My Love Of Baking, Especially In Autumn

 

“The measuring and mixing always smoothed out her thinking processes - nothing was as calming as creaming butter - and when the kitchen was warm from the oven overheating and the smell of baking chocolate, she took final stock of where she'd been and where she was going. Everything was fine.”

 
~Jennifer Crusie,

 Maybe This Time

 

I wanna bake. I love baking in autumn. Always. And I got a renewed love for it during the beginning of Covid-19. We were all on lock down, so doing photography was tricky, so I got out the cookbooks, attached myself to baking websites, and binged The Great British Baking Show. That show inspired me so much. I learned to make Pavlova, and scones, and a green tea cake! I even learned to make Christian Dior's Apricot Mousse! It's light and delicious and makes a terrific dessert for after a heavy meal. It's very special. Click the link, and try the recipe! Since I got Covid in late 2021, I have done very little cooking, hubby does it, and he's an amazing cook, he does all his own recipes, but I really miss the creativity of taking ingredients putting them together, and coming up with Nirvana. Its time to get back on the horse! I am looking for something new to try, will it be sweet, or will it be savory?

 

Wait and see! 

 

Pavlova

 

Pastry Swans with Sweet Cream

 

And sometimes I make Dinner 

 

Beef Pot Roast With Sweet Basil Gnocchi

 

What To Say?

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!"

~Dave Barry

Talk about taking the focus off of the true meaning of the holidays! How about stirring up a falsehood about the fictional war on Christmas? Every year since that particular bee flew into Bill O'Reilly's bonnet, we have the conservative right claiming to anyone who would listen, all 4 of them, that there is an all out war on Christmas! And now, because she can't seem to come up with an original idea or observation of her own, Sarah Palin has joined the pack of rabid elephants, sounding the warning cry, just like Paul Revere did before her, "by ringing them bells and firing those warning shots" and proclaiming, you'll never take our Red Ryder BB Gun! In fact, here is an excerpt from Sarah Palin's book, regarding guns, and her present to husband Todd on Christmas 2012...

*"Last year, however, I think I was able to pull off a good one for him. To combat the anti-gun chatter coming from Washington, I surprised him with a nice, needed, powerful gun. I then asked him for a metal gun holder for my four-wheeler. Not only was this small act of civil disobedience fun, it allowed me to finally live out one of my favorite lines from a county song: "he's got the rifle, I got the rack."

~Sarah Palin, from her book, Good Tidings and Great Joy 

Doesn't that just about say  Merry Christmas in the most joyous of ways? She didn't pick out a gift that said, I love you. She didn't choose a gift that reminded Todd of their lives together, or their many blessings. She didn't even consider a gift that reminded him of the simple joys we all have in our lives, most of which can be found just be looking around us. No, she bought Todd a gift that said, FUCK YOU CHILDREN OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY, I FIND MY JOYS IN PANDERING TO THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF THE NRA! 

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Don't ya know?

I don't know about you, but after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, I didn't really feel in the Christmas spirit. I didn't feel in the holiday spirit... or New Year's spirit for that matter! I did do a lot of crying, and signing of petitions, to hopefully put an end to the gun craziness. I prayed that our president and vice president, would finally do something about the Assault Weapons ban. Both men promised to try, both men failed. And relatively speaking, I have heard very little, at least less than I would like, about it since the middle of the year. Poor President Obama... he can't get anything done! At least that's his traditional cop-out. There... I said it!

Look, I am feeling better this year, and this week Alan and I are going to put up the Christmas tree and the yard decorations, life goes on. But for GOD'S sake, and that of the baby Jesus, while we are on the subject, can someone please shut Sarah Palin up for another 27 days or so? Nothing violent of course, just maybe the media could stop covering ever stupid syllable that falls randomly from her uneducated sour mouth. Maybe someone could explain to her that writing a book, about the joys of the holidays, and then fixating on everything that's wrong with people who embrace peace, is nothing more than shameless self promotion and commercialism at it's most vile.

I don't actually believe that there is an accurate word for anyone who would put a FALSE IDOL like a gun, before the safety of a child, but if you can't think of one, feel free to share in this comment thread. All I ask is that it's a real word, and you back up why you believe it to be accurate. It's not enough to know how you feel, you must know why you feel it. Think it through... don't be a Sarah Palin! And whatever you do, embrace this time of year, in your own way, but please consider all the free and simple blessings available every day. 

There is NO war on Christmas. There is however people who will use the season to garner attention, and a buck, for themselves. And by the way, commercialism is exactly as commercial as you make it! You, and only you, have the power to control that! If you feel Sarah's book is the niftiest thing since the Bible, then by all means buy it, and give it to anyone and everyone. But, if buying presents annoys you, make gifts! Think for yourself!

 Now... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

NOTE: As of today, Sarah Palin's book is #615 and has 2 1/2 Stars from Amazon reviews. 

Mood: Weary

~Me :)

Weekend Assignment #293: When Do The Holidays Begin?

From For Ellipsis

"Nothing says holidays like a cheese log."

-Ellen DeGeneres

Weekend Assignment #292: Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving ahead, and Christmas advertising has begun. So how about it? When do the holidays begin for you? Do you avoid thinking about Christmas and Hanukkah until after Thanksgiving, or is any time after Halloween okay? Is it time for Christmas lights in your neighborhood, and do the neighbors agree with you? How about Christmas music? When does that become okay, if ever?

Extra Credit: Have you bought any holiday presents yet? If not, when do you think you'll start?

-Karen, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin.

Holidays begin for us all the way back in May. You see, there is a small rodeo parade here in the East Bay, which is held every Mother's Day weekend, and it is kinda the unofficial kick-off of summer, or at least it is for us. Two weeks later comes Memorial Day, and then my birthday and well, you get the idea. We don't really stop celebrating until January 1st. But if we are talking about the holidays... holidays... then I would have to say, they begin with Halloween.

That is when I get into our storage room and get out all the autumn/winter decorations. I get all of it out at the same time, because it just makes more sense then to lift the boxes over and over every month. Autumn is just one big celebration with Christmas and Hanukkah only barely official winter holidays. I love it. Life is too short to not put up colored lights. Tee Hee. And this year seem especially festive, as all the towns have put up the "Happy Holidays" banners. It's been really cold, so it's really all coming together nicely.

Extra Credit: No, no gift shopping yet. I think gift giving going to be a little sparse this Christmas, which is ok, I am at the age when I have everything I want. Although I am eyeing a "Monster in A Bag" for the boys. They will need something to keep them occupied during the rainy season this winter.

-Carly