Cardamom bread and an "aha" moment

Cardamom bread is one of my favorite treats and I’m glad I can bake it because it’s not so easy to find it for sale. One issue with my current oven is that I have a problem with the bottom of the bread getting too baked, even burnt, before the rest of the loaf is ready. I’ve tried solutions through the years, but not had much luck.

Many years ago I bought special flat cookie baking sheets made from a double layer of metal with a thin pocket of air between the two layers. It’s a nice concept, but it didn’t really make a difference.

Then I bought some of those silicone baking rectangles and added them to the baking sheet, figuring that extra layer would do the trick, but no, it didn’t matter.

Today I had the “aha” moment and I created an actual solution to the problem! I placed my loaves, as usual, on the silicone sheet which was atop the flat cookie baking sheet. Then I placed that on top of a baking pan with shallow sides, thus creating a rather substantial layer of air while also keeping the baking sheet separate from the hot oven shelf. Voila! That did it! No more burnt bottoms.

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THE SOLUTION - NOT GLAMOROUS BUT IT WORKS

Now I just have to remember to rotate the loaves midway, because my oven heats quite unevenly. The only other problem I have is my complete inability to exercise some self-control when these babies are ready to eat. I just plow right through, eating until I’m groaning with sugar sickness. I can’t help myself.

Linen & Laughter

LINEN LOVE - My darling daughter gave me this sweet selection of linen kitchen towels from Not Perfect Linen. Lucky me - in so many ways.

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WORK IN PROGRESS - Recycled linen and vintage lace ... I had set it aside, feeling uncertain about what it would be, but now I know. I'm very psyched to get on with it, now that I know where it is headed. 

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LOLOLOLOL (apologies to Ellen, who doesn't like the LOL thing) - I was experimenting with the bread machine. My intention was to make Cinnamon-Raisin Bread, but I neglected to put the raisins in at the proper time. In a misguided effort to correct my mistake, I added them way too late in the process, thus creating a "new" baked good: Raisin-Studded Cinnamon Bread. 

SOMETHING I'VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY - As you get older, all your juices start drying up and so you don't really need to shower as often. At least that's what older people think and believe ... which is why older people smell funny. 

Such a secret place

Something precious arrived recently: a textile woven by Susan Johnson of Avalanche Looms. Spilled Milk, Half-empty or Half-full is the title of this small textile. It is one of a series Susan  calls crying towels. She says they are "about our human experience of sorrow. Our human tears flow for many reasons, from slicing onions, or small frustrations, or physical or psychic pain. Some tears are for hard things, that can't be changed. These towels are suitable for all occasions of crying, made with sympathy and compassion for our shared human condition."

It took my breath away when I opened the small parcel that arrived in my mailbox. It is lovely beyond words. Adeline, Bill and I spent a good amount of time admiring it and discussing the many ways in which it might be displayed. It was quite pleasing to see both of them have such genuine appreciation for this beautiful handwork. 

I’ve admired Susan’s work for years and now I've finally managed to acquire a piece. And am I now feeling satisfied? No. I want more! 

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I’ve been experimenting with the No-Knead Bread recipe. I finally have a nice shape figured out but the flavor is lacking. It’s not bad, but it also is not awesome. Fresh baked bread has to be awesome.

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I do believe that exquisite new towel charmed me into spending my day in the kitchen - cooking, baking, and warm homemaking. 

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It is such a secret place, the land of tears.

~Antoine de Saint-Exupery~

My Favorite Eggplant Dish

Ingredients

• purple Japanese eggplant

• mozzarella

• small tomatoes

• one-two eggs, whisked

• Italian breadcrumbs

• basil - chopped fresh or dried

• olive oil

Note

You don't have to do all that salting and pressing that the big Italian eggplant seems to require. But, you will pay more for the Japanese eggplant.

I’ve mentioned my eggplant addiction before and several of you asked me to share my recipe. So, now is as good a time as any. It’s very easy, although there is a certain amount of effort required to do the prep work. Actually, that’s not necessarily true. It’s true for me because I make a lot of small helpings at once and then I eat one every day for as long as they last! 

Peel the eggplant and slice it. Make the slices about 3/4" thick. Dredge them in egg and Italian flavored breadcrumbs. Spread the slices on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes.

While the eggplant slices bake, chop the tomatoes and the mozzarella. To assemble, put a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, then a slice of eggplant, then tomatoes, mozzarella, and more sauce. Sprinkle with basil. Repeat this layer and then, if you like mozzarella the way I do, add a lot of it to the very top of the dish. 

Note: I used to advise lining the baking dish with tin foil, for easy clean-up. Thanks to Julia’s comment (below) I no longer do that - and you shouldn’t either!

If you want to save the dish for later, add the lid and pop it in the fridge - or even the freezer. But, if you must have some right away, then cover with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes. 

It might look like a sloppy mess to you, but it is so delicious! If you make it, let me know how it turns out! One more thing - brush a wee bit of olive oil on the plate before adding the eggplant, once again for the sake of easier cleaning - that mozzarella can really stick to an untreated plate!