On a baking frenzy

I love the creative, spontaneous nature of cooking dinner each night, the free-flowing way vegetables enter the pan, followed by complimentary spices and sauces, inspired by the weather, a novel, or a recent trip. Sometimes, however, I require a little more structure. The focus, attention to detail, and precision involved in baking can be really therapeutic for me, especially when my life feels a bit out of my control. I think that's why my last four posts have all been about baked goods (and why I've been running my oven overtime). These confections bring comfort (a melty, steaming slice of banana bread with gooey chocolate chips), shared joys with friends (a basket of crisp coconut macaroons passed around the birthday table), and fill our souls (corn bread on a rainy Tuesday night, served up with BBQ tempeh and collards).

These past fourteen months I have researched, studied, written to, interviewed with, and visited dozens of graduate programs. The hundreds of hours preparing for exams, writing essays and talking with professors, as well as the astronomical costs of the application process have finally come to fruition. This summer, Alex and I will finally be moving to a town where he can pursue his passions with international sociology (including food systems and "green" economies) and where I can explore my interests in the law (workers' rights, environmental justice and civil rights.) After the many harried late nights on the subway plotting essay outlines on the back of advertisements found in am New York, I am finally DONE with the process! Last week, Alex and I officially accepted our offers from our respective graduate programs, and we will be relocating to our new town in just a couple of months.

The denoument of our quest to find "just one good option together" has finally played out, somewhat anti-climactically given the length of our seaerch. Just a couple of weeks ago, we visited the town to make certain it was the right choice, and after a day of torrential rain, the clouds parted for our first truly beautiful day this year. It was a warm welcome from our future home, whose brick townhouses smiled down at us. I snapped this parting shot from a passing window to remind me of the new town's charm. It will be hard to leave Brooklyn and her many offerings, but we hope to set up a more comfortable, greener home in our new place.
Until then, I will be scanning Craigslist each day for the best postings and coming home each night to vent my creativity in a spontaneous dinner concoction. This means, of course, that my baking run is most likely over :) On to light spring vegetables and delicate fruits, presented as purely and simply to showcase their natural beauty.

This recipe is my last from the oven for a while. Its flavors and textures are a perfect balance for a savory meal, and it will definitely make an appearance come autumn. Autumn, when I will once again see the swirling fallen leaves from a student's perspective. I can't wait.
Cheddar Corn Bread
(Adapted from Gluten Free Baking Classics)
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup brown rice flour
2/9 cup potato starch flour (no, that's not a typo, the recipe calls for 1 cup "mix" which is 2 cups brown rice flour, 2/3 cups potato starch flour, 1/3 cup tapioca flour, so I divided it by three)
1/9 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup milk minus 1 Tablespoon
1 large egg, well beaten
3/4 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Pinch or two of red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease muffin pan (makes 9) or 8" round cake pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix wet ingredients, then add to dry and stir gently to combine. Do not over-mix. Stir in cheddar cheese and pepper flakes.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes (pan) or 20 minutes (muffins). Remove from pan and serve immediately.

This is best warm and fresh, but leftovers can be sliced thinly and grilled with melted cheese or fried egg for a delicious brunch treat. We liked melting additional cheddar cheese inside, and served it with grilled BBQ tempeh and collard greens. I hope it brings you comfort too!