Pineapple Weed Infused Angel Food Cake

I've been desperate to infuse a cake with elderflower this year.  But there aren't any elder flowers blooming and probably won't be for several more weeks.

I was planning on making an angel food cake for Easter brunch tomorrow, so I just added the pineapple weed infused sugar that I made last week.  I spooned fresh strawberries on top, but it's just as good plain.

Angel food cake is easy to make, but it does take a dozen eggs.  Luckily, I have chickens that produce more than I can use on a daily basis.  Eggs are easier to separate when still cold from the 'fridge, but beat up nicer when they are at room temperature.  I crack my eggs the night before and whip them in the morning.  Do what works best for you.

The nice thing about angel food is that it's a cake that can go 'gluten-free' without much change in texture.  King Arthur flour has a nice recipe that I've used for my gluten free friends here:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free-angel-food-cake-recipe

Here's my recipe:

Whisk together 1 cup unbleached flour and 3/4 of a cup of the pineapple weed sugar in a bowl.  In a large bowl mix 12 large egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Beat until frothy, then add 1.5 teaspoons of cream of tartar.  Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, then add another 3/4 of a cup of the pineapple sugar, adding 1/4 cup at a time.

Fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites.  Try to mix as little as possible so as not to break down the 'loft' of the egg whites.

Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10" angel food cake pan and bake in a preheated oven (325 degrees) on the bottom rack.  The cake should be golden brown on top and spring back when you gently press on it.

Place the cake upside down to cool.  If your pan doesn't have legs, put it over the top of a bottle so as not to crush the top.

Let the cake cool for at least an hour and a half.

To remove from the pan, run a spatula along the sides of the pan. Flip it over and it should drop out pretty easily.

Frost your cake if you like or drizzle it with a chocolate sauce or strawberries.

Pineapple Weed Sugar

I love pineapple weed.  Almost every one I know loves pineapple weed.  People that aren't foragers recognize it too.  I always hear 'Oh, I've always wondered what that was!' when I point it out to students.

Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) is a tough, beautiful little herb that seems to thrive in the worst soils.   Dry dirt driveways, trail heads, well-worn footpaths, these are the places to seek pineapple weed.  And you will be rewarded with a sweet fragrant plant that supplies an almost perfect cup of tea.  Herbally, it's used the same way Chamomile is.  I've often wondered if most of the 'medicine' that comes from a few herbal teas is simply from practicing stillness for a few moments, filling your head with steam as you sip and watching the world go by, just for a few minutes.

I've often tried to 'keep' the flavor of pineapple weed.  Mostly I've been unsuccessful.  The oils dissipate quickly when drying.  Last year, I infused some of the herb in glycerin.  It was good for things like cream cheese frosting, but really was too sweet to use for much else.  This year though, I tried infusing sugar with it and the oils seem to be binding with the sugar.  I am going to use this for glazes and baking.

Mix 1 cup of pineapple weed heads with one cup of sugar.  Run through the blender in small batches.  The sugar will get wet and lumpy from the crushed flower heads.   Spread mix out on a baking sheet and dry.  (It took about two days.)  Occasionally, I broke the chunks up with a fork.

If you don't mind the lumps, you can use it as it is.  Otherwise you can run it through a blender again.

It's a beautiful shade of green and smells so good!

Instant Gratification

OK. I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a way for some of you absolute newbies to get started foraging. So, if you want to play along, try this. If you don't, that's fine. Let's start by looking for one of my favorite little weeds. Oh, it's not a plant that will nourish you if you are starving to death. Nutritionally, it's not a powerhouse. It doesn't really have a lot of edible uses (although I'm working on an ice cream version!). But it is sort of sweet and yummy and one of my favorite ways to relax. My mother used to pick this and make me tea when I was a child. Steep it for 10 minutes in fresh, clean boiled water and add the sweetener of your choice, if you want. It's a very common weed called pineapple weed. The scientific name is Matricaria discoidea and it's very easy to identify. You usually find it in dry, miserable, disturbed soil. Below, I've listed a several links to many pictures. Look for the plant in your yards and driveways (as always, keep in mind what the surrounding area is like. You want to stay away from plants that have been chemically sprayed. Use some common sense. There have been instances where people who allergic to plants in the Aster family are also allergic to this plant) When you find it, post a picture in the album so we can give you a positive id. Please poet decent pictures, not blurry ones. I use the weed by steeping it in hot water and adding a bit of sweetener. It is much like chamomile (and in fact is known as 'wild chamomile') in the sense that it is relaxing and soothing. It's also terrific iced. Here are some pictures and info: http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=11825 http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=11825 http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=11825 Pineapple weed leaves are pinnately dissected. There is a very distinct sweet 'pineappley' odor when you pinch the leaves. My experience with the plant here in California is that at the first hint of summer heat, it disappears. Now get out your 'Botany in a Day' book. Identify the leaf type, the flower type, and learn about the family. Memorize the Latin name. (I cannot emphasize enough to begin to commit the Latin nomenclature to memory. You will find out very quickly that common names are confusing and sometimes dangerous.) It's not rocket science. I used to use homemade flashcards, but then, I'm..uh...wound a bit tight. :o) Some people rub the leaves on their skin to work as an insect repellent. Herbally, my refrences say: Pineapple weed has been used in folk medicine for centuries. The name matricaria is derived from the Latin matrix (uterus), and camomiles have been used for a host of gynaecological disorders. Other uses for pineapple weed have been as a sedative, an anti-inflammatory, an antispasmodic and an anthelmintic. Another constituent is the coumarin herniarin, which has shown a range of biological activities, including haemostatic and anthelmintic properties. Research has also demonstrated antimicrobial activity, with extracts of pineapple weed causing inhibition of aggregation of Escherichia coli cells in vitro. As a treatment for diarrhea, the whole plant was decocted. It is similar to chamomile in many of its medicinal qualities but much milder. It is used for stomachaches, flatulence, as a mild relaxant and for colds and menstrual problems. Externally it can be used for itching and sores. A lot of people dry this herb, but frankly, it seems like a lot of trouble for me since I have regualar chamomile growing in my garden. It's just that regualar chamomile doesn't have the 'sweetness' of pineapple weed. So your choice. So there ya go. Let's see if this works. At least it's a place to start.