Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

/
Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

The beginning of winter feels a little bit like magic. After the colors of fall turn to brown and the wet leaves find their way into the gutters, a dusting of white is a beautiful welcome, erasing the world and letting it start with a clean slate. Awaking to a fresh, new world is my favorite part of winter. When the snowflakes fall from the sky, my house feels cozier, food turns into comfort favorites, and spending the evening under a blanket in front of the television becomes a special treat.

The beginning of winter is a reminder of why I couldn't imagine living somewhere without the seasons.

Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

Once January rolls around and winter weather is drudging into its third month, awaking to a white world is no longer new and exciting. The short hours of daylight and early mornings spent scraping the ice off the windshield of my car take away a little of the magic. I'm ready to see the sun for more than an hour each day. When the world isn't blanketed in a new sheet of white, the snow turns gray and brown, mimicking the dank end of autumn.

Each season has a beginning and an ending. Though I may feel ready for a new change, winter has just settled in for a long stay, with no plans to take a weekend getaway.

Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

When the winter season begins to drag on my mind and body, the brightness of citrus fruit or a bowl of dark greens can sort me out. I associate fruit with winter as much as summer, peeling oranges and devouring clementines by the handful. Tart and sour fruits feel most like winter to me, with a bite as shocking as a burst of cold winter wind. When I was trying to come up with a new flavor for a breakfast roll, lemon and poppy seed seemed a natural combination. The tartness of the lemon shines through, while the bitterness of the poppy seeds is counteracted with brown sugar and honey.

When winter starts to drag you down, these rolls will pick you right back up. I promise.

Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls

Lemon Poppy Seed Rolls are a zesty pastry with a burst of flavor. The dough is soft, tender, and riddled with a lemon zest to bring a bright lemon aroma. The filling is a mixture of poppy seeds, brown sugar for sweetness, and a splash of lemon juice to bring a tart tone. As soon as they come out of the oven, the rolls are drizzled with honey, which soaks deep into the cracks and crevices. These are a lovely choice to brighten morning taste buds or to be enjoyed in the afternoon with a cup of tea.

Read More

Almond Cardamom Rolls

/
Almond Cardamom Rolls

Almond Cardamom Croissants

In a hidden gem of a bakery in the vibrant city of Montreal, I sat down to my first almond croissant. The tiny bakery, Kouign-Amann, held only 3 tables, but the atmosphere felt so cozy and inviting it made me feel as if I belonged. The bakery was open to the kitchen where the bakers rolled out beautiful sheets of homemade puff pastry. The pastries were classically French, but the bakery had a vibe that could only come from the soul of Montreal. Despite its small size, I had never encountered a more active bakery in my life (and I doubt I will again) as the door swung open so often I rarely saw it close for more than a moment.

On this particular day, I was lucky enough to find myself a seat at a table. The almond croissant was larger than my two fists put together, standing tall from the flaky layers. Covered with powdered sugar and sliced almonds, I found it a mess to eat as the tender crumbs scattered over the table and onto my lap as the croissant gradually disappeared. Somehow, though, it was perfect.

Perfect for the moment, perfect for the city, perfect for the place I was at in my life.

Almond Cardamom Croissants Almond Cardamom Croissants

My roommate introduced me to the bakery a few days earlier. I had just moved into an apartment a few blocks down and to break up the rush of a trip to buy furniture, she pulled me into the small bakery on our walk to the metro, ordered me a plain croissant, and warned me that it would be the best I would ever eat. She was right.

From then on, I walked past the bakery regularly as I made my way around the city. The bakery, to its credit, kept the ovens on throughout the day so it was possible to get warm pastries any time of day. The temptation to resist, I found, was often too much. Every time I made my way through the bakery door, I fell a little more in love with pastries, more smitten with baking.

Almond Cardamom Croissants

It was a cold fall afternoon when I stepped in the bakery after a rush of holiday shopping. The bakery was humid, as the hot air from the ovens mixed with the frigid air from outdoors. I ordered an almond croissant and managed to snag one of the coveted seats in the busy room, dropping my packages by my feet. French language bounced off the walls as the windows fogged over with steam, condensation running down the panes to reveal the bustling street outside. An old man sat across from me, a newspaper spread across the table, a coffee in hand. The moment itself made me feel so rich, so alive. Emboldened by the atmosphere and a mouthful of croissant, I made up my mind about a decision that had been haunting me for quite some time.

It was the moment I made the decision to pursue pastries.

Almond Cardamom Croissants

Almond Cardamom Rolls are inspired from the pastries I fell in love with in Montreal. The dough is no-knead, which makes it much less work than its traditional counterpart. A touch of sour cream brings a tenderness to the rolls and the addition of cardamom adds the right amount of spice. The rolls are filled with a mixture of almond paste and brown sugar, which is rich and deeply flavorful. A simple vanilla glaze and a sprinkle of sliced almonds finishes off the light rolls. The rolls can also be made the night before and baked the next morning to serve warm for family and friends.

Read More

Marbled Butternut Squash Bread

/
Marbled Butternut Squash Bread

Marbled Butternut Squash Bread

As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to put pen to paper and release a story from somewhere deep within me. To give the mumbled, uncertain emotions swirling in my head a channel with which to escape. I wanted to release words from my fingertips with as much energy as the release of balloons into a deep blue sky.

Perhaps it may come as a surprise to you, but I've always been a little reserved. My tongue holds my thoughts prisoner, fighting against the rattling brain in my head that is eager to share them with the world. It's a personal, quiet battle I struggle with in slowly conquering that stubborn tongue of mine. In a way, writing has become an outlet to free the thoughts in my head. To give a voice to the words I cannot seem to speak aloud.

Marbled Butternut Squash Bread

Even so, some days I have a love-hate relationship with writing. Writing is hard. More often than not, I end up staring at a blank computer screen when I sit down to write, the blinking of the cursor reminding me how much time is passing, my mind seeming to wipe itself clean. Though I love the process of writing once I begin, the process can be difficult to start. I have been known to avoid writing like it is a chore, pandering myself by visiting webpages or taking care of household business instead, trying to ignore the call of the white blank screen.

Yet, I cannot ignore the call forever. I eventually find myself in front of that same blank screen, discovering the determination to cover it with black ink. The need to write outweighs whatever feelings I may have about it. Perhaps, in many ways, that is the true mark of writer.

Marbled Butternut Squash Bread

Even though I love sharing my thoughts and stories with you, I have always written for myself. I struggle to write for anyone else. When I settle down in front of the computer screen, I must forget that thousands of you may stumble across my words and read them—the thought is enough to stop even the bravest of writers mid-sentence. I can't write while I feel like someone is watching me; I'm afraid that person will read my words and find a way to judge me for them.

Even so, I wonder if I can truly be called a writer. The term is enigmatic, ascribing a certain measure of success and failure. If I am to be called a writer, I like to imagine that any eight year old girl with a head full of ideas and dull pencil in hand can be called by the same name too.

Writer or not, the need to write never changes. I plan on slicing myself another piece of this bread for inspiration when I find myself facing the next blank screen.

Marbled Butternut Squash Bread

Marbled Butternut Squash Bread has a subtle sweetness with striking tones of color. Butternut squash meets the classic fall spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves—creating a moist and pleasantly dense loaf of bread. A third of the batter is mixed with cocoa before swirling into the rest, creating not only a marbled appearance, but a marbled flavor. The bread works well served with a simple butter spread but, if you are feeling a little adventurous, a bit of chocolate spread certainly wouldn't be amiss.

Read More