It’s been a rainy week. While we watch the water table rise, and try to stay clear of the mud here in Estonia, it’s SNOWING in Spain (think blizzard, North Dakota,
January, and you’ll get the picture), and expected to worsen in the next 24
hours. Although I'm sure it's a difficult time for Spaniards not used to such an early snowstorm, we saw a hilarious news report of a team of cows (with cowbells) on the loose, on a highway, in the storm. I did pray to the Lord about all the rain, but he seems intent on sending us a whole lot more. Should we be collecting rainwater, I wonder? In the meantime, inclement weather is always a great time to bake something chocolaty.
Someone once told me that baking is an exercise in precision, like carpentry or brain surgery; cooking, on the other hand, lends itself to experimentation and creativity. Since that time long ago, I have adhered to baking recipes very strictly, whereas my attitude towards entrees and side dishes has been more like a seasoning and combo free-for-all. Case in point: my Thanksgiving pumpkin cheesecake hasn’t been altered in ten years, and the card on which I hand-wrote it is affectionately fingerprinted with vanilla and pumpkin. Conversely, I rarely make meat or vegetables the same way twice, using whatever is handy or sounds adventurous. There’s something very satisfying about throwing a loose handful of sea salt into a pot or pan instead of measuring a tablespoon. The up side is that there’s little pressure, and the element of surprise (Note: I draw the line occasionally, as I did this morning when Matt asked if I would put jalapenos in the oatmeal). On the other hand, I’m finding my powers of recall diminishing with age, which makes it difficult to repeat an especially yummy experience.
As a result of joining this ‘club’, which is really more like a weekly open-book test of kitchen prowess, my approach to baking is dramatically changing. As long as there is a good foundation for a baked item, which includes the chosen method of mixing and a decent balance of chemical constituents (rising agent, moisture and fat agents, a grain or protein of some sort, etc.), there is actually a lot of room for creativity and experimentation.
Take this week’s challenge: Dorie’s Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes. I had no flour, but a lot of wheat flakes. Hence, they went into the VitaMix to be “floured” with the cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt. Along with a few other economy-based alterations (1 egg instead of 2, milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk, and half the sugar), what resulted was an incredibly moist muffin that reminded me of the chocolate bran muffins I used to buy with my morning coffee from a bakery in Arlington, Massachusetts. Surprise! Not only were they delicious, they jogged wonderful memories of a time very precious to me: New England autumns, Victorian neighborhoods, first-time home ownership, good job and great friendships. Food does that, if it’s memorable. These little critters didn't rise much, probably the gluten:soda:powder ratio was off, but they were cute, and in a spirited show of adventure I sprinkled Rapunzel Koco chips (coconut slivers) on top instead of making the chocolate icing called for in the recipe. Très Yum!

