Fare Exchange: Cookies, poolish and finishing salts on the minds of cooks

Jane Henegar

It's beginning to feel a little like spring - not unlike the winter just past. We are heading into warmer weather with a request from Janet Pittman for "where to buy Immaculate refrigerator cookies. Publix has stopped carrying them." We too have been looking for this refrigerated dough, finding it several places but never finding gluten-free peanut butter cookies as Lucie Poire prepares topped with a sprinkling of finishing salt.

The next two requests are from "Mr. Faithful Reader," who wants a recipe for bread made with a poolish (a prefermented starter), as well as some help with a low-carb diet. "I don't know where to begin," he began. "I need to know the best low-carb foods, along with a few menus and simple recipes."

As to flavored finishing salts, Rose Secret "just now happened to see finishing salts at Merchants on Main. They are made by Beautiful Briny Sea." Ms. Secrest, a vegetarian who has written a cookbook and is in the process of writing another, does not season her recipes with salt, preferring to let the diner season according to his or her taste. These finishing salts, to be sprinkled on top, are ideal for this purpose.

Janet Pittman of Hixson also found finishing salts at the Spice & Tea Exchange, 2115 Gunbarrel Road, Chattanooga. Their phone is 423-826-7707, and their website is spiceandtea.com. We looked, and there are 28 salts and many different flavors.

And now we turn from the savory to the sweet, and sometimes controversial, subject of honey. An earlier conversation about honey brought forth some experts' commentary, one from a beekeeper and one from another beekeeper's wife.

First came Randy Rolen, a Georgia Master Beekeeper. He wrote to offer "a better understanding of honey crystallization."

"All honey will at some point turn to sugar crystals. This is known as crystallization. It is a natural process and should not cause concern. Crystallized honey has not gone bad and does not need to be thrown out. Honey can be heated very slowly in a warm bath to dissolve the sugar crystals back to its liquid form.

"Honey in crystallized form is sold in grocery stores by other names. Beekeepers use a process called controlled crystallization to produce rich and creamy honeys, known as creamed honey, whipped honey, spun honey or churned honey. These are more spreadable than the common liquid form. The main difference in these types and our honey stored at home is that much smaller crystals were formed in the controlled process to create crystallization.

"Mr. Echerd's grandfather may have bought wild flower honey rather than sourwood honey. Crystallization can be stimulated by any small particles like dust, pollen, bits of wax, propolis (bee glue) and air bubbles present in the honey. In addition, the type of floral plants visited by the bees influence the crystallization. Tree and plant nectar made into honey has different glucose and fructose sugar levels that affect the speed honey crystallizes. Storage temperature can affect the stimulation of the sugar crystals."

Ann Dale of Cleveland, Tenn., wrote next. Her husband, Kenneth Dale, is a beekeeper and vice president of Eastern Regional Tennessee Beekeepers Association. "My husband states, 'The two principal sugars in honey are fructose and glucose, which makes an overabundance of sugar in honey that makes it unstable. It is natural for honey to crystallize since it is an oversaturated sugar solution. Raw honey will crystallize quicker than pasteurized and filtered honey.'"

Mrs. Dale also sent her favorite honey recipe.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup honey

Bring brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and honey to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for around 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool 15 minutes before serving.

Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat: Microwave at high 10-15 seconds or just until warm; stir until smooth. Makes about 1 cups.

This is good with fresh apple slices.

There is definitely a Sunday-size gap when our local experts, Mr. and Mrs. Sunday, are off the communications grid. Today they return with a couple of topics.

* Up first: Avgolemono (Greek Lemon/Rice/Chicken Soup)

"The March-April issue of Cook's Illustrated (now on newsstands) has a nice discussion of this soup, and the proportions aren't very different from what we do," they advise. "They test their recipes to a fare-thee-well. Recommended, even if they get a little over-fussy."

* Then: Mainly Capers But Also Artichoke Hearts Marinated in Oil and Vinegar

"We don't know of any recipes that star capers," the Sundays write. "The best-known recipes that give them a 'Best Supporting Flavor' nod are the Veal or Chicken Piccata series and the very similar Francese series, all aka lemon butter caper sauces.

"In general, you may substitute olives, capers and savory (e.g. dill) pickles for each other as a briny, sour, crunchy, flavorful grace note. The taste of the dish will be somewhat different, but the flavor profile will be similar. One exception: We almost never use the basically characterless U.S.-style black olives as they add neither flavor nor texture. Mediterranean black olives (Kalamata, Nicoise) are another story.

"Do you chop pickles into your (egg, potato, chicken, shrimp) salads? Try using capers or olives instead or replacing some of the pickles. Use them in tartar sauce. Try them on hot dogs instead of pickle relish or chow-chow. Use them (chopped) as a spread on a cold-cut sandwich.

"By the way, artichoke hearts marinated in oil and vinegar can be used similarly. Both the Cara Mia and Costco Kirkland brands are good examples. The latter are fine snacks or canapés on flavorful crackers."

There are tomatoes and other glories in the Sundays' envelope, but you will just have to wait. And we will watch for your name in the inbox, in the mailbox, as everybody's voice is welcome and wanted around the Fare Exchange table.