the Home Baking project
Here's the reality of having a toddler and a new baby. You spend a good share of your time, say 50%, either changing, rinsing or washing diapers. You learn how to refill a juice cup, make a peanut butter and graham cracker sandwich, and assemble a wooden train track all while breastfeeding. You find that you can indeed carry both children and a diaper bag across an icy parking lot. You wish you had a dishwasher. You discover patience you never thought you had, particularly when your toddler repeats the same words over and over. And over. And. Over. ("Socks!" "Boots!" "Anya!" "Mom-mom, mom-mom, mom!") Just when you have to use the bathroom, one spits up, the other falls and hurts his hand, and they both start to cry. You are stunned by their beauty and their sweetness.
Such is my life at the moment, and truth be told, I'm fairly happy with it.
But, as if I didn't have enough to do already, I've decided that I need a project, so I've taken one on. My mom called me up the other day with the idea of baking every recipe in the book Home Baking.* (Yes, the idea is somewhat a mimicry of the woman who cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking, which she chronicled in Julie and Julia, which I recommend as a very entertaining read.) There are lots of recipes in that book, but by golly we're going to do every single one. It might take a while, but that's okay. It will be fun, it will give my mom and me a chance to do something together even though we live far apart (sniff), it will undoubtedly make me a better baker, and if nothing else, it will be, at times, good blog material (particularly when - not if - I screw something up.)
I call this The Home Baking Project, and I'm officially starting this weekend with the Treacle Tart.
*(BTW, I think this is one of the most beautiful books I own. The authors, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, travel around the world photographing people and food, and then they publish these amazing recipe/travel/photography books. I also have Hot Sour Salty Sweet. If nothing else, go get yourself a copy of one of their books from your local public library and look through it just for the pictures and food writing. You won't be sorry.)
Such is my life at the moment, and truth be told, I'm fairly happy with it.
But, as if I didn't have enough to do already, I've decided that I need a project, so I've taken one on. My mom called me up the other day with the idea of baking every recipe in the book Home Baking.* (Yes, the idea is somewhat a mimicry of the woman who cooked her way through Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking, which she chronicled in Julie and Julia, which I recommend as a very entertaining read.) There are lots of recipes in that book, but by golly we're going to do every single one. It might take a while, but that's okay. It will be fun, it will give my mom and me a chance to do something together even though we live far apart (sniff), it will undoubtedly make me a better baker, and if nothing else, it will be, at times, good blog material (particularly when - not if - I screw something up.)
I call this The Home Baking Project, and I'm officially starting this weekend with the Treacle Tart.
*(BTW, I think this is one of the most beautiful books I own. The authors, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, travel around the world photographing people and food, and then they publish these amazing recipe/travel/photography books. I also have Hot Sour Salty Sweet. If nothing else, go get yourself a copy of one of their books from your local public library and look through it just for the pictures and food writing. You won't be sorry.)
Comments
life with 2 is quite the adjustment, but i imagine you're doing it with grace. for me, it only got easier as time passed.
I wish I could hear all Daniel's new words. Even if they are repeated endlessly and somewhat annoying. ;)
Wish I could meet the kids...