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!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
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.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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."
Friday, March 6, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
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
************************
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.
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
************************
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.
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