Happy Birthday

The Sassafras Curio turns one

In the fall of last year I was looking for a creative space of my own. A place where I could write what I wanted, bake what I felt like, and spread the word. The only bar for entry or inclusion was a simple question: Do I love it?

So I started a collection. One essay, one bake. One thought about parenting, lamination, or craft. One hope, one fear, one curiosity or thing that made me smile. Here we are, one year later.

Happy first birthday to the Sassafras Curio. Happy birthday to you, dear reader, and to me. Happy birthday to connection and community and precious things that can be planted, grown, harvested, and eaten in small bites or packed mouthfuls. Happy birthday to recipe testing (and retesting), moody photos, and lengthy headnotes. And most of all, happy birthday to the hands and hearts (and subscribers, friends, and family) that have made it all possible. Happy birthday to the Curio.

Let’s look back for a second.

Martin

---

Picking favorites is impossible, but here are a few to consider. Ask me tomorrow and the list will be different.

Buttered toast crust

One lifetime isn’t long enough to allow for adequate enjoyment of desserts made with citrus, sugar, and cream. That combination, paired as it is here with my buttered toast crust, is something I’ll never stop craving. In the coming weeks save some odds and ends of good bread, store them in a ziploc in the freezer, then, when nobody is expecting another miracle from your hands, toast, grind, and proceed. You’ll need a few lemons, some sour cream, a can of condensed milk, and whipping cream. I still cannot believe how well this works.

Brioche suprême

The challenge that I set for myself with the brioche suprême was as follows: Lamination should be exquisite — countless layers, a light, open interior, a translucent, yellow crumb. Crisp. It has to be crisp and messy to eat (a cascade of crumbs). Easy. I wanted to write a process that even people who haven’t done any lamination work could successfully follow (using a ruler or tape measure). From the thin butter block to back-to-back folds, the method enables the dough to remain workable while also avoiding any “sharding” or “marbling” of the butter layer. Once you’ve made the suprêmes (or even before), try the Pain au Raisin, too. And be sure to have a look at part two of the suprême blog where I cover fillings and finishing techniques.

Crispiest of crackers

There is a lot to say here, and also maybe nothing? These are simple, quick, easy, and craveable. There are a thousand similar versions in the world but the trick where I butter the back of a sheet tray and spread the batter on the bottom side works better than any other method I’ve seen or tried. And the roasted carrot and tahini dip with whipped feta is not to be missed. With all the entertaining this time of year, keep some extra starter on hand in order to do what I did last week — on the way to a friend’s for dinner I grabbed the starter and a couple tools and made them during the cocktail hour.

Spiced doughnuts

I’m proud of these. They are more than just a doughnut. From the sourdough in the mix to the long fermentation and the cocoa powder, nutmeg, and black pepper sugar on the outside, they hit all the notes. In a simple, delicious, aromatic, sweet-not-sugary-way, they sum up what it means to bring intention to even the little things. Start this dough in the evening then pull it out on the morning of day two. Roll and cut, then let the cut shapes rest while the oil heats and you prepare the spiced sugar for tossing. Before anyone’s awake you’ll be frying. And wowing.

Sourdough baguettes

I can’t say that I’ve ever been much of a fan of a sourdough baguette. I usually prefer a thin crust, low acidity, and tenderness (hey, there’s a recipe here for that, too). But desperate times (a very humid summer) call for desperate measures and this year I not only made lots of sourdough baguettes, I even cold-fermented them for extra sturdiness. If you’re new to baguettes and struggling to get a glossy crumb or cuts that will be the envy of even professional bakers, I offer this as a starting point. It’s a keeper.

Firecrackers

While I do love these crackers as an example of another small thing that deserves our attention, I’m including them really just to highlight the essay. In a time with so much division it’s important to also focus on our congruences. How are you and I alike? Food offers many ways to come together — to nurture, to serve, to receive — to arrive at the same place having departed from very different locations. If you enjoy this essay, be sure to read the other essay from my biscuit, bicycle, and banjo adventure, Afternoon in Jethro.

So there are a few to get you started. Thanks again for coming along. Let’s keep this going in the new year!

Be well,

Martin