Last night I got several hours free in the kitchen so I made things. To work with your hands at a simple task that creates food from raw ingredients, this is a pure joy for me. I made a new batch of granola, this time with a little maple syrup and vanilla in the honey/oil mixture. There are some crushed walnuts, sliced almonds, and raisins in there as well. This has got to be healthier than store-bought, since I used organic oats, and is definitely cheaper. And it smells heavenly baking in the oven.
I also tried a variation on the basic Tassajara wheat bread. I used half molasses/half honey hoping for a little more color and flavor. Meh, not sure I can tell on either front. I switched flours, to Arrowhead Mills organic whole wheat, which has a sandier feel to it than the Stone Buhr, maybe because it’s stone-ground. I didn’t cover the soaker while it rose, and I worked the bread a bit more forming the final loaves. The bread came out a bit more dense, and I think doesn’t have as much wheaty flavor as the first loaves, though it’s a little better for sandwiches. It may be the flour, so once I use up this Arrowhead I’ll try another type to see if I like it more. Overall this is still my favorite whole wheat bread. Toddler Harbat enjoys it too, especially when it’s slathered with butter and blackberry jam.
Speaking of half-sized people, here’s TH in the recent rain, testing the waterproofing on her raincoat. Success, except for the one exposed area of pantleg which immediately got soaked. C’est la vie.
Here she is working on her artistic grip of the marker. I’ll point out to my artist friend Doug that she’s a natural artist, very loose and expressive! My retirement plan is based solely on the market value of her paintings, so I’ve got to get her started early.
What was I saying? Oh yes, the making of things. Toddler Harbat loves making art, I love baking. Times like this you realize that some of the best things in life are the simplest.
Writer, architect, father, husband.