berry desserts: June 2013

Catch at Hotel Casa del Mar (Santa Monica, CA): Excellent Ocean View Dining

Dining with an ocean view can be disappointing food-wise, but the new Chef at Catch, Sven Mede, aims to make it better at this fresh seafood-centric restaurant inside Hotel Casa del Mar.

View from my seat

Of course, I couldn't say no to the Grand Shellfish Platter for two (Maine lobster, citrus poached shrimp, Alaskan King Crab legs, East & West coast oysters, Cherrystone clams, ceviche, served with traditional garnishes - $68)

The East Coast oysters were Cape Cod Sweet Petite and the West Coast oysters were Crystal Bay. Both oysters were unusually good and fresh, the Sweet Petites were the best oysters I've had in recent memory. The clams were also exceptional. The lobster was unfortunately a little tough, but otherwise we loved the shellfish platter.

The raw seafood continues with Maine diver scallop crudo, blood orange, rhubarb, basil ($14)

Beautiful, delicate flavors.

The Summer of Dead Toys by Antonio Hill

The Summer of Dead Toys
by Antonio Hill
Trade Paperback, 368 pages

Under a hot Barcelona sun,
a killer is feeling the heat.

When the death of a vulnerable young witness in a case of human trafficking and voodoo causes the normally calm Police Inspector Hector Salgado to beat someone up, he is moved off the project and sent instead to investigate a teenager's fall to his death in one of Barcelona's uptown areas. As Salgado begins to uncover the inconvenient truths behind the city's most powerful families, two seemingly unsolvable cases are set to implode under the hot Barcelona sun.

This is a hot and sultry and fascinating and passionate novel set in an exotic locale. Antonio Hill had me at hello.

There is something about a mystery novel being set in a foreign country that adds so much to my experience. The setting becomes as much a character as any others in the book.

And these characters are deep, fully faceted and intense. Inspector Salgado immediately grabs your interest as he works this case. Expect to see more of this less than perfect hero in the future. This is going to be a great series.

Photo credit: Jaime Recoder

Antonio Hill

ANTONIO HILL lives in Barcelona. He is a professional translator of English-language fiction into Spanish and speaks fluent English.

Calling Peat and Whisky Lovers: Peatin' Meetin' V on June 29

If you're not a member of the LA Scotch Club, you may not know about their annual Peatin' Meetin', open to anyone who enjoys peaty whisky. They will all convene next Saturday, June 29 at the Upper Picnic Area at UCLA's Sunset Canyon for over 100 peated whiskies including Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Smokehead, Lagavulin, and many more.
The great thing about this event is that the whiskies you will taste there are not just from sponsors, but they use their own club funds to source some rare whiskies. It's all about sharing a great whisky with fellow lovers.

Other than over 100 peated whiskies, 7Grand will also be on site making peated cocktails! You won't be drinking on an empty stomach, fret not. They will be peat smoking 175 lbs of New York strip sirloin this year. There will also be peated beer!

Tickets are $100 all-inclusive (or $40 for non-drinkers). You will also get a free t-shirt if you register early. Tickets and more information are available on peatinmeetin.com.

Art Meets Cocktails: Art Beyond The Glass II on June 30

Last year, many of LA's best bartenders showcased their multiple talents in mixology and art/photography/music at the first Art Beyond the Glass, held at Sadie Kitchen and Lounge in Hollywood. The 2nd Art Beyond the Glass is coming up real soon, next week at the beautiful Invention inside the members-only Los Angeles Athletic Club! This is also your chance to check out the bar without splurging on that membership fee.

Invention

Here are the deets:
Sunday, June 30, 2013. 3:30pm – 7:30pm
Los Angeles Athletic Club
431 W 7th St Los Angeles, CA 90014
Tickets are $50 and available on Eventbrite (with part of the proceeds benefiting Art Share LA). You can see next week's bartender lineup here, and you should get excited..

I definitely drank more than $50 worth of cocktails last year. Great cocktails were overflowing, of course, with so many bartenders rotating shifts. New bartenders and new drinks every hour! Plan to stay for most of the event.

Untitled

Jaymee Mandeville and Cari Hah serving up their sangritas.
Cari will be at next week's event.

But they weren't just there to mix drinks. Eugene Lee from Big Bar exhibited some of his photographs. Some, like Cana Rum Bar's Allan Katz were DJing for the afternoon.
Read more »

Lucky Devils (Hollywood, CA)

Lucky Devils is one of the oldest craft beer bar in Hollywood, though I actually went to taste the wines from their newly installed wine taps. Lucky Devils was opened by former model Lucky Vanous. It was before my time but Wandering Chopsticks who came with me did remember this old Diet Coke commercial. I've never heard much about Lucky's before and wasn't sure what to expect, but to my surprise the food was actually pretty good. On this particular strip of Hollywood Blvd, Lucky's may well be one of the best options.

As I was being seated for my tasting I noticed a menu of "six courses" with multiple items listed under each and 12 wines. Oh, I need to choose, I thought, but I was quickly corrected. I was apparently getting all of them. All 10 dishes+2 fries+2 desserts+12 wines.

We started with some olive tapenade and jalapeno hummus with char-grilled bread.

Wandering Chopsticks loved the charred bread and couldn't stop eating them even though we have 10+ more courses to come.

With this first appetizer we tried three different white wines they had on tap:
2011 Zocker Gruner Veltliner. Vibrant, crisp. Notes of stone fruit (melon).
2011 Hess Chardonnay. Slightly buttery. From Monterey's coastal valley.
2011 Acrobat Pinot Gris. Nice one. A hint of sweetness, a bit sweeter than the Zocker.

They only have wines on tap here so you may not find many wineries you know and like, but the most expensive 6oz pour is $9.50 and most is $7.50.

Short rib sliders (braised with caramelized vegetables, wild arugula, horseradish cream, Hawaiian sweet rolls) and truffle parmesan chips (it's truffle oil).

BLT Crostini

Why am I always late posting my Eating the Alphabet post each month?

In all actuality, I'm late to most things in my life. Just ask my fiancee, and my family, and my friends, and my work (oops!). If me and my friends are set to meet at 1:00, you can bet your butt I'll be there at 1:15. If my mama says come to dinner at 5:30, that somehow translates to 6:00 in my brain.

I'll just say "better late than never" applies here. Right? Right?

God I need to work on that. It also contributes to my road rage. Not flick you off and follow you to fight you kinda road rage. Just constantly annoyed by the slow drivers in front of me. If I'd just leave on time (or early even.... what does that even mean?!?!) then I wouldn't have to be so frustrated getting everywhere.

Maybe one day I'll learn.

This month we had to choose a fruit, veggie, or legume starting with either I or J. I've been racking up some recipes using iceberg lettuce, so iceberg lettuce it would be.

These apps will be the talk of the party. A BLT in an appetizer form? How could this not be amazeballs?!?! Plus a little melted gooey cheese? Let's take a moment of silence for this masterpiece.

...

......

...........

Silence over. Now make them and shout it to the world how perfect these are!!!!

BLT Crostini
adapted from Sunset and Pillsbury

12 slices (1/4 inch thick) baguette French bread
sliced pepper jack cheese cut into 12 small squares
1/4 cup mayo
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
5 slices bacon (you may have some leftover, it just means more for snacking)
salt and pepper for seasoning

Cut bacon slices in half and cook until crisp.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Top baguette slices with cheese slices and bake for 10 minutes or until edges of bread are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Remove baguette slices from oven. In a small bowl, add mayo, green onions, and lettuce. Spread mixture onto each baguette slice. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Top each baguette slice with bacon pieces and a sliced tomato.

Printable Recipe

Check out all of my past Eating the Alphabet posts. There's been some good ones!

And check out what everyone else brought to the table this month in the blog hop below:

Peace, and bacon grease!

The Heist: A Novel by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

The Heist
A Novel
by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
Hardcover, 320 pages

From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.

I can see a tv show or movie coming out of this new series already. Think early Castle meets Mission Impossible. This unlikely team shares witty, flirty hot banter while attempting a take-down that no other organization dares to do. Off the books of course, if they get caught they will be charged and prisoned like common criminals. Okay. One of the team is a criminal, but the other is a cop who - until given this assignment - had spent her career chasing the very man she is now paired up with.

Sexy and exciting, The Heist is a great beach blanket read!

The hardcover edition of The Heist contains stickers—“I ‘Heart’ Plum” and “The Con Is On”—and a sneak peek from the next Stephanie Plum novel!

Photo credit: Roland Scarpa

Authors
Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.

Lee Goldberg is a screenwriter, TV producer, and the author of several books, including King City, The Walk, and the bestselling Monk series of mysteries. He has earned two Edgar Award nominations and was the 2012 recipient of the Poirot Award from Malice Domestic.

Peanut Butter Crunch Balls

Hey friends. I've been M.I.A. in June on the blog, but this week I've done a couple posts already and I think I'm back on track. For now, anyway.

For this month's Surprise Recipe Swap, I was assigned to Krista's blog, A Handful of Everything.

HungryLittleGirl

She's got some great recipes in her archive... all kinds of breads, desserts, and main dishes! It was hard to narrow it down, what with recipes like Sweetheart Strawberries and Cream Scones, Homemade Pretzel Rolls, and Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites. But her Peanut Butter Balls really screamed at me.

I loved the sweetness of the peanut butter and chocolate. And the rice krispies added a nice crunch. These were delicious!

Peanut Butter Crunch Balls
adapted from A Handful of Everything

2 and 1/2 cups Rice Krispies (I used chocolate Rice Krispies)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 and 1/2 cup peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter
12 oz bag of chocolate candy melts (I used Wilton's)

In a large bowl, combine the Rice Krispies and powdered sugar.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Remove from heat and immediately pour into the sugar/Rice Krispies mixture. Using a large spoon mix well until an even consistency.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Form teaspoon-size balls (mine were bigger!). The mixture will be kind of crumbly so just squeeze them a few times, roll them between your palms and into a ball shape. After you have used up all your mixture, place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour or until firm.

Melt your chocolate in a microwavable bowl according to package directions, mixing well. Dip the chilled peanut butter balls into the chocolate. Using a spoon, roll it around completely coating it with chocolate and then and place it back on the wax paper to set. Pop them in the freezer to help them set quicker.

Printable Recipe

You know that little bit of goodness that stays in the pot after you've scraped out what you could? I may or may not have eaten that melted butter and peanut butter straight from the pot. What? I couldn't let that go to waste. Can you blame me?

Make these!

Check out the full roundup here.

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!

5 mistakes to avoid if you want the perfect pancakes

Most people will say experience. It takes some repetition to master the art of the perfect pancakes. The best part about making pancakes is that they are very easy to make. The emergence of convenient pancake mixes ensures that you can make pancakes very easily at the comfort of your home. All you have to do to get the batter is just add some water and voila! However, there are some common mistakes that people make when they want to make these. We are all human and it is understandable. But if you want perfect ones from the first one to the last one, you should ensure that you eliminate the mistakes.

The first mistake is that people often cook the pancakes as soon as they make the mix. Making the right pancake demands a degree of patience. Jumping to make it doesn't give the starch room to grow. The air bubbles don't release the gluten either. For the best results you should leave the batter to set for about 3 hours. Most chefs recommend that you leave the batter to set for a minimum of one hour. Ensure that you leave the batter in the fridge for that duration.

Another mistake that most people make is leaving lumps. Surely there are some people who prefer their pancakes lumpy. However, this lumpiness comes at the expense of quality. For one to get good results, they must ensure that they eliminate all the lumps in the batter. This means that you will have to whisk the mix until the right consistency is achieved. The mixing consistency ensures that the gluten is released from the flour and joins completely with the mix.

The third mistake that most amateur chefs make is cooking the pancake either in hot or very cold temperature. Considering that there is no right way to tell the right temperature for cooking pancakes, you will have to rely on what you see. To this end you have to use a drop of water in order to ascertain the temperature. If the pan is too cold, the water drop takes its time before it evaporates. If the water drop evaporates quickly, the temperature is very hot. When you have either result, you should adjust the temperature accordingly.

Fourthly, most amateurs don't season the pan thoroughly. This results in the pancakes burning or being overcooked. Hence, you should pour a drop of oil on the pan to season it. There are alternative seasonings. You can choose a seasoning that has the flavour that you want. It is also recommended that you use a non-stick pan.

The final mistake is that you use too much batter. If you want a thin pancake, you should use one tablespoon of batter mix on the pan. For thicker pancakes, you can use half a ladleful to get that thick pancake you desire.

Avoiding the above mistakes ensures that you get the best pancakes (interesting information for you could turn to be that the Danish term is pandekager ) on your plate.

Obsessions + Confessions

Ok, this is a very random post about some random things going on in my life and current things I'm obsessing over. I just may make this a regular occurrence on the blog :)

Anyone watching the new sleazy chick flick tv show Mistresses? Um, obsessed. I just love Yunjin Kim from Lost. And Alyssa Milano and Rochelle Aytes are compelling too. I usually despise all things related to cheating and mistresses, but it puts a more personal and relatable spin on such a shamed topic. This show is like my guilty pleasure. Ok, one of many guilty pleasures.

I came across this new local cupcake business, Sweet Release Cupcakes, and am about to order so many and so often that she's gonna know me by name. French Toast Bacon, Hot Toddy, Strawberry Champagne, Butter Pecan ... can I have like 2, or 12, of each?

Sushi. My God how did I live without you? Tonight is half price sushi at Ember's. One of these days I'm going to update that review with food from more current visits. Hello california roll and kobe beef roll. Oh, and crab and shrimp stuffed avocados. They do food right.

Everyday I say I'm going to work out. Yesterday I was going to play basketball with PJ after work. We laid on the couch and slept for 4 hours instead. Fail.

What's up with these? I can't decide how I feel about them.

Cutest animal ever. I wonder if they make good pets?

Want.

Want.

And more want.

Summer is upon us.

Potatoes can heal my tummy aches? This may be the best news of my day.

Scratch that, this is definitely the best news of my week!

I'll be here in a few weeks. It couldn't come sooner! Free hot breakfast + complimentary reception/drinks + the beach every day. Now that's my idea of a vacation.

Peace, and bacon grease!

An Overview on Special Birthday Cake Design And Styles

Picking up a sharp cake style and design means understanding something unique in relation to individuals celebrating birthday. As soon as there is knowledge about something concerning want and requirements, leisure activities or favourite sport, they can be worked into cake design or style.

With the younger generations, the theme can be anything ranging from well liked characters to admired individuals. It can also be a simple toy, beloved pet or favourite animal. It is possible to inject fun by ordering fun cakes.

Birthday cakes themed on sea food are also a great idea especially for individuals who love fish. It may also include pages featuring previous birthday with number of fishing vacations each year as well as quantity of fish captured.

Another popular trend of today is to have a photo cake. It is possible to have own photos now. These edible memories are actually latest and greatest way involved in sharing photo. Logo, drawings or photo are converted into edible photographs here that can be applied to cookies, cupcakes, fudge, ice cream, chocolate, gum paste and fondant to create incredible treats.

The edible images are in fact 100 percent edible as they are made of frosting that is embedded onto the backing sheet. Photos here are created of ink jet printers and edible ink. Photos here emerge sharp and clear similar to primary snapshot. Also referred to as cake toppers, cake stickers, picture cakes, photo cake and frosting sheet, some of these edible imageries are Kosher or FDA recognized.

It is also possible to make treats and cakes with edible memories quite fast as well as simply by following a few techniques. Everyone can do it though it is always better to get the task handled by qualified professionals. Edible imageries help with beautification to a large extent. It is just essential to peel and then place photo edibles on frosted or chocolate covered treats in order to come with professional and amazing looking cakes and dessert. Frosting sheets can also be used accentuate cakes and added on top of cakes. These are also referred to as cake toppers. Cake toppers are commonly used in order to decorate brownies, cookies and cupcakes setting up incredible treats that are bound to hit the party. The photo enjoyment frames also come in festive ideas in order to match theme of social gatherings or designer prints in order to create professional looking cakes. The edible image design specialists also function as supreme designing tool. It is possible to pick from pet prints, polka dots or getaway designs. Designs at times adorn even the side or top of cakes. Opportunities in fact are endless here.

It is indeed a great idea to make wonderful desserts and have a great time with friends and family members. Make sure to choose right and make birthdays turn out quite a special event.

Sara Osborne is a chef and loves to try out different recipes. She is adept at designing photo cake . She has also baked wedding cakes and different types of celebration cakes and cupcakes.

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Bad Monkey
by Carl Hiaasen
Hardcover, 336 pages

Carl Hiaasen is gloriously insane. I mean this in the best possible way. His careening, breakneck novels twist and turn and flip upside-down with oddballs and bad guys galore. Oh. And a monkey.

Andrew Yancy has been demoted to Roach Inspector after sodomizing girlfriend's husband with a small vacuum attachment, in a decidedly less than private setting.

You can't keep a cop down though, and Yancy begins his own investigation into the death of a big-time swindler and the family he left behind. One things lead to a million and we are brought along for a hurkey-jerky ride through Florida to the Bahamas and back. The cast of characters also includes a Voodoo Queen, a lover running from the law, and a frozen arm. Kinda reminds me of the sketch comedies in which they are given a few random words and have to do a scene incorporating them all.

And he pulls it off. The book is gripping and a riot. You'll love it.

Here is Hiaasen doing what he does better than anyone else: spinning a tale at once fiercely pointed and wickedly funny in which the greedy, the corrupt, and the degraders of what’s left of pristine Florida—now, of the Bahamas as well—get their comeuppance in mordantly ingenious, diabolically entertaining fashion.

Photo credit: Tim Chapman

Carl Hiaasen
Carl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida. He is the author of eleven previous novels, including the best-selling Nature Girl, Skinny Dip, Sick Puppy, and Lucky You, and three best-selling children’s books, Hoot, Flush, and Scat. His most recent work of nonfiction is The Downhill Lie: A Hacker’s Return to a Ruinous Sport. He also writes a weekly column for The Miami Herald.

1st Annual Food Blogger Prop Swap

Aren't I strange? Almost a month without posting and then two posts in one day. I know, I know. What can I say, I'm inconsistent. I'm trying to work on that!

But let me tell you about this fun challenge I signed up for called Food Blogger Prop Swap, hosted by Alyssa of Everyday Maven and Faith of An Edible Mosaic, ... it's just what it sounds like. Bloggers send each other foodie props that the other may not need anymore and is willing to pass on to a better home.

Tara from Tara's Multicultural Table was kind enough to send me some great props! I loved them all. She made me feel like the package I shipped wasn't good enough. Next year I'll have to do better, since it's an annual thing and all.

Here's what I got:

some cute napkins and napkin rings (fancy!) and a red round placemat....

some adorable leaf shaped mini bowls and two mini decorative bowls, and a Budweiser glass....

and a coffee mug, and this red square plate. I like, I like! I liked em all, really. I LOVE foodie props. My fiancee on the other hand doesn't like my growing collection. He calls me a hoarder lol. That's ok, I own it. I'm a foodie prop hoarder :)

They're also thinking about doing a different swap as well... maybe cookies, cookbooks, spices. I'm game for any of those!

Head on over to Alyssa or Faith's blog to check out the blog hop to see what props everyone else got in the swap.

Peace, and bacon grease!

Nutella French Toast Rolls with Cinnamon Sugar

It's been way too long since I've posted a recipe on the ole blog. I've missssssssssssssed you!

Well what's the best way to get back into the blogging world? With a Secret Recipe Club post, that's what!

This month I was assigned to Louise's blog, Lick the Spoon. Louise is from Australia! So cool! Welp, I've got a new blog to follow. Love her recipes AND her photos. I had to narrow it down from 15 recipes. Yes 15. Like her Raspberry Lemonade Slice, Banana Muffins with Cinnamon Walnuts and Brown Butter Icing, and her Boston Banoffee Pie. But ultimately her Nutella French Toast Rolls won out. Cuz I love breakfast and french toast and nutella. No brainer.

Nutella French Toast Rolls with Cinnamon Sugar
from Lick That Spoon

10 slices of white bread (we used Private Selection Sugarhouse Maple Streusel bread - yum!)
10 teaspoons of nutella
1 large egg
1 and 1/2 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
butter, for frying

Remove the crusts from the slices of bread. Discard the crusts. Or eat them because that Maple Streusel bread is delish).

Roll each slice of bread with a rolling pin. Spread each slice of flattened bread with one teaspoon of nutella, spreading on one side of the bread to the length of the bread. Roll the bread up tightly, sealing shut with a dab of nutella.

In a bowl, whisk the egg and milk until combined.

In a shallow dish, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well.

Heat some butter in a skillet. Dip each roll in the egg mixture until coated, then placing in the hot skillet. Lightly fry until golden brown all over, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

I loved this twist on the traditional french toast. Next time I'll try it with regular white bread because it was a bit hard to roll up the bread I used and they weren't so perfect and smooth like hers. But they were still tasty.

Plus I'll take any recipe that calls for nutella and sugar for breakfast!

Here's the other Secret Recipe Club posts I've written in the past, check em out.

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!

The Bread Baking Babes bake Nan e Barbari! (Persian Flatbread)

The Bread Baking Babes bake Nan e Barbari! (Persian Flatbread)

Bread Baking Babe Elizabeth has been doing her favourite thing - kneading dough by hand and baking on her BBQ for a an exciting summer bread. This would go perfectly with some kebabs, salads, sauces and salty cheese.

Perhaps the most famous and widely used bread in Iran, Barbari is a part of Iranian culture. A piece of Barbari with some feta cheese and a cup of tea form the traditional breakfast in Iran. The secret behind the golden color of Barbari and its unique smell is in the small amount of baking soda mixed with some water and used to brush Barbari before baking. This mix is called Romal.

- Lida, 1001 Recipes, Barberi Bread

Nan e Barbari (Persian flatbread)
based on Lida's recipe for Barbari Bread at 1001recipe.com
Notes and adaptation by Elizabeth.

dough

    5 gm (~1.5 tsp) active dry yeast
    360 gm (1.5 c) water, at 90F (32C) ¹
    60 gm (~0.5 c) 100% whole wheat flour
    360 gm (~2.75 c) unbleached all purpose flour
    2 gm (~0.5 tsp) baking powder ²
    6 gm (1 tsp) salt
    nigella seeds (or black sesame, poppy, sesame seeds)

sauce

    1 tsp 1/2 tsp flour
    1 tsp 1/2 tsp baking soda ²
    160 gm (2/3 c) 80 gm (1/3 c) water

*My version of the bread - I love my stand mixer and used it. There are as many ways to bake bread as there are people in this world and my stand mixer and I are good buddies.
Also - I do oil my bowl. I find you need less flour and get a more tender crumb this way. Also - the dough is easier to handle. Plus, I love olive oil.
I made 4 breads, the smaller ones being easier to store in a cake dome.
For the glaze I used 1/2 cup of water, splitting the difference.
I shaped my breads after the long rise, right on to the parchment paper. This way I had a fluffy, tender bread.
I topped mine with za'atar and nigella seeds and baked for 15 minutes on 375°, on a pizza stone. Yum!

Mixing the dough: Pour the water into a largish bowl. Whisk in the yeast.
Add the flours, baking powder and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Kneading: ³ Turn the dough out onto an UNfloured board. Wash and dry the mixing bowl. Please do not be tempted to skip this step.
Using both hands on either side of the dough and thumbs resting on the top in the center, lift it up and flip it over in the air before plopping it back down on the board. Fold the dough in half away from you as you plop the dough down. Keep repeating until the dough is smooth. Every so often, use the dough scraper to clean the board. Stretching the dough is desired on the turns. But this won't start happening right away. (Please look at this video for clarification.)
When the dough is smooth, place it in the clean mixing bowl (there is no need to oil the bowl). Cover the bowl with a plate and leave in a draft-free area to rise to double.
Prepare the sauce: Whisk flour, baking soda and water in a small pot. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Pre-shaping: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scatter a light dusting of flour on the board and gently remove the risen dough onto it. Don't worry that the dough is quite slack. Cut the dough in half. Form each piece into a ball and place well apart on the cookie sheet. Cover with a clean tea towel followed by a plastic grocery bag and allow to rise to double in a draft-free area. (about an hour)
Final Shaping: Brush each round with the sauce. Really slather the sauce on. It will keep your hands from sticking to the dough.
Dip your fingers in the sauce and dimple the rounds down to form two ovals with lengthwise furrows. (Please see photos below; also see photos on the right side of the page at http://www.1001recipe.com/recipes/food/barbari_bread/)
Liberally brush ovals with the sauce once more and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Allow the ovals to stand for about 30 min.
Baking: 4 Put a stone into the barbecue and preheat it to high. Before putting them onto the stone, pull each oval with your hands to lengthen it. Wet your hands so they won't stick to the ovals and pull the dough from the bottom with your palms facing downwards. (Please see photos below; also see photos on the right side of the page at http://www.1001recipe.com/recipes/food/barbari_bread/)
Put the lengthened ovals onto the hot stone. Move the stone over to cook the bread on indirect heat. Close the barbecue lid. Every so often turn the bread around to account for uneven heat in the barbecue. Cook the bread until it is golden (about 15 minutes).

The Bread Baking Babes

A note from BBB Elizabeth on baking along with us this month -
To receive a Baking Buddy Badge to display on your site: clean off your board, wash your hands to make Nan e Barbari (Persian Flatbread) in the next couple of weeks and post about it – we love to see how your bread turned out AND hear what you think about it: what you didn’t like and/or what you liked – before the 28 June 2013. If you do not have a blog, no problem; you can also post your picture(s) to Flickr (or any other photo sharing site) and record your thoughts about the bread there. Please remember to contact the Kitchen of the Month (hey! that’s me!!) to say that your post is up.
Here’s how to let us know:

email me with your name and a link to your post (please type “BBB June 2013 bread” in the subject heading)