With tomorrow marking the beginning of fall, it seems appropriate to post something, well, fall-ish. (I’m even drinking caramel apple coffee and burning a cinnamon-scented candle in the spirit of the season.)

I’ve been craving pumpkin bread for awhile now, and even had a can of pumpkin puree stashed away in the pantry from last year. Hey, I learned my lesson last year when I wanted to make pumpkin bars, only to find no grocery store around had any canned pumpkin! There was a pumpkin shortage, which I’ve heard is continuing this year.

So I made my bread, enjoyed the first loaf, and socked away the second loaf in the freezer. I also bought an extra can of pumpkin from a dwindling grocery store supply, just in case.

I have to say, the first loaf did not stick around very long, and I suspect the second won’t either.

Good thing I bought that spare can of pumpkin…

more pumpkin recipes on My Madison Bistro:
Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

around the web:
Pumpkin Crunch Cake from One Ordinary Day
Chipper Pumpkin Loaf from My Tasty Treasures
Pumpkin Brioche from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Pumpkin Pie Muffins (Gluten-Free) from Elana’s Pantry
Pumpkin Cheesecake from Brown-Eyed Baker
Pumpkin Recipes from Pinch My Salt
Pumpkin Bread Pudding from smitten kitchen
Pumpkin Mousse from Cook 4 Seasons
Chocolate Pumpkin Mini-Muffins from Bake @ 350
Healthy Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake from Healthy Indulgences
Saffron Pumpkin Macarons from Tartelette
Pumpkin Muffins with Ginger Glaze from Union Street Eats
Spicy Coconut & Pumpkin Soup from Budget Bytes
Pumpkin Flan from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy

One year ago today: Key Lime Cupcakes
Two years ago today: Chocolate and Salted Peanut Butter Macarons

Pumpkin Bread
adapted from Epicurious

Print Recipe

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9x5x3 or 8×4.5×3-inch loaf pans with cooking spray (or butter and flour). Stir sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and vanilla, then stir in pumpkin. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Do not overmix.

Divide batter equally between pans. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 55-65 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using a knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto wire racks and cool completely.

So I’m a day early, but in case you’re looking for an idea for an easy Easter breakfast, I wanted to share a simple recipe that’s easy to customize.

I happen to love the cinnamon swirl in this bread, but you can very easily substitute some orange zest and dried cranberries, lemon zest and blueberries (fresh or frozen – don’t thaw if frozen), orange zest and chocolate chips, almond extract with white chocolate chunks & dried cherries…you get the idea. Have fun, and/or simply use what you have on hand for a fast, easy breakfast.

Or, if you’re like my family and going out to brunch on Easter, how about a slice of quick bread with a cup of afternoon tea or coffee?

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup buttermilk or soured milk*
1 large egg
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola
1 teaspoon flavored extract, such as vanilla or almond

Cinnamon Swirl
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
1-2 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350*F (177*C). Grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 centimeter) loaf pan and line with 2 strips of parchment cut to fit the pan lengthwise and widthwise. Grease in between the sheets and on the top piece as well. Be sure to cut the parchment long enough to hang over the pan edges to make removal easy.

In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside.

Lightly whisk milk, egg, oil, and extract to combine. Pour into well and stir until just mixed into a batter. The batter will be lumpy and may still show a few streaks of flour.

Pour 1/3 of batter to pan, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, add another 1/3 of batter, sprinkle with sugar, then add remaining batter and top with cinnamon sugar. Press lightly on the top of sugar to adhere. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely before slicing. Drizzle with glaze.

For the glaze: Slowly whisk confectioners’ sugar and half of the milk, adding more milk as needed to thin the glaze to the desired consistency.

*To make soured milk, combine 1 cup milk (227 mL) with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes.

I never miss a chance to make croutons out of a stale baguette. In this case, the remaining wand of bread was so hard I could have used it as a baseball bat. Fought off an intruder. You get the idea.

But, I was still able to cut slices of bread, which was all I needed in order to make these fantastic croutons. They are perfect for soup, as they will absorb enough liquid to make them pliable without turning them to mush. They add enough fat and protein to even a meatless soup, like my Roasted Tomato Soup, that it becomes a meal all on its own.

Well, if you cover the surface of the soup with croutons, like I do.

And, if you wrap up any leftovers tightly in a sealed plastic bag, they’ll last all week – if you can refrain from snacking on them. Or making soup every day.

Parmesan Croutons

Print Recipe

1 baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick (or any part of a leftover stale baguette)
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450*F. Arrange bread on a rimmed baking sheet (tip: line with foil for easier cleanup) and brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden.

Turn the broiler on. Sprinkle cheese on each crouton – the more the better – and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until melted.

With the exception of the height of summer, I no longer have any excuse to not bake my own bread. I’ve baked this loaf a few times now, playing with the proportion of whole wheat to all purpose or bread flours, and I’ve found my own little nirvana when it comes to a regular loaf of bread.

Each slice is soft but with a little extra heft, courtesy of the whole wheat flour. It’s easy enough to bake as often as you need bread, and it doesn’t require any special equipment. I enjoy the “me” time of kneading bread; the repetitive motion is both mentally relaxing and stimulating. It can be meditation, it can be time to work through a problem. Kneading bread is whatever you want it to be.

It takes no specialized skills, either. If you’re new to bread-making, just set a timer and lose yourself for a few minutes. The whole process of bread baking will make your house smell fantastic, from the yeasty aroma during the rise, to the beckoning scent of fresh-baked bread wafting from your kitchen.

It makes a great sandwich, and when it gets a bit stale, use up the rest to make French toast, or make some croutons or bread crumbs that will taste far better than any you purchase in a store.

Note: The bread I photographed was half whole wheat, half bread flour, though that’s not my preferred combination; my favorite is the recipe I included below.

Sandwich Bread
adapted from King Arthur Flour

Print Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cold whole milk or half and half
1/2 to 3/4 cup hot water*
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

*Amount of water needed will depend on the humidity in your home. The more humid it is, the less water you’ll likely need. Coming off a dry winter, I’ve used the full 3/4 cup of water in one of my loaves – the flour was that dry. Combining the cold milk with the hot water will result in lukewarm liquid, perfect for the yeast.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Dump the dough out (save the bowl) onto an oiled surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough is soft and very easy to work with. Grease the bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Roll it around so it’s coated. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until puffy, about an hour or two.

Shape dough into an 8 inch log. Grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and place dough into pan. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise until the dough is 1 inch above the top of the pan.

Bake at 350*F for 30 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. (If you prefer to check the temperature with an instant read thermometer, it should register 190*F.)

Cool on wire rack. Store in plastic bag at room temperature.

When my brother and I were around junior high age (well, I was in junior high, he’s younger and was still in grade school), once a month we would get Wednesday afternoons off. I don’t recall what our teachers were doing during that time, but frankly, the half day of school was my focus.

Every month, we’d pool our money so we could order a cheese pizza for lunch. At the time, our pizza of choice was Domino’s, back in the day when they promised delivery in 30 minutes or less. We loved that pizza, but we also loved the delivery time-frame. You see, our dad didn’t want us spending our money on restaurant food, delivery, etc, so when we were finished we had to get rid of the evidence.

So every fourth Wednesday, after we finished our small pizza, we would walk to the elementary school down the road, to throw away the pizza box before Dad arrived home from work mid-afternoon.

You didn’t think we’d just put it in our trash, did you?

In those days, I loved a thicker, chewier crust, mostly because I associated it with a restaurant, and therefore it was special. This was two decades ago, when going out for dinner or lunch was not something that happened once or twice a week (or more), like it now does for many of us.

When I was in my 20′s, I discovered that a good thin crust pizza was special in its own right. I switched my allegiance from the thicker hand-tossed variety to the thin and crispy crust. I also started playing around with making my own crust, and frankly, for a long time, I was no good at making a thinner crust. So I’d cheat, and buy a premade thin crust when I wanted to choose my own sauce, and cheese, and toppings.

But as I continued to play in the kitchen, I started to learn the tricks of the dough, and I finally settled on this recipe, which works well for me; it will work even better when I get another pizza stone, but that’s a story for a different day.

Thin Crust Pizza
makes 1 large or 2 medium crusts

Print Recipe

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups minus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan (optional)
1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs (optional)
pinch garlic powder (optional)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
cornmeal

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in a liquid measuring cup. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until foamy.

Meanwhile, combine the flour and salt (and optional ingredients, if using) in a medium-sized bowl. With a spoon, make a well in the middle of the bowl and add the olive oil. Pour the yeast mixture into the well. With a spoon, stir the flour and water. When it gets difficult to combine the flour and water (usually after five or six strokes), use your hand to mix. If the dough seems a bit dry, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. When the dough comes together in a ball (the texture will still be rough), knead the dough on a floured board until smooth, about 10 times.

Coat the same bowl with olive oil. Toss the dough in the bowl so it’s evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 45 minutes. Punch down dough. Recover and let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450*F. If using a pizza stone, preheat it in the oven.

If making 2 pizzas, divide the dough in half at this point and recover the dough not being worked.

Transfer dough to floured parchment, for easy transfer to a pan. With fingertips, spread dough out into desired shape. Don’t be shy about using the tips of your fingers all over the dough, as this will help release bubbles in the dough. If desired, leave a bit of a raised edge around the crust to help contain the toppings. (Use a rolling pin to help get an even thinner crust.) Dock the dough all over with a fork; again, you want lots of holes to prevent the dough from puffing up.

If baking the pizza on a pan, transfer the crust to a pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Bake the crust for 3 minutes on baking sheet. Remove from oven and top with desired sauce, cheese, and toppings.

Return pizza to oven and bake until cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Let rest for 3-5 minutes, then cut and enjoy.

I made way, way too much food for the Super Bowl this year. Though excited about the pretzels, we were simply too stuffed from everything else.

The good news is that these are extremely easy to make, though they do take a little time because you first poach the pretzels, then bake them. Still, in the grand scheme of things, big deal, right? I mean, they are homemade soft pretzels.

I had high hopes of rewarming these the following day, and making a beer cheese dipping sauce to round things out. Sadly, the suggestion of leaving them uncovered at room temperature resulting in pretzels so hard I feared I would crack a tooth trying to bite into one.

However, they form condensation if you wrap them in plastic. So what do you do? My best advice is to only make them for a larger group, so they’ll be eaten the same day. (I of course sampled the tiny pretzel after they had cooled slightly – they are good. Very, very good.)

The trickiest part of these pretzels, for me anyway, was the twisting! I stood there and immediately drew a blank, so I thought I’d post step-by-step pictures in case you decide to make them yourself.

First, roll the dough into a rope about 18 inches long

Form the rope into an upside-down U

Cross one end of the U over the other

Cross the ends over each other again

Flip the ends up towards the top to form the classic pretzel shape, and pinch to seal

When finished with all dough, cover pans with kitchen towel to let rise slightly, about 10 minutes. You can probably tell by the picture which pretzels were made in the beginning, and which were done towards the end!

Poach for a minute on each side, then remove with a slotted spoon to your baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway through.

Soft Pretzels
Adapted from Martha Stewart via Smitten Kitchen

Print Recipe

2 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
3 tablespoons sugar, divided*
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1 large egg
Coarse or pretzel salt

1. Pour warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar into bowl of electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle with yeast, let sit 10 minutes; yeast should be foamy.

2. Add 1 cup flour to yeast, and mix on low until combined. Add salt and 3 cups more flour, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium-low until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup more flour and knead on low for another minute. If dough is still wet and sticky, add another 1/2 cup flour (this will depend on humidity); knead until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly floured board, and knead about ten times, or until smooth.

3. Pour oil into a large bowl; use paper towel to distribute oil throughout bowl. Transfer dough to bowl, turning over to coat dough with oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place (during the winter, I set my oven on warm and place the bowl over the oven vent) for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size.

4. Heat oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Set aside. Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead once or twice, divide into 16 pieces (about 2 1/2 ounces each) and cover with plastic wrap.

5. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 18-inch-long strip. [Like Deb, this step was easier for me on an unfloured surface.] Twist into pretzel shape; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel. Continue to form pretzels; you may need a third baking sheet. Let pretzels rest until they rise slightly, about 10 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, fill large pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Carefully add baking soda (stand back, it bubbles up violently) and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Reduce to a simmer; transfer three to four pretzels to water. Poach 1 minute on each side. Use slotted spoon to transfer pretzels to baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels are poached.

7. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzels with egg wash. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on wire rack, or eat warm. Pretzels are best when eaten the same day. Rewarm in a 250-degree oven.

*I followed Deb’s advice to add some sugar to the poaching liquid to obtain a deeper brown color.

My favorite breakfast tends to be buttered toast with a few mugs of steaming coffee (with cream – too many lattes over the years destroyed my appreciation of black coffee). If I’m really feeling wild, I might add some homemade strawberry jam or some peanut butter.

When I saw this recipe for an oatmeal bread, I could barely contain my excitement. I knew it would be a rather filling bread – perfect for breakfast!

I made a few slight adjustments to the recipe. I decreased the all-purpose flour because frankly, I didn’t have enough, and substituted some bread flour. I adjusted the total amount of white flour to compensate for the heavier bread flour. My brown sugar lacked moisture, so I added a bit of molasses and compensated for the extra sugar by adding a tiny pinch of salt. Even still, this bread was crazy when it came to rising – the loaf was huge!

This bread was delicious toasted with butter and/or jam, slathered in peanut butter, even served with a schmear of cream cheese as a substitute for an oatmeal bagel. In fact, the cream cheese topping was probably my favorite with this particular bread.

Upon slicing, I immediately froze half the loaf; it you bake it, you’ll understand why. Or simply look at the pictures; one slice of this bread is the equivalent of two slices of your standard bread.

Oatmeal Bread
adapted from Macrina Bakery and Cafe Cookbook via Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Print Recipe

1 1/2 cups rolled oats, divided
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (room temperature)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon molasses
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons, plus a pinch, of salt
1 spray bottle filled with water

Reserve 1/4 cup oats.

Place 1 1/4 cups oats in bowl. Pour in boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Place 1/4 cup water in bowl of stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast on top and mix with your fingers to dissolve yeast. Add the soaked oats, buttermilk, oil, sugar, molasses, flours, and salt. Using dough hook, mix on low to combine, then increase speed to medium and mix until dough is satiny and forms a ball, about 10 minutes.

Place dough in bowl coated in oil or cooking spray. Turn the dough over to be sure it’s well-coated, and cover in plastic wrap. Allow to rise until double in size, about an hour.

Transfer dough to floured surface and flatten with hands to release air bubbles. Form dough into 12×6 inch rectangle. Fold the two short ends towards the middle, then roll the dough away from you to form a log. Let the dough rest a few minutes, seam-side down.

Oil a 9x5x4 inch loaf pan. Transfer the log, seam-side down into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again for about 40 minutes.

While the loaf is rising again, place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375*F.

Remove plastic wrap and mist top of bread with water. Pat remaining oats onto the top of the bread, then place pan oven for about an hour, or until the crust is dark and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

Cool in a pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread. Turn the bread out onto the rack (some oats may fall off) and cool completely before slicing.

On a snowy and blustery day, I like nothing more than to sit back with a hot beverage, the scent of something baking wafting through my little condo.

This past weekend, it was icy, rainy, snowy, then blustery, so I decided to bake bread. For awhile now, I’ve wanted to try Challah, the non-buttery counterpart to brioche. Both are egg breads, but Challah uses oil rather than butter, and water rather than milk (though I’ve been known to use water in my brioche due to that lactose issue). I’m not even going to touch the Jewish law that dictates why this is done, as I will likely get it wrong, and I don’t want to offend anyone. (That said, I’m aware that in the picture my bread is buttered.)

This bread was an absolute pleasure to make. I had just opened a new jar of yeast and had half a bag of bread flour just calling out to me. For the recipe, I turned to Sherry Yard, whose baking recipes rarely fail me; this one was no exception. In fact, the instructions in this recipe could not have been better. Not only are they clear, but I found the timing for the various stages to be spot-on. Perhaps the conditions in my kitchen were perfect that day, but it was rather unusual for me to not have to make any adjustments to a bread recipe.

This recipe is easy to follow, and I would say, great if you’re a novice bread-maker. I don’t often make braided loaves (um…the last time was about ten years ago when I made butter stollen for Christmas – my first yeast bread ever!), and I admit, the end loaf was gigantic. Next time, I think I’ll opt for two smaller loaves; I’ve included instructions for each below.

Challah
adapted from Sherry Yard

for the sponge
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup bread flour

for the dough
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil

for the egg wash
1 large egg beaten with 1 1/2 teaspoons water

instructions for the sponge
Combine the yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer; whisk until yeast is dissolved. With paddle, stir in honey and flour to form a batter. Cover with plastic wrap and rest in warm environment (I set my oven to warm and put the bowl on the vent burner) for 20-30 minutes, until just a few bubbles have appeared on the surface of the sponge.

instructions for the dough
Add flour and salt to the sponge, then the eggs and yolks, and oil. Mix on low for 2 minutes with paddle, then switch to dough hook and knead for 8-10 minutes on medium speed, until a smooth ball has formed. Hold on to the mixer during this time! It will jump around, and could vibrate its way over the floor in the moment you turn your back.

Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to this bowl. Turn the dough so it’s coated all around with oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for an hour; it will almost double in size.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 1 minute, then return to the oiled bowl. Cover and let rise another hour, until doubled.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 3 equal portions (6 if making two smaller loaves). Shape the dough into balls and cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 10 minutes.

Form each ball into a 12 inch rope, thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. Roll up and down with lightly oiled hands, stretching the dough at the end. Transfer the ropes to the baking sheet and pinch together at one end, then braid and pinch together at the other end. (Repeat if making two loaves.)

instructions for the egg wash
Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl. Brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash. Reserve remaining egg wash.

instructions for baking
Cover the dough with plastic and proof 60 to 90 minutes, until the dough is 1 1/2 times its original size.

Preheat the oven to 350*F and adjust the oven rack to the middle.

Brush the loaf again with egg wash. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 180*F. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

The cooled loaf can be wrapped in plastic and frozen up to 2 weeks. (Wrap in foil and defrost overnight in the fridge. Refresh in a 350* oven for 10 minutes.)

Tightly wrapped loaves will stay fresh at room temperature up to 2 days.

When I was growing up, my parents made steak fondue every New Year’s Eve. It really was the perfect night: a relaxed dinner, followed by games and watching Dick Clark (at least, when my brother and I were able stay up that late). At any rate, we loved it much more than going out in the cold to a nice restaurant.

Thanks to the resurgence of fondue restaurants, I’ve been reminded of this simple dish and am enjoying fondue again. I even once threw a fondue party for my mom’s birthday. Let me tell you, when you do the preparation for cheese fondue, chocolate fondue, plus steak, shrimp, ravioli, and make several dipping sauces, you realize it’s worth every penny to go out to a restaurant for a multi-course fondue!

These days, I generally will only do cheese fondue at home, because I can make a meal out of it with plenty of vegetables and fruit. However, most of my friends and family don’t enjoy the traditional fondue of gruyere and emmenthaler, so I pretty much have to make this for myself. If you look at the recipe, you’ll see that it’s a LOT of food for one person, but never fear, I have plans for transforming the leftover cheese into a new meal.

This recipe was slightly different from all others I’ve seen and used previously. Instead of coating the cheese with cornstarch before melting, this recipe has you buttering the pot. I have to admit, whether intended or not, it made clean up so much easier; the cheese came right out of the pot, and that’s NEVER happened before, even with a nonstick fondue pot.

Cheese Fondue
Adapted from The Country Cooking of France

1 unpeeled garlic clove, cut in half
1 tablespoon soft butter
1 cup dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
½ pound Gruyere, shredded
½ pound Emmenthaler, shredded
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons Kirsch
dash of freshly ground nutmeg

suggested dippers:
sliced baguette
apple slices drizzled with lemon juice
cauliflower and broccoli flowerets
asparagus spears, raw or blanched
baby carrots
pear slices drizzled with lemon juice

Rub the inside of a fondue or enameled heavy duty saucepan with garlic. Spread butter all around inside of pot and add wine; bring to a boil over very low heat. Add the cheese in handfuls, stirring constantly in a figure-8 pattern with a wooden spoon, until the cheese is completely melted. Add pepper, nutmeg, and Kirsh; season with salt if necessary.

Spear bread, fruit, and vegetables and dip into the cheese.

When I was in 6th grade, I was obsessed with France. Naturally, when it came time to write a report on any country of our choosing, I picked France.

This was a very important report, mostly because we were really supposed to be “learning” how to do research. We got graded every step of the way.

I tend to be a research junkie now, and remembering my 6th grade project made me realize I’ve always been a junkie. Most of my classmates turned in about 25-30 note cards. I turned in more than 200.

My classmates turned in a one or two page outline; mine was over thirty pages. My finished report was about fifty pages, whereas everyone else’s was around seven or eight pages.

I think I scared my teacher.

Though I may not be obsessed with France anymore, still, is it any wonder that I was determined to make baguettes at some point in my life? This recipe may not be authentic, but it’s easy to whip up any time you want freshly baked bread. I baked a couple of loaves over the holidays last year, and I think my parents and I had the first loaf devoured before the prime rib was even done roasting.

As for this time around baking the loaves, one was already gone when I got my camera out. What can I say? My friend had a jar of pasta sauce that his mom recently canned AND a bottle of garlic oil. So yes, the first loaf disappeared in a hurry as he toasted the bread with garlic oil, and we used the pieces to mop up leftover pasta sauce.

But the first time you make it, I really encourage you to just enjoy a slice or two with some really good quality butter. You won’t regret it.

Baguettes

1 package dry yeast
1 ¼ cups hot tap water
2 ¾ cups bread or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
cornmeal

Combine yeast in a large bowl; pour hot water over and swish with your fingers to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes – yeast will smell “yeasty.”

Add 2 ¾ cups flour to the yeast mixture. Stir with paddle attachment on low speed until a soft dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with salt. Using a dough hook, knead on medium-low until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. If dough is sticking to bowl, add flour a tablespoon at a time so it doesn’t stick to sides of bowl.

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, transfer dough to bowl. Roll the dough around so it’s coated with spray. Cover with plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down dough, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Divide dough in half. On a floured work surface, shape dough into twelve inch long baguettes. Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal and place dough on sheet. Slash each baguette three times for the classic baguette look – cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450. If a crisper crust is desired, spray dough with water. Bake for 20 minutes, cool completely before slicing.