This one is for all of you who love mixes. Don’t worry: you’re not alone!
From time to time when I bake for people, they ask if I used a mix. I’m never sure how to take that question, other than to find it rude. The thing is, I bake mostly without mixes, or as a layperson would put it, “from scratch.” But when I use mixes, I usually doctor them or put them into a form for which they weren’t intended.
Have you ever visited D.C. in the springtime?
If you have, you know all about the cherry blossoms. The trees are beyond gorgeous, with little delicate pink blossoms sprinkled all over the tidal basin. It’s so lovely. It’s also mega-crowded. The tourists come from everywhere to see the blossoms, and it’s almost impossible to walk. People just shuffle along, elbow to elbow, taking awkward selfies.
Still, cherry blossoms in D.C. mean spring, warm breezes, and fun cookie flavors. How could I not try to put all that cherry blossom aura into a cookie? So I did.
The other day, my school was on lockdown.
Yep, that scary thing that happens when a dangerous criminal is on the loose and everyone locks doors, closes blinds, covers door windows with a black sheet of construction paper, and waits in the dark for the all-clear signal.
I love how different cultures wind up making such similar foods.
For instance, almost every culture I know has a potato, meat or cheese-filled pastry of some kind. We call them different names, but they’re all delicious. And while Italians call a particular kind of cookie “biscotti,” people of Jewish descent call a very similar cookie “mandel bread.”
Nosebleeds can really interfere with your dignity.
I was teaching yesterday when all of my students started giving me this funny look. It took me a second longer to realize that blood was freely gushing out of my nose (I’m a very enthusiastic bleeder). Like the cool teacher I am, I grabbed the tissues and kept on talking about Nick and Gatsby and Daisy. But honestly, with literal blood on my hands, I don’t think I recovered very well. There went that class. I’ll do better next time.
Do you ever go overboard and then regret it?
Of course you do. We all do. It’s part of being human. And unfortunately, a necessary side effect of eating Chinese takeout.
Yesterday, Kenny happened to be near my favorite Chinese restaurant, so we got takeout. That’s pretty rare, since I cook my family dinner almost every night. I got way too excited and ordered much more food than I could actually eat without feeling totally sick in the morning. And sure enough, I think I went one or two pieces of sesame chicken too far.
Happy Pi Day!
No, I’m not confused. I realize that I’m four days late. It happens, okay?
Here’s the thing. It’s always so much more fun to celebrate a holiday once it’s over. Example: your birthday comes and goes, but there’s that one friend who forgot or was out of town, so they take you out a week later and celebrate. It’s so nice to keep the party going!
Soda bread has always been a problem.
You see, most soda breads are made with raisins (good) and caraway seeds (bad). I do not like caraway seeds. Something about their flavor, not to mention their hard little texture, really throws me off. I’ve never been a fan, and I’ve tried them plenty.
Seedless rye breads are delicious, though. As are seedless soda breads. Especially when you remove all the usual fillings and put chocolate chips there instead. Sacrilege, you say? Too bad. I’m going to enjoy St. Patrick’s my way!
Every now and then, I like to ask myself deep questions or share them with friends. I’ve done this before, but here I go again:
-How does available space get filled so fast?
-Why doesn’t healthy food taste like brownies?
-If a tree falls in the forest and we think there’s nobody to hear, did it maybe crush the one person who was out for an early morning stroll?
-How do you keep small children occupied on endless snow days when you’re all trapped together in the house?
I have very few answers, but the last one has to be projects, projects, projects. Keep those little hands busy!
Yes, I realize I’ve been posting a lot of Girl Scout cookie recipes. No, I am not done. Deal with it.
Boy, did that come out rude, especially to my (very valued) readers who are not American and have no idea what this stupid Girl Scout cookie craze is about, anyway. I do apologize. And I can always suggest substitutes if you can’t get the cookies. But you have to understand something.
Girl Scout cookies are America, people. And I’m an American food blogger. If I were a French food blogger, I’d be doing a lot more with delicate pastry dough and awesome macarons.
