"flatbread" news and stories

• Gorgeous culinary discovery ideal for springtime: pasta fiocchi that look like daffodils.
• A writer's love of artichokes and her memories of ex-mother-in-laws.
• And you thought Hemingway was brief -- a British Columbia native is tweeting nothing but recipes.
  
• An interview with Paul Liebrandt, chef at Tribeca's Corton.
• Randall Grahm on his Bonny Doon Vineyard and on the importance of paring back: "What matters is that we make wines of originality that have a reason for being."
• The Minimalist finesses flatbread.
• A look at Jon Rosen, agent to the food stars.
• All about Mezcal -- like tequila, a liquid treat distilled from agave.
• Restaurant Girl hires lawyers to take down an imitator Twitterer.
• The ins and outs of the post-Passover bagel rush.
• 230 Fifth, a lounge near Madison Square Park, transports a palm tree to and from Florida every year.
  
• Reviews of theatrical new Japanese restaurant ResInakaya, the "steady, precise" cooking at La Fonda del Sol, and the Basque eats at Txikito (cheek-ee-toe).
• The Times heads down under to hotspots in Sydney, Australia and examines Uruguay's boutique wineries.

Flatbreads & Flavors takes an interesting look at global cuisine, covering recipes from all corners of the globe, but limiting its scope to flatbreads and the dishes that they are usually served with. Flatbreads are an integral part of daily meals in many cultures and it is amazing to see how much a fairly similar concept varies from place to place. The book is divided into eight chapters by region - Central Asia, India, Northern Africa, Europe, etc - and has more than 60 recipes for breads along with over 150 recipes for accompanying dishes.

One of the best things about the book, aside from the fact that it brings a lot more variety to the table than the average bread book, covering everything from pita to fougasse to tortillas, is that it doesn't seem intimidating. Perhaps it is that fact that many flatbreads are grilled, fried or cooked in a skillet on the stovetop, rather than baked in the oven, where it sometimes seems like you have less direct control on the outcome of the dish. Amateur bakers should not be intimidated by this book, though. The clear instructions make it easy to use and the sheer number of recipes makes it very useful, a book you'll find yourself turning to again and again.

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We looked at some of the best and worst frozen pizzas a while back, but as tastes change and new products become available all the time, so it never hurts to add new items to the list. Real Simple put out their top three frozen pizzas and only one of them was on our first list. The pizza that we both liked was from Amy's Organics, which was a runner-up in the tasting, but American Flatbread was their top pick. It had an "artisanal crust" and "amazing" taste, according to their panel. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available in all stores, since a quick poll of frozen pizza fans revealed that some had never heard of this brand. It is definitely one to keep your eyes out for.

The other runner-up was Chef Antonio Pizza, which is sold at Whole Foods and some other natural foods stores. Its defining characteristic is that the pizza is square, not round, though that doesn't seem to impact the crispy crust or well-matched toppings in any substantial way.

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The driving force behind the changes that Dunkin Donuts has gone through in the past year seems to come from the three private firms that bought the company last year, steering it away from tradition and into new markets. Some changes, like adding smoothies and better coffees, are minor, but others are big. The chain does 70% of its business before 11am but several locations will now begin offering more savory lunch and dinner menu items in an attempt to attract customers throughout the day.

So far, at least three of these concept stores are planned, mostly to be in existing locations. They will offer foods such as hot dogs wrapped in pastry and flatbread sandwiches. The stores will also have a design makeover, with wooden chairs instead of plastic swivel ones, and with more liberal use of the chain's signature orange and maroon colors.

Since one previous attempt to sell sandwiches and soups was not a success, the Dunkin' executives have to hope that the new concept catches on with "the Dunkin' tribe," or they'll simply have to go back to the drawing board yet again.

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In an attempt to draw in evening customers, Panera is launching a line of flat bread pizzas called Crispanis, according to Barron's. The pizzas, announced in May, will be sold only after 4 p.m. and should be available at most stores by the end of the year. This may be old news to those of you who frequent Panera locations that already serve these flatbreads, but I've yet to see them here in Florida or on Panera's website (aside from in this press release). Anyone in a test market care to share their experiences?

[Via Restaurant News Resource]