For the Love of Bread

(image credit)
Join me tomorrow evening, during Detroit's annual Noel Night, 

to delight in freshly toasted bread twists!

P R E F A C E /

Looking back on a trip to Europe, I vividly remember residing at a small hostel situated alongside a cobblestone road and waking up the morning (or afternoon, was it?), following New Years Eve to find that breakfast would be served around a large communal table. At first, I found it a bit strange to have to literally break bread with a table full of people I barely knew, if at all. Especially memorable was the way the baguettes were passed around and broken off with bare hands, yet in a way it made me feel more connected with those around me. Not only did we share the bread, but also an array of cheeses, ripe avocado, jams and unsalted butter, which we salted anyway. I remember feeling more of a connection with these new strangers whose language I barely grasped than most friendly acquaintances I sat around a table with back home, where there was no need to share since we always had our own plate of individually ordered food. Let us allude to the former.

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and a few more links:

- view final proposal pdf, here

- check out our class blog

- watch: a video by tiger in a jar

(photo/recipe source)

An Intimate Gathering

Reading Kinfolk magazine has inspired me to host my own small gathering with a few close friends. My sister Catherine and her best friend Maddie came over last night for a homemade dinner of penne pasta mixed with fresh, locally sourced asparagus and mushrooms in a creamy leek soup base, an artisan baguette from the local market accompanied by a petite cheese plate consisting of smoked gouda, and a few mini babybel cheeses.

After opening up a bottle of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, we began our small feast. Both Catie and Maddie adored the simple and colorful set up, and I was pleased to hear how much they enjoyed my cooking as well. Nothing was too overly contrived, which I feel adds something special.

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A few notable passages from Kinfolk:

On starting a new tradition- start a new tradition, not centered on travel or shopoping or working toward a new year, but focused on creating a time to enjoy the comforts of those closest to you. Whether with a sibling, a friend, a parent, or a lover, greet the frosty morning before the sun, no matter how much your body may plead to stay beneathe the quilts. Rub the sleep from your eyes as the kettle boils. Then, with piping mug in hand, curl up on the front porch and share a quiet sunrise. 

(p. 54, words by Elise Yetton)

On Why I Cook-  To create something beautiful together, to share nourishment, is fulfilling on levels that go far beyond fueling the body. We live in a hectic, traffic-jammed, competitve society. So often we sacrifice traditions based on preparing and eating real food for the convenience of drive-thoughs and freezer dinners, convinced that by saving time in the kitchen, we'll get ahead in some other way. My mission is to encourage people to slow down and to experience the simple joys of cooking, and to focus on nourishing our bodies and spirits. 

(p. 81, words by Sarah Britton)

 On Entertaining Details- The simple intimacies that surface naturally in our preparations for company provide an unimposing uniqueness to our gatherings. The way the cloth napkins twist upward on a solitary corner, for example, or the bow of the apron ties and parcel strings. Appreciating these organic occurrences magnifies the beauty of the unplanned, and eliminates an all-too-common air of superficiality. It's time to enjoy the details of entertaining.

 (p. 17, words by Andrea Gentl and Martin Hayers)

(photo source: 1 / 2)

My Sunday Morning Read

backyard view

tiffany blue tea kettle

a light breakfast + kinfolk

I can't help but love waking up to a quiet Sunday morning while savoring the solitude of the early hours that most (unfortunately) sleep through. After opening the curtains to expose the morning sky, I patiently wait for the water on the stove to boil. Shuffling through my ipod for some good morning tunes I stop at Camera Obscura today. Once the water is ready, I pour myself a steaming cup of black ginger peach tea with a bit of sugar and splash of milk from the small silver creamer I found at Tuesday Mornings yesterday. After settling into my seat, I begin to flip through this little gem of a magazine I recently came across entitled Kinfolk: A Guide For Small Gatherings.

The simple aesthetic of the thoughtfully composted editorial gives the magazine an intimate and personable feel. I'd highly recommend it to those who enjoy savoring the small details that many people thoughtlessly overlook when welcoming friends and family into their home.