So my intention tonight was to blog something like "Twas the night before Easter when all through the house..." but then I realized that there were limited opportunities to insert the word "duck" and then that meant I would not really be able to convey my true feelings towards my attempt in the kitchen in prose.
If I haven't said it recently I will remind everyone now, my mom is a great baker. She makes great cakes, cookies, she rocks at pie crusts, and breads too. I have come to the conclusion that there is just only so much baking expertise to go around in this family. My expertise is cooking. I can whip up a savory sauce for just about anything, my crab cakes rival every restaurants, I stole AB's heart with my spring rolls, and I am a whiz with most veggies - those I like at least. I leave meat to AB, but his skills must stand up to my harshest critique. My baking skills start with cakes (yes, homemade) and stop with cookies even after much time in my mom's kitchen carefully watching her every move with pie crust and bread. Effortless. Why can I not get this? (Those of you who have seen me in the kitchen, don't answer this, I am quite positive it has nothing to do with the fact that measuring cups never leave my drawers.)
Cinnamon Honey Coffeecake. I, on a rare occasion, will make a battered coffeecake but yeasted? Whoa there. This looks intriguing! The Moosewood Desserts cookbook cites this as quick and easy! It cites 30 minutes prep, 1 hour rising and 1 hour baking. My kind of yeasted coffeecake recipe!
Moosewood lies.
Of course other factors may be at play.
1. Yeast don't like heat. Oops. Reproof another batch.
2. Scraped knuckles on grater while zesting an orange hurt an amazing amount.
3. I hate hate hate trying to mix flour and butter "to a coarse grain". Pulled out the food processor, that meant two appliances in use on the one countertop in the kitchen. Tripped the GFI at least 5 times.
4. Stop for dinner. Glare at husband when he asks "what's wrong". (We are now 45 minutes into the 30 minute prep with no end in sight.)
5. "Pour 1/4 of the batter into the first bread pan." Look at bowl. Read again. "Pour 1/4 of the batter into the first bread pan." ... Where's the damn batter? This is dough and there is no way it is pouring.
6. Seperate the dough into four balls and press two flat onto the bottom of the two pans. "Spoon fruit filling into middle of bottom layer of dough" should read "fill the bread pan halfway up with fruit mixture" because I made THAT much by their recipe.
7. How to maintain calm with my nearly 21 month old, very impressionable and bold with mimicry son, sitting in the kitchen as I attempt to "pour the other half of the batter on top of the filling". (Refer to #5.)
8. Covered lightly with saran wrap and threw (I mean 'set nicely') in the already overpacked fridge.
9. Announce to AB it looks like we are having swedies for breakfast tomorrow.
All bakers have my admiration. V, I don't know how you do it baking fresh bread for your family. I would have to be hauled away in a straightjacket.
Onto a happy note... time to set up the basket! Martha doesn't bake yeast breads does she? Naw... never seen it.
(And I never rhymed with duck.)
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