“Baking is love Made Visible”
Hello my Foodie Friends!
It is the beginning of November and the holidays are right around the corner. In the first days of November, many of us will start planning holiday dinners and baking. While many people start counting down the shopping days left until Christmas, we may be counting the number of Saturdays we have to bake this season and also have to start menu planning for the several big family dinners we will host over the next two months. First thing to do is make a good, old fashioned list. Write down every dish you think you’d like to have for a holiday dinner, or if it’s about baking, then every item you want to bake. A list always helps to drill down to exactly what will be on the menu or what to bake. It is such a wonderful time to bake some of our favorite recipes. Recipes that include; apples, plums, cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel can be features in warm and comforting cakes and desserts. Time to start getting ready for baking season!
How many of us have memories of baking as a child? I have to give my mother credit. Having five children running around the house and trying to get us all to join in to make an afterschool treat was not always a successful feat. Her methodology would include giving each of us an assigned duty with a designated spot in the kitchen. One thing to realize when baking with kids, is that it will be messy…it’s ok! My mother would take a deep breath and carry on as flour went flying or an egg hit the floor or the wall. Selecting which recipe to make included having to use some argumentation skills. What my mother did instead was to let us select two or three recipes, and then put on the calendar when we would make them. When the final product came out of the oven smelling delicious, the five of us would be so proud of what we accomplished. The best part of the experience was sharing what we made with friends in the neighborhood or bringing it to visit another family member, or even just taking about the experience at the dinner table that evening. My mother would smile, even if the experience made her crazy.
There are many wonderful holiday traditions to bring in your home to help you embrace this beautiful season. Baking with your family is one of those traditions. As the weather cools, now is the time to get into the kitchen and start baking up a storm. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place to help with the baking supplies you will need to have fun making your creations from baking pans, to rolling pins, measuring cups, spoons, spatulas, whisks, bowls, cookie cutters, scoops…you get the idea! Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen”.
Take Care,
John & Paula
