I feel it is appropriate to share the full recipe here because, unless you are able to get to The Groam House Museum in Scotland, you will not have access to purchasing the cookbook. 

​Ingredients:
170g butter (or margarine)
170g self-raising flour
60g caster sugar
60g custard powder
Further caster sugar to dust
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C (350 F). 
Cream together sugar and butter.
Add the flour and custard powder.
Roll into walnut sized balls and coat with additional caster sugar.
Place the balls on a greased (or parchment lined) baking tray, leaving space between for expansion. 
Flatten with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes.

So, now, grab that cup of tea and enjoy your biscuits while reading some
​math related picture books! After reading, you may be inspired to play some Pictish Board Games.

Bracelets for Bina's Brothers
​by Rajani Larocca (Author)  Chaaya Prabhat (Illustrator)

​"Bina loves her three brothers, even though they can be annoying, and every year, their family celebrates Raksha Bandhan, a Hindu custom that affirms the bond between brothers and sisters. According to the tradition, sisters tie bracelets on their brothers' wrists to protect them, and in return, brothers give their sisters gifts. This year, Bina decides she will make the bracelets herself, using beads of their favorite colors along with an "extra-special" bead to symbolize their unique interests. Here Bina's task takes on a mathematical twist as she arranges the beads using an every-other-one pattern." - Booklist

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos 
​by Deborah Heiligman (Author)  Leuyen Pham (Illustrator)
"Most people think of mathematicians as solitary, working away in isolation. And, it's true, many of them do. But Paul Erdos never followed the usual path. At the age of four, he could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn't learn to butter his own bread until he turned twenty. Instead, he traveled around the world, from one mathematician to the next, collaborating on an astonishing number of publications. With a simple, lyrical text and richly layered illustrations, this is a beautiful introduction to the world of math and a fascinating look at the unique character traits that made "Uncle Paul" a great man.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013 A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013" ~ Bookshop.org

Danny Chung Sums It Up 
​by Maisie Chan (Author)  Natelle Quek (Illustrator)
"Eleven-year-old Danny's life is turned upside down when his Chinese grandmother comes to live with his family in England. Things get worse when Danny finds out he'll have to share his room with her, and she took the top bunk! At first, Danny is frustrated that he can't communicate with her because she doesn't speak English--and because he's on the verge of failing math and Nai Nai was actually a math champion back in the day. It just feels like he and his grandmother have nothing in common.

​His parents insist that Danny help out, so when he's left to look after Nai Nai, he leaves her at the bingo hall for the day to get her off his back. But he soon discovers that not everyone there is as welcoming as he expected . . . Through the universal languages of math and art, Danny realizes he has more in common with his Nai Nai than he first thought.

Filled with heart and humor, Danny Chung Sums It Up shows that traversing two cultures is possible and worth the effort, even if it's not always easy." ~Bookshop.org

SOURCES:
The Groam House Museum
Bookshop.org

Please consider using this Bookshop.org link (above) when purchasing books, in lieu of Amazon.com. A portion of the purchase price supports small businesses.  Thanks! 

Today’s recipe is a unique twist on the classic mooncake traditionally filled with an eggyolk. There are various fillings for mooncakes, including redbean, sweet potato, and more. To dare to be different, we will fill our mooncakes with a rich chocolate/almond butter center which makes these mooncakes even more special! 

This recipe comes from Molly Yeh. I have made this recipe more than once and I have found that it gets easier over time. I will include some tweaks that I think will help as the technique for filling the cakes is a bit finicky. But not to worry! The end result is quite amazing and worth the effort!

Before we start with the recipe, you might be interested to learn more about the myth behind the mooncake! Enjoy this 1-minute  myth created by Grace Lin, author of A Big Mooncake for Little Star.


Special Equipment! The mooncake design is created by placing the filled ball of dough in a special press.
This one is similar to the one I used. 

Special Ingredient! Lye Water ~ Make your own here: Recipe for Lye Water:
To make the lye water for use in most recipes, use a ratio of 1:4 (1 part baked baking soda : 4 parts water).
So if a recipe requires 1 teaspoon of lye water, simply mix 1/4 teaspoon of baked baking soda with 1 teaspoon of tap water.

Now on with the recipe!! I found this recipe on Food Network after watching Molly Yeh make these little darlings on her cooking show. Molly Yeh Mooncakes
NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE
Here are my quick modifications, unless you are so good at making mooncakes, then skip this! Molly's recipe suggests portioning the dough and filling into 12 pieces. (dough 20g each and filling 30g each) I found that the ratio was hard to work with. So my suggestion is to double the recipe for the dough and then portion both the dough and filling into 18 pieces each (dough at 26g each piece and filling at 20g each piece) So, now, if you have 18 pieces of dough and 18 pieces of filling and you will be truly successful!

Part of my problem was when I went to fill the dough balls. After I flattened the dough in my hand, as the recipe indicates, I found that I could not wrap the dough around the filling without causing holes in the dough and then a sticky mess. I'll show you my bad and my good mooncakes so that you can see how it turned it out. What REALLY HELPED me was when I remembered watching Molly Yeh make these, she flattened the dough ball on a piece of plastic wrap, placed the filling inside, then used the plastic wrap to guide the dough up and around the filling!!!!!! So, my second batch of mooncakes are a little smaller but no holes!!!

Okay...enough talk! Here is my mooncake process:

THAT WAS EASY!
Dough Ingredients: Flour, Golden Syrup (or honey), Lye Water, Oil
Filling Ingredients: Milk Chocolate Chips, Almond Butter, Cocoa Powder, Powdered Sugar

The mooncakes are delicious right out of the oven. Customarily, they sit for a day or two to let the cookie crust firm up. If you want to wait, be my guest!

​No matter how you choose to eat them, make sure to enjoy one or both of these books. 

The Best Kind of Mooncake by Pearl Auyeung (Author)
I thought this would be a great first choice...primarily because I think the best kind of mooncake is filled with chocolate.
​
“Once upon a morning in Hong Kong, in the alley of Tai Yuen Street, a girl is promised a mooncake with a double-yolk center--the best kind!

The special mooncake seems like the only excitement on an otherwise boring day in the market where nothing changes... until an exhausted stranger falls to his knees right in the street! He ran through forests, swam through rivers, and even stowed away on a ship, all to get to Hong Kong. Now at the end of his journey, all he needs is a bite to eat, but no one seems willing to help--not even the girl, if it means giving up her prized treat.

The girl's ultimate decision has surprising, far-reaching consequences in this mostly true story that reminds us that even the smallest acts of kindness hold the power to change lives, for the giver as much as the receiver.” - Bookshop.org

SOURCES:
Amazon
Bookshop.org
Food Network
Grace Lin
Molly Yeh

Finally! I am also transitioning my newsletter over to Substack...it will take a few days to transition, but please consider clicking on this link to subscribe to the Substack so that you will be a part of the journey with me! (and you won't miss any delightful food and book pairings!!) THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
​
​SUBSTACK LINK (This is a free subscription!!!!)

I have explored many recipes for Pain de Mie, my favorite recipe being from the famous Poilane Bakery in Paris. I first learned of the technique from Masterclass. I could not wait to try out Apollonia's recipe. It is amazing and multi-stepped and definitely my "go-to" recipe. However, as I was exploring other recipes, I concluded that the home baker could use a more streamlined approach, which is why I am sharing the following recipe for you to try from Culinary Exploration. The differences in these two recipes, when it comes down to it, are how to fold in the softened butter, how long to rest the dough, and how to fold the dough for rising. Both recipes, though, are good! Maybe start with the following recipe, then try your hand at the Poilane Bakery Pain de Mie.
​
Do you need a Pullman Loaf pan and which size? Well, forgive me for saying this, but if you would like the proper square shaped loaf, a proper pan is best HOWEVER, this should not stop you from making the recipe in a standard loaf pan. The taste and texture will be quite nice and you will still have a lovely loaf. You will see that I could not find the lid for my pan, so I placed a sheet pan on top of the loaf while it was rising and baking. It can be done!! As far as the size, usually the recipe will state which size is best for the amount of dough being created, but honestly, whichever size you use, just be sure to check on the rising and baking periodically to adjust, as necessary. 

But what to do with all of this lovely bread? French Toast, of course. And, not just any french toast but the Hong Kong Style French Toast from Christie at Home. Simply divine! This particular version is quite rich and hearty filled with protein to start your day. 
​
Need some background history of French Toast? Try the historical information found here at Little Passports. (Little Passports does a great job of introducing cooking to our little and not so little kiddos.)

French Toast by
Kari-Lynn Winters (Author)  François Thisdale (Illustrator)
"Phoebe--half Jamaican, half French-Canadian--hates her school nickname of "French Toast." So she is mortified when, out on a walk with her Jamaican grandmother, she hears a classmate shout it out at her. To make things worse, Nan-Ma, who is blind, wants an explanation of the name. How can Phoebe describe the color of her skin to someone who has never seen it? "Like tea, after you've added the milk," she says. And her father? "Like warm banana bread." And Nan-Ma herself? She is like maple syrup poured over...well...
​
In French Toast, Kari-Lynn Winters uses favorite foods from both of Phoebe's cultures to celebrate the varied skin tones of her family. François Thisdale's imaginative illustrations fill the landscape with whimsy and mouthwatering delight as Phoebe realizes her own resilience and takes ownership of her nickname proudly." ~Bookshop.org

Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast, Volume 1
Josh Funk (Author)  Brendan Kearney (Illustrator)
A thoroughly delicious rhyming story about the funniest food fight ever--perfect for fans of The Food Group series.
Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast have a beautiful friendship--until they discover that there's only one drop of maple syrup left! The race is ON! Off they go, racing past the Orange Juice Fountain, skiing through Sauerkraut Peak, and reeling down the linguini.But who will enjoy the sweet taste of victory? And could working together be better than tearing each other apart?

Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, we will enjoy the decadent deep dish Detroit Pizza, my tried and true recipe from Jeff Mauro on the Food Network. I absolutely love to make pizza, and this recipe is a go to when I want a nice thick crust, crispy cheesy edges, and sweet tomato sauce. I typically slice my own pepperoni. Feel free to sub in pre sliced, although the thickness of your hand sliced pepperoni really adds to the textural chew in each bite. Not a fan of pepperoni? Well, by all means, add your favorite topping, or none at all! 

What is this a Detroit style pizza you ask? The most basic quality of a Detroit Style pizza comes down to the crust…thick and fluffy, focaccia like, and crispy with cheesy goodness. 

Want more from Jeff Mauro? Here is a link to his quirky website Come on Over with additional recipes and funky songs (it is not up to date but it is fun!)

Don’t have a Detroit Pizza Pan? I actually just use my 9x13 baking pan. Works like a charm!

​While you are waiting for the dough to rise, take a gander at these books available on Bookshop.org. Pizza brings everyone together. Food builds community. These three reads are a great example of working together and making connections. Pizza is more than a crust covered in cheese and sauce. Pizza is an experience and a great meal to share casually.
​

SOURCES:
Bookshop.org
Food Network
GreenLanternPizza
I’m Your Neighbor Books.org
Jeff Mauro
King Arthur Flour