Tag: Behind the Scenes

National Apple Cider Day—
November 18, 2025

Celebrate apple cider: fresh-pressed apple juice (unfiltered) enjoyed cold or warmed and spiced — a fall favorite with sweet-tart flavor and cozy aromas.

Quick background
- "Cider" in the U.S. usually means unfiltered apple juice (nonalcoholic); hard cider is fermented. Fresh cider is seasonal in autumn from many apple varieties for balanced sweetness and acidity.

How to celebrate
- Visit an orchard or farmers market for fresh-pressed cider.
- Serve warm spiced cider at gatherings or make hard cider/spirits cocktails.
- Use cider in recipes: braises, marinades, salad dressings, muffins, or poaching fruit.

Hot spiced apple cider (serves 6–8)
Ingredients
- 8 cups (2 L) fresh apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 whole allspice berries (or 1/2 tsp ground)
- 1 orange, sliced (optional: peel only)
- 1–3 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar, to taste
Method
1. Combine cider, spices, and orange in a pot. Heat gently to a simmer (do not boil) for 15–25 minutes to infuse.
2. Sweeten to taste, strain, and serve warm. Garnish with orange slices or a cinnamon stick.

Alcoholic variations
- Add 1–2 oz hard apple cider, dark rum, bourbon, or spiced rum per cup. For a mulled cider cocktail, mix 3 parts hot cider with 1 part bourbon and a squeeze of lemon.

Cold uses & recipes
- Chill and serve over ice with a splash of sparkling water and apple slices.
- Use as braising liquid for pork, in vinaigrettes, or in quick-cook applesauce.

Storage & safety
- Fresh cider is perishable; refrigerate and consume within 7–10 days or freeze for longer storage. Pasteurized cider keeps longer.

Enjoy National Apple Cider Day by sipping warm spiced cider, visiting an orchard, or cooking with seasonal cider....

National Homemade Bread Day—
November 17, 2025

Celebrate the simple joy of baking bread at home: aroma, hands‑on process, and fresh slices straight from the oven.

Quick background
- Baking your own bread connects to long traditions, gives control over ingredients, and ranges from rustic no‑knead loaves to enriched sandwich breads and enriched laminated doughs.

How to celebrate
- Bake a loaf (no‑knead, artisan, sandwich, or quick bread) and share warm slices.
- Try a new flour (spelt, rye, whole wheat) or technique (no‑knead, sourdough, enriched dough).
- Host a bread tasting with different spreads (butter, olive oil, flavored compound butter, preserves).

Tips
- Hydration: wetter doughs give open crumb and crisp crust; handle sticky doughs with wet hands.
- Oven spring/crust: preheated heavy pot or baking stone + steam (cover first part of bake or add water to a pan) improves crust and rise.
- Flavor: longer, cooler fermentation (retarding in fridge) develops more complex flavor.
- Whole‑grain: replace up to 25–50% with whole‑grain flours initially; increase water slightly.
- Storage: keep at room temp in a bread bag or wrapped 2–3 days; freeze slices up to 3 months.

Variations
- Add seeds, olives, herbs, cheese, or use sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast.
- Quick sweet breads (banana, zucchini) use baking soda/powder and don’t require fermentation.

Enjoy National Homemade Bread Day by making a loaf that fits your time—quick no‑knead for minimal hands‑on work or a classic sandwich loaf for daily toast....

National Baklava Day —
November 17, 2025

Celebrate baklava: layers of buttery phyllo, chopped nuts, warm spices, and a sweet syrup — a classic pastry across the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

Quick background
- Originating from the Ottoman/Turkic regions with earlier Levantine and Byzantine influences, baklava is made of very thin phyllo dough layered with nuts (walnut, pistachio, or almond), butter, spices (cinnamon, clove, cardamom), then baked and soaked in a sugar‑ or honey‑based syrup flavored with lemon, rosewater, or orange blossom.

Classic baklava (9x13" pan, ~12–16 servings)
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) phyllo sheets (thawed if frozen), covered with a damp towel while working
- 2 cups (200 g) finely chopped nuts (pistachios, walnuts, or a mix)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, pinch ground cardamom (optional)
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
Syrup
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar, 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, 1/2 cup (170 g) honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp orange blossom/rosewater (optional)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x13" pan.
2. Mix chopped nuts with cinnamon and cardamom.
3. Layering: place one phyllo sheet in pan, brush lightly with melted butter; repeat 6–8 sheets (butter each). Sprinkle a thin, even layer of nuts (about 1/3–1/2 cup). Repeat: 4–6 phyllo sheets (buttered) then nuts — finish with 6–8 buttered phyllo sheets on top.
4. Using a sharp knife, score the assembled baklava into diamonds or squares down to the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour remaining butter evenly over the top (work it into cuts). Bake 45–60 minutes until golden and crisp.
6. Meanwhile, make syrup: simmer sugar and water until sugar dissolves, add honey and lemon juice, simmer 5–10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla or floral water; cool slightly.
7. When baklava is out of oven, immediately pour cooled syrup evenly over hot baklava. Let cool completely (several hours) so syrup is absorbed and layers set.

Enjoy National Baklava Day by baking a tray, experimenting with nut and syrup flavors, and sharing the rich, honeyed slices. #AtlantaCatering #CulinaryCollectiveATL #Alpharetta #PrivateChefAtlanta #bestinatlanta...