Back at la tavola

Winter bread

Dear Reader, what a long strange trip it's been.  I've been in what feels like a time warp, driving to and from work wondering where the daylight went in an endless circuit (think a really bad version of Groundhog day), meaning to write, wanting to write, not making phone calls or sending emails that I should.  I once vowed never to be that person but it happened almost overnight.. a year later, I think I'm better for having had the experience (no point in dwelling on it now) and being aware of how not to get trapped again.

My 'career' is in the food industry and that is the last I'll say about that love/hate relationship except for the fact that my new role allows for a much better work life balance. Huzzah.

So all this balance has been going into, among other culinary things, keeping my kitchen smelling like a fresh loaf of bread.  My love of baking is no secret and over the past several years, I've been compiling info from all available sources, the fresh loaf, my library (I'm going to add that list soon), magazine articles and every thing ever printed by Field, Lahey, Reinhart, and Roberston.  I'm obviously leaving out many sources but you get the idea.  I haven't built a brick oven yet but am amassing lots of 'necessary' tools - thank you SFIB and Bakery Bits.

And today, with the latest dumping of snow measuring in at 35 centimeters, I've opened (for more than reading pleasure) a treasure of a cookbook, 'Olives and Oranges' by Sara Jenkins and Mindy Fox.

Who doesn't enjoy Mediterranean flavours? And I was thinking about a rabbit braise and pappardelle.. funny that.

I'm going to do a review post shortly but have to say that it is one of the best cookbooks I've had the joy to cook from in a long time.  More proof that food can be flavourful and complex from the simplest of recipes. Clever combinations of ingredient and cooking method are at work here.  In a nutshell, there isn't anything in this book that I wouldn't eat. Highly recommended.

Our rabbit pappardelle.

A homey and hearty braise enjoyed with a delicious Calabrian 2006 blend from Savuto.  The small boss enjoyed his pasta (olives and all) with some Niagara grape juice and mopped the plate with Mama's bread.

Let it snow!