When I woke up this morning I found cool Autumn at my door. It was about 6 o’clock and I opened all the windows, inviting the crisp breeze in, and as the smell of sunrise drifted by I felt all the tension from the past weeks easing away. Then I decided to bake, and I knew exactly what would manifest in my oven today: Apple Bread. With apples coming into season and Rosh HaShanah right around the bend, this warm, aromatic bread filled with diced apples felt like the ideal way to welcome Autumn. It is not a sweet bread (though you could make it so if you upped the amount of sugar), so I most often enjoy it with a strong slice of sharp white cheddar cheese or even as part of a grilled-cheese sandwich made with Gouda and mozzarella.

Apples play a significant symbolic role in Rosh HaShanah, which begins on Monday night (Sept 29th). They are dipped in honey, representing our hopes for a sweet new year, and they remind us of the verse from the Song of Songs, “under the apple tree I aroused your love.” In this way, eating apples also symbolizes our hope that God will look lovingly upon us. Last year I wrote about Rosh HaShanah and also shared my recipe for Apple-Honey Challah (a sweet bread), so if you want to learn more about the holiday please do visit the post. Reading through it this morning I realized there was one element I forgot to mention before, which is that Rosh HaShanah is traditionally thought to be the anniversary of the Creation of the world. It’s a time of new beginnings and looking forward, followed by the reflection and repentance of Yom Kippur. At this time of year it’s customary for Jewish people to greet each other with “Shana Tova Umetukeh,” which means “May you have a good and sweet New Year.” So to my Jewish friends among you “Shana Tovah Umetukah,” and to my non-Jewish friends, may the coming months be a blessing to you.

With apples, apples everywhere I’d like to share some apple lore with you:

• Though it’s commonly thought the forbidden fruit in Genesis was an apple, the fruit is never identified in the story. Eve may have eaten an apple, but figs, pomegranates and other tree fruits are equally plausible. Some historians believe the “apple tradition” emerged during the Renaissance, perhaps when painters added elements of Greek mythology to their depictions of biblical scenes.
• The “adams apple” in the human throat got its name from the Genesis story: it was believed a piece of the forbidden fruit became stuck in Adam’s throat.
• In Greek mythology, Gaia (Mother Earth) presented a tree with golden apples to Zeus and his bride Hera on their wedding day. Guarded by Ladon, a serpent who never slept, the apple tree was in the garden of the Hesperides, daughters of the Evening Star. Later during his Twelve Labors, Hercules was tasked with picking an apple from a tree in the center of the garden.
• According to Irish folklore, if an apple is peeled in one continuous ribbon and thrown over a woman’s shoulder, it will land in the shape of her future husband’s initials.
• In Arthurian legend, the mythical isle of Avalon is believed to be the ‘isle of apples’.
• In some places, bobbing for apples is a traditional Halloween activity. The game was popular at the court of King Henry VIII, where apples were associated with love or fertility - the first person to catch an apple would be the next one to marry.
• In the cider-producing areas of England the locals sometimes sing to trees in the apple orchards. According to tradition, “Apple Wassailing” guards against evil spirits and blesses the trees for a fruitful harvest. An old rhyme goes: “Wassaile the trees, that they may beare. You many a Plum and many a Peare: For more or lesse fruits they will bring, as you do give them Wassailing.” Wassailing also refers to the practice of door-to-door singing, as in Christmas carols. For instance: “Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green!”

Have a great week and don’t forget about the monthly book giveaway! September’s giveaway features 2 copies of The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry, by Kathleen Flinn. August’s winner has been posted on the giveaway page, where you can learn more about this event. September’s winner will be posted on the giveaway page on October 1st.

Autumn Apple Bread (My Recipe)
Makes 1 9×5 inch loaf

Ingredients:

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2/3 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or toasted hazelnuts (skins removed)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

In a large bowl using a whisk or the paddle attachment of a heavy-duty electric mixer, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, warm water, warm milk and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour. Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Allow the mixture to rest while you peel and dice the apples. Add the apples, walnuts or hazelnuts (if using), butter, salt, egg, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and the 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour. Mix well. Add the remaining AP flour 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl forms. If you are doing this by hand, you may need to switch to a wooden spoon.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for 4-5 minutes, adding additional AP flour 1/2 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to prevent sticking. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-6 minutes. If any of the fruit falls out, simply push it back in. The dough is ready when it’s smooth to the touch and springs back when pressed. *Note: Although I generally use my stand mixer to knead my dough, I always turn it out onto a floured surface and finish the kneading by hand, for the last minute or so. It’s the best way to know when the dough has been kneaded enough.

Grease a deep container with about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the container, turning once to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough with your fingers and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 equal portions, and roll each portion out into a smooth, thick strip about 15 inches long, with the ends slightly thinner than the middle. Lay these ropes side-by-side, not quite touching.

Beginning in the middle and working towards you, braid the lower half of the three ropes. To braid, alternately move the outside ropes over the one in the center - left over, right over, left over -until you come to the end. Now go to the other side of your working space and braid the other half, this time moving the outside ropes under the center one. Braid tightly - you don’t want any gaps. When you finish braiding each side crimp the tapered ends together, then tuck them under.

Using your hands, lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Transfer the braid to the pan. Pat your hands on top of the braid so that any oil on your palms is transfered to the dough. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the loaf pan on a rack in the center of the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until browned and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it with your fingers. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

We take Lavender for granted as an ingredient in perfume or potpourri mixtures, but it also happens to be a delightful addition to all manner of sweets, savory dishes and even drinks. I’ve written about the culinary uses of orange flower water before, and have also used rose petals in ice cream, but this is the first time I’ve paired two flowers in one aromatic recipe. Dried lavender flowers and candied violet petals create a potent combination of elegance and refreshment that’s not to be missed. The creamy texture and floral flavor of the ice cream is irresistible with purple flecks of crystallized violet flowers peaking through, just begging to be tasted.

This is what I was making yesterday afternoon when Sandy responded to my Twitter about churning something delicious in my kitchen. I love, love, love (did I say love?) the way flowers add an extra oomph to food. English Lavender has the sweetest fragrance and lends floral, citrus-like notes to recipes. Fresh flowers add a vibrant hue to salads, while dried flowers lend themselves to use in savory stews and breads, as well as drinks such as tea and lavender champagne. You can also use dried lavender flowers to flavor sugars. Simply pulverize two to three teaspoons of lavender with a mortar and pestle (or in a food processor) then mix with two cups of sugar, tightly seal in a container for a couple weeks, then substitute for ordinary sugar in your recipes for chocolate cakes, sorbets and the like.

Though I greatly enjoy the combination of chocolate and lavender, this week I decided to kick off the long weekend with a batch of Lavender Ice Cream with Candied Violet Petals. My husband and I each enjoyed a bowl this evening and plan to serve it at a dinner with friends tomorrow. If you decide to bring this irresistible dish into your home (which I hope you do!) you’re bound to experience yet another boon of adding flowers to your culinary repertoire: in addition to the taste, you’ll get the conversation that pops up when people realize they are eating roses, violets, lavender or some other garden beauty. Here are some curious tidbits about Lavender & Violets to throw into any spontaneous dinner table discussions:

Lavender
• In ancient Rome lavender flowers were often added to baths to scent the water, which is where we get the name “lavender”, from the Latin word for bathing, “lavare.”
• In Christian mythology there is a story describing how lavender flowers got their heavenly scent - they were taken from the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve, and hence are a little piece of paradise on earth. Lavender smells so pretty that it’s often claimed Cleopatra perfumed herself with it in order to seduce Julius Cesaer and Mark Antony.
• At one time lavender was referred to as the “good witches” herb. Some believed that if you stuffed keyholes with lavender it would keep ghosts from entering your home.
• In Tudor England, the ladies of Henry VIII’s household used lavender for all kinds of things. They placed it among bed linens, dried clothes on top of the plants and even mixed it with beeswax in order to make furniture polish.
• Queen Elizabeth loved lavender. She drank it in tea as a treatment for migraines, wore it as perfume and ordered that lavender jelly always be served at the royal dining table. In Queen Victoria’s time, ladies wore sachets of lavender in their cleavage to attract suitors.
• Today Lavender is used to induce sleep, ease stress and relieve depression - all excellent reasons, I believe, to eat it in ice cream.

Violets

• The Greek word for violets is “io.” In Greek mythology Io was the daughter of King Argos and one of the many love interests of Zeus. Zeus became infatuated with the girl then turned her into a heifer to avert the jealous wrath of his wife, Hera. He then created violets for Io to eat.
• The ancient Britons used violets in cosmetics while the Romans made a sweet wine called “violetum” with them. When spring arrived the Romans would scatter violet petals and leaves in banquet halls then drink violetum until they couldn’t drink no more!
• In the Middle Ages monks called violets the “Herb of the Trinity” and used to make violet cordials, both for sale as sweets and for their own indulgence. Violets were thought to be symbols of faithfulness in love and were made into crowns for winners of poetry contests. Wearing a garland of violets around the neck was also thought to prevent drunkenness.
• Josephine Bonaparte, wife of Napoleon, loved the scent of violets and wore it as perfume. When Napoleon died, a lock of Josephine’s hair and dried violet petals were found in a locket.

I have seen dried lavender flowers and candied flower petals at specialty and organic shops, but if you’re unable to find them in your neighborhood Kalustyans is my favorite online vendor. Their shipping is lickity-split quick and the quality of their stock is such that chefs in the NYC-area frequently rely on them for more esoteric ingredients. They don’t have everything though, as my mother reminded me this afternoon. She was interested in buying lavender flowers and violet petals to try the recipe in this post, at which point I said something like, “You should buy them Mom! And look around the rest of their selection, it seems like they have everything.” She paused at this, then responded, “Oh yea? Do they have Nipples of Venus?” By this she meant the Nipples of Venus (a.k.a. “Capezzoli di Venere”, which are Roman chestnuts in brandied sugar) I blogged about back in January 2006 and no, Kalustyans does not carry them. You see what happens when your mom reads your blog?

A couple notes before I go:
- I recently updated the Baking and Books RSS feed so that full-posts are now available via reader or email. Home delivery! Huzzah! I’d love it if you signed up.

- Also, the winner of August’s book giveaway will be announced here on September 1st! You can learn more about the monthly book giveaway by visiting this page (incidentally, the same page where the winner’s name will be posted).

Lavender Ice Cream with Candied Violet Petals (My Recipe)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups light cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 tablespoons dried lavender flowers - be sure to use flowers intended for culinary use, like these
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons candied violet petals (I used this method to candy the petals from organic violet flowers, but you can also purchase candied violet petals here)

In a medium-sized saucepan combine the cream, whole milk and 2 tablespoons of the lavender flowers. Over medium-low heat bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk. Remove from the heat. Cover pan and allow the lavender flowers to steep for 20 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl beat the sugar and egg yolks together until pale yellow. Strain the cream and milk mixture, pressing the lavender flowers to extract as much flavor as possible. Slowly beat the warm liquid into the egg yolks, adding a pinch of salt. Pour everything back into your medium saucepan and place over low heat. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, heat until the custard thickens slightly. (Be patient: raising the heat too high or neglecting to stir the mixture could allow the eggs to scramble.) The mixture has thickened sufficiently when it lightly coats the back of your spoon.

Remove from heat and allow the custard to cool slightly. Pour the custard into a large metal or glass bowl, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon of lavender flowers. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

The next morning, strain the mixture again, removing the lavender flowers and pressing them to get all of their flavor. Discard the flowers then freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I use the Cuisinart ICE-20 1-1/2-Quart Automatic Ice Cream Maker and generally churn my ice cream for 20 minutes.

While the ice cream is churning measure 2 tablespoon of candied violet petals. You can roughly chop them if you like, but it’s fine to use them whole as well. Add the candied violet petals to your ice cream during the last 5 minutes of churning time - simply drop the petals into the ice cream and allow the ice cream maker to mix them in.

Once the ice cream has finished churning, transfer to a freezer-safe tupperware and chill for at least 4 hours.