (if there is any flour present, it will be difficult to shape- brush away any excess). Starting at the top, fold the dough over toward the center. Give it a slight turn, and then fold over the next section of dough. Repeat until you have come full circle.
Then flip the dough over and place it seam side down. Using your hands, gently cup the sides of the dough and rotate it, using quarter turns in a circular motion. You can also pull it towards you to even out the shape. Repeat this process until you are happy with its appearance. *See note below.
Second Rise
Now the dough needs to rise again, but for a shorter period of time.
Coat the bottom of your Dutch oven with cornmeal. Alternatively, use parchment paper to prevent sticking (this is what I do, now). Place the dough inside for a second shorter rise, about 30 minutes to 1 hour and cover with the lid of the pot or a very damp cloth. The dough ready when it is slightly puffy but not double in size.
Preheat your oven to 450 F towards the tail end of the second rise.
Score the Dough
Right before your bread goes into the oven, make a shallow slash about 2 inches long in the center of the dough. Use a bread lame, sharp pairing or a small serrated steak knife.
Bake the Dough
Place the bread into the oven on the center rack (lid on) and reduce the temperature to 400 F. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, and continue to bake (uncovered) for an additional 40 minutes or until deep, golden brown. Keep in mind that all ovens are different; you might have to make minimal adjustments to these temperatures.
You can also take the internal temperature of your bread to double check that it is done. For sourdough, it should read about 205-210 F.
Remove the bread from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. Don’t cut too soon or else the inside will have a gummy texture!
Additional Holidays:
National Florida Tomato Month
National BLT Sandwich Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Soyfoods Month
National Grilled Cheese Month
National Garlic Month
April 12-18: National Egg Salad Week
Thank you, Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
