We all have those smells that trigger your memory and take you back to your childhood the second you get a hint of them. In college I walked into a jewelry store that hadn’t been updated since Kennedy was in office, I was amazed at how much it smelled the like upstairs bedrooms of my Grandma's farm house. Once, while I was searching for something in the back of the linen closet I found some of my Mom’s old perfume that she wore when I was really little. One sniff and I was three years old again, sitting in her lap, hearing her read to me.
The only way it gets better is having a go-to food item, one that instantly brings you to that place and time. For me this mix of memories and smell comes in the form of rosemary. My dad has made a rosemary rub for a prime rib each Christmas for as long as I can remember. He gets it from a local store, preps it, then cooks it low and slow for hours until he carves it up, right before we open gifts. Inspired by these memories, I recently picked up my first rosemary plant while shopping at Whole Foods. I have found that I do better with herbs if I buy a healthy and organic plant from a trustworthy store rather than starting them myself from seeds. Rosemary is a wonderful herb, not only is it wonderful to cook with, it also is a beautiful garnish to top any number of foods with.
Rosemary bread and an olive oil and herb dip.
Here is one of my favorite rosemary recipes
Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (115-120 degrees F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons salt
about 3.5-4 cups of flour
Directions
In a mixing bowl add 2 cups warm water (115-120) 2 teaspoons yeast and a tablespoon of honey. Rest until the yeast begins to bubble.
Mix in flour until the dough starts coming together. Add half a cup of olive oil and about 2 tablespoons salt. Keep adding flour until the dough has come together to the point you could pull it out of the bowl in a ball.
Mix in 1.5 tablespoons of chopped rosemary, as well as any other herbs that entice you. In this instance, and I added a pinch of basil and oregano. After the herbs are incorporated, I allow it to rest for 40-60 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
Remove from the bowl and kneed the dough for about a minute. Separate it into two parts and form into two individual rectangle shapes. I prepped my bread pans by coating them generously with olive oil. Now it is time to add the dough to the pan, gently push the dough into the shape you desire. To finish, add egg wash to the top of the dough and put it in the oven.
Bake at 350 for about 40 minuets or until the top is golden brown and allow it to cool for a while before you serve it.
A fun way to serve it is with an olive oil rosemary dip. In a shallow bowl sprinkle rosemary, salt, pepper, and any other spices/herbs you enjoy - I used basil, oregano and garlic powder. Drizzle Olive Oil over the herbs, and serve with your fresh and delicious rosemary bread!
