Tis that time of year when the urge to become Betty Crocker overtakes me. The house filled with delicious scent of cherries, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, pecans, coconut and of course chocolate all baked into various doughs.
I began the ingredients shopping early to beat the other Bettys. Refusing to pay $6.00 for a 5 kg bag of All Purpose flour at the grocery store, I visited the local “health food / bulk store”. Strolling aisles looking for the almighty All Purpose, I finally stop at the flour bins. This mind was so unprepared for the assault on my knowledge of baking.
Laid out before me were bins and bins of flours. White, semi-white, dark white, ok there is white and only white. It reminded me of the Benjamin and Moore pallet of 101 shades of white. If one is so possessed with the colour white which in fact is no colour at all then I pity that soul and bet they never coloured outside the lines.
Moving on, I found bins of whole wheat, semi-whole wheat, whole grain, which are good for bread and buns but not cookies. Excellent flours but unless one is baking granolas and o so healthy treats for this season, avoid them. This time of year, I want fruits and nuts and sweetness all wrapped into one.
Next up, bins of smelt flour. Now at these I stood and shook me head. What in heavens name is smelt flour ? The only smelt I know is a fish and on that I’ll pass thank you. I will not give fish smelling cookies to anyone. To add insult to any baker it came in whole wheat hard and whole wheat soft. Does the hard mean there are bones in it and the soft only skin ?
At last, I find the All Purpose. Ahhhhh serenity has found me. I am whole again. Caught in a deep inhale I adjust me eyes and say wait a minute ! What in heavens name is this ? Labeled I see light all purpose, dark all purpose, whole wheat all purpose. This is just so cruel. No where else have I ever seen so many all purposes. All purpose means just that … all purpose. Shoulders droop and a sigh escapes.
Half an hour later I walk out of the grocery store with that 5kg bag under arm. Cradled just so, ensuring it will be cherished and revered during this season. And I will bake cookies :D
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Mmmmm....cookies
ReplyDeleteCan you mail some to Hollydale???
ReplyDeletedarn Speedy beat me to it..Fed ex works well as long as you pack them properly..:)
ReplyDeleteWith enough bubble wrapping one can ensure anything arrives whole :D
ReplyDeleteHi Cheryl, you have given my early morning a chuckle as the coffee kicks in, thanks! And maybe inspired me to give a go to the cookie baking here too. And I do need to shop for flour, we don't use much as I don't do much baking except at holiday time and like it to be fairly fresh. Get your farm fresh flour, I will look for the almighty all purpose also.
ReplyDeleteFrances at Fairegarden
The troubles we go thru just to bake cookies, whew :)
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