Hot Bourbon Apple Cider

/
Hot Bourbon Apple Cider

Hot Bourbon Apple Cider

We are constantly told to obey the law of moderation. Everyone from doctors and scientists to advertisements on television give us subtle, but constant reminders on what we should (and should not) be doing with our minds and our bodies. They warn us that we should be practicing moderation in everything from the way we eat to our activity levels or else. This idea of moderation pervades every aspect of our lives, spreading the belief that we may have a taste, but never take a bite. They tell us that if we practice moderation we will be healthier and happier, more wholesome and financially secure.

I disagree with the idea of moderating all of the elements of our lives. The rules governing moderation are strict and unforgiving. There is no room for error, for spontaneity, for the variety in life that only midnight snacks and staying up too late can bring. I want to replace the notion of moderation with one of balance. Life doesn't have to mean a eating a bowl of oatmeal every morning. It can (and should) mean the occasional hot fudge brownie sundae, too.

I'm happy to see that Julia Child feels the same way.

Hot Bourbon Apple Cider

One glance at the three hundred sweet recipes on this blog and it's easy to come to the conclusion that my counter tops are lined with as many sweets as a bakery shelf. The reality is far from that truth. While I do eat my fair share of baked goods, the food on these pages often finds its way into friends' stomachs and onto coworkers' plates. I try to eat healthy outside of baking and, for the most part, I succeed. I try to make it to the gym for a couple hours a few times a week. I drink eight glasses of water and eat fruit and vegetables every single day. In many regards, I am the model of someone trying to practice moderation. However, as anyone could tell you, a dessert blogger is never going to achieve the ideals of moderation.

While there is a place for moderation in balance, there isn't necessarily a place for balance in moderation.

Hot Bourbon Apple Cider

Last night I threw moderation to the wind. While watching my latest guilty pleasure, I sat down on the couch with a jar of peanut butter, a spoon, and a handful of toffee. I nibbled the toffee and ate spoonfuls of peanut butter straight from the jar. By the end of the show, the toffee had disappeared along with half of the jar. After a week of eating well and exercising regularly, a little indulgence just felt right. The truth is that I need small indulgences here or there to help me stay on a healthier (and happier) path. While moderation may frown at my indulgences, shaking its head in disappoint, balance embraces me for them, telling me to lick the spoon clean.

Good or bad, right or wrong, this is how I maintain the balance in my life. This is what works just right for me.

Hot Bourbon Apple Cider

Hot Bourbon Apple Cider is a hot drink for cozy evenings. The ingredients are few, but the taste will bring warmth back into chilled limbs. Spiced apple cider is heated before combining with a shot of bourbon and a splash of orange juice. A cinnamon stick to stir the concoction together adds a hint of extra flavor. While drinking only one of these Hot Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktails would be practicing moderation, drinking two might just maintain the balance in your life.

Read More

Chai Pear Scones

/
Chai Pear Scones

Chai Pear Scones

I've scarcely seen the sun in the last month. Thick clouds obscure the light, turning day into reflections of night. Even though my body aches for a good dose of vitamin D, the overcast skies and foggy mornings lend a beauty all their own. Mother Nature's dreary mood makes it easy to stay at home, buried underneath blankets, sipping hot black tea. Comfort food fits the character of the weather. Earlier this week I made a batch of homemade chicken noodle & barley soup; half a dozen hot meals later, I can say with certainty that I'm glad to have used the biggest pot.

Though the leaves have left the trees bare long ago, fall weather is still in the air.

Chai Pear Scones

With gloomy skies outside the window, it has become increasingly difficult to pull myself out of bed in the morning. In the summer, when the sun rises bright and early, I feel awake and ready for the day, afraid I may miss out if I linger in bed any longer. In the fall, I'm lucky to see the other side of eight in the morning. The dark, sunless skies make me want to bury myself in the warmth of the blankets and stay in bed for hours, cozy and comfortable. Despite how I'd rather spend my mornings, responsibilities never stop calling. I allow myself to hit the snooze button once or twice, using it to prolong the inevitable first steps out of bed.

With sleepy eyes and an aversion to brightness, I slowly find a way to face the day.

Chai Pear Scones Chai Pear Scones

The long, dark weather makes it difficult for me to get any real work done. In between watching television and reading books, I'm drawn to the warmth of the oven and sweetening the air with the scents of autumn. Dark, moody days are my favorite for photography. I know most photographers prefer to shoot by the bright light of the sun, but I adore how the somber light brings sharp shadows and a rough texture to the food. The food somehow feels more raw to me, making the food appear less overdone (but no less appetizing).

These scones were photographed on the dreariest morning of last week. With a rain streaked window and only a hint of light coming in through the panes, I feel like I managed to capture the essence of the morning.

Chai Pear Scones

Chai Pear Scones is where the love of scones meets the enchantment of a cup of tea. The chai spices complement the complexity of a ripe pear in this simple breakfast pastry. A good sprinkling of sugar on top of the scones before they go into the oven ensures they will develop a thin, sweet crust which adds great texture to an otherwise tender scone. The scones themselves are not very sweet, so the subtle nature of the pears is truly able to shine through. I've said it before and I'll say it again—scones and overcast skies are meant to be enjoyed together.

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