Summer Part III, Sunflowers & Chuchee’s English Muffin Bread

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer at my house. Thanks to Hurricane Irene, I finally got my wish and the kids went back to school today instead of last week. I was very happy to have them home, it was like a bonus vacation for all of us.

This August, when we went to Montauk, NY for our "real" vacation, I drove by LKL Farmstand in East Hampton, NY several times before I worked up the courage to pull over and ask if I could take some pictures of their sunflower field. I didn't expect to be allowed in the field and up and down the rows - and they generously allowed both. If you've never walked in a field of sunflowers late in the day in late summer, and I hadn't before, please put it at the top of your list of things to do. There was a lovely hum of bees and a feeling of total peace. Everything seemed just as it should be. Here are a few of the pictures I took that day.

In the picture on the right, you can see the bees on a sunflower.


Made of cloth or recycled materials, I love the American flag. This one is from LKL Farmstand.

Some LKL Farmstand peaches in jars. I'm going to make my grandma's Peaches 'n' Cream Pie, which calls for preserved peaches, with LKL Vanilla Peaches this winter.


Since I started Sweet & Simple, I've been baking more than ever, but in a commercial kitchen. I do miss the quiet time in my own kitchen. So yesterday was Labor Day and, even though it was hot and humid out, I wanted to relax at home in the afternoon and bake something. I thought English Muffin Bread would be great for back-to-school breakfast this morning - and it was! I had mine with butter and apricot preserves.

No surprise, some of my best recipes are from my favorite people – my friends and family. This English Muffin Bread is super easy to make and delicious to eat. My friend and former neighbor, Chuchee, an amazing baker and cook, made this for us many times. With her permission, I'm sharing her recipe. Chuchee’s English Muffin Bread is best toasted with lots of butter and jam. Or, try cream cheese, peanut butter or Nutella. All are popular at my house! You will find some of Chuchee’s other recipes here.

Since I tend to use a mixer or Cuisinart for most recipes – including pie dough and challah bread – I enjoy making this by hand in a Pyrex bowl with a wooden spoon. And the 45 minutes of wait time is a great excuse for yet another cup of coffee.

Chuchee's English Muffin Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Lightly grease 2 8-1/2 x 4” loaf pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.

3 cups plus 2-1/2 – 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
cornmeal (for pans)

Combine with a whisk, 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.

Heat milk and water in a small saucepan until very warm. Add milk to flour mixture. Beat well. Stir in 2-1/2 – 3 cups more flour to make a stiff batter. Spoon batter into pans. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. While the bread is rising, preheat oven to 400º. Bake 25 minutes. Remove immediately and cool on wire rack.

Goodbye, Summer. Thank you for sweet memories and happy days. See you next year!

Summer Part I and a “Recipe” for Boiled Corn

As much as I look forward to vacation - who doesn't? - Connecticut summers are a joy. I’m sharing some pictures of 3 places I especially love to visit during the summer months: Greenfield Farms, and 2 neighborhood gardens that always make me feel content – both designed and planted by their current owners.

Greenfield Farms, the best local place to buy tomatoes, corn and zinnias is a short bike ride from our house. I’ve been a customer for years. Before we had children, one of my favorite summer meals was boiled corn with sea salt and a glass of wine (or two). Ahem! I still love a lazy Sunday dinner of boiled sweet corn, but I add crispy grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches now - they're pretty darn good!


Greenfield Farms
Open 7 Days a Week (July – October)
M-F 10 - 6, Sat & Sun 9 - 6
3763 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT 06824
203-259-3577

Then there’s my neighbor Laila’s beautiful vegetable and perennial gardens. Below, swiss chard, and an herb bouquet - sage, basil, parsley.

A broccoli and the always lovely 'Becky' shasta daisy (rumbrum lily in background).


And my neighbor Jenn’s gorgeous perennial gardens that she seems always to attribute to benign neglect, though I see love and care – and definitely humor! – at every turn. This sea monster looks like a big silly! ...Maybe he came from the Long Island Sound??

Jenn's petite and perfect hydrangea garden, and some ruffly, sweet and girly daylilies.

Zinnias, an annual native to Mexico, are the first flowers I remember planting from seed with my mom. Really, could anything be easier to grow or more rewarding with that insane carnival of colors? And they’re flourishing at Greenfield Farms in the July heat.

At left, corn and zinnias from Greenfield Farms.

[Please note, you're going to be seeing this window quite a bit until I get my food photography lighting down - it is a 3-exposure window in my kitchen with beautiful light. I think of it as my food photography lighting blankie. *sigh]

Below, zinnias in a field at Greenfield Farms:

September corn is my favorite – those warm days and cool nights have a sweetening effect on the corn. I didn’t make that up. Click the link! But I’ve never turned down July corn. Or August corn for that matter! And this is how I like to prepare it...

Sweet & Simple “Recipe” for Boiled Corn
If you like it boiled like I do, just give it a quick dip in salted, boiling water. And I mean a rolling boil. Two minutes is enough. Serve it immediately, it doesn’t like to sit and get cold. Trust me. And I need a favorite sea salt for sprinkling on the-almost-too-hot-too-handle-corn. If you like to give your corn a gentle rub-down with sweet butter, knock yourself out! Why not?

Happy Summer!