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Call or email for Reservations 505-583-2545 lara@blackmesabnb.com |
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Lara's FAVORITE Things "Oh, the food, the food, the food..." Yvonne, Albuquerque, NM
Some of you have probably figured out that I love to cook. For several years now I've been saying that I'm working on a cookbook. Well, I am! The difficulty for me has been committing to one version of any recipe. Discovery of a new spice mix, a certain flour or grain (teff is my new favorite) sends me off on a new wave of experimentation with old and new recipes. How to best convey that in a cookbook? Do I pick one version of the recipe or share all its incarnations? Good cooking is alchemy. Something arises that is greater than the sum of its parts. Hey, that sounds pretty good! I’ll probably put THAT in the cookbook! If any of you have any suggestions about my best approach to finally get the cookbook moving, please email me!   Other favorite things: setting a beautiful, interesting table and planning events. Three seasons (all but Winter) are great for parties on the porch. And in Winter, our dining room with a fire in the wood stove is a great place to gather. Dinners for 25 served by my "biker" waiter (some of you know who I'm talking about) have been a great success. Think of us for your special events. We'll plan an event to remember here at Black Mesa. I love birthdays and weddings, informal fun days, formal candlelit nights. I love people at the piano or sitting on the porch. Many of you may not know but I planned events in Nashville. My company, Outrageous Parties, was the company to go to for fabulous affairs. Now, I'm here in Ojo Caliente and I want you to join me here for your special event. Whether it's champagne breakfast in bed for the two of you or dinner for 25 to 30, I love to make magic here at Black Mesa. |
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Teff is a fine grain about the size of a poppy seed (I believe it's actually the smallest grain in the world). Teff is very hardy. It can withstand drought and hot weather better than wheat and has sustained Ethiopian cultures for thousands of years. Milled teff flour gives an almost chocolate flavor to baked goods. I've used the flour in pancakes, coffee cakes, and muffins. I've used the grain in these biscuits and it gives a wonderful nuttiness to them and a little crunch. For more interesting facts about teff, take a look at: www.teffco.com/teff_history.html. You can also buy teff and teff flour from this site. Spelt Buttermilk Biscuits with Teff Grain The recipe: 1 cup unbleached white flour Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in vegetable oil and about a cup of buttermilk. Stir to blend. If you need more buttermilk to make a wet dough, add more. Sprinkle rolling surface with about 1/2 cup of the additional flour. Scrape dough onto flour. Sprinkle dough with a little more flour. Knead dough a few times (do not over knead), turning on floured surface until dough is just dry enough to roll out and cut with biscuit center. |
