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       Emilycooks!

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”

― Orson Welles

August 15 2015

This is going to be one of the last times I post from this site. I’m kind of sad, but at the same time I am really excite because the new site is looking great and I will finally have a subscribe feature! I have also discovered that the 30’s are my favorite decade. I love all the others too, but I really love food from the 30’s.

This recipe is from the 30’s and is not quite like a normal scone and is especially tasty with blackberry jam. I used actual sweet potato but, I think it would be better with garnet yam.

I will be releasing a non-retro cookbook soon, it’s been a lot of work but has been a lot of fun because I got to make the recipes. I did use a few retro recipes in it, I couldn't help myself.

I hope youre all having a fantastic weekend!

Emily

Saturday August 1 2015

My first cookbook giveaway is over. Thanks to everyone who supported me in doing it and making it fun for me to share my love of old cookbooks. I am planning another one in October and will be announcing the book soon.

It has been a fun week for me. I have been planning the next book in the Retro Series and thinking about what to do after they are finished and have some fun things planned. Also I have had house guests all week. I am very quiet and on the shy side so people are something I have to work at but I do really enjoy having more people around. I grew up surrounded by a large family and having friends visit is always fun.

I hope you are all having a great week and have fun activities planned for the weekend. And for those you you who didn't win the cookbook giveaway I think everyone should have free cookbooks so I am making all the books in the Retro Series free Sunday and Monday.

Emily

Comments? Questions? Email me.

Friday July 24 2015

For me Retro Food isn't just about using old recipes, it’s about taking the time out of our busy schedules to actually make your food. Bread, pasta, jams, sauces, as much as you possibly can.
I have been making bread my whole life, helping my mom make it before I could do it on my own, and have been searching for my favorite recipe the whole time. This is my favorite bread recipe. It always turns out, as long as I follow the recipe and the finished product is beautiful light and chewy. It’s a lovely bread. I prefer not to freeze my bread, so this recipe works really well for my family. We are able to eat all of it before it goes stale.  Toasted with butter and some homemade blackberry jam it’s amazing.

I hope you enjoy it and let me know if you have any problems. I have video on instagram if you are new to bread making and are unsure of the term “cleans the bowl”.

Have a great weekend!

Emily

Comments? Qustions? Email me

Friday July 17 2015

I love history. It was always my favorite subject in school and about half the books I read are historic non fiction. So when I saw Audible got some of The Great Courses series I immediately had to get the one on the cultural history of food. It is by Ken Albala and it’s very good. It starts with the movement from hunter gatherers to farming and goes all the way to current time. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about food in general. I will be listening to the Nutrition one as soon as I finish listening to Endymion, a book I promised I husband I would listen to. I cant wait. If you're interested, you can get it from Audible or from their website.

I bought two flats of berries this week because they were so delicious. I am lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest and to have an amazing local berry farm. Spooners Berry Farms. They have u-pick strawberries and also set up little berry stands all over the county selling strawberries, raspberries, marionberries and blueberries. I made few jars of jam and baked tons of tasty berry items. That’s what inspired the recipes I’ll be sharing this week.

Dont foget to go like my Facebook page for a chance to win the Cooky Book and to get Facebook exclusive recipes!

Have a great weekend!

Emily

August 8 2015

Can you believe its August already? Time just seems to be going so fast. School will be starting soon and the holidays are only a few months away. Just thinking about it makes me anxious.

My husband has been pushing me to broaden my scope of work so I have a bunch of irons in the fire, but I figure as long as I can stay in food I am a happy girl. I’ve noticed as I get older, and my girls get older, its becoming easier to focus on what I want for myself, what I want to spend my time doing and food is all I want to work in. I think we all have things we’re passionate about and things we are good at and when we are lucky, we get to make that our jobs. I feel very lucky to have the support I do to continue what I am doing.

I hope you are all having a great weekend and are making something yummy. I would love to see what your making just tag it #emilycooksretro. I’ll be watching for them.

Emily

Sweet Potato Scones
Yield 12 scones

1 ½ cups mashed sweet potato
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon shortening
½ teaspoon salt
3 grams dry active yeast
about 4 cups all purpose flour


Scald the milk and add the shortening so it can melt. Let cool .
In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potato, milk mixture, salt and yeast. Stir in enough flour to make a soft batter,
cover loosely and let sit overnight.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Add enough flour to the sweet potato mixture to make a soft dough. Turn out on to a floured surface and knead until you get a very soft slightly sticky dough.
Press out to ¾ inch thick, cut into rectangles.
Let rise for 20 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes.