While wandering through town at sunset, I was struck by the need to write. To check in, here. To say hello, and that everything is splendid. Every other trip I’ve written about in this space has been short: a few days, or my first time in Europe- for three weeks. But this isn’t just a trip. It’s an adventure. I’ve been here, studying French in the French Alps for just shy of a month. I have a routine. I’m in tune with the rhythm of this place (more or less!). Most of all, I feel completely at peace.

There has been good, bad and wonderful while I’ve been here. The bad is short, but made me realize the distance from home fairly suddenly, when my cat was hit by a car. When I read those words, my heart fell. My eyes flooded, and before long, I was wandering to a new friend’s apartment searching for a hug. Boy, I miss that girl. She always knew how to make me smile. I love you, Magic.

Besides a touch of altitude sickness, everything else has been great. My classes can be tough, but I’m adoring this struggle. I’m relishing in those awkward moments where I search for a word, or do charades to explain what I’m trying to say. It feels right. I don’t think I’ve ever loved making mistakes as I do here. Tripping over my words, stumbling. Français is my job, currently. Even with my incredibly limited vocabulary and basic français, it’s magic. Everyday, I hear more. I understand even just one more word, one more turn of phrase.

By no means do I expect to be fluent, but I’m slowly becoming comfortable with the language. Comfortable with buying groceries, asking for vegetables at the market, and communicating with those around me, in this foreign tongue.

So often, I find myself walking. Sometimes, it’s en route to school. Others, I let my feet guide me and my eyes wander. I marvel at the cobblestones or the mountains as they turn pink at sunset. Every time, I see something new. Just the other day, I realized I have at least 3 chocolatiers within a two-minute walk of my front door, and that I haven’t set foot in any of them. That’s something I need to remedy soon.

Speaking of chocolate, one of my weekends here, I popped up to Switzerland. I’m still in disbelief that the phrase Switzerland for the weekend can be part of my life for a little while. Anyways, I went to visit Jenn. My darling friend, who lives with her husband Ryan en Suisse. Oui! C’est vrai! (Ahem. Sorry. We’ve been doing affirmations in class.)

We spent the weekend wandering through markets and visiting Chateau de Chillon, while not cooking and eating. We ate so well that weekend. From divine macarons and a selection of exquisite chocolate to homemade tomato sauce and incredible pancakes. Flavour, in each bite. My belly was happy, and my heart was full of beautiful scenes and great conversation. Thank you, Jenn and Ryan, for that weekend.

It’s funny. As much as I have so much to say, I’m also just starting to experience it all. I don’t know where to start. The biggest tales are still unfolding, memories yet to be lived. Right now, it’s the moments that shine through.

When a man stopped me in the street, asking about a bus, and I could answer him. I could speak to him, and even though I got one or two things confused, I answered all of his questions. He did say “thank you” rather than «merci», but that in itself was kind. He let me speak en français, even with my glaringly anglophone accent.

The jeune garçon, zipping by on his scooter, saying “Ding-dong! Ding-dong!” Even the French folks ahead of me were surprised, joking about getting the door.

When l’homme qui m’a vendu la fromage sold me exactly €10,00 worth of cheese. Speaking of cheese, all of the dairy is seriously good here. Like… totally. And all of a sudden I sound like an awkward teenager (well…. I am. A bit. Okay, more than a bit. Okay, I’m going to stop talking now. Okay, like yeah. Like totally.) That’s how good the dairy is. It makes me lose my real words. Don’t even get me started on the yaourt. I’m mildly obsessed. Scratch the mild. I’m obsessed. Especially yaourt nature avec confiture myrtilles sauvages stirred in. Yes. Oui. Get on that.

Skiing in -25°C in the Alps. Each time the chairlift pulled us over a peak, we had another sunrise. I must have seen 5 sunrises that day. I was spoiled, even if I was frozen to the bone. Not to mention, with ice crystals in the air, we skied through a few clouds of glitter. The whole world was sparkly. It’s hard not to romanticize a glittery world, where the Alps are every direction you look, raw and strong as they cut into the sky.

In stark contrast, skiing this past weekend meant taking off excess layers, and a few moments of reclining on chaises soaking up the sun before continuing our run. Besides the altitude sickness I got from the 2000+ meter change through the day, it was beautiful.

With that, I’m here. Ma vie en France has just begun. I flew out here on January 30th: the day that marked four years since my celiac diagnosis. Four years since my life changed in a huge way, allowing the possibility of health. This past 30 janvier, I changed my life in a huge way. Both of those changes have been huge, incredibly fulfilling ones. I’m grateful for both the one that was handed to me, and this one, that I chose and chased.

Dream big. Happy Leap Day, my friends.

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

I think Spring is my favourite season. Come summer, when the sun is high and school is out, or come fall when the leaves are alight in beautiful colours, or even come the start of winter when glittering snow starts to fall, I may change my mind. I have a soft spot for each season, and luckily I get to enjoy all of them where I live. But spring? It’s a time for new things. It’s when seeds are planted and beauty ensues. It’s also a time for new beginnings. I figure it’s a good time to tell you about a few things.

This Sunday, on April 10th 2011, I’ll be speaking at the Calgary Celiac Association’s Annual General Meeting .

Then, this May I’ll be speaking on a panel at BlogHer Food 2011 in Atlanta, with my dear friends Elissa, Hannah, Kamran and Tessa! Will you be there? I’d love to know!

But right now? It’s time for the second Gluten-Free Ratio Rally. This month is hosted by Silvana of Silvana’s Kitchen, and we’re giving you quickbreads. (Last month was pancakes, where I made vegan whole grain ones!). A whole bunch of recipes, a whole bunch of outlooks, and a lovely ratio. Ratios are measurements by weight, which allow us to switch out flours and flavours really easily. You can choose from any of the recipes or piece one together of your own. Ratios make things simple and really quite fun! The ratio of this recipe is 2:2:1:1:1 of Flours : Liquid : Fat : Eggs : Sugar. In my case, I used the ratio of 8 ounces : 8 ounces : 4 ounces : 4 ounces : 4 ounces. Add some baking powder, salt, flavourings and add-ins and you’re good to go!

I decided to make a cocoa quickbread. It’s a little different (but I certainly don’t mean that in a bad way!). Cocoa lends depth and little chocolate chips add swirls of sweetness. It’s a touch sweet, but also savoury. Something that won’t give you a toothache from the sugar yet also has sweet tones. I don’t think I’m explaining it too well. My dad said it was a “savoury chocolate cake – the kind of cake I like.” I think of it as an ideal afterschool snack: it’s complex, chocolatey and not overly sweet. From dessert to breakfast, I think it can fit into any category pretty well! Best of all, it’s easy. Especially if you have a scale.

I developed this recipe on the scale, so I unfortunately don’t have volume measurements. I tried to include the volume measurements, but honestly they were much too vague for my liking, with heaping and scant measurements. Not that you have to buy a scale, but I’ve found myself switching over more and more to them. It’s simpler and makes my baking flow better. Best of all, it means less dishes! You can find them fairly inexpensively, too. Whenever I make recipes I’ve written about in the past, I don’t bother with the cup measurements, opting for the mass ones almost without exception.

And plus, it’s spring! Perfect time to try something new, whether it’s one of these quickbreads or testing out a scale. In fact, why not do something big, and go for whatever you’ve been putting off? Monica Bhide wrote this beautiful post about how someday never comes that really pulled on a lightswitch in my head.

I love it when the light surprises me. This was taken at five, and the sun didn’t go down for ages after that. Spring is certainly in the air.

I loved this. When you sliced into it, the chocolate chips still were melted. They danced between melted and not in such a way that you didn’t notice them until you felt their smooth sweetness on your tongue.

I saw a beach over spring break. Well, actually I saw many. San Diego is beautiful this time of year. Perhaps I’ll tell you about that trip sometime.

And yes, I wore my boots on the beach. It was a foggy day and the beach we walked on was hard enough that you didn’t sink in. I was mesmerized by the patterns made in the sand. Nature is certainly a beautiful thing.

The tiny blooms caught my breath. Calgary is still covered in snow, slowly turning the snowbanks into rivers as it melts at varying speeds. But there, down in Southern California? It was spring (bordering on summer, in my books!).

These flowers took my breath away. There were so many, and the tree (bush?) was so thick. Small blooms or large, big changes or small, Spring is a time of growth. So go for it, whatever your it may be!

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

When a whole bunch of people join together to spread their combined passion, it’s infectious. Ideas bubble and concepts grow. Friendships bloom and possibilities morph into realities. It’s true with The Kitchen Generation, and it’s true with this. Today, a whole bunch of innovative gluten-free bloggers and I are introducing something new. The Gluten-Free Ratio Rally.

We’re rallying together to discover wonderful ratios for the baked goods that you love. Ratios of flours to fats to liquid. Ratios that determine bread from muffins, and pasta from pâte à choux. We’re here to give you a huge bunch of options, so you can decide which you would enjoy the most. We’re also here to show you that you can do it too. When we work with ratios, it’s easy to make substitutions, as everything is done by weight. (If that scares you away – please don’t go! I’ve included the volume measurements as well in my recipe. However, you may just find as I have that baking by weight can be so much easier. Fewer cups to wash, too!)

In the interest of having fun and providing you with a boatload of options, we each have a different flavour, and a different aim. I was looking for something that a certain person could enjoy. Something whole-grain, and fairly fluffy. Not a thin pancake, but one where you can taste the complexities of the whole grains. Something that no one would ask warily “Just what was in that?!” These did just what I was looking for. They made a lovely breakfast, with a quality that I remember from the wheat-laden pancakes I used to make weekly.

One of my mom’s friends cannot tolerate gluten, eggs, dairy or certain oils. All she wanted was pancakes, so Diane, these are for you. Fluffy, multi-grain, vegan (well, I used cow buttermilk, but the switch is one of the easiest substitutions I know), lovely. They disappeared in a hurry in my house. I hope you like them too.

Now, this isn’t a solo effort. Shauna, the darling Gluten-Free Girl organized all of this – bringing us together and even getting a logo created by lovely Anile. (I love that it looks like floured hands were rolling it. Beautiful). We have many pancakes for you. In fact, if I didn’t have school, I’d be making one of these each meal until I had tried them all. They look so good, and knowing their creators, they are.

See? It’s sort of an airy, thick batter. Not the most fluid, certainly not liquidy. If you add more liquid after though, it’s okay to deflate some of the bubbles. There’s double-acting baking powder in there, and the heat kicks that second part into gear!

My ratio ended up being 4 : 6 : 1.6 : 0.8 of flour:liquid:egg (replacer):fat, or 4 : 6.8 : 1.6 : 0.8 if you added extra liquid. We all played with somewhat different ratios, based on different original sources and whatnot. It all depends on what you’re going for. With the bunch of leavener in these, this worked. Fluffy, but thick. Comfortable, yet new.

Thick, beautiful. When flipped, they become a fraction less tall. They certainly don’t lose any flavour though!

Pancakes. Served in Pajamas, always. At my house, the stack rarely makes it to this height. The moment the first one hits the pan, there’s a line-up.

I spread some warm jam on these. Whatever your favourite is. I’m a particular fan of Apricot-Peach (note to self: learn how to make that come summertime). This was seedless strawberry. Now, I’m always a big fan of maple syrup too. You have lots of decisions to make.

I told my dad and brother that they were egg-free (and almost vegan!) afterwards. They shrugged, it didn’t matter what was in them – just that they tasted good. These are good pancakes. No pretenses, as it should be.

When I asked mom what I should call these (because the name I have is not the most eloquent, but c’est la vie!). She said “good” and “disappearing”. The Good Disappearing Pancakes. That they are!

This one is for you.

While I certainly have a bunch of pancake recipes here – from a fluffy ratio-based one to pumpkin to quinoa flake, this is a community event. Go check out these lovely people, and their pancakes.

Tara from A Baking Life.
Karen from Cooking Gluten-Free.
Silvana from Dishtowel Diaries.
Irvin from Eat the Love.
Britt from GF in the City.
Lisa at Gluten-Free Canteen.
Shauna from Gluten-Free Girl.
Kate from Gluten-Free Gobsmacked.
Jenn from Jenn Cuisine.
Erin from The Sensitive Epicure.
Carol from Simply Gluten-Free.

Now, it’s your turn. Go. Play with ratios. The possibilities are endless. From the ones you see above to a concoction of your own. You can do it. Just go for it. We’re here to help.

Also, you can follow and tweet about this with the hashtag #gfreerally. We’ll be doing it monthly, figuring out all sorts of goodness!

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

Twenty eleven. Can you believe it’s this time already? The last half of 2010 seemed to evaporate into thin air, leaving fuzzy memories of days that all rolled into one. Or was that just me? Anyways. 2011 is here. And we can take it wherever we want to go. I get a little bit giddy with the possibilities of a new year. Let’s make 2011 great, okay?

To get this wonderful new year started off (well, besides the fireworks and champagne), I’m hosting Go Ahead Honey It’s Gluten-Free! I’m sure some of you are very familiar with this monthly event but in case you aren’t (or would like a refresher), here goes: Go Ahead Honey It’s Gluten-Free (or GAHIGF as it’s affectionately known) is a monthly event created by the wonderful Naomi Devlin, who writes Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried (which was one of the first gluten-free blogs I remember ever finding). Each month a theme is chosen and based on that theme, bloggers create gluten-free dishes. Then, the host (which this month happens to be me!) posts a round up of all the gluten-free wonderfulness at the end of the month. Awesome, right?

Now! Before my gluten-eating friends turn away, your blog does not have to be gluten-free! All are welcome. The only requirements are that it fits the theme and that the particular recipe is gluten-free. Easy, no?

So, now you’re probably wondering what my theme is. Well, to get the new year going, I thought that a theme of Follow the Calendar would be fun. What does that mean? Simple. I find I’m always the last to find out about food holidays. You know – Nutella Day, Chocolate Cake Day, Pancake Day, whatever. I know they may not be real holidays, but they are most definitely fun! So, write a post (that links back to this post) with a gluten-free recipe for one of January’s “holidays”. It would be cool to post the recipe on that holiday, so your readers can celebrate the day with you, but making the recipe on the holiday would also be lovely! If you’re wondering what the January holidays are, here are a few lists. If you wanted to make a recipe which celebrates the month (I think it’s Bread Machine Baking Month, Candy Month, Soup Month, etc) that would also be great! Just stay away from Wheat Bread Month. That one is clearly a no-go.

Once you’ve posted the post (with a link back to this one, so others can join in the fun), send me an email to celiacteen (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject line: Go Ahead Honey. In your email, please include the link to your post and a photo of the dish. Send it to me by January 28th, 2011 (don’t you just love writing 2011?), and I’ll post the round-up at the end of the month. I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!

With that, I hope you’re all having a very happy new year! See you back here soon for a recipe, okay?

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

2010 was quite the year, both online and off. As I sit here with an open notebook filled with the recipes and posts I most loved, I’m amazed. It’s crazy seeing snippets of my year’s work and joy scrawled on the lined paper. Each word has memories wrapped up within the just-dried ink. The anticipation I felt the first time I made them, the comfort that grew as I’ve learned more about the flours I use. There are the stories, some of which you have read here. I remember taking the photos and sitting down to eat the food. There was all of the time spent looking at the photos, editing them, and learning how to make them better.

Most of all, I see love and feel gratitude. The love of good food, the love that went into each aspect of the posts, and the love for this whole shebang. I’m so grateful for you, and for all that this has brought to my life. I know that 2011 has many secrets and surprises hidden for all of us. I hope your new year is filled with beauty and health.

When I was hashing out this list, my mom, dad and brother each had their favourites. Some were ones we all loved. Others were ones that shone in not all of our memories. So, I asked my family to share their top ten’s too. Those lists are at the bottom, along with a few non-recipe favourite posts. All of the recipes that are one each of these lists are good. I would be more than happy with any of them on the table. In fact, some were squeezed onto my list because they already had others covered (read: Blondies and Toffee Bars, at least of the recent ones). Goodness, 10 is such a small number to fit a year in. Now, without any further adieu, here are my top ten recipes. They’re in order of when I posted them, I hope you enjoy!

In January, I hosted a Daring Baker’s challenge. I still can’t believe they asked me, but it was really fun. Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars. Gluten-free. Oh yes. These are so so lovely. In fact, I need to make them again soon.

Oh boy. Cornflake Marshmallow Lace Cookies. They’re pretty dreamy. Another one I need to make soon.

Pie. I really love pie. This? It’s my go-to pie crust recipe. I’ve made it many, many times. Every pie or galette with a real crust (rather than a crumb crust), is made with this. Mom makes it, I make it; overall, it gets a lot of face time.

Millet biscuits. This one also gets made a lot. Like a lot, a lot (sorry to sound all teenagery. Sometimes it’s nice to do.) Their flavour is wonderful fresh from the oven, but I also love it when they’ve been around for a day or two. Their flavour matures, and I really enjoy them split, reheated and with a pat of butter. Mom makes them too. We love to have them topping a chicken (or turkey) pot pie as well.  And this post?  It also marked my 17th birthday and second year of blogging.

My dear friend Hannah posted this recipe originally, and I knew I had to make it. Rhubarb Lemon Bundt Cake. So moist, with that wonderful element that rhubarb always brings. What made this more special was that it was made with my neighbour’s rhubarb, and it was also one of the baked goods I brought to the Calgary Food Blogger Bakesale. Thank you to Vincci for putting that Bake sale together. You’re such a gem.

For my Dad’s birthday, I made Devil’s Food Cake. This one is a big favourite. Moist chocolate cake, filled with cream cheese filling and topped off with sour cream ganache. What more do you need for a birthday? It’s on all of our lists. If that doesn’t say something, I don’t know what does.

French toast is one of those things. One of those things I used to miss. It was a special occasion type thing, but with this, it doesn’t need to be. Cinnamon Quick Bread. Perfectly suited for french toast. One of these remaining days of vacation? I’m making this for breakfast.

Brownies. My ultimate brownie. This one is on all of our lists too. I’ve made it so many times. It’s great on its own, but I’ve also topped it with ganache for a friend’s birthday. Anything with chocolate wins us over pretty quickly, especially when they’re as good as these brownies.

I’m a pancake girl through and through. This is my favourite pancake recipe of the year. Fluffy Pancakes. They’re made with a scale, the only recipe that only has weight measurements (if you don’t have a scale, I’m sorry. I have other pancake recipes, from this year and the years past!).

And last on this part of my list, Pierogi. This dough makes my hands happy. It’s really wonderful. This is another one on all of our lists. I rarely check the statistics, but this is also the most viewed recipe of the year. I’d say it’s a really wonderful way to end this list.

So, as promised, here are the other lists, once again in order of posting.

Mom: Lemon Cake (her birthday cake, and mine) | Graham Wafers & Nanaimo Bars | Pie Crust | Millet Biscuits | Rhubarb Lemon Bundt Cake | Devil’s Food Cake | Brownies | Pierogi | Foccacia | Blondies |

Dad: Lemon Cheesecake Brownie Pie | Millet Biscuits | Devil’s Food Cake | Brownies | Pancakes | Pierogi | Foccacia | Orange Cornmeal Muffins | Blondies | Toffee Bars |

My brother: Lemon Cake | Graham Wafers & Nanaimo Bars | Go Canada Cake (it’s a Red Velvet Marble Cake) | Croissants | Devil’s Food Cake | Brownies | Pierogi | Orange Cornmeal Muffins | Blondies | Toffee Bars |

Clearly, I’ve had some trouble cutting it down. Like I said, 2010 was a good year. (I just know there are some good ones I missed.)

Now, because I’ve also written essays here, as this is a place where some of the big events through my year get recorded, I wanted to look back at the wonder of this year.

In January, I accidentally was served some gluten. It was terrible, but I wrote about it. One of the most amazing things has been reading your comments. Hearing your experience of when gluten got into your systems, after having been gone for so long. If you’re struggling with accidental gluten ingestion, you’re not alone. Promise.

Then, Haiti’s earthquake happened. I wrote an ebook, using the recipes that made you most feel like home. You can still buy it, if you wanted to. All proceeds go to the Canadian Red Cross, for Haiti relief.

The spring was lovely, and I had the privilege of making a Japanese dish with my friend Rachael. We ate dinner together over skype, which was really quite cool.

Over the summer, I went to Europe for the first time. I’ve started telling you about it, but still have awhile to go .

As the summer was ending I baked with Cheryl, and her girls. Then, we had a food blogger potluck in the park. It was wonderful. I love hanging with my local food blogger friends!

Over Thanksgiving, we flew to San Francisco for BlogHer Food. What a joy that was. So wonderful to meet so many of the people I talk to on a daily basis.

And then, I’ve been ill. Things are better now, but I’m still working on it. I’m happy though, and excited to see where 2011 takes us.

With all of that, what are your favourite recipes I’ve posted this year? I’m really curious to know which ones you enjoyed!

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

When the word Thanksgiving is uttered, some sort of food will no doubt float to your mind. The turkey prepared so tenderly, or the pumpkin pie that was whipped together by grandma. Maybe you think of foods you can no longer eat, like my aunt’s perfect white rolls. Our Thanksgiving has past. That day was spent wandering around San Francisco, watching the airshow. But, we were together, we were grateful to be there and to enjoy the alive city. A week later, we had our quiet Thanksgiving. So simple, but filled with the echos of laughter over a beautiful meal.

I know that many of you in the States are just about to celebrate your Thanksgiving. Maybe it’ll be a grand affair, maybe it’ll be a simple one. This might be your first time hosting, or your twenty-fifth. It could be a gluten-free feast, or one covered in flour. If you’re gluten-free or cooking for someone who is, today is a happy day. You see, Shauna, the lovely Gluten-Free Girl (who just put out a brand new cookbook!) is getting a whole bunch of us to post gluten-free recipes in honour of American Thanksgiving. Some of us are always gluten-free, others eat wheat all the time. On both sides of the table, it’s about sharing and making sure that everyone at your table this holiday season can enjoy the food. If, like me, your Thanksgiving has past, stash your favourites for Christmas or New Year’s or any other time when you’re surrounded by those you love to share a good meal. Dinner tonight? That works too.

Now, I wish I could say I had a new recipe to share; something that I’d been working on in the past few weeks. I wish I could say I’ve been in the kitchen, baking. I wish I could say I’ve been feeling so much better than my last post. I almost was. I had a good week, catching up. But then I caught something. Maybe I never fully recovered or maybe it’s something that caused everything else. Maybe it’s the flu, maybe it’s not. Either way, I’m sick. I’m fighting for it though. We’re seeing the doctors, getting the tests.

So, why are you here? Well, I want you to have a whole bunch of options. I want you to have beautiful, delicious meals, and to avoid flops.

To start off the day, you probably want something that’s light. Something that’s comforting and easy to throw together. What about pancakes? Fluffy ones, that are so simple if you have a scale.

If you don’t have a scale, I have lots of other pancake recipes. This one? It’s pretty fun. You get one giant puffed pancake to share, complete with sauteed apples. Oh yes. What a beautiful start to the day!

Now once your day gets going, you might want to get started on a few pie crusts. Maybe you’ll even make them the day before. Either way, this is my favourite pie crust recipe. It makes two crusts (two single-crust pies or one double-crust pie), and it’s really simple. You can make it in the food processor if you want. If the dough gets too malleable, you just stick it in the freezer until it firms up a bit, then continue on your way! Easy as pie.

If you fill one crust with pumpkin, you could fill the other with this lime chiffon pie. It’s different, light and out of the ordinary. It’ll also bring a smile to your face. Plus, it’s also not a heavy dessert, so you’ll have just enough space for it in your tummy.

If you’ve been hanging around here long, you probably know that I’m more of a baker than a cook. I love to cook, but baking and playing with flour is more where my heart lies. Though, when you’re finished the big meal and looking for something to do with the leftovers? I suggest you play with your food. No, really! It can be so much fun. Hey, you don’t even have to wait until the meal is over – start playing now!

So, you’ve had breakfast, a few pies are on their way, and you’ve had an inspired lunch. What’s next? Biscuits. These millet biscuits are easily the recipe we make the most out of all that I’ve ever posted. In fact, mom made them to top our chicken pot pie last night (another great option for leftover turkey!). They’re lovely fresh out of the oven, and their flavour develops when they’ve cooled completely. I love them.

Maybe there will be a time where you’re standing at the stove tending to something, and don’t mind watching an extra pot. Maybe someone is asking if they can help or you’re looking for a sweet treat. Rice pudding is perfect for that. This one is made with almond milk and maple syrup, which gives a lovely flavour. It’s also an awesome comfort food. Everyone can grab a spoon and enjoy it warm from the pot, for a nice pit-stop in the day.

Then, you can’t forget the simple things. A bowl of nuts are guaranteed to disappear at my house. Whether I keep them all to myself, or we all gather around. If you’re looking for something to do with them, you could make a nut butter to two, presuming no one at your table is allergic.

I wish I could sit and write some more, but this exhaustion is getting to me. I’ll finish on a simple note.

Pierogi. A beautiful way to use up your leftovers. Filled with mashed potatoes or a special blend of favourite foods, it’s a lovely thing to do the day after. It’s also lots of fun to fold them together.

What food are you most excited about this holiday season? (I’d have to go with Christmas Eve Fondue, or maybe Christmas morning cornbread!).

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

The plane’s shadow became visible in the distance, slowly growing larger and approaching us with increasing speed.  Finally, after the landing gear had descended and the runway came into view, the plane rumbled a bit in anticipation.  You could feel the ground a moment away, until the wheels finally pushed into the ground in exhalation.  Once the familiar earth was underfoot, the plane slowed, decelerating at a rapid rate.  Our bodies wish to maintain their former speed, so we’re pulled to the front of our seatbelts as we brace for this familiar dance.  The plane taxis through the runways, with the heart-warming early evening fall light streaming through the grass.  Home.

This plane brought us back from a weekend of magic and wonder in San Francisco.  BlogHer Food; my first conference of any sort.  I met blogger after blogger; from those I’ve admired for years to those who were new to me.  It was beautiful, overwhelming and educational.  Such a joy.  I’m still processing it.  Photos?  There were barely any.  A spattering at the farmer’s market and blurry attempts at the conference itself.  You know what?  That’s okay.

This conference was about the people.  It was about the act of putting names and blogs to faces and actual people.  It was about learning from the greats, the friends, the idols.  It was about getting to wrap your arms around people who have brought you to tears with their passion and ushered you into their lives through food.

Now, here, I could list the names of those I adored seeing, those that made my stomach flip when they came up to me, somehow recognizing my face, but I won’t.  There were all the people I only had a moment to speak with, those that I somehow missed altogether.  It’s all part of it.  I’m incredibly grateful I was able to go.  My mom was there, sometimes right with me, other times chatting across the room or soaking in other sessions.  It was the perfect balance.  Having the comfort of family, with the freedom to get to know the people behind the names.  Plus, without her, there was no way I would have gone.  Next year?  Who knows.  I would love to, but being in my first year of university could mean a lot of things.  I can only hope I have the pleasure of being in the company of brilliantly passionate individuals with a setting of food once again.

Sure, it wasn’t perfect.  Some moments were rushed, and many were overwhelming.  Seeing so many people, chatting with handfuls of them, and always going.  Overstimulation was abundant, especially by the end of the day.  There were the junior high moments, looking into a half-empty room, suddenly being scared of where to sit.  Would there be a friend, would we sit somewhere that was spoken for?  Tiny bundles of nerves, calmed when we began chatting to whomever was near.  Issues of success were brought up.  What was that?  Where did it come from?  I saw success in passion.  Not in what everyone had done, but why they were doing it, how they loved it and the fact that they were always giving all that they had.

Listening to those with TV shows and hearing their true love for food, for comedy, for creating this beautiful thing in their chosen format.  Hearing the stories of cookbook authors, who shared their truths.  The work, their love for it, the process which was draining, lonely and exhilarating.  Seeing those that simply adore where they are.  Those that love sharing, blogging.  Each person’s success was unique, some was hidden, others were assumed.  Overall, it was an honour to meet all of you.  Or at least be in your presence (I know I didn’t get the chance to say hello to everyone, but that likely would have made it so much more overwhelming.  The moments would have been forced, not organic.  Next time, come say hi if I don’t).

Thank you to the women who invited me to dinner on Thursday.  Thank you to the woman who turned around at the top of the stairs and gave a big smile.  Thank you to each of you who chatted, sharing your stories, excitement and truths.  Thank you for being yourself.  Thank you for introducing yourself, and listening when I did the same.  Thank you for the laughs.  Thank you for the hugs.  Thank you for creating a final party that was entirely gluten-free.  Most of all though, thank you to Mom who came and put up with all of my nonsense, disbelief, and everything else too.

Through this all I found something important; I don’t know where I’m headed.  Maybe this way, maybe that way, but regardless, I’m thrilled to be a part of this community.  It’s what makes it worthwhile.  I’ve always felt privileged to enjoy the company of fellow bloggers, whether it be locally or on a grander scale like this.  So, thanks.  Thanks for being a part of this journey.  It’s a pretty darn cool one.

On that note, I have a recipe for you.  It’s only half here though.  You know how community is such an essential part of all of this?  Well, this is Shauna’s recipe (which she adapted from Deb [who in turn adapted it from Cook's Illustrated]), I only changed the flours based on what I had on hand.  So, I’m handing you the ingredients I used.  If you want the rest?  Go see Shauna.

I should note that these buns are not yeasty. They do rise a bit, but their consistency is closer to biscuits than a soft, squishy, yeast bread. They were the perfect accompaniment to the lasagna we had last night.

This post is linked to Jenn Cuisine’s gluten-free substitutions round-up (which is a fantastic series, by the way) and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Add some butter, or don’t. They were delightful both ways!

Overall, that Thanksgiving weekend was a whirlwind. It was a perfect coincidence that it fell on Thanksgiving (yes, I’m talking about the Canadian one. But to me, it’s just Thanksgiving). In fact, it made me more grateful for being there. The only part I missed was the turkey and pumpkin pie. Hopefully in the next weekend or two, that can be remedied . Actually, anything with pumpkin would be nice. Soon.

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

We’ve all been there. A cake that didn’t set. A bread that masqueraded brilliantly well as a rock. A sweet that was missing sugar. Maybe it was our mistake, maybe it was the recipe’s fault, but either way, they happen. They mark our memories, rearing their heads to teach us lessons and give us more places to go. Unfortunately, they scare people off of cooking and baking. That doesn’t have to be the case. After all, everyone who has ever baked or cooked a lot has had something go wrong. It’s part of the fun, part of the process. So, here are a few stories of the flops and disasters in my house. I hope to hear all about yours, either on your own site or in the comments!

The day was simple. I was using an old, delicious, comforting recipe with a new twist. It was a day’s worth of watching and babysitting it, but the last two versions had been oh-so worth it. But, something happened. These fruits had different properties from the blueberries. When I pulled the pie out of the fridge the next morning, something wasn’t right. I ever-so-gently touched the outside, as I had with the others, but this time my finger picked up the filling rather than leaving a fingerprint. Hmm… I took my photos anyways and hoped for the best. Maybe the bottom was set. Maybe when I sliced a piece, it could work.

I put the garnish on top and the pie nearly absorbed it. Oh gosh! I “cut” a piece. Well, I cut a piece of pie crust and some of the filling was lifted. The filling hadn’t set up. Strawberry kiwi chiffon pie? No. Hilarious foam? Oh yes. After my heart sunk for a moment, I laughed. Was it molecular gastronomy? Maybe, but it was an accident. I got a foam pie. Fluid, moving, not-so-bad-tasting-if-you-can-get-past-what-it-is foam. Now, writing this, I’m shaking my head with a smile on my face as I chuckle. Seriously, how many people have made a strawberry kiwi foam pie? I’m willing to bet that that number is slim to one (not none, because I’ve done it, obviously ). After sitting for maybe 20 seconds, the piece I took out was refilled-in, like magic. All that was missing was a piece of crust. I ate it. It wasn’t so bad, but I couldn’t convince anyone else to have a “piece”. It was weird. It was most definitely a flop.

After that one, I got to thinking. How many have gone wrong? An good amount. How many have gone right? Many many more. I’m lucky and always learning from those mistakes. Really looking back though, they all had a story. One too many adaptations. One thing that slipped my mind. One product to laugh about for years.

The first thing that always comes up, when we speak of flops in my family are the buckwheat pancakes. I do believe I’ve mentioned them before. They’re hard not to. It was one of the first gluten-free recipes I made and each of us cringes thinking back. Dry in a way a fresh pancake should never be. Strong, abrasive flavour that just wasn’t right. I followed that recipe to a T, but it just wasn’t good. They made it into the trash after only a bite or two. Sometimes it happens; don’t worry. Pick up the next cookbook or recipe and you might find something that makes all your dreams come true.

One day, my friend came over, and we made puff pastry and some muffins. I had seen a recipe for these really healthy lovely muffins in a health food magazine. It used oats and protein powder and bran cereal. When switching those to a gluten-free equivalent (and using hemp protein powder), we had green eggy muffins. They were incredibly odd. Displayed within this twisted muddy green was flecks of cereal. The taste was okay, but looking at those green muffins was simply off-putting. They didn’t pass the test.

Another day, I wanted to make some chocolate cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes with a special flavour. Nothing to do with the flavour, I missed something. They over-flowed, then what was left inside folded into itself and hid beneath the outer exterior, slumping in. I may have missed something else as well, but that one didn’t get any xanthan gum or binder. It had nothing to hold it together, so when you picked anything up, it was instantly crumbs. Moist cakey crumbs but crumbs nonetheless. They just didn’t hold together, not at all. It tasted wonderful but you can’t have cupcakes when lifting them out of the pan in one piece is an impossible task.

Way back when I joined twitter, I found myself reading about all sorts of foods that friends were making – as they made it. I knew that I wanted to whip something up, so I blended a few recipes and made a cheese bread. That loaf was okay warm. The moment it cooled, the touch of garlic jumped out at you with a depressing force, altering the flavours of the cheese and flours to create this dry block of ugh. It sat for a day or two, then I made it into bread crumbs. Even that couldn’t save this loaf. The bread crumbs sat in the cupboard until I grabbed them one day to throw them out. Some recipes just don’t make it.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, over the holidays, I made a date bread. I played with various variables, weighing everything in my head (from the flours to the starches). It looked wonderful when it came out. It even tasted brilliantly. When that guy cooled though, it was moist. Moist to a fault. So moist that is was no longer a bread. It was heading towards mush, at least in the middle.

There were the macarons. When I made those, I didn’t think they came out so bad. Sickly sweet, yes. Horrid? No… or at least I thought so until we went to Paris this summer. Having flawless macarons from world-famous (as well as far-from-famous) shops, I found a bite of heaven and I didn’t want to let it go. Those perfect shells and dreamy interiors are what people dream of, not the wreckage I made. I’m grateful though – having a reference point like that is something that is invaluable. One day I’ll get up the courage and try to make them again. There is a reason the blogging world went crazy for them. When done right, they can be pure heaven. When done wrong, no. (PS – when I switched to wordpress, some comments got lost. I still need to retrieve many of the thousands that disappeared, so don’t worry if I haven’t gotten to that post yet.)

Even before going gluten-free, I remember baking a cake with a close friend. On the few times a year we saw each other, whatever we did would always be around food. That time, we were making a layered cake, from yellow and chocolate cake mixes. When we pulled out the yellow cake, it was really oily. It didn’t make any sense. We followed the box (oh gosh. I think that was the only day in the many many times we baked that it was ever from a box), but both of us had added the oil. Luckily, those mixes are made to be somewhat indestructible, so it was only incredibly oily. Nothing fell or lost shape. So, we made our layer cake, covered with a little bit of icing and the 5 cent candy we had bought at the store.

Some flops, they’re just that. A little bit floppy. A little bit off target. Such as muffins which tasted more like pancakes. It was the oddest thing. We enjoyed them, but they weren’t awesome. They were off-kilter just enough. Others, are so far gone by the time they’re ready to eat that there is nothing we can do but laugh. So, enjoy your flops. They stop by for a reason. Don’t run away, just keep on going. It can only get better from there.

Tell me about your flops and disasters. Maybe they’re small, maybe they’re tall, maybe they’re everything in between. Laugh through the comments, smile through your post. These are all part of it. If I hadn’t baked and tried as many things as I have, I wouldn’t have so many of them, but I also wouldn’t have as many recipes. I wouldn’t have as many that my family raves about. I wouldn’t have as many that are better than I could have ever dreamed of. The flops make the good ones just that much more fantastic. They make me want to do it more and more and more. I hope you feel the same.

If you post about it, I’ll include the link here! We all have stories – I can’t wait to hear yours. Go check out theirs as well! (Some of these are older posts, which are fun to read to! Thanks for leaving them ).

Thinkin’ Outside the Cookie: Behind the Cookie Curtain
Daily Bites: Kitchen Disasters
Willow Bird Baking: Flops Happen: A Chronicle of my Kitchen Failures
Eat the Love: A Gluten-Free White Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting: how mistakes can lead to wonderful things…
Jenn Cuisine: Flops
I Made Toast: Strawberry Shortcake
Baking in Oregon: Chocolate Disaster Cake
The Picky Gourmet: Food Fail
The Daily Dietribe: Hint O’Chocolate Banana Muffins
Without Adornment: My Kitchen Flops
The Honey Bakes: Failure is a memory

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

When pancakes come up, especially in July, there is only one thing that comes to mind.  Pancake breakfasts.  That all-important element of the Calgary Stampede.  But what if you’re out of town (raises hand), or want those memories to be evoked another time of year?  These ones did it.  They were fluffy and comforting and made me think of those Stampede days.

Those days that would start off with an abundance of pancakes, all around the city (in the gluten days, at least). With some friends, I would head down to the midway. We would spend the whole day on those rides. Climbing onto every ride we could possibly stomach, dreaming of the day when we were able (and willing!) to go on the big rides. You know the ones – only two people can go on at a time and they either whirl you up into the air or do the same, but on a bar type thing. Regardless of what they do, we quietly know that it won’t happen – at least not this year. It’s all part of the fun. During those 10 days that define our city in so many ways, everyone comes out and the atmosphere changes. Everyone is excited and donning jeans and cowboy boots, not just for the fun but to be a part of it. Each day starts with a pancake breakfast at home or surrounded by friends and family. If you’re lucky, maybe it’s both .

Now, these pancakes aren’t measured in cups. I have no idea how much flour you would need in cups, actually. You may have noticed that I’ve started to include the weight of the flour alongside a cup measurement. Why? Ratio by Michael Ruhlman (and for full disclosure, I wasn’t paid to write this. I did get my copy of the book for free, just because I happened to win a giveaway from Ricki). It has honestly changed the way I write and think about recipes. Seeing how certain ratios – in weight – of the same ingredients come together to create all of our favourite foods. This one is based off of his pancake recipe in the book, with my twist to make it gluten-free and evoke the memories I was looking for. It’s filled with whole grains, but not at all in a bad way. I love to make them. Using a scale without worrying about cups is always very therapeutic. Just pour or scoop some flour onto the scale until you have the amount you need, tare it and repeat. Simple, no frills. If you don’t like scales, or don’t want to get one, I have plenty of other pancake recipes (I love pancakes, in case you were wondering ).

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Simple, straightforward and satisfying.  If your fat to cook them in is butter, you won’t need any extra on top.  Just some heavenly pure maple syrup.

How can you say no to maple syrup?  I know I can’t.  Especially this stuff.

Would you like some?

What have you been eating this summer? Possibly some food that brings up all the emotions of an event in your town? I would love to hear.

xoxo
Lauren

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

I don’t know why (probably because I was a pancake girl), but I’ve always thought of french toast as fancy, as something that was difficult or at least should be reserved for special occasions. As if it was sweeter or more something than pancakes. I can’t really describe why I felt that way, because they’re a (relatively) healthy and dead simple meal. Milk, eggs and some fresh cinnamon quick bread. Why bother adding any outside spices, when they are infused from the inside out with cinnamon and vanilla? Of course, you’re free to do so though!

The bread has a bit of spring to it. Just a simple thing, which can is best suited for this purpose. We use it all up within about 3 hours of it being made, almost without exception. I like to cut it into thick slices, to evoke memories of a thick crusty bread being sliced up and fried in a pan by my dad. Either way, it’s pretty dreamy.

Well, the colour of the bread doesn’t show it well here, but it has the most delightful french toast texture. They may be able to support themselves, but when cut the milk-egg wash type thing softens the bread just that bit more to allow your mind to be flooded with every good moment and memory that french toast has brought to you.

I love mine topped with maple syrup. The butter was take it or leave it (Gasp!! I know.) but they were fried in the perfect amount of butter. Just enough to infuse the flavour onto the outside without drenching them in it. The maple syrup adds depth and creates a symphony with the cinnamon and vanilla. Oh yum.

Goodness. I really should stop doing these bite shots. It just makes me hungry as I’m writing it, and wishing that I could have some more. There is only one real solution to that problem – to make another batch .

With this bread, and the french toast that followed, my dad’s only quibble was that it didn’t make enough.  With our light snacking before making the toast, there was only enough for 2 pieces each!  Might have to make two next time.  I’m sure that no one would complain.

xoxo
Lauren

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