Have you ever thought about whether you have a sweet tooth or a salty tooth?
Cynthia Nims, Seattle-based cookbook author and food, beverage, and travel writer falls squarely on the salty side.
"Any time salt and savory flavorings meet something that's crisp and stackable, I'm happy," Nims notes. "Tortilla chips, nuts, popcorn, crackers, and the most beloved of all, potato chips."
Nims savors the salty side so much that her 13th book is entitled, "Salty Snacks: Make Your Own Chips, Crisps, Crackers, Pretzels, Dips, and Other Savory Bites."
This 162-page paperback tome is done in an inviting square format with lovely photos. Chock full of 75 recipes with informative headnotes, it also includes Salt Notes, Salty Holidays (who knew there is a National Cheese Doodle Day?!?!), and Tools and Techniques for making salty snacks.
You can tell that Nims really loved researching, developing, and testing the recipes in her book. They are smart, clever, and, more often than not, easy to prepare.
I was drawn to many of them, but especially the Salted Popcorn Meringues (with a sidebar on how best to grind the popcorn), Cornbread-Chili "Biscotti" (a savory and softer version of the traditional Italian cookie), and Mustard Soft Pretzels (with mustard baked right into the pretzel).
Don't miss the entire chapter devoted to dips and spreads to pair with your savory snacks. Who wouldn't love the aforementioned Cornbread-Chili "Biscotti" paired with Black Bean Dip? Or Feta-Lemon Spread with lemon-y Olive Focaccia bread?
Toasted Walnuts with Tart Cherries and Rosemary, a savory take on the ubiquitous "candied walnuts" we find sprinkled atop simple green salads nowadays, contains only six ingredients, goes together in a flash, and can be stored for up to five days.
It 's not only lovely to eat out of hand as an easy holiday (or anytime) nosh, but, when finely chopped, would make a terrific topping for grilled salmon or brussels sprouts.
Toasted Walnuts with Tart Cherries and Rosemary
Makes about 3 cups
21/2 cups walnut halves
2tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary
1teaspoon kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4cup dried tart cherries
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Put the walnuts in a medium bowl and drizzle the butter over, tossing well to evenly coat the nuts. Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper and toss well to evenly mix.
3. Spread the nuts out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the nuts smell toasty and are just lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even cooking.
4. Transfer the nuts to a bowl (it can be the same one they were first mixed in), add the dried cherries, and toss to mix. Let cool, then transfer to a serving bowl or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reprinted with permission from Salty Snacks: Make Your Own Chips, Crisps, Crackers, Pretzels, Dips, and Other Savory Bites by Cynthia Nims, copyright 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Martin.
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1. Cook the bread crumb mixture until the crumbs are deep golden brown. Cool the mixture on a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Melt the butter in the empty skillet and cook the apples and the sugar mixture (in two batches) until golden brown.
3. Return all the apples to the pan. Add the cider and cook until lightly thickened.
4. Stir in some bread crumbs to thicken the mixture. Flatten the apple mixture with a spoon and sprinkle with the remaining crumbs.
1. Cut the butter into 1-inch chunks, then melt it slowly in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the milk solids have separated from the butterfat and collected on the bottom of the saucepan, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, let the butter settle for 10 minutes, then carefully skim the foam from the surface with a spoon.
2. When all of the foam has been removed, slowly pour the clear butterfat into a bowl, leaving all the milk solids behind in the saucepan.
1. Before baking, slice the baklava into diamonds using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion.
2. Immediately after removing the baked baklava from the oven, pour all but 2 tablespoons of cooled sugar syrup over the cut lines of the baked baklava, and then drizzle the remaining syrup over the entire surface.
3. Garnish each piece of baklava with chopped nuts, then let the baklava cool for 3 hours and then allow to sit at room temperature (covered with foil) for 8 hours before serving.
1. Make a filling with fresh bread crumbs: After brushing your phyllo with butter and sprinkling each layer with sugar, mound the filling along the bottom edge of the dough, leaving a 2 -inch border on the bottom and a 2-inch border on the sides. Fresh bread crumbs keep the filling from being overly wet and making the delicate pastry soggy.
2. Fold up the sides, then roll up the strudel: Fold the dough on the sides over the apples. Fold the dough on the bottom over the apples and continue to roll the dough around the filling to form the strudel. Folding up the sides first keeps the filling from falling out.
3. Transfer the strudel: After the strudel has been assembled and rolled, gently lay it seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Transferring the strudel at this point can be a little tricky because the dough is delicatewe find it easiest to use our hands.
4. Cut vents: Brush the strudel with butter and sprinkle with the remaining sugar, then cut four 1-inch vents across the top of the strudel with a small knife. The vents allow the steam to escape the pastry during bakingwithout vents, the pastry will burst open in the oven and make a mess.
5. Let the strudel cool before slicing: Bake the strudel in a 475-degree oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes, then let it cool until it is just warm, about 40 minutes, before serving. Baking it quickly in a very hot oven prevents the delicate phyllo dough from drying out and cracking apart as the strudel bakes. If you try to slice it while hot, the delicate pastry will simply fall apart.