Feeding Canadian Cows

Did you notice the item in the news last weekend (Feb. 20, 2021) about how Canadian butter has seemingly become firmer in recent months? Apparently, it has to do with cows being fed palm oil, which we remember was a red flag in our own diets only a few years ago. Consumers are now worried about the wisdom of eating dairy products.

I've had a long somewhat peculiar interest in all things agriculture around the world but especially in Canada. I've been a follower of an Ontario dairy farmer, Andrew Campbell, @FreshAirFarmer, for years, originally because he used to tweet the most amazing sunrises. Then, in 2017, he had the ambitious project of highlighting a different farm on his YouTube Channel, one for each week of the year, in all, 52 Farm Tours on his YouTube channel and I was hooked.

In 2021 @FreshAirFarmer is bringing interested people along as he plans a new barn and dairy parlour. Yesterday, Feb. 22, 2021, I'm assuming in response to concern over what Ontario dairy cows might be eating, he gave us a tour of the feed supply for his cattle. 

The possible palm-fat ingredient in a cow's diet is an issue well worth keeping an eye on. Hopefully, nutritionists are paying attention on our behalf.

Too Much Snow!

Doesn't it seem like there has been an over-abundance of the white stuff this winter? 

In 2018 Icelandic photographer, Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir took this photo of herself to show her husband, who was away from home, how much it had been snowing. In 2021 it shows how I feel. 

You too?

Modern Seances

 

Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe is the King Arthur Flour 2021 Recipe of the Year. 

King Arthur Flour is a US Vermont-based flour company with a large social media presence (I found the recipe on Instagram) that produces many different kinds of flours and related ingredients for baking, runs cooking classes and demonstrations and shares recipes. They do not sell flour in Canada (we have our own top-quality flours here and besides that, the Government of Canada has rules)

This recipe for Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls differs from other cinnamon roll recipes (although, truth-be-told, I've never encountered a cinnamon roll recipe that was anything but wonderful) in that, once-baked, it stays fresh longer than other cinnamon rolls. The reason for this longevity is the use of an Asian technique called a Tangzhong.

from the KA website:

A tangzhong involves pre-cooking some of a yeast bread recipe's flour and milk. This step lends long-lasting softness to any kind of bread - and these rolls are no exception. Pre-cooking just a small amount of the recipe's flour pre-gelatinizes the flour's starches, which increases their ability to retain liquid - thus enhancing the resulting rolls' softness and shelf life.

The prepared rolls going into the oven can be placed separated from each other on a baking sheet, "for maximum expansion", or placed close to each other in a pan the traditional way. The recipe developers also add other hints: use bread flour, minimize the amount of sugar in the dough (believe me, there's more than enough sugar in the filling), don't worry about the dough being a tad sticky and resist the urge to add more flour, and don't overbake - they recommend an internal final temp of 190F. Finally, don't store these rolls in the fridge. In fact, any bread placed in the fridge will become stale faster than a banana can age. 

Since it's not my recipe, I won't publish it here on the blog, so, if you'd like to try these rolls in your own kitchen, head to this King Arthur link: Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls for the recipe along with helpful photos, videos and more tips as well as Introduction to Perfectly Pillowy Cinnamon Rolls for more information. 

By the way, they even have a Gluten-Free Version of the recipe. 

Enjoy!

Book Haul

 

After closing due both to lockdown and renovation construction complications, our local library reopened its curbside service two weeks ago and a few days ago I picked up a dreamy list of holds. Some great reading ahead for these winter days.