From Stale Scraps to Stunning Dishes: New Cookbook Celebrates the Versatility of Breadcrumbs
WASHINGTON – A new cookbook,”All That Crumbs Allow,” by chefs Michelle Marek and camilla Wynne,is showcasing the long-held culinary secret of resourceful cooks: transforming leftover bread into delicious meals. The book draws inspiration from peasant traditions around the world, where minimizing waste was essential.
Marek, a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from communist Czechoslovakia, emphasizes the cultural significance of utilizing every part of the loaf.”To waste food was absolutely not allowed,” she said.
The practice of using breadcrumbs isn’t limited to one cuisine. “The Italians knew it. The Greeks do it. Any culture that has bread has used breadcrumbs,” Marek explained.
Beyond simply stretching ingredients, breadcrumbs enhance texture and moisture. The cookbook features innovative recipes like a pumpernickel black forest torte, breadcrumb-filled roast chicken, and even breadcrumb-boosted granola and sweet cheese dumplings.
One recipe highlighted in the report involves sweet cheese dumplings made with torn-up bread, farmer cheese, sugar, and eggs. unlike flour-based batters, Marek notes, breadcrumb batters are forgiving. “It’s a fluffy thing as they do act like tiny sponges,” she said. The dumplings are finished with toasted breadcrumbs, traditionally made by smashing dried bread in a Ziploc bag or between tea towels with a rolling pin – though NPR’s Deena Prichep opted for a cheese grater.
Marek stresses that this isn’t a cuisine of deprivation,but a celebration of conversion. “The miracle of nothing transformed into something,” she said, reflecting a principle understood by peasant cultures for generations.
