Food Guys

The Food Guys take a couple of shows to talk about einkorn , the ancient predecessor to modern wheat. Einkorn (rhymes with “fine corn”) means “one grain” in German. As with other ancient grains that have become trendy, the gluten structure of einkorn seems to suit some people better than that of modern bread wheat, Triticum aestivum . Einkorn boosters point out that, compared to bread wheat, it's low in starch and high in protein, and tastes nutty and earthy.

Hazelnut Streusel Sweet Potato Pie Greg Patent writes: Sweet potato pies were very popular with 19th century cooks. Here's one with a terrific hazelnut streusel topping that is a great contrast to the smooth, creamy filling. This is one of the pies I make for Thanksgiving. Make it anytime sweet potatoes are in season.

Emily Dickinson's Black Cake Greg Patent writes: The poet Emily Dickinson prided herself on her skill as a cook, and she was extremely proud of her black cake. This is a scaled-down version of her recipe, which was quadruple this one, and baked in a milk pail.

Avocado-Lime Cheesecake with Oatmeal Brittle Crust and Gingered Blueberry Sauce This is a rich, creamy, smooth, no-bake cheesecake with a crust made from oatmeal brittle, oats, and walnuts. A gingered blueberry sauce, sweetened with some of the powdered brittle, adds a zesty finish. Make the brittle first. You’ll have much more than you need for the crust and sauce, so you can enjoy leftovers as a special candy treat.

In an episode of "The French Chef" tv series titled, "Steak Dinner For Four in Half an Hour," Julia Child introduced young Food Guy Greg Patent to a deceptively simple recipe for Aigo bouido, Provençal garlic soup. When Other Food Guy Jon Jackson encountered the same recipe in one of Child's cookbooks, he was taken aback by the first ingredient. "Two HEADS of garlic?!" Yes, indeed. This sweet and delicious soup features two heads of garlic, fresh herbs, cloves, three egg yolks and olive oil.

Julia della Croce, who blogs authoritatively about Italian food, first tried the dense, sweet bisciola (pronounced "bee-shee-OH-la") in Italy's Valtellina Valley. Known as biscieùla , pan di fich (“fig bread”), panun , or panettone valtellinese , it's denser than the brioche-like pannetone you'd find in Milan.

Food Guy Jon Jackson recalls childhood summers, trying to crank an old-fashioned ice cream maker: "Your little arm would get weak after a few turns of that thing, if you could turn it at all. But you'd never forget the taste of that peach ice cream." The Food Guys's recipe is below. "Consume it while it's very fresh," says Other Food Guy, Greg Patent.