“As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible.” Ann Voskamp
My body is tired but my heart is full as we step into this Thanksgiving week, which around here is the week my friend Jackie got married (yesterday!), the week of my dad’s birthday (tomorrow!), the week before The Einkorn Cookbook comes out and, also notably in blog terms, the week we’re going to a virtual Friendsgiving and bringing these breadsticks topped with J.Q. Dickinson salt. Today’s post, with a recipe adapted from our cookbook that comes out a week from today, is part of a series of posts happening this week where bloggers are all bringing something to the table that features this artisanal, hand-harvested salt made in West Virginia. And after a hectic summer and fall where blogging was on the back burner most of the time, I’m thankful to have more moments to spend in the kitchen making things like these, and to get to come share photos and thoughts about them with you here.
I love a good slice or piece of bread, as was evidenced by the loaf of ancient grains I carried in my bridesmaid bag yesterday, and these breadsticks are not only that, but they are also a little fancified with their long, slim shapes and pretty dustings of rosemary and salt. They’re best fresh out of the oven, which is when I have no problem eating four or five at a time. For a dinner party, it’d be ideal to bake them just before your friends arrive. But whether you make these for a random Monday or a holiday table, I hope you’ll try them because they’re simple and salty and such a nice accompaniment to any meal.
The past few months while we’ve been blogging less, there’s been a lot of discussion in the online world about blogging, the value of blogging, the burnout of blogging, the sustainability of continuing to write and publish posts for years or even decades of time. Maybe you’ve seen some of it. I understand the different sides of the argument—the readers who feel they’re owed something for consistently tuning in and turning little sites into huge ones, the writers who feel they cannot keep up with this demand for constant New while also working jobs and raising kids and trying to maintain some privacy—and for what it’s worth I just wanted to share our current view on this space.
When I think of the blog, I feel grateful, both for a place to practice and for the gifts that have come as a result of that habit. I don’t feel pressure—not to make everyone happy, not to live up to a certain standard, not to keep up with anyone or any trend or any award-giving entity that tells us we’re doing a good job. If you ask me how many readers we have, I won’t know. I do know we have good readers, the kind who are wiling to read rambling stories and strong opinions alongside recipes for real foods, and that we’re thankful for every chance to touch their lives and let their lives touch ours. I also know that asking how many readers we have has always felt to me like the wrong question. I see great value in meaningful connection, the kind that brings would-be strangers together on Thanksgiving week to make foods with a common theme, to support a company with a worthy mission and product like J.Q. Dickinson’s salt (and I hope you’ll read more about them below). But really I see great value in people, whether they are bloggers or not. So our thoughts on blogging or not blogging are that we want this blog to always, ever, be a place that pushes towards that which is meaningful and away from that which is not, a place where we get to add value to the lives of people who come here and show friends and strangers small kinds of love.
Salted Rosemary Einkorn Breadsticks
Makes 13 to 16 long breadsticks
Adapted from The Einkorn Cookbook
Ingredients:
for the breadsticks:
1 cup (235 ml) warm water (100 to 100°F [37 to 43° C])
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons [9g]) active dry yeast
4 teaspoons (18g) coconut sugar, or honey, divided
3 1/2 cups (438g) all-purpose einkorn flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tablespoons (42g) butter, cold and cubed
Olive oil, for oiling bowl and as needed
for the topping:
1 to 2 tablespoons salt
1 to 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 teaspoon coconut sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes in a warm place, until frothy and bubbly. Stir in einkorn flour, remaining sugar, salt and rosemary, until mixture becomes a floppy, haggard dough. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two forks; the dough will not look or behave like pie dough, so you’re not shooting for the butter to be small pebbles throughout; rather, cut in the butter until all of its pieces are broken up and small, spread throughout, quickly and lazily. Form mixture into ball, kneading and working it together right in the bowl, about 2 or 3 minutes. If the dough seems to dry to bring together, keep kneading and add a little bit of water or olive oil if necessary; if it seems too wet, add a little bit of flour. Place soft ball of dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and let rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C, or gas mark 7) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off 2” balls of dough, and roll them into 10” long logs that are roughly one-inch-thick. Place logs on parchment paper.
Sprinkle rosemary and salt on top of breadsticks and bake for about 15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Serve warm.
Breadsticks are best eaten fresh but may be kept in an airtight container for up to a day.
About Shanna Mallon
Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.
I love the taste of sweet and salty together. I like to add sea salt to my rice pudding, pancakes, breads, etc.
Always happy to see a new post even if life doesn’t allow for me to leave a response 😉 I’m excited to tune in and hear what you are thinking. I love salting a chicken to roast or veggies for the oven. I’m taking quite a few things for thanksgiving and I’m most excited about pies, but also I’m loving Catrie Vitt’s cranberry and orange kale salad. Aaannnddd patiently waiting for Christmas for my copy of the cookbook (or maybe rather impatiently – haha). Happy Thanksgiving week, friend! Hope it’s sweet to you in so many ways!
I make my own herb salts from garden grown offerings and kosher salt. My husband loves these for his nightly popcorn!
What a lovely salt and great recipe! When I have a salt this great, I mainly use it to give dishes “the final touch”. I think you’ve done a beautiful job in highlighting the salt, Shanna.
Have a lovely, hopefully not too stress filled Thanksgiving week!
I love salt on most meals, but especially in guacamole. And I’m bringing sweet potatoes to Thanksgiving. Miss you, Shanna!
Is it too late to add these to my Thanksgiving menu? Did we order enough einkorn flour to cover both these AND the pie crusts? These are the important questions of our time.
Love you, Shanna.
I salt everything! I’m a little ashamed to admit it but I do! I don’t have high blood pressure either; that it causes it is a a crock!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
-Paige
so fun to be part of friendsgiving with you! breadsticks for all 🙂 and hugs.
I am very thankful for your blog post today. God gives us the charge to be a blessing to our generation. Sharing your love of His gifts of nutritious food is very helpful to me. I already have your COOKBOOK! Yes, I am shouting because I love it! I pre ordered it on Amazon and I am so thankful. I have made your biscotti and we love them! I have been grain free, sugar free and wheat free for over 6 months now. I have been researching einkorn for quite a bit of time. I have scoured the web and other blogs looking for useful recipes and over all tips in working with this ancient grain. So when I found your cookbook pre release I scanned through it on Amazon and immediately ordered it. Thank you! We have tried emmer and einkorn from various places and Jovial’s einkorn wins hands down.I have milled my own flour from the berries and bought the AP einkorn and I must say their product performs better than the others.
So please keep blogging as the Lord gives you opportunity knowing that we are thankful.
These breadsticks look lovely Shanna – and I love what you said about blogging. I came to the blogging game a bit late – having just started Bread + Barrow four months ago!- but I think the root of writing and sharing recipes will always be the same. It isn’t about followers, like you said, its about making those connections and sharing what you are passionate about. If that gets you thousands of followers, great. If it gets you a cookbook deal, awesome. If it connects you with just one more person that makes a difference in your life, that is success. Happy Thanksgiving Shanna – and happy friendsgiving too – so happy to share this one with you!
I love a sprinkle of salt over a fresh baked sweet potato topped with nuts & a dark brown sugar molasses
Oh Shanna! From the bottom of heart I’m so happy and excited for all the lovely things in your life, new house that your making a beautiful home, celebrating love and family, a COOKBOOK! Life is good! Happy friendsgiving!
Congrats on being so close to book launch – it’s such an exciting time. If these breadsticks are an indicator of what else you’re cooking up in those pages, I can’t wait to see it!
My favorite way to use salt is in homemade granola – such a delicious treat! Would love some JQD to try in my next batch.
Congratulations, Lauren K., you are the salt winner! Emailing you now.
i don’t celebrate thanksgiving with all it’s excessiveness and over indulgence but rather try to be grateful on a daily basis for so multiple little things and experiences in my life.
I am always thankful for your posts and for the wisdom and grace that your words always impart. Happy thanksgiving to you guys!
Lovely breadsticks! I am a fan of sea salt on foccacia.
Shanna, friend, I loved your thoughts on blogging. So many times it’s easy for bloggers to get caught up with statistics and feel our blogging worth measured in google analytics standards. It’s tough to break out of that mindset, but like you said – there is much more meaning in building relationships with those who read, and feedback, and I’m always grateful for bloggers like you who constantly inspire.
sending much love this thanksgiving.
Those breadsticks look delicious! I love bread….
For Thanksgiving this year, I am cooking most of the items, helping ease the load on my mom, who has rheumatoid arthritis. I’m bringing roast turkey, cochinita pibil with pickled onions, dressing, green bean bundles and green bean casserole, burgundy mushrooms, deviled eggs, roasted broccoli and roasted baby carrots, Greek panzanella, and baklava. Wow! I didn’t realize how much it was til I typed it all out! LOL
Happy Thanksgiving Tim and Shanna! Enjoy your feast in your new home – it is always a gift to have a place to call home and then to open it to others. As for salt, I had to giggle when I read this post. We discovered the world of salt several years ago with a gift from my brother in law of salts from around the world (Pacific Rim, Sicilian, French, Mexican, Northern England) and have been happily salting our foods internationally ever since. For today’s feast of plenty, Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and topped off with some flavor of salt on the shelf. We joke that rather than a salt cellar, I have a salt attic on the top shelf of my cooking cabinet where I store the jars of salt that I use to replenish the smaller vessels that sit on a counter.
I’m bringing Spelt dinner rolls to Thanksgiving. Rising as I write. Have to try them with Einkorn next time…
Salt is so important in my cooking and I love to use it when I make homemade dressings as well as when I cook any kind of meat.