This Argument With My Friends Started Just Because I Simply Asked What Their Favourite Triangular Foods

Dwarven Flatbread

According to folklore, these tasty flat loaves weren’t created in the kitchen, but rather at the forge as ever-industrious, hungry dwarven craftsmen utilized the only materials they had available: flour, oil, water, salt, a hearth, and a hammer.” - Heroes’ Feast, p. 103

I've been interested in making flatbread for about a year now but always felt strangely intimidated by it. It wasn’t until I found this recipe and saw how quickly and simply it could be done that I decided to give it a shot.

Simple yet absolutely delicious, this wonderfully seasoned flatbread has just enough of a spice kick for it to stand out on its own or when eaten with the Fire Lichen Spread (p. 93) or a tzatziki dip!

Previously attempted by @afinickyguide, this review looks to take their suggestions to heart while also adding some of my own!

See below for my notes on the results and for some helpful tips and tricks when making this yourself! Get Heroes’ Feast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/heroes-feast

Prep time: ~5 mins           Cook time: ~40 mins           Overall: ~45 mins

For the ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt*

2 ½ tsp. dried herb blend (such as Italian seasoning, herbes de Provence, or za’atar), crushed **

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

⅔ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt or whole milk***

¼ cup neutral-tasting oil, such as vegetable, canola, safflower, or grapeseed

* This is way too much salt. Use half of this amount (¾ tsp.).

** I didn’t have any Italian seasoning, so I used ½ tsp. each of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram as well as ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (modified from here)

*** I used 2% plain greek yogurt.

I use the following conversions in my cooking:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour = 188 g

1 ½ tsp. baking powder = 6 g

½ tsp. baking soda = 4 g

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt = 8 g

½ tsp. dried rosemary = 1 g

½ tsp. dried basil = 0.5 g

½ tsp. dried oregano = 0.5 g

½ tsp. dried thyme = 0.5 g

½ tsp. dried marjoram leaves = 0.25 g

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes = 0.5 g

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil = 44 ml

⅔ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt = 158 ml

¼ cup neutral-tasting oil = 60 ml

Above shows the dry ingredients whisked together with a well in the center for the greek yogurt and olive oil.

Again, when I made these the first time 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt was way too much. I made them again using half the amount (¾ tsp.) and they tasted much better.

Above is what the dough looked like after combining it with a wooden spoon and then working it by hand to create a shaggy dough.

The dough will be very dry and have lots of crumbly bits. Don’t worry! As you knead it into a smooth ball, the dough will become wetter and everything will incorporate nicely.

Above is what the dough looked like after kneading to make it smooth - about 5-6 minutes. You’ll know the dough is ready when it springs back after lightly pressing into it.

Although the dough will become tackier as you knead it, try not to add any more flour. Dough, in general, will absorb any extra flour you give it and though it might make it slightly easier to handle, the bread will become denser as a result.

Personally, I found the dough didn’t stick much to my bread board and when it did it was easy enough to handle with just a bench scraper.

The following link is a great resource to develop your technique for kneading bread. With the first technique, you use the heel of your hand to press into the dough, then fold it back into itself, turn it, and repeat. Using the second technique, you roll the dough with the heel of your hand in a “heart” motion.

Above is what the dough looked like after being divided into 8 equal portions and left to rest for 15 minutes under a clean kitchen towel. The smooth dough weighed around 400 g and divided nicely into 50 g portions.

Although you will notice the dough has expanded after resting, don’t expect as drastic a change as yeasted dough.

With the amount of dough in each portion, rolling it to 7 inches in diameter turned it into paper and gave it “cracker-like results” according to @afinickyguide‘s post. So, I opted to roll them to 5 inches in diameter and just under ¼ of an inch thick.

If you’d really like some larger flatbread, I would recommend taking @afinickyguide‘s suggestion and doubling the recipe to create 8 larger portions that could be rolled into 7-inch circles.

I found the cooking times in Heroes’ Feast to be way too long. When I originally tried frying it for 2.5 minutes, it turned out super burned when I flipped it - and that was before the pan had accumulated heat!

I would suggest the following cooking times for this recipe (using flatbread rolled to 5 inches in diameter):

While the pan is heating up, cook the first flatbread for ~90 secs on the first side and 60 secs on the other

For the second, cook for 30 seconds on the first side and 20 on the other

For each one after, cook for 15 seconds on the first side and 10 on the other

Also, don’t replenish the pan with 1 ½ tsp. oil for each flatbread if following my instructions! There was so much oil left after each one that it’s much better to swirl around and reuse the leftover oil in the pan. Only add ~½ tsp. more if you notice the oil level running low.

NOTE: I used a cast-iron skillet to cook my flatbread. Timings will vary based on the type of pan you use.

Overall, I give this flatbread a 5/5. After the adjustment of the salt content, these were delicious to eat both on their own, with a tzatziki dip, or with the Fire Lichen Spread (p. 93).

Although I can’t comment on how they would taste with store-bought Italian seasoning, the one I used (listed in the ingredients section) worked amazingly!

For best freshness results, wrap in plastic wrap or store in a reusable sandwich back and keep in the fridge. They will last up to a week in the fridge. To reheat, either leave them on the counter for half an hour before using or microwave them for 10 seconds at a time until soft.

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I saw you at the supermarket but you didn’t see me!

He wants some bread… 🥖🥐 Twitter I Instagram

Took your guys’ advice and ya, cooking the apples on the stove and blind-baking the bottom crust makes a huge difference!

episode forty: heartlands rose apple and blackberry pie 🌹🍎🥧

A dishwasher that turns tupperware lids into socks that you don't own

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Soul Cakes and Halloween Costumes

“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble” - Witches’ Speech, Macbeth

End of October and early November is an interesting time of year. Marking the end of the harvest season, October 31st - November 2nd share four separate holidays:

Halloween on the 31st;

All-Saints Day on the 1st; and

All-Souls Day and Samhain on the 2nd.

For such an interesting time of year, it’s no wonder that recipes have appeared across time to commemorate each occasion.

Traditionally baked to celebrate All-Souls Day, Soul Cakes are sugar-cookie-esque spiced cookies (or biscuits) that are made with none of the vanilla extract, baking powder, or baking soda that we’re used to seeing in modern recipes. Rather, they rely on their interesting blend of spices to treat your taste buds!

If you’re looking for something to keep the Halloween season going at school or work even after the holiday has passed, bring in these cookies to snack on!

Have a safe and happy Halloween/ All-Saints Day/ All-Souls Day/ Samhain everyone!

P.S: The fox in the picture is named Elphaba!

(Adapted from Helen Best-Shaw’s Fuss Free Flavours and Cooking Journey Blog)

Prep: 10 mins               Cook: 30 mins               Overall: 40 mins

Ingredients*:

¼ cup + 3 tbsp. (100 g) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar

2 egg yolks

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

1 pinch saffron or ground turmeric (for colour)

1 tsp. (2 g) all-spice

½ tsp. mixed spice**

2 ½ tbs. (35 ml) milk

50 g raisins***

* Makes enough for 15-18 2-inch (5 cm) diameter cookies or 24-27 ~2.6-inch (6.6 cm) diameter cookies.

** Mixed spice is a spice blend that includes cinnamon, coriander seed, caraway, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves, and caraway. I don’t have access to this blend so I added ¼ tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves individually to make ½ tsp..

*** I didn’t have any regular raisins so I substituted for golden raisins.

To start, preheat the oven to 360℉ (180℃) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Next, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

Then, whisk in the egg yolks.

Add flour, all-spice, mixed spice, and milk and stir until the dough holds together.

After, stir in the raisins until they are well distributed.

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to about o.6-inch (¼ cm) thickness. Then, cut the dough in circles using a cookie cutter.

Recombine and re-roll any dough scraps to get the most cookies possible!

Place the dough circles on the parchment-lined baking sheet - leaving space between each cookie. Cut a plus-sign (or cross) shape on each cookie (adding the raisin is optional).

Bake on the middle oven rack for 15-20 mins - rotating the pan halfway through - until they are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Overall, I would give this recipe a 5/5. The spices used in the cookies made for a different and delicious spin on the sugary cookies we’re used to nowadays. I had a lot of fun diving into this medieval British treat and hope to try more in the future!

Happy Halloween/All-Saints Day/ All-Souls Day/ Samhain!

Trick or Treat :D

go ahead, take a handful! 😊

Traveler's Stew

“This earthy, slow-cooked concoction consisting of beef (or rothé), carrots, potatoes, and onions in a dark beef-infused broth is served in eating establishments everywhere, from the Green Dragon Inn and the Yawning Portal to Ellfate’s Eatery and the Inn of the Last Home.” - Heroes’ Feast, p. 7

The first recipe in Heroes' Feast and certainly deserving of it! Traveler’s Stew makes for a hearty lunch or dinner capable of being customised based on which stout or dark beer you chose.

I’ve tried it with a couple different beers now and so far the almost chocolaty Cowbell Brewing Co. Draught Nitro Stout has been my favourite. Its flavour adds extra depth and richness to the broth without altering how you’d expect a stew to taste too much. Experiment on your own to get the flavour you like best!

The biggest difference between this stew and most that I've had in the past is the broth is much more watery. Personally, I liked the change, but if you prefer a thicker consistency, mash up a couple of the cooked potato chunks and stir them in - the starch will thicken it up.

See below for my notes on the results and for some helpful tips and tricks when making this yourself! Get Heroes’ Feast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/heroes-feast

Prep: 10 mins*               Cook: 2h 50 mins               Total: 3 hours

* Cut down on prep time by chopping up the vegetables while the beef simmers.

Ingredients:

¼ cup (~30 g) all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ lbs. (1.35 kg) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch (~2.5 cm) pieces

1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil, plus more as needed*

1 cup (~240 ml) dark beer**

4 cups (~945 ml) low-sodium beef broth***

1 tsp. (2 g) sweet paprika

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (~1 cm) rounds

3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (~2.5 cm) pieces

¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley

* I was out of vegetable oil and substituted extra virgin olive oil - no noticeable change in taste

** The dark beer pictured is not the chocolaty stout mentioned and recommended in the intro. The Waterloo Dark will add a licorice-like taste to the broth of your stew.

*** A carton of broth will be short on the amount needed by about ~¼ cup (45 ml). Use extra beer to make up the difference.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 tsp. (6 g) salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add the beef and toss to coat well.

Warm the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add one-third to half of the beef - do not crowd - and cook for about 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides evenly (top-left).

Transfer the browned beef to a plate and repeat to brown the remaining beef, adding more oil, if needed, between batches (top-right).

Pour the beer into the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits.

Return browned beef to the pot and add the broth and paprika. Adjust the heat to low (or 1 on a 10 heat dial), cover, and cook at a simmer until the meat is very tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Add the onion, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Overall, I would give this recipe a 5/5. It was super easy to make, had great flavour, and the broth was a nice change-up from what I was used to.

Definitely do try out different beers to see which background flavour you like best!