At the inception of every summer, I employ selective memory by discarding the experience of the previous season. I have many ways of entertaining myself, one of which is to move with starry eyes into freezing, processing and canning that which is courting me.
Friends whose in-town availability is dictated by business and personal lives in other cities invited us to dinner and an overnight stay in their most recent, small available window. Describing the flat-out luxury of having friends cook for us is an almost meditative experience. We remember how it feels to breathe deeply. To be conversant. And to smile.
Dinner, including dessert, was a garden meal with the exception of a lovely roast pork tenderloin. Our only contributions to the meal were a savory Marionberry sauce to accompany the pork and a great bottle of Pinot noir we had just been introduced to on a visit to Furioso Vineyards in the Willamette Valley.
Vegetables and berries from the garden. We were in heaven.
With the morning caffeination process well underway, dreams of last evening's garden meal floated through the conversation. A single day's zucchini yield had the look of the over- and underfed members of a long-lost clan. From lithe, one-inch chorizo to those that most closely resembled the size of our upper arms.
With educated eyes and an optimistic spirit, we bid adieu to our friends, three jumbo zucchini tucked underarm, and headed to the farmers market to further extend our moments of retreat.
Here's Essential Zucchini Bread. You will love the texture and flavor…
Essential Zucchini Bread
Yield: 1, 9"x5" loaf | 8 generous servings
I often profess to be a Cuisinart girl, and my love is reaffirmed each time I convert a qualifying cake recipe to processor prep. The super-tender finished product benefits from the fine texture of the shredded zucchini.
While cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg pair beautifully together, consider equal portions of cinnamon and dried thyme, an herb having a strong affinity with zucchini. Or, substitute earthy, citrusy marjoram with the grated zest of one lemon, eliminating the ground nutmeg.
While there is discretion in the quantity of shredded zucchini, the high end of the range (190-200 grams) will cause greater peaking. Totally your preference.
Ingredients
220 grams | 7.7 oz all-purpose flour
4.8 grams | 1 tsp baking powder
2.4 grams | 1/2 tsp baking soda
2.4 grams | 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
3.9 grams | 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon | OR 2 scant teaspoons dried thyme | OR 1 tsp each cinnamon and marjoram with 1 lemon, zested, eliminating the freshly ground nutmeg
0.7 grams | 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (see above)
120 ml | 1/2 C canola oil
100 grams | 3.5 oz light brown sugar
100 grams | 3.5 oz granulated sugar
100 grams | 2 eggs
50 grams | 1.8 oz sour cream
8.6 ml | 2 tsp vanilla extract
175-190 grams | 6.1 - 6.7 oz zucchini, cut in feed tube sized pieces (You can use up to 200 grams. I did, but it will increase peaking.)
Procedure
Preheat conventional oven to 350F. Using pan spray, spray sides and bottom of a standard 9"x5" loaf pan. (Crisco Pan Release preferred.) Set aside.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, lemon zest (if using) and spice(s) to processor bowl. Process until thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove to a separate bowl.
Run zucchini pieces through the shredder blade for the desired weight. There's a bit of play in the ingredient quantity to help in fully utilizing your available vegetable. Remove to a separate bowl.
Add brown and granulated sugar to the processor. Pulse for 10-15 seconds until thoroughly combined. With motor running, drizzle the canola oil through the feed tube, processing for 30 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, processing for 15 seconds after each addition. Add sour cream; pulse to combine. Add vanilla extract.
Add dry ingredients in two additions, pulsing just until flour mixture disappears. Add shredded zucchini, running and pulsing just until it's thoroughly combined. Do not over-process.
Pour into loaf pan, smoothing mixture.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, rotating once after 40 minutes. Zucchini bread is done when a skewer inserted in the center tests for dry crumb (comes out clean).
Allow to cool fully on a rack. When cool, rap sharply on the bottom; the loaf will slide right out. Slice.
Stores well for 4-5 days at room temperature. Optionally, wrap securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Freezes well, cater-wrapped (wrapped in both directions), for 1 month.
Next up… The Remarkable Journey of Lewis & Clark
Buon viaggio!
I love your description of the zucchini in the garden.
Aw, so lovely, this article. I used to grow zucchini and made every kind of food that can be made w/zucchini. Main dishes and desserts. This brought me back in time when i tended a garden. Thank you for sharing. ☺️💕