I’m supremely fortunate (or actually, my husband is, since he runs most of my errands . . . thanks, Ben!) to have several grocery stores and a farmers’ market in the neighborhood. Many of the ingredients called for in this book can be easily found at big-chain or local establishments. A small selection of goods may require a jaunt to the Asian or Latin market or online sourcing.
While I give serious consideration to flavor combinations, color contrast, and texture when embarking on a baking foray, I mainly look to my fruit bowl and refrigerator to inform my direction. Citrus going sideways? Mangoes in mourning? Tomatoes by the ton? I frequently build my tarts or pies around anything getting wrinkly or spilling over in excess. Several recipes throughout the book call for more unusual ingredients, and I list alternative produce when applicable, but be creative with using what you already have or see on sale!
As with the equipment section, the following list is more highlight reel than full feature film.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Let’s be real. I go through so much flour that I buy whatever is the cheapest (looking at you, 20-pound Costco bag). Of course, flour from different brands will behave differently due to varying ratios of protein and starch, but for hobby home-baking purposes, I suspect we won’t notice the subtleties. For the sake of conversation, Bob’s Red Mill is my splurge brand. (The same approach applies for whole wheat flour.)
BLACK TAHINI: Made from ground, unhulled sesame seeds, black tahini adds deep toasty flavor to desserts. I keep a jar of Kevala in the pantry. Be sure to give tahini a stir to incorporate the separated oil layer before measuring.
BUTTER: What do I really have to say except that I use a lot of it? My friends are perpetually shocked when they go to grab a drink from my fridge and find entire shelves packed with blocks of butter. As with all-purpose flour, I favor the cheapest stuff on the shelves, though I do prefer local goods from Darigold when I have the option. But whatever the brand, stick with unsalted.
CHOCOLATE: I personally opt for 70% bittersweet chocolate, but bittersweet, semisweet, and dark chocolate are all interchangeable in these recipes.
DRIED FLOWERS: While I use food-grade dried flowers like lavender for flavoring, other blooms, like blue cornflowers (not to be confused with corn flour!) and butterfly pea flowers, are utilized for their coloring. I purchase both online.
EDIBLE FLOWERS: Edible flowers can often be found in the refrigerated herb section of big-chain grocery stores or at your local farmers’ market. The blooms used in Floral of the Story came from the garden of a friend who was kind enough to shepherd me around to her nontoxic plants. You don’t need to shell out for a floral masterpiece, but do take care to forage for unsprayed flowers that are safe for human consumption.
EGGS: The recipes in this book call for large chicken eggs, which usually measure about 2 ounces (56 grams) each.
EXOTIC FRUITS: I lived in South America for several years, and wow, do I miss the luxury of mango and passion fruit trees in inescapable abundance throughout the neighborhood. Now these items come at much higher cost, and sometimes finding them requires dedicated hunting. In the Pacific Northwest, Asian grocery stores are most dependable for produce like papaya, dragon fruit, and lemongrass. As for passion fruit, which is often a rare treasure up here, I buy the frozen puree at the Mexican market to save time and a few bucks.
FRESH FRUIT: Again, opting for what’s in season and what’s on retail discount is recommended. Firm-ripe fruit is ideal for smooth slicing and clean cuts for tarts. Softer, much riper fruits are better suited for pie fillings, where a little mush is okay.
FROZEN FRUIT: I prefer not to thaw my frozen fruit before using it in pie fillings, but if you must, drain and either discard or reduce the juices for added flavor (be advised that my recipes do not provide for this step). Frozen fruit is not recommended for tart tops.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE POWDERS: I prefer to color my pie dough with natural ingredients, because artificial food coloring gives a Play-Doh-like aspect that triggers my gag reflex (sorry for the visual). While I rely on juices to do the bulk of the coloring work, it’s not always enough to ensure that the hues hold during baking. Adding a scoop of colored powder is optional but can act as insurance to help maintain the color when heat is applied.
Fruit and vegetable powder tints can vary significantly depending on the brand. Naturally, I encourage you to experiment with your own shades, but I’ve included my favorite powder brands here for reference. All can be sourced online.
• Micro Ingredients for beet powder
• Bow Hill for blueberry (their blueberry juice is also excellent)
• Wilderness Poets for dragon fruit (pitaya)
• Suncore Foods for butterfly pea flower, blue spirulina, and carrot powders
KOSHER SALT: All recipes in this book were formulated using Crystal Diamond brand kosher salt. Double-check your amounts if you choose to substitute for another brand or salt type, as salt crystal size and thus volume can vary.
MATCHA GREEN TEA POWDER: Matcha can get pricy quickly, but high qualitea goes a long way. Generally, the kind that comes in a metal tin and possesses a more vibrant shade of green will result in brighter dough with less bitterness.
MILK: Unless specified in the recipe, feel free to use the milk of your choice.
MOLASSES: Grandma’s brand unsulphured molasses is my go-to. Blackstrap molasses has a different flavor profile and lower moisture content and should not be substituted.
SESAME SEEDS: The biggest difference between black and white sesame seeds is the color; the white seeds are hulled. I love using both for the contrasting hues. While the flavor differences are subtle, black sesame seeds have a slightly deeper, nuttier flavor with a touch of bitterness that works well in desserts. I purchase my sesame seeds toasted from my local Asian market.
SPECULOOS COOKIES (ALSO SPELLED SPECULAAS): A Belgian crunchy spiced biscuit reminiscent of gingerbread. The cookies pulverize well to form a fragrant tart crust that tastes and smells like the holidays. I usually reach for the Biscoff brand, which is widely available in grocery stores and online.
SUGAR: Er, see all-purpose flour and butter notes? Again, I’m a hobbyist home baker who hasn’t yet won the lottery, so I tend to choose what’s most economical. I will often swap brands depending on what’s on steepest discount and I haven’t experienced adverse consequences from this lack of loyalty. Go with what you like, have in your pantry, or find at your store.
TAPIOCA STARCH (ALSO KNOWN AS TAPIOCA FLOUR): Made from cassava root, tapioca starch is my preferred thickening agent, as it produces a clear gel in contrast to the cloudy fillings that result with cornstarch. Instant tapioca, granulated tapioca, tapioca pearls, and tapioca balls should not be substituted in these recipes.