Penny’s Rhubarb Galettes
We drove out to Aldersyde this afternoon to visit Tony and Penny at Highwood Crossing Farm. W was ecstatic to have the chance to meet the very people who grow his very favourite food – oatmeal. Which he would opt for a bowl of anytime over most anything else. Tony and Penny and the friends who help them out on their farm grow oats, flax, wheat, rye and other grains in rotation, and cold press organic (non GMO) canola and flax oils. They stone grind their flour, make pancake mix and power grains – a truly whole-grain breakfast cereal made with hulled oats, millet, sunflower seeds and flax – and bake enormous batches of granola every Monday using rolled oat flakes, whole flax and sunflower seeds, cold-pressed canola oil and amber maple syrup. It was baking day today, and we could smell the granola in the oven, wafting from a little building in the field as we got out of the car.
In their house, Penny made little rhubarb galettes, from a recipe on the cover of Good to the Grain, by Kim Boyce. They were phenomenal, with a sweet-crunchy crust made with cornmeal and in Penny’s version, oat flour. Lucky for us, Smitten Kitchen posted the recipe, as did Whitney in Chicago. So if you don’t have the book, there you go. She didn’t, by the way, do the hibiscus thing. I don’t think. Penny? Are you reading this? I didn’t detect any floral notes, and I’m generally super sensitive (not in an allergy way, in a my-great-aunt-used-way-too-much-lavender-way) to flowery things in my food.
She told me she makes and freezes them unbaked, then slides them in the oven whenever she wants them. Très genius.
She also made flax muffins for W, who immediately introduced himself, with a handshake, as a scientist. Who knew? She brought out plasticine and played with him. She’s awesome that way.
He went ahead and adopted them. I would.
I do love sitting at kitchen tables – or nooks, crannies, islands – and chatting about food. Especially over food. We talked about farming and cooking and beans and organics while W inspected every square inch of their house (from the bathroom: MOM! YOU HAVE TO COME CHECK THIS OUT!), and Tony took W for a ride out to the field in a golf cart. And Penny sent us home with a homemade flax loaf. Which we ate slabs of for dinner with spinach salad and rhubarb ice cream.
And now every morning when W eats his oatmeal we’ll be able to reminisce about the nice people -Aunt Penny and Uncle Tony, right?- who grew it for him. Talk about priceless.
June 27 2011 11:15 pm | bread
KSul on 28 Jun 2011 at 1:21 pm #
Love the cookbook “Good to the Grain”, now I’m inspired to give this galette recipe a shot. I thought I’d let you know that I am becoming obsessed with trying all these foods/restuarants that you mention in your blog. Last week I motored (on foot, 1.7km each way to be exact) on my quest for Jelly Modern donuts. Oh dear. I found my car parked in front of jelly Modern again this morning on my way to work. There must of been some divine intervention though as I pulled away empty handed. No money, forgot my wallet. I was disappointed but in the long run my butt will be happier. Keep it up Julie, you’re an inspiration to us all!
the other Al on 28 Jun 2011 at 6:36 pm #
Coooool! I have been eating Power Grains for years. Love the stuff. My husband thinks its bird seed. Too bad, more for me. Neat to see who actually produces the product. Did I say coooool!
ajdoula on 28 Jun 2011 at 8:01 pm #
We are so lucky to have people of the calibre of Penny & Tony in Alberta, walking the walk and producing food that makes a difference. I have a patch of rhubarb that would benefit from pruning – I think a rhubarb galette is in my future…
CathyH on 28 Jun 2011 at 9:44 pm #
My rhubarb is also out of control….in a good way. Also my potato condo seems to be on steroids.
Thank you Julie!
Robyn {Planet Byn} on 29 Jun 2011 at 9:25 pm #
i had the sunflower and flax granola when i visited my friend in calgary (she’s friends with penny & tony’s daughter). it’s amazing!
"Aunt" Penny on 30 Jun 2011 at 6:47 am #
No hibiscus in the kitchen, or garden Julie! W’s creation in the mail…lovely to see you and meet your enjoyable son.
Inventive Vegan on 01 Jul 2011 at 6:50 am #
I love rhubarb! This is so much easier than making a pie! YAY!
Natalie (ga) on 01 Jul 2011 at 10:19 am #
Have the cookbook in my cupboard! Love it. What a great experience for W.
Jennifer Jo on 02 Jul 2011 at 5:35 am #
So what was so exciting about the bathroom? (My mom tells me that I used to get all excited every time I went into new bathrooms. Still do—the hotel I stayed at this week had TWO shower heads. Pretty cool.)