Every day at the farmers' market a few coins and the occasional bill or two were added to the can. It seemed like slow going at times, but with each new giver a surge of joy rushed through me as I gave an extra smile and heartfelt "Thank you!" At the end of each day I lifted the can. Yes, it was getting heavier.

By September I was beginning to see dollar bills peaking their thin edges out the slot in top of the can. The day I would empty, count, and send the money to the ministry was coming soon.

A month or so ago I opened the can and counted carefully. $57.97 - the sum total collected all summer long. How excited I was to send this money off to the ministry. I knew that soon many hungry and pinched stomachs were going to be filled with nutrition packed food. More than that I rejoiced to know that when the $57.97 worth of food was all digested, the hope of the truth of Christ's salvation would continue to be in the hearts of the people. For those who accepted salvation along with their free gift of food, they now have the greatest free gift of all, one that will never be used up or go away.

Coins and a few bills - considered so little and useless to us. Yet to some hungry stomach and lost, yearning soul these small pieces of metal and paper are the source of a few more days of life and carry the message of eternal life.

www.gainusa.org

October 3rd, 2009 -- Saturday

Duluth! This beautiful old town perched on the hills along Minnesota's north shore of Lake Superior is one of my favorite places in all the world. From my earliest memories Duluth and the gorgeous state parks that surround it have been the destination of many a family vacation. Somehow these later years have slipped by with not a sight of this area of my home state. It was high time we visited again!

Highest on our list of vacation must-does was rest. Yet there were a few things we wanted to see and do. Drive to our old haunts in the state parks, explore and find something new, watch the famous bridge lift to let massive iron ore ships pass underneath, and visit a farmers' market.

When Saturday rolled around excitement was high. The farmers' market Mom and I had found on the internet was scheduled for every Saturday morning. Soon we would see how they did things at the northern markets. Plus we would get a little taste of what it is like to be on the other side of the tables.


No tents were needed here! A barn roof covered the heads of all the vendors. Here Mom found the house plant for which she has been searching - Baby Tears.


What fun to visit with the vendors! There is so much creativity among this hard working group.

While sales went on indoors, this man made fresh apple juice. That tangy drink goes hand in hand with crisp, autumn days.

Though glad for a break from the hectic schedule and uncooperative weather of farmers' marketing, this visit put fresh zeal in me for sales next year. Farmers' markets run deep within my blood!

Oh, where have you been?

My blog activity has been sluggish these last weeks, to say the least. In some ways I am like "Billy Boy," as you are doubtlessly asking "Oh, where have you been?" But in other ways I am far from being in Billy's shoes. I haven't been doing any spouse seeking. ;)

My baking hat has often been set aside these last weeks to be replaced by that of a wood finisher. New windows seem to have an endless amount of wood needing to be varnished, and so hour after hour my mom, sister, and I plug away. The end of this job is coming slowly but surely.

While most of the time my eyes are fixed on the wood that with each coat becomes richer in color, I do sneak glances through the new panes. A variety of scenes have met my eyes - clouds, rain, blowing autumn leaves, snow, sun, dripping roofs. Who would have thought that so many different weather patterns could be crammed into a few short weeks... unless you are from Minnesota.



PS - I haven't given up baking all together! The paint brush has given way to flour at times while I baked up orders and experimented with a few new concoctions.

More apples and bread...

My family and I just recently came home from a short vacation. Along the way our eyes were peeled for bakeries. I often heard someone say (usually Dad - he's always on the lookout for ways to advance my baking business), "A bakery, Elsa!" Though we didn't stop at every one by any means, a couple bakeries did get our business. It wasn't that we needed more food for our trip. Our home baked bread supply was more than enough to make us through our five day trip. It's just that sampling other people's bread is something I love to do.

As a result of those bakery visits, we came home with many partially eaten loaves of bread. Already we have enjoyed good breakfasts of toast, last night's supper of French toast, and tonight's bread pudding made up of these left-over breads.

Bread pudding - yum! Last year I wrote about the ultimate bread pudding I made out of Chocolate Pecan Bread. Tonight's wasn't quite so over-the-top amazing, but it made for a very comforting dessert after a cool, grey day. To put the icing on the cake, it used an ingredient that is plentiful at this time of year - apples. Here is the recipe. Why not give it a try sometime this fall? It is sure to make your tummy smile. :]

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 c. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. egg substitute (or the real thing, if you prefer)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
5-6 c. day-old bread, cubed (Change the amount depending on how much bread you want to use up!)
1 c. apples, peeled and chopped

Combine all but the bread and apples in a large bowl. Stir in the bread cubes and apples.

Pour into an 8x8" pan coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (I found the knife doesn't come out perfectly clean. The main thing is to get a "set" pudding. It will be wet, but you don't want a totally soggy mush.)

Serve warm...
...with whipped cream or ice cream.
...drizzled with caramel ice cream topping.
...floating in milk.

To my Father

How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me?
Things so undeserved, yet you give to prove Your love for me.
The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude;
All that I am and ever hope to be,
I owe it all to Thee.

To God be the glory;
To God be the glory,
To God be the glory
For the things He has done.
With His blood He has saved me,
With His pow'r He has raised me,
To God be the glory
For the things He has done.

Just let me live my life,
Let it be pleasing Lord, to Thee;
And should I gain any praise,
Let it go to Calvary.
With His blood He has saved me,
With His pow'r He has raised me,
To God be the glory
For the things He has done.

-"My Tribute" by Andrae Crouch

Apple on bread?

Though my family has never said so, I have this feeling that they think I am a strange cook. I must admit, they have every right to be sceptical of my culinary skills when it comes to meal preparation. Usually my meals are made from a recipe that I have severely altered or an idea sparked by a picture in some food magazine or web page. My experiments have had mixed results. Often there has been a voice somewhere around the table that says, "What's this?" or "What's that different flavor?" Yet I keep pursuing my odd dishes. Hey, they haven't fired me yet!

One noon Mom was gone, and my sisters were busy with preparations for teaching, so the job of making a meal fell to me. I never like spending much time on noon meals, so my main stays are either left-overs or grilled sandwiches. There must not have been any left-overs worthy of mentioning this day, because I opted for the grilled sandwich route. We weren't going to have any plain old grilled cheese. We were going to have apple and onion grilled cheese! It was fall, and we had boxes of lovely apples. Why not?

To start I fried the slivered apples in maple syrup until they were coated with a thin, sticky layer. At the same time onions sizzled their way to delicious translucency in our George Foreman grill. Once these two ingredients were ready, I spread Dijon mustard on sliced bread and piled with the apples, onions, and a bit of farmer's cheese. (Note: Something a little stronger like provolone or yogurt cheese would have made for an even nicer sandwich, but these were not in our cheese drawer.) A slice of bread was placed on top, and they were ready to be grilled. To cut fat (actually cholesterol is our enemy) we have started making all our grilled sandwiches on the George Forman grill. When done this way the sandwiches need no buttering and in the end have beautiful grill lines. It also makes them a bit like panini, though not quite as squished. So on the George Forman they went. A few minutes later we had beautiful sandwiches. Now it was time for the taste test.

The maple syrup didn't seem to come through, but maybe if it were brushed onto the bread... Something besides mustard could make the flavors better balanced, but it worked. Mild apple flavor, good onion and cheese flavors, the nuttiness of 100% Whole Wheat Bread, the zip of a little mustard. Yum. Even Dad gave it a thumbs up saying in a positive tone, "This is different, but it's good!"

I have now dubbed this sandwich "Apple Panini." Sure, there is room for improvement, but I think it may just have made it onto the list of successes.

To market, to market...

August 22, 2009

We're ready to go! It is 8:00 AM, and the van is loaded with bread, granola, and all the sweets. There is no way all this baking could fit in here without the racks Dad made!

An inside view of the packed van. Maren's oraganization is key.

Me at the wheel, ready for the hour drive to Detroit Lakes.

This is customer appreciation day. To make it special, I have "brownie bite" samples.

Backing up a little...

... and close up.

A veiw from behind the tables. They are looking a bit empty.

My family joins in on the festive day with a little picnic. Sure it is nice to sell out, but nothing could be better than a little time with the whole family!

For Maren

Have I told you about my helper? Well, actually I have several. It isn't uncommon to see Dad helping load my bread into the van. It is also a common sight to see Mom and both of my sisters tackling the large stack of dirty dishes I have left on the counter. Yet, there is one person who has made this summer's baking possible more than anyone else. Meet Maren, my oldest sister. She has been my personal slave. When too many timers were going at once, it was Maren who was ordered to run and check the baking bread. As the bread cooled it was Maren who kept an eye on it and bagged it when ready. It was Maren who swept up my flour messes on the floor. When the kitchen needed to be cleaned up, it was Maren who tackled the mess. I could go on a long time with all the jobs my sister did for me as I baked. Without her help I could not have kept so many people supplied with bread. So to Maren goes my thanks - and so should yours.

There were times this summer when our roles swapped. She became the head baker and I the assistant. Maren measured, stirred, and patiently baked over 300 pounds of granola this summer. (Picture 300 boxes of cereal!) As a result of her work, many customers have been happy and healthy because of this nutritious food. Once again, if you were one of these people (the happy/healthy ones), it is to Maren your thanks should go.

Most likely when she sees this post, she will say, "You didn't have to do that. You could have spent that time baking or resting instead". But no, Maren, you are worth much more than these words and a few minutes of typing. Thank you!

Love,

Elsa

A few of the 300+ pounds of Maren's granola.

My body is telling me it has been a long day. It was brownie and scone day. By chocolate frosting batch #6, I was ready for a break! Today is also preparation day - the day I get ready for Friday's bread baking marathon. Mainly the only prep I leave for this day is organizing and restocking ingredients. The flour pail has to be refilled. New bags of craisins and brown sugar have to be dug out of storage. Brown rice occasionally needs to be boiled. This list only scratches the surface. Tonight I have to set up the kitchen for baking. It's a good thing I like to organize!

Cucumber Season!

My sister who has an aversion toward this fresh vegetable, would never think of writing this post. But for me, a cucumber fanatic as of these last years (I ate three whole small ones for dinner today), this is a vegetable worthy of notice.

What could be better than eating cucumbers plain? Putting it on bread, of course! A bunch of cucumber, onion, some cream cheese, a bit of mayo. Dinner becomes a success... even for those in your family who try to keep this vegetable as far away from their mouths as possible.

Cucumber Sandwich Filling

Mix:

1c. diced cucumber (My sister [the other one ;) ] notes on her recipe to use more. Try up to 2c.)

1/2 tsp. salt

Let stand 2 hours; drain well.

Blend:

5 oz. cream cheese

6 T. mayonnaise

Add:

drained cucumbers

1/2 T. minced onion

2 tsp. parsley (optional)

Store in the refrigerator. Keeps well for a few days.

Serving suggestions:

-Pair with French Batard, Multigrain Bread, Dill-Onion Bread, Country White Loaves...

-Spread on open face sandwiches, and garnish with a small sprig of parsley.

-Spread between two slices of bread and cut diagonally. Cut off crusts if you want a fancy, tea sandwich.

The Bakery "Forecast"

Bakery "Weather" History

--Monday:
Baked all day
--Tuesday:
Sold 39 loaves plus sweets and granola at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market.
New on the table -- Dill-Onion Pizza Crusts
Maren baked 28 pounds of granola.

Bakery Forecast

--Wednesday:

Production of more granola (by Maren)

Baking of 15 individual Brownie Supreme plus 4 packages of 12 (by Elsa)

Baking of 16 each Blueberry, Cherry-Berry Chocolate, and Cranberry Oat Scones (by Elsa)

--Thursday:

Caramel roll baking

--Friday:

A long day of baking 63 loaves.

The day's specialty bread - Chocolate Pecan Bread

--Saturday:

Sales at the Lakes Area Farmers' Market, Detroit Lakes

--Sunday:

A welcome day of worship and rest

It is a common misconception. Baking does sound like a relaxing, homey occupation. But the reality is, well, far from relaxing.

To give you a little picture into one of my days of baking, this is last Friday's schedule. But wait! This doesn't include the set-up before hand nor the hours of clean-up and packaging after the schedule ends. It also doesn't show the dishes being washed, the restocking of ingredients, the book-keeping being done in every spare moment. Nor does it show the four and sometimes more hands needed to keep it all running smoothly. The schedule looks more like a skeleton than a body filled out with flesh. Oh, well. You can have a look anyway. (The schedule is a bit cryptic, so don't try too hard to understand it all. :)

7:00 Mix Dill #1

7:30 Mix Dill #2

8:00 Mix Dill #3 (4)

8:30 Mix WW

9:00 Mix Cran-Orange #1 (4)
375F

9:10 Form Dill #1 (4 sand, 2 round)

9:30 Mix Cran-Orange #2 (6)

9:40 Form Dill #2 (sand)

10:00 Mix Sourdough
Bake Dill #1 – Top & Bottom

10:10 Form Dill #3 (round)

10:30 Mix French #1
Bake Dill #2 – Bottom

11:00 Mix French #2
Bake Dill #3 – Top & Bottom
Form WW (sand)

11:30

12:00 Mix Multigrain #1
Bake WW – Top
Form Cran-Orange #1 (round)

12:30 Mix Multigrain #2
Pre-form French #1 (batard)
Form Cran-Orange #2 (sand)

12:50 Form French #1 (batard)

1:00 Mix Black Pepper #1
Pre-form French #2 (sand)

1:15 Bake Cran-Orange #1 – Top & Bottom

1:20 Form French #2 (sand)

1:30 Mix Black Pepper #2
No baking – Top & Bottom

1:45 Bake Cran-Orange #2 – Bottom

2:00 No baking – Bottom

2:30 Bake French #1 (Temp Change!) – Top & Bottom
Pre-form Sourdough (2 sand, 4 round)
Form Multigrain #1

3:00 Bake French #2 (Temp Change!) – Top
Form Sourdough (2 sand, 4 round)
Form Multigrain #2

3:15 Bake Multigrain #1 – Bottom

3:30 No baking – Bottom
Form Black Pepper #1

3:45 Bake Multigrain #2 – Top

4:00 No baking – Top
Form Black Pepper #2

4:30 Bake Black Pepper #1 – Bottom

5:00 Bake Black Pepper #2 – Top

5:30 Cinnamon Scones

6:00 Bake Sourdough – Top & Bottom

So there you have it -- the schedule of a baker. Is it worth all the work? Why do I do it? My prayer is that as I use the gifts my Creator has given me, He is glorified. Yes, it is worth it, every one of the fourteen hours per day.

A Week "Off" -- Sunday

The day began with Sunday School and church service led by a fill-in pastor, a seminary student. Our pastor was helping his home church celebrate 120 years of ministry.

After a quick but refreshing nap, Hannah and I let the breeze direct a 28 mile bicycle ride ending in this country cemetery. What a great way of "re-creation," as Hannah would say.

The rest of the family met us there to fetch us with the pickup...

...and bring a meal of peanut butter and jam sandwiches and fresh cherries. A perfect day for a picnic! This was followed by a drive to Dairy Queen for Buster Bars. A refreshing day of rest to end a week "off!"

A Week "Off" -- Saturday -- Happy 4th!

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." -Psalm 33:12

Happy Independence Day! Can you believe it - no pictures taken on this day! A huge slip for this family brought up by an amateur photographer. My words will have to do as a description of this day.

Picture #1: A busy household of six adults scurrying to get everything together for a day at the lake.

Picture #2: Tables stuffed with all kinds of good food. Pot lucks are the best!

Picture #3: Two card tables literally covered with home-made pies. This really is the most important part of the meal. He-he!

Picture #4: Approximately 110 people on lawn and in water. Family gatherings get large in the Ronnevik family!

Picture #5: Red and juicy watermelon being toted around by aunts in the traditional enamel pans. In our younger days you would have seen seed spitting contests.

Picture #6: Another meal made up of lighter foods and left-overs. Are we really hungry, or just eating out of tradition?

Picture #7: Five weary Stowmans catching glimpses of fireworks on the 45 minute drive home.

Picture #8: Bibles out as we picked our brains for Old Testament quotes. Tomorrow was going to be "Who said..." day at Sunday School. This was the quote Dad found: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." Any guesses who said that? A brownie to the first one who gives the right answer. :)

A Week "Off" -- Friday

A day of working around home. For Dad and Hannah that meant outdoor work - trimming trees and cutting down a dead cherry tree. In this picture Hannah is posing as our honest first president, George Washington. Smile! Mom and Maren spent much of the day in the kitchen preparing for the Independence Day festivities. Meanwhile I shut myself away in my room to figure out baking schedules and catch up on book-keeping.

Supper was on me this evening, as I offered to try out a recipe given me by a customer. Sourdough waffles - yum!

A Week "Off" -- Thursday

Strawberry day! The day started out at the u-pick strawberry farm. The season is late this year, so we got in on the very beginning of it. That meant that the berries were spaced out a bit in the patch, but they were big and beautiful. Through the years we have learned to be there early not only to beat the heat but also the crowds.

Some strawberries put into freezer jam, some frozen with a bit of sugar for a wonderful topping for waffles and pancakes or just eaten with home made yogurt...

...and some dehydrated. It's always fun to try something new! With four of us working on these things (Mom, my two sisters, and myself) and a good story to listen to (The Secret Garden dramatized by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre - check it out!) the time sped by.

Also going on in the kitchen - preparations for rhubarb jam.

Of course we needed supper, too. We opted for something easy - home made re-fried beans (already made and waiting in the fridge) on tortillas with a sprinkling of onion and cheese, wrapped up, and baked crisp in the oven.

A salad is always good with this meal, especially when the greens and radishes are fresh from the garden. Our dressing supply was getting rather low, so my sister mixed up another batch of our good, old standby (the red one) while I decided to try something new, honey tahini dressing (in the jar).

Strawberry season would not be right without strawberry shortcake. Now that we've found this from-scratch shortcake recipe, we will never go back to Bis-Quick.

Now isn't that a dessert!

A Week "Off" -- Wednesday

Baking bread for my family (a new recipe - pumpernickle), a long nap, writing in my Belarus trip photo album, a long evening bike ride, a short game with my sisters, tea and Russian chocolates, sleeping in a tent - these are a few of my favorite things.

A Week "Off" -- Tuesday

My morning was spent at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market with my freezer sale (check out June 30th post). By request of Hannah (my sister in the picture below), I picked up a can of Spam at the grocery store on the way home. We were going to have a meal cooked over a fire in our back yard!

Evening came and Dad and my sister got the fire going. Then came the long process of frying Spam followed by frying potatoes.

We were all good and hungry by the time the food was ready!

Yummy potatoes...

...fried Spam, and fresh salad.

After the meal was done, we sat around the fire. In this picture: Hannah and my Downs syndrome aunt, Dorothy, soaking up the heat.

A Week "Off" -- Monday

Happy Birthday, Dad!

After a day of cleaning, cleaning, cleaning we had our traditional party with the grandparents. Mom made mocho bars at Dad's request.

...and we had a fun and relaxing visit with the grandparents. Memories to treasure.

A Week "Off" -- Sunday

The 4th of July is Saturday, and for me that means a week "off." Well, at least it's time off from the usual baking, baking, and more baking. Here is how the week started out.
The annual Sunday School Picnic at our pastor's home in the country. A back yard service...

... a song by the Sunday School kids...

...a yummy pot-luck lunch...

...and a good time visiting and playing yard games. And don't forget the ice cream cones!

Special! Special! Read all about it!

Uncooperative weather - what's so special about that? For many
of us it means a loss of something whether it be a day at the lake, time in the
garden, or a family outing. For me it also means a gain -a gain
of bread in the freezer, that is. I need your help managing the
growing stash in that handiest of all appliances. Next Tuesday I will be having a grand cleaning-out sale at Pelican Rapids. (Take note that this is not my usual week to be at the market.) Everything I bring will be straight from the freezer... and sold
at a reduced price. (75 cents off all bread; $5.00/group of 4 scones
and caramel rolls; $7.00/package of 6 caramel rolls;
$1.00/brownie)

Are you leery of frozen goodies? Let me put your mind at ease.
Instead of decreasing the quality of my baked goods, freezers actually "freeze"
them at peek freshness. So come one, come all to the SALE!!!!

Find my tables on North Broadway on the sidewalk in front of the Chamber of
Commerce/Tourist Information.

~Elsa

This is an email I sent out to my email list last Saturday after another one of those "uncooperative" days. True, it wasn't the down-pour of Tuesday when I seriously felt like I had jumped in a lake. Nor was it the first beautiful Saturday of the summer when all people were at the lakes rather than the market like the week before. Rather it was a day of wind and some sprinkles. (If you are wondering how wind could be a problem, you have never experienced a true Minnesotan wind.)

Today (the day of the freezer sale) was another one of those windy days, but sunshine made all the difference. Now our freezers boast of a total of three unsold loaves of bread! They are breathing a sigh of relief.

Politics and the Broken Bowl

The destruction of the "cap-and-trade" bill has already begun. Evidence: the above picture. While helping Dad finalize a note to our congressman this morning, I heard a rhythmic thumping noise in the kitchen. What could it be? No one is in there. The mixer is kneading dough. Oh, no! The mixer! My heart sunk. I had heard this noise before when the mixer had "walked" its way to the edge of the counter. -sprint- Crash!! Gasp! The mixer with my last batch of bread for the day lay on the floor. Like a mother scooping up her fallen child to see the damage, we hurriedly picked up the mess. While my sister checked out the mixer, I assessed the state of the bowl. Right away I saw the damage - a large and ugly crack. It was a goner. Needless to say, that batch of dough soon found its way into the compost.

Thankfully the bowl (and dough) were the only casualties in the accident. The mixer still runs as good as ever, and no great damage can be seen on the wood floor. Thank you, Lord!

The link between politics and my bowl's demise may not be very strong. Yet I gasp - where is my beautiful United States going?

Garlic, garlic, garlic, garlic, garlic...

My nostrils tingled and eyes watered. Windows were opened wide. Doors were shut to contain the smell. Fresh, clean clothes waiting near my ovens in the to-be-ironed pile were evacuated from site. Today was garlic roasting day.

Two hours preparing eight pounds of fresh garlic for the hot ovens with my sister. Peeling, cutting, drizzling with oil... Thirty to forty minutes of roasting/scenting the house. A couple hours of cooling and letting the breath taking aroma dissipate to a strong but tolerable level. A few more hours of removing cloves from their oily skins. It was a lesson in patience and perseverance.

Now the soft and roasted garlic is in the freezer. Three bags will be dug out tomorrow to find their home in Roasted Garlic Bread. The rest will remain until summoned for the same purpose.

A day full of garlic. Let's hope this stash lasts a good, long while!

Sufficient Grace

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

~II Corinthians 12: 9

This verse was taped to the cupboard door in front of me yesterday, as I worked in the kitchen over 12 hours. More than inspirational talk, it was hard core truth. I was challenged with two questions.

Question #1: Was I going to cave into my weakness and let the tense situations, the sore muscles, and the tired body running on less than 5 hours of sleep make me crumble?

Question #2 (actually the flip side of the first question): Would I admit my weakness to God and let His power work through me to give me a gracious spirit in all things?

As the day progressed the answers were given to these two questions. I did not live out the verse perfectly, but it did give me hope. No, more than hope. It gave me a heart to surrender to God and eyes to see Him working. His grace was sufficient.

Do you need power? Be weak. Do you need grace to handle life? Find it in Jesus. His grace is sufficient.

Special Notice!

"Twas the night before baking and all through the kitchen..." What comes next? "...the counters were scoured, and the mixer stood waiting." Wait, that doesn't rhyme. "...the bread pans stood stacked, and the ovens were empty." Nope, not that either. I'm not much of a poet, so I think I'll leave it there. :]

Yes, it is the night before baking - baking for the big (hopefully) first day at the Lakes Area Farmers' Market for the season. Saturday will see Mom and me headed out with a van load of toothsome goodies. Get ready, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Here I come!

Also in the works - preparations for kick off at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market. Baking on Monday, selling on Tuesday...

Thinking...

I sit at the counter, computer in front of me, whole wheat bread at my side. A few minutes ago granola was sitting where my computer is now. A customer's order? No. Simply an attempt to keep up with my family's need for nourishment. As I worked on making these two things, my mind went to the farmers' markets...

I look at the calendar. June is hard on its way, and when it comes I must be ready. Ready to delve into a season of baking and selling. How will I manage it this year? Last year was pretty hectic. I think about the schedule I hope to put into action - Saturdays at the Detroit Lakes farmers' market and every other Tuesday at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market. Will this work? I don't know. We'll see as we go along.

My oldest sister, Maren, helps me clean up the kitchen after noon. While we work, we talk about the summer baking. She once again expresses her desire to help out more. We talk over what her jobs might be.

I look at the sunshine outside and feel the slightly cool breeze come through the open window. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). This is the summer the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Maplewood Granola

Welcome a new member to my baked good family. Maplewood Granola resembles its older sibling, Honey & Nut Granola (formerly know as Granola), in several ingredients (oats, walnuts, and sunflower seeds) but has a personality all of its own. A faint and pleasing maple flavor combined with toasted almonds and coconut are this granola's distinct characteristics. A delicate flavor is the only way to describe it.

PS - Maplewood Granola is named after the beautiful state park located in the rolling, maple covered hills near the town of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. Come to the farmers' market in Pelican Rapids this June for Maplewood Granola's first presentation.

Snow Days

What is this? It is the product of our March 31st snow day. Never in my life have I had a day I could actually call a "snow day" like most people. When I was school age, storm days meant nothing more than a day where Dad might be stuck at home, unless of course he took the tractor to the office, which on occasion happened. Of course there was the excitement of seeing the snow falling, but school continued on in my homeschool. Don't feel too badly for me. Mom would usually try to make the day a little more special by giving us time to bake, do handwork, or just read a fun book. Come spring the bonus of finishing school earlier than other kids was enough to make the sacrifice of vacation on snow days seem like nothing. Now as I am older I still can't get away from my work since my business is based out of home. Yet that doesn't drive away that feeling that we should be doing something fun on stormy days. Thus the evening of March 31st found my family not only estimating the inches of snow we had gotten that day but also savoring mouth fulls of an apple tart.

Question Marks

Question marks fill my life right now. How can I make this bread more moist? What do I need to do to make this bread rise? Where can I buy these ingredients? What needs to change to make this the best granola ever? How am I going to arrange my baking and selling this summer to make it manageable? How can inventory become less of a hassle?

Needless to say, all these question marks drive me a little batty at times. Often times when one question mark gets answered, a new challenge and question mark appears. Yet, they slowly do get answered and there is a feeling of satisfaction and success.

Take Black Pepper Seed Bread for example. The question marks with this bread were how to make a more appealing loaf both in size and flavor. Even though I loved it as it was, I knew it could use some improvements. Thus began the process of baking, tasting, taking notes, hearing my family's opinion, etc. Once I had gone through the process, it was time to start all over again, this time making a slight adjustment to the recipe. This merry-go-round process continued until I settled on all the right adjustments - adding half a pound of dough to each loaf, shaping it as a sandwich loaf rather than free-form round, adding a bit of honey and extra virgin olive oil for flavor and moisture, and cutting the amount of black pepper. Result - a loaf with complex, subtle flavors (until you get an extra large piece of black pepper), beautiful size and shape, and lovely moisture. Success!

Though this process gets long and tedious, the end result is one that brings great joy and triumph. A loaf that has had much sweat and frustration over it yet is enjoyed when eaten is much more satisfying than one that has been thrown together and sits around getting stale. Come to think of it, this holds true throughout all of life - parenting, relationships, ministry, work, home-making... What question marks and challenges face you right now? Don't give up. Work until you get the wonderful end results, even if it isn't until heaven.

A Bit of Fun

Life is always more fun with a little humor. That must have been what Ted thought as he typed this email a couple months ago. Here I pass a bit of "fun" on to you.

Elsa,

Yesterday, at supper, Faine and Teya and I looked up from our evening meal, across the little pile of sliced store-bought bread as it leaned to one side. I shook my head slowly, wondering what had become of the good life.
Then Teya said, "What is this stuff?" pointing to the Wal-Mart bread. "Are we out of Elsa bread?"
"That's it," I said.
Faine glanced sternly in my direction. "Have your fingers forgotten how to type?" she asked. "Have we no more email? Has John McCain's defeat destroyed your sense of right and wrong? Please, order some bread, and while you are at it, get some of those world-famous Elsa scones."

On Research & Development

As I write I sit on my soft and comfy bed in a hotel in Minneapolis. This bed has not only been my place to sleep these last days, it has also been my couch, desk, and even my eating area. A very versatile bed!

Though you may not think a bed is where you would like to do all of your dining, I have to say it has been a very nice experience. Besides the fact that eating our own packed food cuts down the expense of a trip, we have found we are over all much more satisfied when not eating greasy and far-from-home-made restaurant food... at least most of the time. Of course there comes a point when bread gets dry and the contents of the cooler become unexciting. This was the case yesterday, day five of our trip. The two loaves of bread that lasted amazingly well were reduced to one puny crust. The rest of our food was also dwindling, and we were ready for a little variety. It was time to do something about this before there was mutiny.

A trip to one of my family's favorite specialty grocery stores in the Twin Cities, Trader Joe's, soon solved the problem. Milk, bread, and veggies were replenished, while several unnecessary but fun foods were picked up to make our meals more interesting. As we followed the instructions of our GPS through the confusing mess of roads back to our hotel, a pleasant smell met my nose - the aroma of "real" bread. Ahhh... none of that stuff that tastes and smells like saw dust! That smell could have easily brought me to snacking on the bread right then and there, but I refrained.

This noon was the exciting hour of sampling. With all the bread that is baked in our home, we rarely have the opportunity to try other people's bread. Here was our chance. Would it taste as good as it smelled? Chewy and with substance, the sourdough which was a bit more tangy than I like was mellowed and made pleasing with home-made strawberry jam. Multigrain and Seed Bread was a hit both with and without cheese. If stomachs could smile, ours would have been with this hearty and moist bread.

Our stomachs are satisfied, and our menus have been made more interesting. Besides that, I have had a chance to do some bread research. I have to say, this research and development job isn't half bad!

Speaking of development, there are some new things in the works in my kitchen. Though I have no plans to expand my breads this winter, I have been working on some new granola recipes. No finalizations have been made, so keep checking back for the releases of new granola!

Newsletters

For a couple of years, I have been sending periodic emails to my customers. At times they are purely business (where I will be selling my products and when). Sometimes they give updates on new products. Yet at other times these emails are plain chatty. My latest email which was sent out last week fits into the last category. Here is part of it for you to enjoy. Let me know if you want to be added to my email list!

Dear customers,

In our family, bread is a central part of our food life. A meal where bread is absent is a rare thing. If on occasion our bread supply runs dry, we are thrown into a frenzy. "You mean I have to eat cereal?" "What do I pack for my lunch?" "How are we going to satisfy the bigger appetites?"

Bread is important to my family. There is never a season where it goes out of style, though the style does on occasion change. Winter generally gives bread the opportunity to sport a more cozy, comfortable style. Rather than having just the utilitarian job of providing a quick meal or packed lunch, bread is served alongside a steaming bowl of soup or other warm and comforting food. Bread also often wears a medicinal side at this time of year. At these times a slice is toasted and given to the stomach that has been made sensitive by an unwanted "bug." Yes, this food has an outfit for every occasion.

Ready to help you make any occasion special,
Elsa

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Bread Facts

Did you know... that bread is affected by its environment? Sourdough bread is the most noticeably altered by its surroundings. Depending on what is in the air, sourdough bread takes on different flavors. That means authentic "San Francisco sourdough" can be made nowhere but San Francisco, and Bethlehem - "House of Bread" sourdough can be made nowhere but, well, in my kitchen. Even a change in season which brings a big change in atmosphere causes a difference in flavor. For me that means a winter of more mild sour flavors.

Who's in the Kitchen?

Recently, Mom was having a conversation with her mother. The topic was a common one for this family - food. On hearing about all the food that comes out of our kitchen, Grandma shook her head. She was probably thinking, "Is your kitchen ever empty?" The answer is, rarely. But unless you think that I am the one who dominates that room of delights, let me try to prove otherwise. Why, as I type, my sister, Hannah, forms Chinese steamed buns - a topic for another blog post. A loaf of bread my oldest sister prepared also bakes in the bread maker, and my Mom busies herself with dinner preparations.

I even have pictures to prove it. One day a week or two ago, Hannah donned her apron and took over the kitchen. Soon tantalizing aromas wafted to our noses. While potato-onion soup simmered on the stove, the ovens were being filled with an experiment. Corn sticks.

What are corn sticks? They are simple corn bread batter baked into special cast iron molds in the shape of a corn cob. Here Hannah is filling up a mold.

Corn sticks in the oven getting nice and puffy. Just a couple more minutes and they will be just right.

Dumping out pan #3 - well, trying to. Unfortunately Hannah learned the hard way that the pans aren't seasoned well enough and have to be sprayed with oil every time they are filled. These sticks ended up looking more like the cobs Mom has already de-corned with our corn creamer.

But these came out perfectly. Sweet and slightly buttery corn sticks - crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. We ate like kings!

Belated: tardy; too late

Fresh-from-the-tree apples, Mom's birthday, and October are long gone, yet these pictures remain on my computer waiting to be posted. Yes, this is belated.


Chocolate curls and real apple tea light holders. It was Mom's birthday and I was in the mood to do something creative. Besides, I needed something to distract from my amateur job with the frosting.

The chocolate didn't stay curled long with all that heat!

A fun little project. All that is needed are apples, tea lights, a knife, and flames of course.

Happy Birthday, Mom!