Bread for All!

Photo by Valerie Rodgers Lugonja

"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?"

Julia Child

 

"In Paris today millions of pounds of bread are sold daily, made during the previous night by those strange, half-naked beings one glimpses through cellar windows, whose wild-seeming cries floating out of those depths always makes a painful impression. In the morning, one sees these pale men, still white with flour, carrying a loaf under one arm, going off to rest and gather new strength to renew their hard and useful labor when night comes again. I have always highly esteemed the brave and humble workers who labor all night to produce those soft but crusty loaves that look more like cake than bread."

Alexandre Dumas, French writer (1802-1870)

Here is the humble worker who made that great bread (assisted by his "hand maiden" yours truly).

Photo by Valerie Rodgers Lugonja

We had the pleasure of making bread for Slow Food Edmonton's First Solstice Supper last week to accompany a succulent roast pig.  Our hosts Valerie and Vanja hosted a wonderful repast, and Slow Food members brought fantastic dishes that were enjoyed by all.  We thought we would share our bread making day with you in pictures.  It took almost the whole day and some "starter" time all week to make 12 loaves of bread.  We sooooo won't be doing this for a living,  but are thankful that some gallant souls still do, to provide bread for us!

It's Just Another Zero

It happened again.  The year on the calendar flipped over to a new number.  It has a zero on the end again.  Didn't it just have a zero a few years ago? What a difference a decade makes.  We were planning for the Y2K (soon to be non) event.  I was hedging my bets then, that nothing would happen on that New Years Eve.  I didn't even stockpile any food or water.   I was on call that night.....just in case the hospitals were overloaded and I had to go in and make sandwiches. Isn't that what we all do when a catastrophe happens.......make sandwiches? We even had battery operated head lights to navigate through the darkened halls.  I should have snuck one of those home and took it out and wore it on this New Years Eve!  But, I was at the top of a hotel, listening to a great band and dancing like it was 1989.

I try not to make resolutions.  Beating myself up for all of the things I don't do is already a hobby of mine and I don't need to add any more ammunition for that battle.  I just whisper to myself now and then that I need to watch my inputs and outputs, make sure I am always learning something, and  tell the people that share my life how great they are. I think  that 2010 will be an awesome year.  Even better than 2009, which was stupendous! 

The first dessert of 2010 was a recipe from the great dessert blog tartelette.  Just browsing through her site is sure to bring a smile to your face, even if you don't attempt the recipes yourself.

Here is my journey through her recipe for Poached Pear and Almond Fallen Souffle Cakes.

Happy New Year!